Playing the saxophone has always been emotionally intense for Erly Thornton. Each performance is a connection that this artist and his audience mutually enjoy! Born in Nashville into a family with multiple talents: his mother, a M.S. graduate in Public Administration and a talented paint and charcoal artist, his father a B.S. graduate in Civil Engineering and a trumpet/flugelhorn player. Erly had no choice but to experience a double dose of creativity and professional influence from birth. Starting on the sax in the 5th grade, Erly was challenged to play in front of his father’s musician friends on weekends to the music of Ray Charles. His influences started to expand from there: Herb Alpert, Sanborn, Grover, Najee and his mentor Roger WIlliams contributed to Jazz. EWF, Cameo, Kool and The Gang contributed to R&B. This created his multi-faceted style. During the middle 80’s Erly began playing professionally for the first time in the Nashville area. He moved from there to Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis on World Famous Beale Street. In the 90′s Erly moved to Orlando and very soon Erly was performing with several groups as well as solo. The unexpected breakup of one of the most successful of his Jazz groups thus far, “B.One”, prompted him to pursue a solo career in earnest. Erly began writing in 2004. Drawing from his past he initially decided to create music using the strong bass and drums of the R&B of his youth, creating funky Jazz licks over the top. The effort eventually was released as “My Life” in 2008. “My Life” enjoyed tremendous success for an indie release breaking the top 30 on the Jazz charts which very few indies every do and is still being “discovered” by new fans daily. Erly’s Sophomore project titled “In Transit” was released by Groove Elation Records in May 2012 with the title single soaring to #27 on the coveted Billboard Jazz Top 30 chart. Erly is currently in production of his 3rd cd yet to be titled.