Lonnie Youngblood

Lonnie Youngblood (born Lonnie Thomas August 3, 1941 in Augusta, GA) is an American saxophonist and bandleader best remembered for hiring a young Jimi Hendrix and thus giving him a chance on one of his first professional sessions. Youngblood's saxophone style is similar to King Curtis, although his earliest influence was his mother's favorite artist Louis Jordan. His first professional job was backing up Pearl Reeves in 1959. Youngblood's first solo recording, "Heartbreak" became a hit and help him work as bandleader for Faye Adams, Buster Brown, and Baby Washington.

His first professional job was backing up Pearl Reeves in 1959. Youngblood's first solo recording, "Heartbreak" became a hit and help him work as bandleader for Faye Adams, Buster Brown, and Baby Washington. Youngblood was a regular on college campuses in the '60s and appeared numerous times at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity at Dartmouth College on which the Delta House in the film Animal House was largely based.

Hendrix left Youngblood's band in early 1964, but the two remained friends up until Jimi's death in 1970. Youngblood worked mostly as a backup musician during the remainder of the 60's for James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Ben E. King, Sam & Dave, and other soul greats.

Lonnie Youngblood continues to perform, and is nicknamed the "Prince of Harlem"