Editing Yusef Lateef (section)

===Early life and career===
Lateef was born in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], Tennessee, as William Emanuel Huddleston. His family moved, in 1923, to [[Lorain, Ohio|Lorain]], Ohio, and again in 1925, to [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], where his father changed the family's name to Evans.<ref>Atkins, Ronald (December 30, 2013), [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/30/yusef-lateef "Yusef Lateef obituary"], ''The Guardian''.</ref>

Throughout his early life, Lateef came into contact with many Detroit-based jazz musicians who gained prominence, including vibraphonist [[Milt Jackson]], bassist [[Paul Chambers]], drummer [[Elvin Jones]] and guitarist [[Kenny Burrell]]. Lateef was a proficient saxophonist by the time of his graduation from high school at the age of 18, when he launched his professional career and began touring with a number of [[Swing (genre)|swing]] bands. The first instrument he bought was an alto saxophone but after a year he switched to the tenor saxophone, influenced by the playing of [[Lester Young]].<ref>Marquard, Bryan (December 27, 2013), [https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/12/27/yusef-lateef-shutesbury-multi-instrumentalist-professor-umass-amherst-incorporated-world-influences-into-jazz/sDsCs4X2Ydq4ODxQsQLvmK/story.html "Dr. Yusef Lateef, 93; UMass professor embraced world music"], ''[[The Boston Globe]]''.</ref>

In 1949, he was invited by [[Dizzy Gillespie]] to tour with his orchestra. In 1950, Lateef returned to Detroit and began his studies in [[musical composition|composition]] and flute at [[Wayne State University]].

It was during this period that he converted to [[Islam]] as a member of the [[Ahmadiyya Muslim Community]]<ref name="about">{{Cite web | title=About Yusef Lateef | url=http://www.yuseflateef.com/index.php/about-yusef-lateef | work=Yuseflateef.com | publisher=FANA Music/YAL Records | access-date=December 5, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901175735/http://www.yuseflateef.com/index.php/about-yusef-lateef | archive-date=September 1, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> and changed his name.<ref name="Official website biography1">{{cite web|url=http://www.yuseflateef.com/about-yusef-lateef|title=About Yusef Lateef|year=2013|work=Official website|access-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref> He twice made the pilgrimage to [[Mecca]].<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10539421/Yusef-Lateef-obituary.html "Yusef Lateef – obituary"], ''The Telegraph'', December 27, 2013.</ref>