Lenny Pickett

Last updated

Lenny Pickett
Lenny Pickett.jpg
Pickett in 2018
Background information
Born (1954-04-10) April 10, 1954 (age 71)
Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.
Genres
  • R&B
  • funk
  • pop
  • rock
Occupations
  • Musician
  • arranger
  • music director
Instruments
  • Saxophone
  • clarinet
  • flute
Years active1972–present
Member of
Formerly of Tower of Power
Website www.lennypickettmusic.com

Lenny Pickett (born April 10, 1954) [1] is an American saxophonist and musical director of the Saturday Night Live band. [2] From 1973 to 1981, he was a member of the band Tower of Power.

Contents

Biography

Picket was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico. [1] In the 1970s and early 1980s, he led the horn section for Tower of Power, a funk band from the San Francisco Bay area. He was also a frequent session band member that backed many musicians in multiple genres, from Elton John to musicians in the soul music, rhythm and blues, and funk music genres. [3] Tower of Power also released its own albums as a group. [1]

Pickett joined the Saturday Night Live Band in 1985 and has served as the band's musical director since G. E. Smith was fired during the cast exodus in 1995. [4] [3]

Apart from Saturday Night Live and Tower of Power, Pickett has worked extensively as a session musician for a wide range of performers and genres. [3] [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wynn, Ron. "Lenny Pickett | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Ivie, Devon (October 30, 2024). "Lenny Pickett Is a Sax Machine". Vulture.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Lenny Pickett Bio Part I". Saxstation.com. March 6, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  4. ↑ Kelly, Keegan (January 18, 2024). "The 'SNL' Guitarist Says the 'SNL' Saxophonist Is the Lorne Michaels of the 'SNL' Band". Cracked.com. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.