Photo: William P. Gottlieb / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Lester Young, the man they called Pres, is simply one of my eternal heroes. Where the saxophone giants of his era blew hard and heavy, Young floated, spinning light, lyrical, almost conversational lines that quietly pried open the door to modern jazz. Rising through Count Basie's orchestra, he reshaped what the tenor could be, and his recordings with Billie Holiday remain spine-tingling decades later. His 2004 Grammy Hall of Fame honor feels long overdue rather than generous. He died at just fifty, far too soon, but the cool, singing tone he left behind has never faded. His influence is everywhere in jazz.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lester Young
- Name (Japanese)
- レスター・ヤング
- Reading
- れすたー・やんぐ
- Born
- August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Rooster
- Origin
- Woodville, Mississippi, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- clarinetist / saxophonist / composer / jazz musician / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 2004 Grammy Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Lester Young born?
August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959.
Where is Lester Young from?
Lester Young is from Woodville, Mississippi, United States.
What does Lester Young do?
Lester Young works as clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, jazz musician, musician.
Clarinetist — see all → · Saxophonist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.