CLARK TERRY, 1920-2015

Clark Terry, an innovative jazz trumpeter, longtime member of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson band and an advocate for jazz education, died on Saturday in Pine Bluff, Ark. He was 94.

The Recording Academy issued a statement in tribute to the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, describing Terry as “a multi-instrumentalist and bandleader whose significant contributions to the jazz world are unparalleled. Known most famously as a trumpeter, he worked with the orchestras of both
Duke Ellington and Count Basie, and recorded with leading jazz artists including Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk and many more. Highly respected by his fellow musicians, his extraordinary career spanned seven decades, and his love for music led him to be a staunch advocate for jazz education, authoring several jazz instruction manuals and teaching workshops in schools. Our music community has lost a true pioneer, and his legacy will continue to influence jazz for years to come. Our thoughts go out to his family, his friends, his many collaborators, and all who have been entertained by his exceptional talent.”

In the photo above, Terry (second from left) is presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Recording Academy topper Neil Portnow at the Special Merit Awards and Nominee Reception at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in 2010. (Photo: R. Diamond/WireImage)