Where Salt Air Meets Sweet Sound

Since Galveston was founded in 1839 , music has spilled out from dance halls , churches and seaside pavilions . Music has spilled out from dance halls , churches and seaside pavilions . Long before it was a tourist destination , galveston was a crossroads , a mix of culture and a deep desire for entertainment .

This episode explores the lives of three remarkable musicians who came of age here in the 1930s and 40s Frederick Tillis , louis Jones and Richard Williams , each of them inspired by Galveston Island's sensational sound and salt air , and each of them making waves far beyond the island . Their stories reveal how Galveston wasn't just a backdrop .

It was a launch pad where kids growing up with sand between their toes and music in their ears carried that rhythm out into the world . Imagine being a kid wandering around Galveston Island during the 1930s or 40s .

While walking along the world-famous seawall or the beach , you and your friends would probably hear local bands playing for families from pavilions , trumpets , drums and small orchestras . Or maybe you pass by the entrance to the infamous Bellanese Room on a night Duke Ellington or Frank Sinatra are playing .

You might even start whistling or singing , dreaming of learning to play the trumpet or the saxophone . The sonic landscape was a rich source of inspiration for children growing up on the island , and this era produced many remarkable musicians .

When you look at the lives of Dr Frederick Tillis , louis Blues , boy Jones or Richard Notes Williams , three influential African-American musicians , you'll notice a couple of striking similarities and some unique Galveston legacies that Galvestonians take immense pride in . On January 5 , 1930 , frederick

Charles Tillis was born on the island . While attending George Washington Carver Elementary School , he joined the Bugle and Drum Corps and began performing in local jazz bands . By the age of 12 , he had earned the nickname Baby Tillis . Once he entered Central High School , tillis picked up the saxophone , which then became his primary instrument .

At just 16 , baby Tillis was off to Wiley College in Marshall , texas . Shortly after graduating . In 1949 , the Korean War broke out and he volunteered for the US Air Force and served as the director of the 356th Air Force Band . Air Force and served as the director of the 356th Air Force Band . After his service .

Tillis earned a PhD in music composition , studying at the University of North Texas and the University of Iowa . Though Frederick continued performing on saxophone , his passion was for teaching and composing . He spent the remainder of his career mentoring young musicians .

Born and raised in Galveston , tillis devoted his life to bridging jazz and classical music , composing over 125 works and advocating for arts education . Oh and he also published 15 books of poetry .

Frederick Tillis died in 2020 at the age of 90 , leaving behind a legacy that began on the Gulf Coast and reached audiences around the world In April of 1931 , and reached audiences around the world In April of 1931, . Louis Prince Jones was born on Galveston Island . Jones developed a love of singing at a young age by performing alongside

his mother in their church choir . He attended Central High School , where he learned to play drums and piano . Like many other Americans , jones was drafted into the Army during the Korean War . After serving two years as a medic , he returned to work as a longshoreman in Galveston .

Within a few years , he moved to Houston , spending most of his time at Peacock Records on Lyons Avenue . Peacock Records was a pioneering Black-owned music label that challenged the limits of music . At the time , peacock Records launched the careers of major blues , r&b and gospel artists through an innovative national distribution model .

Jones would fill in singing , backup or otherwise , just hang out at Peacock Records , learning the ins and outs of the music business . Throughout the 1950s and 60s , jones continued to record and perform both in the United States and abroad , including a stint alongside famous singer and songwriter Otis Redding . However , jones retired from the professional music world .

His legacy felt lost even to his immediate family . The Blues Boy himself didn't talk much about his former life . Louis Blues Boy Jones passed away at the age of 53 in 1984 , and he was buried right here on the island at Lakeview Cemetery . For years the Blues Boy lived in quiet anonymity , his career nearly forgotten even by those closest to him .

But legacy has a way of resurfacing , especially when it's built on something as timeless as music . Let's fast forward to the 2010s . Jones' daughter decided to dig into his past life . She discovered a treasure trove of music preserved by devoted fans on YouTube , which ultimately helped her piece his legacy together .

In 2014 , galveston City Council voted unanimously to honor Jones by naming a section of 37th Street after him . The Texas State Historical Association notes that Jones was the first African American singer to be honored by the city in this way , just like Jones , another Galveston native , would leave a mark that outlasted him one note at a time .

Richard Notes Williams was born on May 4 , 1931

. Williams spent his youth on the island , though he took the opposite approach from Tillis . Williams learned saxophone first , but switched to trumpet in his teen years . He also began performing locally at a young age and after high school he enrolled in the music program at Wiley College .

After graduating , williams joined the Air Force in 1951 , during the Korean War , where he served for five years . After the Air Force , he toured and performed in Europe for a few years . Williams moved to the Big Apple .

At this point he entirely devoted himself to the art and performance of jazz music , receiving a master's degree from Manhattan School of Music and recording his only solo album , new Horn in Town .

Williams was a star in jazz groups and for the next 20 years , while working with genre giants like Duke Ellington , quincy Jones and Charles Mingus , he frequently performed internationally . Richard notes . Williams stayed busy in New York by working on Broadway performances , including the Wiz and the Me .

Nobody Knows , you can even hear his trumpet on the original live recordings . Unfortunately , william's life also ended early . He died in 1985 at only 54 years old . Although these musicians' lives turned out very differently , all three of these men left lasting impacts on Galveston Island and the world of music .

Their influence continues to shape the musical landscape , serving as a reminder that music is all about community and the people who help make it . In the words of Dr Frederick Tillis , I don't believe the ivory tower philosophy of art . If you don't get with the people , what do you do to preserve the vitality of art and culture ?

Their legacies , built on bandstands , church pews , concert halls and waterfront stages , are part of the greater symphony that played out across Galveston during the mid-20th century . Dr Frederick

Tillis , louis Bluesboy Jones and Richard Notes Williams remind us that Galveston wasn't just a place to hear music . It was a place to become music . A number of famous musicians were born right here on Galveston Island . A number of famous musicians were born right here on Galveston Island , to name just a few .

Galveston's musical soul still resonates today In Galveston's downtown historic district venues like Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe and the Grand 1894 Opera House no-transcript to host performances in the same spirit of the early 1900s that welcomed musicians from around the world .

Even the Seawall , with its endless breeze and rhythmic tide still feels like the kind of place where a kid could start whistling a tune that might carry them across the world .