Legendary Jazz saxophonist Lester Young  aka “Prez”  was born on this day in 1909. He came to fame as member of Count Basie’s Orchestra and was one of the most influential saxophonists in jazz history.

He would accompany Billie Holiday on many recordings and it was Holiday who gave Lester his nickname “Prez” short for “President” Lester Young would serve in the Army near the end of World War II and had a bad experience, he was caught with weed and alcohol and served one year in a detention barracks before being dishonorable discharged.

In the 1950’s he would begin to suffer from physical and mental issues.  He was drinking more and more heavily. In 1955 he suffered a nervous breakdown. He would eventually drink himself to death dying  March 15th, 1959 at the age of 49. After Young’s funeral service, Billie Holiday told someone “I’ll be the next do go” and four months later she was dead at the age of 44.

Footnote: Lester Young would invent a hipster lingo. He is said to have invented ‘cool” as in fashionable. He gave Billie Holiday the nickname “Lady Day”