Houston's Grady Gaines, legendary blues tenor saxophonist, dies at 86
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Grady Gaines, the Houston-based blues tenor saxophonist whose career brought six decades of backing for a wide range of musicians, has died at 86.
Gaines died Thursday night in his sleep, his management company said.
"Grady was a big man, with a big sound, but with an even bigger heart," Susan Criner with Gulf Coast Entertainment said in a statement to ABC13. "He was a pioneer in American popular music, serving as band leader for groundbreaking stars Little Richard and Sam Cooke, and touring and recording with some of the biggest names in R&B and soul for decades. Still, he would say he was "just an everyday person. I liked to treat people the way I liked to be treated."