For remembrances grouped by month as they ran in the print edition, including all entries prior to April 2018, look in the Final Chorus Archive, individual past issues, or use the search feature.
When the notifications icon bell at the top of my Ragtimers Club Facebook page has a red number in double digits on a Sunday afternoon
Jack Sheldon, a top West Coast Jazz trumpet player who went on to a television career died on December 27th, he was 88. Several generations
Thomas Lee Duncan, the eponymous Dr. Dubious, died on November 29th, he was 81. A clarinet player, he was born in Cleveland, OH but relocated
Dr. John V. Phelan, Jr. passed away on November 28th in Massachusetts, he was 95. He served in the Navy during WWII and reenlisted into
Trombonist Roy Martin Brewer, Jr. passed away on September 28, 2019, he was 89. His father was a major figure in the Hollywood union movement
Cornetist Allan Kennedy Colter, of Guelph, Ontario passed away on July 20th, he was 91. He played with the Cameo Dixieland Jazz Band and other
Trombonist, vibraphonist, composer, and bandleader George Masso died Tuesday, October 22, 2019, he was 92. The son of a trumpet-playing bandleader, George Masso’s musical education
Nick Tosches, a music journalist who wrote several important biographies as well seven novels died on Sunday, October 20th, he was 69. He began selling
Nathaniel Holmes Morison, III, of Welbourne, Middleburg, Virginia, died October 10th, he was 83. After completing his schooling he returned to Welbourne to run the
Joe Lentino joined the heavenly band on September 20, 2019, two weeks and a day shy of his 81st birthday. He was a trombone player
We belatedly note the passing of the excellent trombonist Jimmy Haislip, of St. Louis, who died on December 31, 2017 at 81. He started his
Bill Evans, passed away on September 10th after a battle with cancer, he was 83. In the 1950s he was a founding member of the
Tom Pletcher, the leading interpretter of Bix Beiderbecke of his generation died in August at 83. Tom Pletcher’s ties to jazz went back two generations.
There have been few more important, or more successful advocates of Dixieland jazz in the last half-century than cornetist Jim Cullum, Jr. who died on
For several decades, now, Ted Shafer has been something of an institution in traditional jazz in the San Francisco Bay Area. The message on his
Jazz revival clarinet and saxophonist Bob Wilber, who explored the sound of Sidney Bechet, and at times stood beside him died August 4th, he was
Art Neville, a star of New Orleans music through several dramatic evolutions died July 22, he was 81. Known as Poppa Funk he grew up
João Gilberto, Brazilian guitarist, vocalist, and bossa nova pioneer died July 6th, he was 88. Born in Bahia, Brazil he began guitar early and was
Gerald L. “Jerry” Fuller, 89, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2019. He was an important traditional jazz clarinetist who made numerous television appearances as
Dave Bartholomew was born in Edgard Louisiana but soon moved with his parents to New Orleans where he took music lessons from Peter Davis who
Paul Howard Nelson, Navy flight navigator, salesman, business leader, photographer, author, and lecturer on Ragtime and Early Jazz, passed away on May 24th at the
Malcolm John Rebennack, better known as Dr. John, passed away of cardiac issues on May 6th, he was 77. He was active in music beginning
Leon Redbone, a one of a kind personality who brought vintage music to the masses, died on May 30th at 69 years old, though in
Sol Yaged, who died May 16th at 96, was inspired to pick up the clarinet at age 12 by a Benny Goodman performance he heard
Doris Day, one of the most popular stars of song and screen during the 1950s and ’60s died on May 13th. She was 97. After
Norma Miller, who died Sunday, May 5th at age 99, grew up in an apartment overlooking the Savoy Ballroom. She could watch the dancers from
Chris Albertson, biographer of Bessie Smith, was found dead in his Manhattan home on April 24. He was 87. Born in Reykjavik, Iceland, he discovered
Chuck Cecil, whose radio show “The Swingin’ Years” ran for decades, died on April 30th, he was 97. He attended high school with actresses Jane
Bert Barr, who founded The Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band in 1971, passed away of cancer on April 17th, he was 74. Inspired by Turk Murphy,
Earl Mckee, a founding member, tubist, and singer for the High Sierra Jazz Band died on April 11th at age 87, on the eve of
Sam Pilafian, who was a tubist with a wide ranging performing career and a professor at several respected universities died of colon cancer April 5th
Jim Beatty, 1934 – 2019, a world-famous clarinetist and soprano saxophonist, passed away March 12, 2019. He was 84. He was given a clarinet for
Ethel Ennis, Baltimore’s “First Lady of Jazz”, died February 17th at age 86. Over a 70 year career as a singer, she appeared with Louis
André Previn, a musical polymath, died February 28th in Manhattan, he was 89. He was a composer of film music, conductor, pianist and the music
James Dapogny, who has led the Chicago Jazz Band since 1976 died in the early morning hours of March 6th, 2019 after a long battle
Paul Reid, who died suddenly this week, was a beloved piano player and an all-around entertainer. Over a long career, he played solo piano in bars,
Read our 2015 profile of Connie Jones, never before online: Connie Jones- True to his City (1934-2019) Conrad R. “Connie” Jones III, died in his sleep on
Ronald P. Hutchinson passed away swiftly and unexpectedly from cancer on February 2 in New Jersey, he was 67. He was beloved by many for
William (Bill) P. Taggart, 77, of Andover Township NJ passed away on January 4th after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was the tuba
Dolores “Dee” Parker Morgan, 99, on December 17th. She won an amateur contest in 1939 and joined the Rhythm Debs, a female trio that toured
Urban Clifford “Urbie” Green, 92, on December 31 in the Poconos. Known for his smooth, warm, mellow tone, and lyrical phrasing, he was called a
The son of a postal clerk, Monsignor John Sanders, grew up within an extended family in Harlem that connected him deeply to the music of
Grenoldo Frazier, 65, passed away in his Wilmington, NC home on December 30. A native of Wilmington, he moved to New York in 1972 and
Harry Harman, an Australian traditional jazz devotee, died January 2nd at age 91. He was recently active with his band Harry Harman’s Gentlemen of Jazz, The
Yvonne C. Ervin, 59, died after liver transplant surgery on Wednesday night at the Mayo Clinic in Pheonix. Originally from Illinois, she double majored in journalism
Mike Hart organized the first Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival in 1978 as a free traditional jazz event inspired by the Sacramento Dixieland Jazz Jubilee. Though
Ed. Note: If you have a picture of Karen, even in a crowd, please email it to [email protected] for use on this post and in
Nancy Wilson, 81, in Pioneer Town, California. She had eight albums reach the top 20 on Billboards album charts during the 1960s and would record
Ruth Brisbane, vocalist for the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, has died in an accident. Information about the circumstances will be added as it comes in.
Jean Levinson, 81, on July 7th, 2018. Jean Levinson played tuba with the Sacramento based Catsnjammer Jazz Band for over 30 years — from their
Roger V. Burton died Nov. 30 at his home in Santa Monica. He was 90 years old. Most recognized for appearances on numerous television programs
Kevin Bryan, lead trumpet player for the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria’s Big Band, and the Mambo Legends Orchestra among others died of pancreatic cancer
Johnny Maddox, one of the most recognizable personalities in ragtime history died Tuesday, November 27th, he was 91. He planted the seeds of a ragtime
Jerry Rothschild, 84, of a heart attack in Cathedral City California. He was born in Sacramento and a proud graduate of Stanford. He learned German
Roy Hargrove, 49, in New York City on November 2nd from complications of kidney failure. He had been on dialysis for many years. Hargrove grew
Roy Clark, 85, on November 15th of pneumonia in Tulsa Oklahoma. Born in Virginia his family moved to Washington D.C. when he was young. He began
Daniel C. Grinstead, 74, of cancer on September 6th. His musical interest turned to early jazz and ragtime in his teen years and he found work
Chuck Dee Wilson, passed away on October 16th, while waiting for a liver transplant, he was 70 years old. He attended The University of North
John Von Ohlen, 77, on October 3rd. He was the drummer for Woody Herman between 1967 and 1969, then with Stan Kenton from 1970 to 1972. He also
Sandy Harr, September 27th after complications from heart surgery. He was a drummer with the Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra and frequent attendee of the New Orleans Traditional
Ira Davidson Sabin, 90, of cancer in Rockville, Md. He started his career as a professional drummer at the age of 15 while many musicians
Don Hunt 1930-2018 The last surviving member of the original Syracuse Salt City Five – Don Hunt – died Aug. 5 in Lyons, N.Y. at
Peter Bullis, 85, on September 4th, one day shy of his 86th birthday. He was banjoist and manager of the New Black Eagle Jazz Band, having
Randy Weston, 92, September 1st, in Brooklyn. In the late 40’s he left the New York jazz scene he was just starting out in for
Joseph Patrick (Pat) Arana, 72, August 22, of cancer in St. Charles, Mo. He was retired from teaching music in the Ritenour school district where he had
Aretha Louise Franklin, 76, August 16th, of pancreatic cancer in Michigan. Known as ‘The Queen of Soul’. She was born to a religious family, her father
Jean Kittrell, 91, August 14th in Edwardsville Illinois. She was a continuing presence in the midwestern Dixieland revival from 1957 until her retirement in 2008.
Patrick Williams, 79, on July 25, of cancer in Santa Monica, California. He was a major composer for TV series in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Tomasz Stańko, 76, July 26th of lung cancer in Warsaw. One of the biggest names in Polish jazz, he composed smooth lyrical works known for
Serge Bichon, 83, on July 31st in France. BG Franck Bichon, the French manufacturer of Wind Instruments released the following statement regarding the passing of Serge
Theodore “Ted” Cunningham, 78, on June 18 from complications following heart surgery in Phoenix, AZ. A native of Lewistown, PA, he attended Penn State and graduated
Henry Butler, 68, of cancer in New York City on July 2nd. A New Orleans jazz pianist who settled in New York after he lost
Bill Watrous, 79, on July 2nd, after a short illness in California. William Russell Watrous III grew up in Connecticut idolizing his trombonist father who
Thomas Alan Dutart’s official obituary Heaven’s Dixieland Jazz Band has a new jammer! Thomas Alan Dutart passed away on June 19th, 2018 in Santa Maria,
“Big” Bill Bissonnette, a legendary trombonist, drummer, and advocate for New Orleans music has passed, he was 81. In his early career, he helped to promote
Ken Ebert, 81, May 30th in Corona, California while recuperating from a fall. A vibraphone and piano player who played with numerous groups, including the