Monk Higgins

Who was Monk Higgins?

Milton Bland better known as Monk Higgins, was an American musician and saxophonist who was born in Menifee, Arkansas.

Higgins biggest hits were the instrumental tracks "Who Dun It", and "Gotta Be Funky". His instrumental "Ceatrix Did It" was the sign-off song for soul DJ "Dr. Rock" on WMPP, East Chicago Heights, Illinois. Higgins worked with a variety of musicians including Gene Harris, Bobby Bland, The Chi-Lites, Junior Wells, Freddy Robinson, Muddy Waters, Cash McCall, Etta James, Blue Mitchell and The Three Sounds. His track "One Man Band" was featured on the breakbeat compilation album, Ultimate Breaks and Beats. Higgins served as a record producer on several of Blood, Sweat, and Tears' albums. Late in his career Monk, together with his band "the Specialties", was the featured performer at television actress Marla Gibb's Los Angeles, California supper club, known as Marla's Memory Lane Club.

Higgins died from respiratory disease in July 1986, in Los Angeles, at the age of 49.