B.B. King, Ray Charles and Leroy Cooper

Teasing You
By Susan Cross

Excerpt for Leroy 'Hog' Cooper on Sax

"B.B. King is better than you’ll ever know. He can play jazz.

Those young boys used to come into the band and say “I’m tired of playing this old stuff. Don’t you ever play jazz, man?”

He would say, “Alright young man? You want to play so-and-so?”

I was shocked when they had B.B. and Ray on the show together, and Oscar Peterson. That was some music. We’d just be sitting there watching when the band would be going on. Where else can I get a job where I’m getting paid to listen to Ray Charles sing with all these guys, and sitting here being paid? What kind of job is that?

B.B. King and Ray were very close and any time he and Ray would have a chance he would come in to talk with Ray. I was the bandleader so Ray would have me in there discussing the show. I would be in on their intimate conversations. B’s a Virgo like myself. He’s very friendly."

For the rest of the story you'll have to buy the book when it comes out! Hah!

Copyright © 2009 Susan Cross – All rights reserved