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.
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
