Influential musician who contributed greatly to the evolution of big band jazz and swing music in the United States.
He originally intended to pursue a career in chemistry, but because of his race, he realized his options would be limited.
He had many musical luminaries in his band around 1925, including Coleman Hawkins, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Dixon, Kaiser Marshall, Buster Bailey, Elmer Chambers, Charlie Green, Ralph Escudero, and Don Redman.
He was the older brother of multifaceted jazz Pianist Horace Henderson, who accompanied Billie Holiday and Lena Horne throughout his career.
His impact on music history was unquestioned by experts and was often placed on par with Duke Ellington's impact as an arranger and bandleader.
