Lee Morgan was an influential American jazz trumpeter and composer, central to the hard bop scene of the 1960s and closely associated with the Blue Note label. Rising to fame as a teenager, he worked with renowned artists such as John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Blakey, notably performing with the Jazz Messengers. Morgan led sessions that showcased both classic hard bop and more experimental post-bop styles. His signature tune "The Sidewinder" became a major crossover hit in 1964. He remained an innovative and prolific figure in jazz until his untimely death in 1972.