Jimmy McGriff
April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008
Jimmy McGriff was a jazz organist that was known for his talent on the Hammond B-3. Very gifted as a child, McGriff learned the piano at five years old and by the time he was a teen, he was also playing the saxophone, vibes, drums and bass. Although he didn’t take up the Hammond B-3 organ until in his twenties, he would be come the instrument he was most closely associated with. Over the course of his career, McGriff played with the likes of Jimmy Smith, Junior Parker, Buddy Rich, and Carmen MacRae. He died of Multiple Sclerosis on May 24, 2008.