Sonny Rollins, one of the most influential saxophone players in jazz history died today at his home in Woodstock, NY. That, according to a post on his official social media. He was 95.
The tenor saxophonist’s 60-plus year career saw him record 60-plus albums. His compositions “St. Thomas,” “Oleo,” “Doxy” and “Airegin” are jazz standards. Rollins stopped performing in 2014.
He received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2004. He received a National Medal of the Arts in 2010. Alongside Yo Yo Ma, Neil Diamond and Meryl Streep, Rollins was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2011 by President Obama.
With the announcement, there was the following 2009 quote from Rollins about creativity and the afterlife:
“I think when the creative person ends, he continues in the next existence. I’m a person who believes this life isn’t the be-all and end-all of everything. A spiritual person doesn’t feel like that.”
