Cannonball Adderley was an American jazz alto saxophonist active in the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. He gained wide recognition for the 1966 hit "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," a soul jazz classic written by Joe Zawinul that became a crossover success. Adderley was also known for his work with Miles Davis on landmark albums such as Milestones and Kind of Blue, and for his own acclaimed recording Somethin' Else. His younger brother, Nat Adderley, played trumpet in his band for many years.