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Snooky Young
Snooky Young
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Key Information

Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young (February 3, 1919 – May 11, 2011)[2] was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he was able to create a wide range of sounds.

Biography

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Young was lead trumpeter of the Jimmie Lunceford band from 1939 to 1942. He played with Count Basie (three stints totalling eight years), Gerald Wilson and Lionel Hampton, among others, and was an original member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band.[3]

His longest engagement was with NBC, where, as a studio trumpeter, he joined The Tonight Show Band in 1967 and remained with them until 1992, when the band was replaced by a new, smaller group.

He was part of the touring ensemble, the "Now Generation Brass", that traveled with Doc Severinsen, which included other jazz greats such as reed man Lew Tabackin, drummer Ed Shaughnessy, and saxophonist and arranger Tommy Newsom, as well as singer Robert Ozn. Young went on to performing live concert dates, corporate events, and headlining shows in the main rooms of Las Vegas. The one nighters usually occurred on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, as Severinsen was committed to The Tonight Show on weeknights.

For the Las Vegas gigs, the nucleus of Severinsen's touring band (Young, conductor Steve Thoma, and drummer Paul Line) would commute to Vegas nightly, leaving Van Nuys Airport around 6pm via Lear jet, arriving in Las Vegas by 7pm. A limousine would transport the musicians directly backstage, where they would dress and prepare for an 8pm and midnight show. Then it was back to the airport for the ride back to Los Angeles, where Severinsen and Young had their NBC gig, and Steve Thomas and Paul Line were undertaking studio sessions daily.

Young performed nightly with Severinsen, and he was featured prominently for several solos, as well as a trumpet version of "Dueling Banjos". He continued to perform in Los Angeles, appearing on the 1976 Coconut Grove recording Bobby Bland and B.B. King Together Again...Live and again on King's 2008 album One Kind Favor.

He was one of the horn players that accompanied the rock group the Band on their 1972 live album Rock of Ages.[4]

Young recorded only three albums under his own name. The 1971 album, Boys from Dayton, featured Norris Turney on alto sax, Booty Wood on trombone, Richard Tee on piano and organ, and Cornell Dupree on guitar.[5] His 1978 album with altoist Marshal Royal, Snooky and Marshal's Album, featured pianist Ross Tompkins, rhythm guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Louie Bellson. Horn of Plenty features Ross Tompkins on piano, John Collins on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jake Hanna on drums.[6]

He received a NEA Jazz Masters Award[7] for 2009 on October 17, 2008, at the Lincoln Center in New York City.[8]

Throughout the years, Young recorded and performed with Gerald Wilson (a friend since their Lunceford days) and his Orchestra. Until 2010, he was still playing and recording with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

He died of a respiratory ailment in Newport Beach at the age of 92.[9][10]

Harry "Sweets" Edison considered Ed Lewis and Snooky Young "the two greatest first trumpet players" he ever played with.[11]

Discography

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As leader/co-leader

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As sideman

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References

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from Grokipedia
Eugene "Snooky" Young (February 3, 1919 – May 11, 2011) was an American trumpeter celebrated for his innovative use of the plunger mute, which allowed him to produce a distinctive range of growls, shrieks, and tonal effects, earning him a reputation as one of the finest lead trumpeters in history. Born in , as the third of eight children, Young began playing the trumpet at age six with a secondhand and quickly advanced, joining his family's Young Snappy Six band by age 12 for tours across the South. His early style drew from Louis Armstrong's influence before incorporating the fiery phrasing of and elements of , showcasing exceptional imagination, taste, and humor in his solos. Young's professional career took off in 1939 when he became the lead trumpeter for Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra, where he contributed to hits like "Uptown Blues" and even ghosted trumpet solos for the 1941 film Blues in the Night. He later joined Count Basie's band for multiple stints totaling eight years starting in the 1940s, followed by engagements with Lionel Hampton and Benny Goodman, solidifying his role in the swing and big band eras. In 1947, he briefly left the road to lead a seven-piece band in Dayton for a decade, but returned to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1962 onward, Young served as a staff musician for , recommended by , and became a core member of the Tonight Show band under from 1967 to 1992, performing its theme and touring internationally. He was a founding member of the Thad Jones/ Big Band in 1966, later known as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and continued collaborating with ensembles like the Gerald Wilson Orchestra and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra into the 2000s, even as he battled profound deafness. Young recorded three albums as a leader, including the out-of-print Horn of Plenty (1979), and worked with diverse artists such as , , and . In recognition of his lifelong contributions, he received the Jazz Masters Award in 2009 and was posthumously inducted into the Dayton Regional Walk of Fame in 2015. Young, who was married to Dorothy for 72 years, died in , from complications of a disorder, survived by two daughters, one son, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Early Life

Family Background

Eugene Edward Young, Jr., was born on February 3, 1919, in Dayton, Ohio, to a musical family during the early years leading into the Great Depression. He was the third of seven children—four boys and three girls—in a household where music was central to daily life. His father, Eugene Edward Young, Sr., a native of Dayton, worked as a professional musician proficient on guitar, banjo, and alto saxophone, while his mother, originally from Virginia, took up guitar and banjo under her husband's tutelage. The Young family lived on the west side of Dayton, in a segregated neighborhood known as the "" section, where economic hardships of the were acutely felt amid limited opportunities for families. Despite these challenges, the home environment fostered musical talent, with an extended relative like uncle Guy Williams contributing on guitar and bass. Young's siblings included oldest brother Granville, sister Mary-Louise (the second child), and younger ones such as brothers Jimmy and Don, and sisters Ursabelle and Joanne, many of whom engaged in music. The family often performed together as an informal band, with Young Sr. on , his wife on guitar or , Granville and young Eugene on trumpets, and Mary-Louise on piano, entertaining at local dances including the in Dayton. This early immersion in a collaborative musical setting during the and provided a supportive foundation amid the era's socioeconomic strains. As a , he acquired the enduring "Snooky," which originated in infancy—possibly as "Snooks" from a relative—and persisted throughout his life.

Musical Beginnings

Snooky Young's fascination with music began in his early childhood in , where he was profoundly influenced by the recordings and radio broadcasts of . At around six or seven years old, Young first heard Armstrong's playing, which immediately captivated him and inspired his desire to pursue the instrument himself. This exposure to Armstrong's innovative style and tone became the cornerstone of his early musical aspirations, shaping his initial understanding of jazz trumpet fundamentals. Unable to afford a proper instrument due to his family's modest circumstances, Young received his first from a local junk man who recognized the boy's keen interest in . He began playing at approximately five years old, initially without formal instruction, relying on self-taught techniques honed through persistent practice and imitation of his idol. In this supportive family setting, where was a shared activity, Young developed his foundational skills by ear, focusing on producing sounds and phrases that echoed Armstrong's expressive approach rather than studying notation or theory. By age 12 in the early 1930s, Young had joined the family band, known as the Young Snappy Six, for tours across the South. The ensemble, featuring his father on saxophone and guitar, his mother on guitar and banjo, his brother Granville on trumpet, his sister Mary Louise on piano, and a hired drummer, also played at venues such as the Cotton Club for community dances and social events in the Dayton area. These early outings allowed Young to apply his self-acquired abilities in live settings, fostering his confidence amid the vibrant local music scene.

Professional Career

Big Band Era

Young began his professional music career in the mid-1930s as part of his family's band in Dayton, Ohio, where his parents played guitar and banjo, and he performed on trumpet at local dances and events. In 1939, at age 20 and shortly after his marriage, Young joined Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra as lead trumpeter, marking his entry into major big band circles. He remained with Lunceford until 1942, contributing to the band's dynamic swing sound through precise lead lines and occasional solos, including a notable trumpet solo on "Uptown Blues" (1939), often employing his signature plunger mute technique in ensemble settings, and providing ghosted trumpet solos for the 1941 film Blues in the Night. After leaving Lunceford, Young worked with several prominent ensembles, including those led by and Gerald Wilson in the mid-1940s, where he continued as a section trumpeter during a period of freelance activity that included stints with Les Hite, , and in the late 1950s. His most significant big band association during this era was with Count Basie, spanning three periods in the 1940s, 1950s, and into the early 1960s, totaling eight years overall, during which he frequently served as lead trumpeter. These engagements, beginning with a brief role in 1942 replacing Ed Lewis and extending through 1945–1947 and 1957–1962, highlighted Young's reliability in Basie's trumpet section amid the band's evolving postwar style. In 1947, following his Basie stint, Young left the road to lead a seven-piece band in Dayton for a decade until 1957, honing his skills through regional performances. In 1966, Young was a founding member of the Thad Jones/ Big Band (later the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra), serving as lead trumpeter until 1972.

Studio and Television Work

Recommended by , Young joined as a staff in New York in 1962, transitioning from the touring demands of big bands to more stable studio and television commitments. After years of road life with ensembles like Count Basie's, which offered artistic highs but financial and logistical instability, Young sought consistent employment that allowed him to focus on family and musicianship without constant travel. His prior experience as lead trumpeter with Basie had honed the precision and reliability essential for studio lead roles. Young joined in 1967 as a studio trumpeter, quickly rising to lead under bandleader , a position he held for 25 years until the band's disbandment in 1992 following Johnny Carson's retirement. The ensemble, initially based in New York, moved to in 1972 with the show, where Young contributed to its nightly broadcasts, providing instrumental backing for a wide array of guest performers from icons to pop stars. His tenure involved rigorous rehearsals and performances five nights a week, often featuring improvised solos that showcased his plunger mute technique during high-profile segments. Young described the role as fulfilling, noting the band's evolution into a versatile unit that played for "everybody in the business," blending sophistication with commercial demands. Parallel to his television duties, Young thrived in ' vibrant studio scene, freelancing on numerous recordings that bridged , , and rock. He contributed trumpet to The Band's live album Rock of Ages (1972), adding his distinctive lead lines to their performances at the Academy of Music. Notable sessions included collaborations with blues legends and on their joint live album Together Again...Live (1976), where his horn work supported their soulful interplay at the . These freelance gigs, often arranged through studio contractors, filled his schedule with three-hour sessions—sometimes extending longer—alongside work for artists like , allowing Young to apply his discipline to diverse commercial projects while maintaining a steady income.

Later Collaborations

After retiring from * in 1992, Snooky Young remained active in the jazz scene, focusing on performances and recordings with prominent ensembles. He became a regular lead trumpeter with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, contributing to their dynamic sound through the 2000s; at age 85, he featured prominently on their 2005 live album Live at MCG, and he continued performing with them until 2010, including a notable appearance at the Playboy Jazz Festival that year. Young also maintained longstanding ties with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra of the 80's and 90's, appearing on key recordings such as the 1984 album and the 1989 release . His involvement extended into live settings, including a 2006 performance with Wilson's at UCLA when Young was 87, and he played regularly with the group into the late 2000s. In addition, Young participated in the Frankie Capp/Nat Pierce Juggernaut, a Basie-inspired where he served as a featured trumpeter alongside alumni like . The ensemble's high-energy performances and albums, such as the 1982 Juggernaut Strikes Again!, highlighted his precise section work and occasional solos during this period. Throughout his final years, Young engaged in occasional recordings and local live shows in the Newport Beach area, where he resided, sustaining his commitment to until health issues curtailed his activities around 2010. These engagements underscored his enduring vitality as a performer well into his 90s.

Musical Style and Technique

Plunger Mute Mastery

Snooky Young's mastery of the mute exemplified his innovative approach to trumpet playing, enabling him to generate distinctive wah-wah effects, growls, shrieks, and subtle tonal variations that added emotional depth and rhythmic drive to performances. By manipulating the rubber over the bell, he achieved a vocal-like expressiveness that mimicked human speech patterns, a technique rooted in early traditions but refined through his precise control and dynamic phrasing. This skill allowed for seamless integration of muted lines within ensemble sections, enhancing the textural contrast in arrangements. Young perfected this technique during his tenure with the Orchestra in the late 1930s, where it became a hallmark of lead roles, contributing to the band's polished, swinging sound and influencing subsequent generations of players in the era. In Lunceford's arrangements, such as the 1939 recording of "Uptown Blues," Young's -muted solo demonstrated exceptional ensemble precision, blending growling interjections with melodic lines to propel the piece forward and establish it as a enduring theme. Similarly, during his multiple stints with Count Basie's band from the 1940s to the early 1960s, he applied the for both supportive riffs and featured solos, as heard in "Pensive Miss," where his muted contributions provided tonal shading and rhythmic punch to the ensemble's blues-inflected precision. In professional settings, Young frequently substituted a cup mute for the traditional to produce a brighter yet equally versatile sound, noting that it offered "a little different sound" while retaining the wah-wah effect he sought to differentiate his style from peers. This preference evolved from his early experiments with standard plungers, leading him to rely almost exclusively on muted playing by later in his career, often using adjustable cup models for adaptability in live and studio contexts. His equipment choices underscored a focus on tonal flexibility, prioritizing mutes that supported both lead duties and improvisational flair without specifying particular brands in documented accounts.

Influences and Innovations

Throughout his career, Snooky Young's musical influences evolved from foundational figures like to contemporary peers who shaped his approach to ensemble playing. He admired for his technical prowess and encountered him during early family band performances, while interactions with during Gillespie's time with introduced modern elements that informed Young's adaptability. Harry "Sweets" Edison, a longtime bandmate in Count Basie's orchestra, regarded Young highly, deferring to him as lead trumpeter and describing him as a great musician and reader during studio sessions. Young's innovations centered on developing versatile trumpet voicing tailored for big band settings, where he blended the rhythmic drive of swing-era ensembles with the harmonic complexities of modern . In Basie's band from 1945 to 1948 and later stints, he contributed to tight, cohesive trumpet sections that emphasized precision in unison lines and dynamic shading. His work with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis further exemplified this fusion, allowing swing's propulsive energy to coexist with bebop-influenced improvisation, as seen in recordings like Neal Hefti's "Pensive Miss." The plunger mute served as a key tool in these innovations, enabling expressive timbral variations within ensemble contexts. Contemporaries revered Young for his precision and adaptability in high-pressure ensemble environments, often citing his infallible reliability. Count Basie and praised his dependability as a lead player, while described him as "one of the most precious human beings I have ever known," highlighting his gentlemanly demeanor and musical insight. Without formal teaching roles, Young exerted informal influence on younger trumpeters through shared performances, such as in the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and Louie Bellson's band, where he demonstrated section-leading techniques and inspired emerging players like those in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis ensemble.

Personal Life and Legacy

Family and Personal Details

Snooky Young married Dorothy Simmons in 1939, and she survived him following his death in 2011. The couple had four children: daughters Judy Andrews and Donna Hoo, son Danny Young, and another son who predeceased Young. He was also survived by seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Young resided in the area for much of his adult life, particularly after the relocation of to the West Coast in 1972, and later moved to . He passed away on May 11, 2011, at the age of 92 in Newport Beach from complications of a disorder.

Awards and Recognition

In 2009, Snooky Young was awarded the (NEA) Jazz Masters Fellowship, the nation's highest honor for , recognizing his lifetime contributions as a masterful trumpeter. The ceremony took place on October 17, 2008, at in , where Young, then 89, expressed profound gratitude for the accolade. Posthumously, Young's enduring impact was honored through the establishment of the Snooky Young Endowed Scholarship at the in October 2017, providing financial support to promising students and commemorating his role as a pivotal influence in education. Following his death in 2011, obituaries and tributes widely praised Young's legacy as a quintessential lead , noted for his commanding high notes and innovative use of the mute, which anchored sections in iconic s from to Count Basie. Thad Jones, a longtime collaborator, described him as "the number one man" for first , underscoring his technical precision and swing that defined the era. His influence persists among modern players, who continue to study his recordings for mastery of lead techniques, as evidenced by ongoing references in and performances of his work in ensembles like the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra. The NEA's official statement on his passing affirmed him as "one of the great performers."

Discography

As Leader

Snooky Young's recordings as a leader are limited to three albums, released during a period when he was established as a freelance in , appearing on small independent labels that aligned with his post-big-band career trajectory. His debut as leader, Boys from Dayton (1971, Master Jazz Recordings), highlighted his connections to fellow musicians from his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, assembling a of players who shared early professional experiences in ensembles like those of , , and Count Basie. The album features Norris Turney on , Booty Wood on , Richard Tee on and organ, and Cornell Dupree on guitar, among others, with the material evoking Dayton roots through nostalgic, interpretations that nod to their shared Midwestern origins and heritage. In 1978, Young co-led Snooky & Marshal's Album (Concord Jazz) with alto saxophonist Marshal Royal, drawing on their mutual Basie Orchestra background for a small-group session of jazz standards. The ensemble includes Ray Brown on bass, Freddie Green on guitar, Ross Tompkins on piano, and Louie Bellson on drums, delivering relaxed yet swinging renditions of classics with a focus on interplay between Young's trumpet and Royal's saxophone, supported by a sturdy rhythm section evocative of swing-era precision. Young's final leader effort, Horn of Plenty (1979, Concord Jazz), showcases his prowess in a setting with Ross Tompkins on , John Collins on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jake Hanna on drums, emphasizing trumpet-led arrangements that highlight his melodic phrasing and plunger mute technique across a mix of standards and originals. The album underscores Young's command as a soloist, with his horn driving the session's warm, vibe.

As Sideman

Young's career as a spanned over seven decades, beginning in the late with his role as lead trumpeter in Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra from 1939 to 1942. During this period, he contributed to numerous Decca recordings, including the 1939 track "Uptown Blues," where his solo showcased early mastery of the plunger mute alongside alto saxophonist Willie Smith. Other notable Lunceford sessions from 1940–1941 featured Young on lead trumpet parts in swing arrangements like "The Morning After" and "Blue Afterglow," highlighting his precise ensemble playing in the band's high-energy style. In the 1940s and early 1950s, Young made brief stints with Count Basie's orchestra in 1942 and from 1945 to 1947, appearing on early Columbia and RCA Victor sessions that captured Basie's evolving postwar sound. He rejoined Basie in 1957 for a longer tenure through 1962, contributing lead trumpet and distinctive muted solos to albums such as (1957), where his plunger work added texture to Neal Hefti's arrangements, and Basie Plays Hefti (1958). Additional Basie highlights from this era include Sing Along with Basie (1958) with Joe Williams and the vocal group , and Blues Backstage (1961), emphasizing Young's role in the band's tight brass section. These recordings solidified his reputation for reliable lead lines and innovative mute techniques within Basie's swinging . The 1960s marked Young's involvement in modern jazz ensembles, starting as a founding member of the Thad Jones/ Orchestra in 1966, where he played lead on Solid State releases like Live at the Village Vanguard (1967) and The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones/ (1968). His contributions extended to (1970), featuring plunger-muted improvisations on tracks like "," and North (1969), blending his roots with contemporary charts. Young also appeared on sessions outside Basie, such as 's Listen to Art Farmer and the Orchestra (1962) and Ray Charles's (1959), providing support in orchestral settings. In the 1970s, Young's studio versatility shone through collaborations like the live recording Rock of Ages (1972) with , where he added to their New Year's Eve performance at the Academy of Music, enhancing the rock-jazz fusion with his phrasing. He also joined and for the live album Together Again...Live (1976) at the , delivering fills on standards like "Stormy Monday Blues" alongside a featuring and Albert Aarons. As a member of NBC's from 1967 to 1992, Young contributed to numerous television soundtracks and specials, though specific recordings from this era remain largely archival. From the 1980s through the 2000s, Young focused on orchestras, particularly the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, where he served as a trumpeter on albums including Absolutely! (1994), featuring his lead and solo work on swing tunes, and Groove Shop (1995). Later contributions included Live at MCG (2005), recorded when Young was 85, showcasing his enduring plunger mute expertise on tracks like those arranged by John Clayton. His final appearances extended into the late 2000s with the orchestra's releases up to 2010, such as The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: How Swing Works (2003), underscoring his pivotal role in bridging swing traditions with modern sounds.

References

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