Died On This Date (February 21, 2015) Clark Terry / American Jazz Great
themusicsover Clark Terry
December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015
Clark Terry was an American jazz trumpeter who is widely considered one of the most influential and popular jazz musicians of his time. Terry launched his career during the early ’40s, just in time to serve in the US Navy Band during World War II. After his discharge, Terry went on to perform with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and later, Quincy Jones, among others, as well as leading his own bands. As one of the most recorded artists jazz music has ever known, Terry appeared on nearly 1000 known recordings. Throughout his career, he wrote over 200 jazz songs, performed for seven US Presidents, and put on several jazz festivals and jazz camps. In 1991 he was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award, and in 2010, he became one of only five trumpet players to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. A lifetime student of jazz as well as a respected educator, Clark held sixteen honorary doctorates. He was even knighted in Germany. Clark Terry was 94 when he passed away on February 21, 2015.
What You Should Own
Marvin Hamlisch was a New York City born composer who is one of just two people (the other being Richard Rodgers) to have won an Emmy, an Oscar, a Tony, a Grammy, and a Pulitzer Prize. His total count was four Emmys, three Oscars, one Tony, four Grammys, one Pulitzer Prize, plus two Golden Globes. A child prodigy, Hamlisch was just seven when he was accepted to Julliard’s pre-college division. Years later, his first job was as Barbra Streisand’s rehearsal pianist for Funny Girl. His movie score credits include The Way We Were, The Sting, Ordinary People, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Sophie’s Choice. For Broadway, he composed the award-winning score for A Chorus Line among others. A songwriter as well, Hamlisch wrote hits for Lesley Gore and Carly Simon. Marvin Hamlisch was 68 when, on August 6, 2012, he died following a brief illness. Cause of death was not immediately released.
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