Leroy "Hog" Cooper (August 31, 1928 – January 15, 2009) was an American jazz and R&B baritone saxophonist, most known for his 20-year association, some of the time as musical director/bandleader, with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

. From 1948 to 1951, Cooper toured with

Ernie Fields Ernest Lawrence Fields (August 28, 1904 – May 11, 1997)Laprarie, Michael Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' (accessed May 14, 2010). was an American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leadin ...

territory band Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, six or seven n ...

. A childhood friend of

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

, in 1954 the two played together in the sax section backing

Lowell Fulson Lowell Fulson (March 31, 1921March 7, 1999) was an American blues guitarist and songwriter, in the West Coast blues tradition. He also recorded for contractual reasons as Lowell Fullsom and Lowell Fulsom. After T-Bone Walker, he was the most imp ...

on his first single for Chess Records, "

Reconsider Baby "Reconsider Baby" is a blues song written and recorded by Lowell Fulson in 1954. Performed in the West Coast blues style, it was Fulson's first record chart hit for Checker Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records. With memorable lyrics and a dri ...

". In 1957, Newman recommended Cooper to Charles, who joined Charles' band the same summer as bassist

Edgar Willis Edgar Willis is a jazz bassist. Associated for many years with Ray Charles, Willis was also a member of the late 1950s Sonny Stitt Quartet, with Bobby Timmons and Kenny Dennis. Discography ;With Curtis Amy *''Mustang'' (Verve, 1967) With Ra ...

, both musicians staying on with Charles for some 20 years. Cooper also played, recorded or toured with

Lightnin' Hopkins Samuel John "Lightnin" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from Centerville, Texas. In 2010, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked him No. 71 on its list ...

, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown,

The Righteous Brothers The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the Lo ...

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

Del Shannon Charles Weedon Westover (December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990), better known by his stage name Del Shannon, was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known for his 1961 number-one ''Billboard'' hit "Runaway". In 1999, he was induc ...

Bobby Short Robert Waltrip Short (September 15, 1924 – March 21, 2005) was an American cabaret singer and pianist, who interpreted songs by popular composers from the first half of the 20th century such as Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Harold ...

,Credits: ''Collectables Classics''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

. Retrieved May 18, 2013. and Joe Cocker.Biography

. Retrieved May 18, 2013. He performed locally in Orlando until the time of his death, with the Smokin' Torpedoes & Josh Miller Blues Band.

Discography

As sideman

;with Ray Charles ;with Hank Crawford *1960: '' More Soul'' (Atlantic) *1961: ''

The Soul Clinic ''The Soul Clinic'' is the second album led by saxophonist Hank Crawford featuring performances recorded in 1961 (with one track from 1960) for the Atlantic label.

'' (Atlantic) *1962: '' From the Heart'' (Atlantic) *1964: '' True Blue'' (Atlantic) *1965: '' Dig These Blues'' (Atlantic) ;With

Curtis Amy Curtis Amy (October 11, 1929 – June 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Amy was born in Houston, Texas, United States. He learned how to play clarinet before joining the Army, and during his time in service, picked up the teno ...

*''

Mustang The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once- domesticated animals, the ...

'' (Verve, 1967) ;various *1954: "Reconsider Baby" – Lowell Fulson (Chess) *1975: ''

Hollywood Be Thy Name ''Hollywood Be Thy Name'' is a live album by New Orleans R&B artist Dr. John. It was produced by producer Bob Ezrin. The recording venue, Willie Purple's Niteclub, was in reality Cherokee Recording Studios with a live audience. Track listing P ...

'' – Dr. John *1978: '' Luxury You Can Afford'' – Joe Cocker *1988: ''Big News from Baton Rouge!!'' –

Kenny Neal Kenny Neal (born October 14, 1957), is an American blues guitar player, singer and band member. Neal was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Raful Neal, and he comes from a musical family. He has often performed with his brothers in his ...

*1990: '' Return to the Wide Open Spaces'' – David Newman *1990: ''Noble & Nat'' –

Noble "Thin Man" Watts Noble "Thin Man" Watts (February 17, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was an American blues, jump blues and rhythm and blues saxophonist. He primarily played tenor saxophone. The AllMusic journalist, Bill Dahl, considered Watts "one of the most incendi ...

and

Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years. Adderley's composition ...

*1991: ''Walking on Fire'' – Kenny Neal

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Leroy 1928 births 2009 deaths American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians