The idea that a Saxophone player might be the focal point of a band, is something most people would think of only in connection with Jazz. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the first major soloists and stars in Rhythm n' Blues were the Honkin' Sax players. These Honkers and Bar-walkers came from all over ; Saxophone giants such as Red Prysock from North Carolina, Maxwell Davis from Kansas City, Lee Allen who although was also born in Kansas worked out of New Orleans, Sam ‘the man’ Taylor who was probably the most in demand horn man in New York at that time. From Texas Clifford Scott...the original Mr Honky Tonk, as well as Joe Houston who became known as The Wild Man of the Tenor Sax, and many more.

The great Rhythm n' Blues Saxophone players past and present...(also fine Jazz musicians).
As well as being recording artists with their own bands, here is a short list of who they worked with :

Red Prysock
Tiny Grimes, Cootie Williams Orchestra, Tiny Bradshaw, Roy Milton and his Solid Senders, Alan Freed's Rock n' Roll Stage Show, Arthur Prysock.

Clifford Scott
Lionel Hampton, Roy Brown, Roy Milton, Bill Doggett.

Sil Austin
Roy Eldridge, Cootie Williams, Tiny Bradshaw.

Lee Allen
Fats Domino, Little Richard, Roy Montrell, Dave Bartholomew, Paul Gayten,
Shirley and Lee.

Alvin 'red' Tyler
Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Little Richard, Joe Turner, Lloyd Price, Dave Bartholomew,
Shirley and Lee

Purvis Henson
Buddy Johnson Orchestra

Big Al Sears
Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Alan Freed's Rock n' Roll Stage Show,
Lionel Hampton, Chick Webb Orchestra.

King Curtis
Lionel Hampton, Buck Clayton's Swinging Combo, Mickey and Sylvia, The Coasters,
Nat Cole, Chuck Willis, Joe Turner, Buddy Holly, Lavern Baker, The Drifters,
Brook Benton, Alan Freed's Stage Show, Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin.

Hal 'cornbread' Singer
Jay McShann, Earl Bostic, Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, Lucky Millinder, Duke Ellington.

Sam Butera
Paul Gayten, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Ray McKinley, Louis Prima.

Maxwell Davis
Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, Helen Humes, T-Bone Walker, Louis Jordan, Charles Brown,
Floyd Dixon, Amos Milburn, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, B.B. King.

Joe Houston
King Kolax Band, Amos Milburn, Wynonie Harris, Big Joe Turner.

Sam 'the man' Taylor
Cab Calloway Band, The Drifters, Joe Turner, La Vern Baker, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles,
Floyd Dixon, Ivory Joe Hunter, Chuck Willis, Lucky Millinder, Cootie Williams, Alan Freed's Stage Show.

Jimmy Forrest
Andy Kirk, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jay McShann.

Jimmy Coe
Jay McShann, Wes Montgomery, Tiny Bradshaw.

Lynn Hope
King Kolax Band.

Illinois Jacquet
Lionel Hampton, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Floyd Ray.

Willis 'gator tail' Jackson
Cootie Williams, Ruth Brown.

Greg Piccolo
Roomful Of Blues, Jimmy Vaughan, Duke Robillard.

Sax Gordon
Duke Robillard Band, Luther 'guitar junior' Johnson, Matt 'guitar' Murphy, Jay McShann,
Champion Jack Dupree.

Kevin May
Kevin May and the Deaconairs, The Benders, Roomful Of Blues.

Eddie 'cleanhead' Vinson
Cootie Williams Band, Milt Larkin Band, Paul Williams Orchestra, Count Basie.

Bullmoose Jackson
Lucky Millinder Orchestra.

Charlie Ferguson
The Royales.

Tab Smith
Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Lucky Millinder.

Paul Bascomb
Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, Count Basie, Dinah Washington.

Big Jay McNeely
Big Jay McNeely and his own band.

Bill Holloman
Danny Gatton Band.

Earl Bostic
Fate Marable, Ernie Fields, Don Redman, Cab Calloway, Hot Lips Page, Lionel Hampton.

Plas Johnson
Charles Brown, Johnny Otis, Henry Mancini.

Doug James
Duke Robillard Band, Roomful Of Blues, Jay McShann, Big Joe Turner, Rosco Gordon,
The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Billy Boy Arnold.

Leo Parker
Illinois Jacquet's Band, Billy Eckstine's Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Sir Charles Thompson.

Percy France
Bill Doggett, Jimmy Smith.

Lowell 'count' Hastings
Louis Jordan's Tympany Five, Tiny Bradshaw, Lucky Millinder.

Jr. Walker
Jr. Walker and the All Stars.

Rusty Bryant
Lionel Hampton, Tiny Grimes, Hank Marr.

Arnett Cobb
Milt Larkin Orchestra, Lionel Hampton.

Don Wilkerson
Ray Charles.

Gene Barge
The Griffin Brothers Jump Band, Little Milton, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters,
Howlin' Wolf, Koko Taylor.

Eddie 'lockjaw' Davis
Lucky Millinder Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Cootie Williams.

Frank 'floorshow' Culley
Wynonie Harris.

Preston Love
Wynonie Harris, Lloyd Hunter, Count Basie, Lucky Millender, Johnny Otis, Nat Towles.

Herschel Evans
Count Basie Orchestra.

Paul 'hucklebuck' Williams
King Porters Band, Clarence Dorsey.

Jack McVea
Lionel Hampton, Dootsie Williams, Eddie Barefield, Snub Mosley.

Tom Archia
Milt Larkin Band, Hot Lips Page, Wynonie Harris.

John 'bad man' Hardee
Tiny Grimes.

Little Willie Jackson
Joe Liggins Honeydrippers.

Eddie Chamblee
Jimmy Witherspoon, Lionel Hampton, Lowell Fulson.

Joe Thomas
Earl Hood, Stuff Smith, Jimmie Lunceford.

Herb Hardesty
Fats Domino, Lloyd Price, Joe Turner.

Cecil Payne
Dizzy Gillespie Band, Roy Eldridge.

James Von Streeter
Johnny Otis, Lloyd Hunter.

Buddy Tate
Count Basie, Nat Towles, Lucky Millinder, Jimmy Rushing.

Wild Bill Moore
Big Joe Turner, Jack McVea, Paul 'hucklebuck' Williams.

Jesse Powell
Hot Lips Page Band, Louis Armstrong's Orchestra, Brownie McGhee, Count Basie,
Dizzy Gillespie's Orchestra, Champion Jack Dupree.

J.T. Brown
Elmore James, Roosevelt Sykes, Washboard Sam, Eddie Boyd.

Noble 'thin man' Watts
Amos Milburn, Ruth Brown, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Pauk 'hucklebuck' Williams.

Big Jim Wynn
Pee Wee Crayton, Johnny Otis.

Freddie Mitchell
Benny Carter Orchestra, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong, Hot Lips Page, Alan Freed's Rock n' Roll Stage Orchestra.

Chu Berry
Teddy Hill Group, Cab Calloway Band, Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, Bessie Smith.

Morris Lane
Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines.

Johnny Ferreira
Colin James Little Big Band.

Grady Gaines
Little Richard's Upsetters, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, Jackie Wilson.

AC Reed
Muddy Waters, Albert Collins.

Bobby Forte
B.B. King, Charles Brown.

Big John Greer
Lucky Millinder, Wynonie Harris.

Chuck Higgins
Chuck Higgins Combo.

For more information on some of the above names go to Links Page

Great examples of Rhythm n' Blues Saxophone on C.D. and Vinyl :

Sil Austin & Red Prysock : Battle Royal

Red Prysock : The Beat / Swingsation / Fruitboots / Crying My Heart Out / The Big Sound Of

Sil Austin : Slow Walk Rock / Swingsation / Everything's Shakin'

Sam 'the man' Taylor : Backbeat / Swingsation / Blue Mist

Lee Allen : Walking With Mr. Lee

Joe Houston : Blows Crazy / Rockin' And Boppin' / Cornbread And Cabbage Greens / Doin' The Twist

Maxwell Davis : Father Of West Coast R n' B

Clifford Scott : Mr. Honky Tonk Is Back In Town / Texas Tenor / The Big Ones

Clifford Scott And Lynn Hope : Juicy

Big Al Sears : Seariously / The Rocking and Honking Tenor / The Big Raw Tone

Hal 'cornbread' Singer : Rent Party / Blue Stompin'

Eddie 'cleanhead' Vinson : Old Maid Boogie / Cleanheads Back In Town

King Curtis : Instant Groove / The Best Of / Soul Twist / Didn't He Play

King Curtis And Champion Jack Dupree : Blues At Montreux

Noble 'thin man' Watts : King Of The Boogie Sax / Blast Off / Return Of The Thin Man

Buddy Johnson And His Orchestra : Rockin' n' Rollin' / Walk 'Em / Wails

Illinois Jacquet : Jacquet A La Carte / Jacquets Got It

Paul Bascomb : Bad Bascomb

Tab Smith : Jump Time / Ace High

Big John Greer : Rockin' With Big John / R&B In New York City

Don Wilkerson : The Complete Blue Note Sessions.

Gene Barge : Daddy G And The Church Street Five ; Daddy G Rides Again

Leo Parker : Classics 1947 - 1950 / Rollin' With Leo

Amos Milburn : Booze, Babes, Blues & Boogie

Jay McShann And His Orchestra : Hooties K C Blues / Hooties Jumpin' Blues

Willis 'gator tail' Jackson : Call Of The Gator / Please Mr. Jackson

Earl Bostic : Blows A Fuse / Sax O' Boogie / Jazz As I Feel It

Bill Doggett : Gon Doggett / Special Twist / Doggett Beat For Dancing Feet

Atlantic Honkers : A Rhythm And Blues Saxophone Anthology

Honkers And Bar Walkers : Volume One / Volume Two

The Big Horn : The History Of The Honkin' And Screamin' Saxophone

Sam Butera : Hot Nights In New Orleans / Wild, Cool and Swingin' / The Big Horn

J. T. Brown : Windy City Boogie

Chuck Higgins : Pachuko Hop

Louis Prima : The Best, The Wildest

Wynonie Harris : Rockin' The Blues

Tiny Grimes : Frankie And Johnny Boogie / Calling The Blues / And His Rocking Highlanders

Hank Marr : Greasy Spoon

Tiny Bradshaw : Breaking Up The House / The E.P. Collection

Joe Liggins And The Honeydrippers : The Legends Of Specialty Series

Smiley Lewis : I Hear You Knocking ; The Best Of

Paul Gayten : Chess King Of New Orleans

Greg Piccolo : Heavy Juice / Homage

Sax Gordon : You Knock Me Out / Have Horn Will Travel

Doug James : Blow Mr. Low

Alvin 'red' Tyler : Simply Red

Big Jay McNeely : Roadhouse Boogie / Big Jay In 3D

Bullmoose Jackson : 28 Big Ones / Bad Man Jackson That's Me / Moose On The Loose

Big Jim Wynn : Blow Wynn Blow

Roomful Of Blues : Hot Little Mama / Swingin' And Jumpin

Groove Station : King, Federal, Deluxe, Saxblasters Volume One

Chu Berry : Sittin' In

Freddie Mitchell : The Derby

Jack McVea : Come Blow Your Horn / McVoutie's Central Avenue Blues

Count Basie : Count Basie Swings Featuring Joe Williams / Blues By Basie

Johnny Ferreira : King Of The Mood Swings

Bill Holloman : At Last

Some of the great Saxophone Honkers horns. Many players changed their set-ups throughout the years...therefore using album covers and old photos as reference, the list is as accurate as possible.

Lee Allen : Buescher 400 THC / Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

Sil Austin : Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

Red Prysock : Selmer Mark V1 / Selmer Balanced Action - Tenor

King Curtis : Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor / King - Saxello

Illinois Jacquet : Selmer Super Balanced Action - Tenor

Earl Bostic : Selmer Mark V1 - Alto

Eddie Vinson - Conn 6M / Selmer Mark V1- Alto

Greg Piccolo : Selmer Mark V1 -Tenor

Sax Gordon : H. Couf Superba 1 (body) ; Selmer Mark V11 (crook) - Tenor

Tab Smith : Buescher Aristocrat - Alto / King Super 20 - Alto

Plas Johnson : Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

Sam Butera : Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

Joe Houston : King Super 20 - Tenor / Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

Big Jay McNeely - Conn 10M - Tenor

Bullmoose Jackson - Buescher 400 THC - Tenor

Doug James : King Super 20 - Baritone

Al Sears - Buescher 400 THC- Tenor

Clifford Scott - King Super 20 - Alto

Lynn Hope - Buescher 400 THC - Tenor

Jr. Walker - Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

J. T. Brown - Martin - Tenor

Johnny Ferreira - Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor

Preston Love - Conn 6M - Alto

Bill Holloman - Selmer Mark V1 - Tenor / L.A. Sax 800 - Tenor