Member of: Sil Austin and Friends
Jobs: Saxophone
Genre: Jazz
OBITUARIES: COLLEGE PARK: Sil Austin, veteran jazz recording artist
Derrick Henry - Staff ~ Friday, September 7, 2001
When Sil Austin played the tenor saxophone, the veteran recording artist made the music sing with the passion of life.
"He could play everything: really raunchy rhythm and blues or the most delicate ballad," said Andrew Fazackerley of Stone Mountain, a jazz pianist who performed frequently with Mr. Austin. "He had an enormous, bluesy sound and played with the greatest expression and feeling."
"He was one of the first smooth jazz artists," said Jacques Lesure of Atlanta, a jazz educator and guitarist. "Without Sil Austin, there would have been no Grover Washington or Kenny G."
Sylvester Austin, 71, of College Park, died of prostrate cancer Sept. 1 at Portsbridge Hospice in Riverdale. The body was cremated. The memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Capitol View United Methodist Church. Young Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A native of Dunnellon, Fla., Mr. Austin taught himself how to play the tenor sax when he was 12. Four years later, he played "Danny Boy" on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in St. Petersburg, Fla. His winning performance caught the attention of a Mercury Records recording executive. Mercury decided to sign the teenager to a contract, persuading his mother to let Mr. Austin go to New York to refine his technique at the Juilliard School of Music.
Mr. Austin recorded more than 30 albums for Mercury, including such Top 40 hits as "Slow Walk," "My Mother's Eyes," and his signature song, "Danny Boy."
One of Mr. Austin's best-selling albums was "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for the People." He was planning to record an album in October with Mr. Fazackerley titled "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for God."
He performed all over Europe and the Orient, usually traveling with his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, assistant minister at Union City United Methodist Church.
"He was with me in the church as I was with him in the jazz field," said Vernice Austin.
Besides performing regularly at their church, Mr. Austin frequently played at the Sambuca Jazz Cafe in Buckhead and Manny's BarBeQue in Union City.
A vivid entertainer, he loved to leap off the stage and stroll through the audience while playing.
Mr. Austin impressed colleagues with his humility. "He was such a great player, but he always made you feel like you were special," said Mr. Fazackerley. "He would do his best to present every musician he played with in the best light, and not many jazz musicians do that," he added.
"I don't think a lot of cats in town were aware of what a jewel they had with Sil," said Mr. Lesure.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Stills of Hartford, Conn., and Sybil Green of Hempstead, N.Y.; two half-brothers, Rufus Johnson of Jacksonville, N.C., and Joseph D. Johnson of Topeka, Kan.; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Jobs: Saxophone
Genre: Jazz
OBITUARIES: COLLEGE PARK: Sil Austin, veteran jazz recording artist
Derrick Henry - Staff ~ Friday, September 7, 2001
When Sil Austin played the tenor saxophone, the veteran recording artist made the music sing with the passion of life.
"He could play everything: really raunchy rhythm and blues or the most delicate ballad," said Andrew Fazackerley of Stone Mountain, a jazz pianist who performed frequently with Mr. Austin. "He had an enormous, bluesy sound and played with the greatest expression and feeling."
"He was one of the first smooth jazz artists," said Jacques Lesure of Atlanta, a jazz educator and guitarist. "Without Sil Austin, there would have been no Grover Washington or Kenny G."
Sylvester Austin, 71, of College Park, died of prostrate cancer Sept. 1 at Portsbridge Hospice in Riverdale. The body was cremated. The memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Capitol View United Methodist Church. Young Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A native of Dunnellon, Fla., Mr. Austin taught himself how to play the tenor sax when he was 12. Four years later, he played "Danny Boy" on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in St. Petersburg, Fla. His winning performance caught the attention of a Mercury Records recording executive. Mercury decided to sign the teenager to a contract, persuading his mother to let Mr. Austin go to New York to refine his technique at the Juilliard School of Music.
Mr. Austin recorded more than 30 albums for Mercury, including such Top 40 hits as "Slow Walk," "My Mother's Eyes," and his signature song, "Danny Boy."
One of Mr. Austin's best-selling albums was "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for the People." He was planning to record an album in October with Mr. Fazackerley titled "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for God."
He performed all over Europe and the Orient, usually traveling with his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, assistant minister at Union City United Methodist Church.
"He was with me in the church as I was with him in the jazz field," said Vernice Austin.
Besides performing regularly at their church, Mr. Austin frequently played at the Sambuca Jazz Cafe in Buckhead and Manny's BarBeQue in Union City.
A vivid entertainer, he loved to leap off the stage and stroll through the audience while playing.
Mr. Austin impressed colleagues with his humility. "He was such a great player, but he always made you feel like you were special," said Mr. Fazackerley. "He would do his best to present every musician he played with in the best light, and not many jazz musicians do that," he added.
"I don't think a lot of cats in town were aware of what a jewel they had with Sil," said Mr. Lesure.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Stills of Hartford, Conn., and Sybil Green of Hempstead, N.Y.; two half-brothers, Rufus Johnson of Jacksonville, N.C., and Joseph D. Johnson of Topeka, Kan.; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Member of: Sil Austin and Friends
Jobs: Saxophone
Genre: Jazz
OBITUARIES: COLLEGE PARK: Sil Austin, veteran jazz recording artist
Derrick Henry - Staff ~ Friday, September 7, 2001
When Sil Austin played the tenor saxophone, the veteran recording artist made the music sing with the passion of life.
"He could play everything: really raunchy rhythm and blues or the most delicate ballad," said Andrew Fazackerley of Stone Mountain, a jazz pianist who performed frequently with Mr. Austin. "He had an enormous, bluesy sound and played with the greatest expression and feeling."
"He was one of the first smooth jazz artists," said Jacques Lesure of Atlanta, a jazz educator and guitarist. "Without Sil Austin, there would have been no Grover Washington or Kenny G."
Sylvester Austin, 71, of College Park, died of prostrate cancer Sept. 1 at Portsbridge Hospice in Riverdale. The body was cremated. The memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Capitol View United Methodist Church. Young Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A native of Dunnellon, Fla., Mr. Austin taught himself how to play the tenor sax when he was 12. Four years later, he played "Danny Boy" on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in St. Petersburg, Fla. His winning performance caught the attention of a Mercury Records recording executive. Mercury decided to sign the teenager to a contract, persuading his mother to let Mr. Austin go to New York to refine his technique at the Juilliard School of Music.
Mr. Austin recorded more than 30 albums for Mercury, including such Top 40 hits as "Slow Walk," "My Mother's Eyes," and his signature song, "Danny Boy."
One of Mr. Austin's best-selling albums was "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for the People." He was planning to record an album in October with Mr. Fazackerley titled "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for God."
He performed all over Europe and the Orient, usually traveling with his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, assistant minister at Union City United Methodist Church.
"He was with me in the church as I was with him in the jazz field," said Vernice Austin.
Besides performing regularly at their church, Mr. Austin frequently played at the Sambuca Jazz Cafe in Buckhead and Manny's BarBeQue in Union City.
A vivid entertainer, he loved to leap off the stage and stroll through the audience while playing.
Mr. Austin impressed colleagues with his humility. "He was such a great player, but he always made you feel like you were special," said Mr. Fazackerley. "He would do his best to present every musician he played with in the best light, and not many jazz musicians do that," he added.
"I don't think a lot of cats in town were aware of what a jewel they had with Sil," said Mr. Lesure.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Stills of Hartford, Conn., and Sybil Green of Hempstead, N.Y.; two half-brothers, Rufus Johnson of Jacksonville, N.C., and Joseph D. Johnson of Topeka, Kan.; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Jobs: Saxophone
Genre: Jazz
OBITUARIES: COLLEGE PARK: Sil Austin, veteran jazz recording artist
Derrick Henry - Staff ~ Friday, September 7, 2001
When Sil Austin played the tenor saxophone, the veteran recording artist made the music sing with the passion of life.
"He could play everything: really raunchy rhythm and blues or the most delicate ballad," said Andrew Fazackerley of Stone Mountain, a jazz pianist who performed frequently with Mr. Austin. "He had an enormous, bluesy sound and played with the greatest expression and feeling."
"He was one of the first smooth jazz artists," said Jacques Lesure of Atlanta, a jazz educator and guitarist. "Without Sil Austin, there would have been no Grover Washington or Kenny G."
Sylvester Austin, 71, of College Park, died of prostrate cancer Sept. 1 at Portsbridge Hospice in Riverdale. The body was cremated. The memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Capitol View United Methodist Church. Young Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A native of Dunnellon, Fla., Mr. Austin taught himself how to play the tenor sax when he was 12. Four years later, he played "Danny Boy" on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in St. Petersburg, Fla. His winning performance caught the attention of a Mercury Records recording executive. Mercury decided to sign the teenager to a contract, persuading his mother to let Mr. Austin go to New York to refine his technique at the Juilliard School of Music.
Mr. Austin recorded more than 30 albums for Mercury, including such Top 40 hits as "Slow Walk," "My Mother's Eyes," and his signature song, "Danny Boy."
One of Mr. Austin's best-selling albums was "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for the People." He was planning to record an album in October with Mr. Fazackerley titled "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for God."
He performed all over Europe and the Orient, usually traveling with his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, assistant minister at Union City United Methodist Church.
"He was with me in the church as I was with him in the jazz field," said Vernice Austin.
Besides performing regularly at their church, Mr. Austin frequently played at the Sambuca Jazz Cafe in Buckhead and Manny's BarBeQue in Union City.
A vivid entertainer, he loved to leap off the stage and stroll through the audience while playing.
Mr. Austin impressed colleagues with his humility. "He was such a great player, but he always made you feel like you were special," said Mr. Fazackerley. "He would do his best to present every musician he played with in the best light, and not many jazz musicians do that," he added.
"I don't think a lot of cats in town were aware of what a jewel they had with Sil," said Mr. Lesure.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Stills of Hartford, Conn., and Sybil Green of Hempstead, N.Y.; two half-brothers, Rufus Johnson of Jacksonville, N.C., and Joseph D. Johnson of Topeka, Kan.; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
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