Sonny Rollins

Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins, born on September 7, 1930, is an American jazz tenor saxophonist known as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. With a career spanning over seven decades, Rollins has released over sixty albums as a leader. Some of his compositions, like "St. Thomas", "Oleo", "Doxy", and "Airegin", have become jazz standards. Born in New York City to parents from the Virgin Islands, Rollins grew up in central Harlem and on Sugar Hill. He received his first alto saxophone at a young age and attended Edward W. Stitt Junior High School and Benjamin Franklin High School. During his high school years, he played in a band with future jazz legends Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, and Art Taylor.