Lester Young was born in Woodville, Mississippi on August 27, 1909. He was raised in a musical family. His father was a musician. He taught Young how to play the violin, drums, trumpet, and saxophone. When young was 13, he started playing the saxophone with the family band. He and his father didn’t see eye to eye on many issues. In 1927, he left the family band after having a dispute with his father.

Young went to Phoenix, Arizona to play with Art Bronson. In 1930, he moved to Minneapolis where he played at the Nest Club. In 1933, he moved to Kansas City where he started playing with the Count Basie Band. He left Basie’s band to play with Fletcher Henderson’s orchestra and Andy Kirk’s band, but eventually he returned to the Count Basie Band.