He was a prominent tenor saxophonist in the Washington jazz scene for several decades, while working a day job with the U.S. Postal Service.
His father was a bookbinder at the Government Printing Office.
He began playing soprano sax at age 13, then took up the clarinet and tenor sax. Within a few years, he was playing at nightclubs. He graduated from the District's old Armstrong High School - the alma mater of pianist and jazz bandleader Duke Ellington.
Survived by his wife two daughters, one step-son, two granddaughters, and two great grandsons.