Happy 71st Birthday To Pianist Joe Sample
Today (February 1), the legendary pianist and composer Joe Sample is celebrating his 71st birthday. He was born Joseph Leslie Sample and raised in the Creole section of Houston, referred to as French Town. In 2002, Sample returned to Houston after residing in Northern California for ten years.
Before his solo career was ignited, Sample was a longtime member of the Jazz Crusaders, and in 1971 they became known simply as The Crusaders. In 2003, Sample reunited with saxophonist Wilton Felder and drummer Stix Hooper for the first time in 33 years, releasing a new Crusaders album titled Rural Renewal.
A few of Sample’s most popular smooth jazz songs include “Hippies on the Corner,” “X Marks the Spot,” “Ashes to Ashes,” “Spellbound” and “Carmel.”
Sample’s latest project have been duet projects with vocalist Randy Crawford – who joined the Crusaders on the classic song “Street Life” – and they were both Grammy nominees: Feeling Good and No Regrets. Sample just wrapped up a with his trio, which features his son Nicklas Sample on bass.