Harold Floyd “Tina” Brooks and Harry Brooks were the children of David and Cornelia Brooks, Fayetteville (North Carolina), on June 7, 1932. They were the youngest child of eight. The close-knit family moved en masse from their home in the Bronx, New York City, in 1944 when Harold was twelve years old. Tina, pronounced Teena, was his first nickname from grade school. It came from his small or teensy stature. He began playing the C Melody saxophone around this time. He also received school instruction and private lessons from his older brother, David Brooks Jr. (whose nickname is Bubba). Tina switched from C Melody and Alto to finally settle on the tenor. Bubba was also becoming a R.
