(HOUSTON, TEXAS) - February 21, 2008 -Iconic trumpet player and former B.B. King Band Leader and arranger, Calvin Owens died early this morning.

A native Houstonian, Calvin "The Maestro" Owens' recording credits included work as an artist and producer for Memphis' Kiondict Recording Company, A & R director/studio musician for Peacock Recording Company locally and as an arranger for A & M Recording Studios in Los Angeles. He founded the Sawdust Alley Preservation Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to blues preservation

Owens was a fixture at SugarHill Studios, beginning with the Gold Star era recording in the late 40s with Blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins and in the early 60s with singer Joe Hinton. He returned to the studios in 1994 recording parts of "True Blue", and would record and mix another eight Blues albums, two Spanish-language albums and one Hip-Hop album with Chief Engineer and longtime friend, Andy Bradley. Those albums included: "The House is Burnin'" (2002) a remixed/remastered version of "True Blue" (2005), "Keeping the Big Band Blues ALIVE" (2005), "I Ain't Gonna Be Yo' Dog No Mo'" (2006), his Hip-Hop album "Say Boy How You Do That Thing?" (2006), "Es Un Amor Legendario" (2006) and remixing "That's Your Booty"(release pending). In 2007 he released "Houston is the Place to Be" and his final Spanish-language album, "La Mujer Que Canta Blues" featuring Evelyn Rubio.

Owens arranged and played on countless releases including Trudy Lynn's "I'm Still Here" (2006) and Johnny Bush's acclaimed 2007 release, "Kashmere Gardens Mud". He also arranged two tracks and played on three tracks of the forthcoming Johnny Bush album featuring Willie Nelson and Ray Price. Owens was heralded by many and worked with musicians spanning a spectrum of genres. Among his recordings you will find tracks featuring Shelly Carrol, Otis Clay, Archie Bell, Arnett Cobb, B.B. King, Conrad Johnson, David "Fathead" Newman, Marvin Sparks, Keith Vivens, Barbara Lynn, Pete Mayes, and Rue Davis.

Andy Bradley said, "My heart is heavy with the loss of one of the most talented musicians and a very dear friend. Personally and professionally, I will miss his enigmatic spirit. May his memory live on through his resplendent music."