Fathead Newman

David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz saxophonist.

Biography
Born in Corsicana, Texas, Newman's professional career as a musician began in 1954 as a member of the Ray Charles Band.

While there are reports of Newman offering more than one origin of his nickname "Fathead", the commonly accepted explanation is that the nickname originated from his high school music class. Mr. Miller, his then music teacher, saw his music upside down on the stand, and knowing that Newman couldn't read music very well at the time, walked over and tapped him on his head with the conductor's baton and called him "Fathead." The entire classroom laughed and Newman, having good humor, did not find it derogatory. The name stuck with him, but he said he preferred to be called "David."

Career
He moved to Dallas where he graduated from Lincoln High School. After high school, he started playing flute and tenor saxophone at local shows. He attended Jarvis Christian College where he studied theology and music. Newman stayed in college for two years and decided to move onto the road to further his music career. He played and toured with Buster Smith, Charlie Parker's mentor, playing many one-nighters with musicians such as T-Bone Walker at dance halls all over the central United States.

At one of these many gigs, he met Ray Charles, and in 1954, Newman joined Charles in his band as the baritone saxophone player (although he is more famous as a tenor saxophone and flute player) and began a twelve-year gig with Charles. He later joined Herbie Mann, with whom he played for another ten years.

Later life
Over the years up to 2008, Newman recorded over thirty-eight albums under his own name, including his first, Fathead, Ray Charles Presents David 'Fathead' Newman recorded in 1958, but not released until 1960, and the second, The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces, with James Clay, produced by Cannonball Adderley, the following year.

Influenced
Always a musicians' musician, Newman is best known for his hard bop style that has influenced generations of saxophone players of different genres. He also played R&B and blues, appearing on recordings with Stanley Turrentine, Aretha Franklin, B. B. King, the Average White Band, Jimmy McGriff, Eric Clapton, John Stein, Natalie Cole, Hank Crawford, Aaron Neville, Queen Latifah, Richard Tee, Dr. John, Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer and country/tex-mex artist Doug Sahm.

Final years
In Ray, the 2004 biographical film about Ray Charles, Newman was portrayed by Bokeem Woodbine.

On January 22, 2008, Newman sat in as a guest with the CBS orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Death
On January 20, 2009, Newman died from complications of pancreatic cancer.

As leader

 * Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David 'Fathead' Newman (1960) Atlantic Records 1304
 * The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces!!!! with James Clay (1960) Riverside Records 12-327
 * Straight Ahead (1961) Atlantic 1366
 * Fathead Comes On (1962) Atlantic 1399
 * House of David (1967) Atlantic 1489
 * Double Barrelled Soul with Jack McDuff (1968) Atlantic 1498
 * Bigger and Better (1968) Atlantic 1505
 * The Many Facets of David Newman with Clifford Jordan (1968) Atlantic 1524
 * Captain Buckles (1971) Cotillion Records 18002
 * Lonely Avenue (1972) Atlantic 1600
 * The Weapon (1972) Atlantic 1638
 * Newmanism (1974) Atlantic 1662
 * Mr. Fathead (1976) Warner Bros. Records BS 2917
 * Concrete Jungle (1977) Prestige Records 10104
 * Keep the Dream Alive (1977) Prestige 10106
 * Front Money (1977) Warner Bros. BS 2984
 * Back To Basics (1977) Milestone Records 9188
 * Scratch My Back (1979) Prestige 10108
 * Resurgence (1980) Muse Records 5234
 * Still Hard Times (1982) Muse 5283


 * Heads Up (1987) Atlantic 81725
 * Fire! Live at the Village Vanguard (1990) Atlantic 81965
 * Blue Head Live, with Clifford Jordan (1990) Candid Records 70941
 * Blue Greens and Beans with Marchel Ivery and the Rein DeGraaff Trio (1990) Timeless 351
 * Return to the Wide Open Spaces Live, with Ellis Marsalis, Cornell Dupree,... (1990) Amazing Records 1021
 * Bluesiana Triangle (1990) Windham Hill Jazz WD-0125 – with Bluesiana Triangle
 * Bluesiana II (1991) Windham Hill 10133 – with Bluesiana Triangle
 * Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool (1994) Kokopelli Records
 * Under a Woodstock Moon (1996) Kokopelli
 * Chillin' (1999) HighNote Records 7036
 * Keep the Spirits Singing (2001) HighNote 7057
 * Davey Blue (2001) HighNote 7086
 * The Gift (2003) HighNote 7104
 * Song for the New Man (2004) HighNote 7120
 * I Remember Brother Ray (2005) HighNote 7135
 * Cityscape (2006) HighNote 7150
 * Life (2007) HighNote 7166
 * Diamondhead (2008) HighNote 7179
 * The Blessing (2009) HighNote 7195

As sideman
With Ray Charles With Eddie Harris With Lee Morgan
 * The Great Ray Charles (1957)
 * Yes Indeed! (1958)
 * Ray Charles at Newport (1958)
 * What'd I Say (1959)
 * The Genius of Ray Charles (1959)
 * Ray Charles in Person (1960)
 * The Genius Hits the Road (1960)
 * The Genius After Hours (1961)
 * Sweet & Sour Tears (1964)
 * Berlin, 1962
 * The Electrifying Eddie Harris (Atlantic, 1967)
 * Sonic Boom (1967)

With Lonnie Smith
 * Think! (1968)

With Charles Kynard
 * The Soul Brotherhood (Prestige, 1969)

With Cornell Dupree
 * Teasin' (1973)

With BB King
 * There Must Be a Better World Somewhere (1981)
 * Let the Good Times Roll (1999)

With Herbie Mann
 * Mississippi Gambler (1972, Atlantic)

With Don Patterson
 * Mellow Soul (Prestige, 1967)

With Shirley Scott
 * Shirley Scott & the Soul Saxes (Atlantic, 1969)

With John Stein
 * Green Street (1999)

With JW-Jones
 * Kissing in 29 Days (2006)

Other appearances
 * The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux (1977)