Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, legal name Le Sony'r Ra; May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993) was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He is a 1979 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. The "Solar-Myth Arkestra" was one of the names of the ensemble with an ever-changing line-up that was lead by him from the mid-1950's until his death. Read more on Last.fm