PITTSBURGH AND ALL OF THE JAZZ

Earl 'Fatha' Hines

Dec 28, 1903

Oh hold up!
His nickname was 'Fatha', and it makes me wonder how the heck your peers just start calling you 'Fatha'.
Which says to me he not only was an awesome pianist, but is the father of everyone ever.

Billy Eckstine

Jul 8, 1914

Eckstine is a member of the Grammy Hall of Fame for his famous crooning and bandleading during the height of the swing era. He was born and raised in Highland Park and owned a moustache I modeled mine after.

Lena Horne

Jun 30, 1917

Another Hill District representative, Lena Horne was a singer, dancer, actress, and a civil rights activist.
In other words, she was bad ass, also,
I would like to travel back in time and be her husband.
that is all

Errol Garner

Jun 15, 1921

Garner attended George Westinghouse Highschool in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, along with a few other jazz greats on this list, He began playing the piano at three years of age, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Joe Negri

Mar 16, 1926

He isn't only a renown jazz guitarist that still performs today, but he was also a staple on the Mr Roger's Neighborhood show as Handy Man Joe!

Walt Harper

Jul 23, 1926

Harper was one of Pittsburgh's most influential Jazz pianists and owner of the infamous Harper's, a jazz club in the 1980s. He was born and raised in Schenley Heights, a neighborhood that lies close to the Hill District.

George Benson

Mar 22, 1943

Benson is a 10 time grammy award winning musician and song writer. He was born in Pittsburgh and raised in the Hill District, which was the Jazz hotspot of the city y'all.

Roger Humphries

Jan 30, 1944

So, Roger Humphries started playin' the drums at age 4,
at age 14 he went pro
at age 16 he led ensembles at Carnegie Hall
At age 21 he defeated the Loch Ness Monster
and he became a mythical creature at age 77
but still comes out everyonce and awhile to play drums.

Jimmy Ponder

May 10, 1946

I'm pretty sure this album cover explains all that Jimmy Ponder was,
that is to say
a bad ass guitarist with a mean moustache
and I swear my pop had the same glasses.

Maureen Budway

Mar 16, 1964

Maureen was very active in Pittsburgh jazz community for the past 20 years, singing, teaching, and overall being a good human.