Austin was born in
Dunnellon, Florida, United States, and taught himself to play as a 12-year-old. He won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in
St. Petersburg, Florida in 1945, playing "
Danny Boy". His performance brought him a
recording contract with
Mercury Records, and he moved to
New York, where he studied for a time at the
Juilliard School of Music. Austin played with
Roy Eldridge briefly in 1949, and with
Cootie Williams in 1951–52 After leaving Mercury in the 1960s, he recorded with a few other labels, including SSS, owned by
Shelby Singleton. He was survived by his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. ==Discography ==