After cutting his teeth with Lionel Hampton's band, and lending his talents to various R&B sessions, sax player and band leader King Curtis hooked up with Atlantic Records, released his own excellent recordings, and became the leader of Aretha Franklin's backing band, producing and co-producing several of her finest albums. Playing buoyant, soulful instrumental versions of popular rock and soul tracks, Curtis was one of the few straight instrumentalists to find great success in the worlds of rock and R&B rather than jazz. One of the most influential sax players in rock history, Curtis was tragically murdered in New York City in 1971.