They also formed an R&B band, with their father Phineas Newborn Sr. on drums and Tuff Green on bass.

[3] Newborn gave guitar lessons to Howlin' Wolf and was friends with Elvis Presley, who frequented his gig at the Plantation Inn Club two nights a week.

[3] The group left West Memphis in 1951 to tour with Jackie Brenston as the "Delta Cats" in support of the record "Rocket 88".

In the early 1960s, he toured with Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Forrest, Wild Bill Davis, Al Grey, and Freddie Roach, along with fellow Memphis jazz players including Booker Little, George Coleman.

Newborn also worked with Ray Charles, Count Basie, Hank Crawford and David "Fathead" Newman.