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.
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 died on July 31st in France, he was 83. BG Franck Bichon, the French manufacturer of Wind Instruments released the following statement regarding the
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
Central New York’s longtime diva of Dixieland, Marilyn “Mimi” Drake Osmun, died May 17 at Loretto Geriatric Center, Syracuse. Mimi was born in Syracuse during the
Lorraine Gordon, 95, June 9th, of complications from a stroke. She helped to make jazz happen for over 70 years. In the 40’s she aided her
