KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) – Jazz musician David “Fathead” Newman, who won fame as a tenor sax soloist, has died in upstate New York.

His manager, Karen Newman, said the musician died Tuesday night of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Kingston, N.Y. He was 75.

A Dallas native, Newman left college to tour with Charlie Parker’s mentor, Buster Smith.

According to his Web site, Newman spent 12 years with the Ray Charles Band starting in 1954.

He began as the baritone sax player and became the star tenor sax soloist.

He returned to Dallas and led his own bands before moving to New York City.

As a studio musician he worked with musicians including Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Aaron Neville.

Funeral plans were not announced.


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