17 Facts About Hank Jones

Hank Jones was honored in 2003 with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Jazz Living Legend Award.

Hank Jones recorded more than 60 albums under his own name, and countless others as a sideman, including Cannonball Adderley's celebrated album Somethin' Else.

One of seven children, Hank Jones was raised in a musical family.

Hank Jones studied piano at an early age and came under the influence of Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum.

In New York City, Hank Jones regularly listened to leading bop musicians, and was inspired to master the new style.

From 1959 through 1975 Hank Jones was staff pianist for CBS studios.

Hank Jones played the piano accompaniment to Marilyn Monroe as she sang "Happy Birthday Mr President" to John F Kennedy on May 19,1962.

The group took this name in 1976, by which time Hank Jones had already begun working at the Village Vanguard with its original members, Ron Carter and Tony Williams ; by 1980 Hank Jones' sidemen were Eddie Gomez and Al Foster, and in 1982 Jimmy Cobb replaced Foster.

Hank Jones' versatility was more in evidence with the passage of time.

Hank Jones collaborated on recordings of Afro-pop with an ensemble from Mali and on an album of spirituals, hymns and folksongs with Charlie Haden called Steal Away.

Hank Jones made his debut on Lineage Records, recording with Frank Wess and with the guitarist Eddie Diehl, but appeared on West of 5th with Jimmy Cobb and Christian McBride on Chesky Records.

Hank Jones accompanied Diana Krall for "Dream a Little Dream of Me" on the album compilation, We all Love Ella.

Hank Jones is one of the musicians who test and talk about the piano in the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037, released in November 2007.

In early 2000, the Hank Jones Quartet accompanied jazz singer Salena Jones at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho, and in 2006 at the Monterey Jazz Festival with both jazz singer Roberta Gambarini and the Oscar Peterson Trio.

In June 2005, Hank Jones was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music at 20th anniversary of jazz education at the Umbria Jazz Festival, in Perugia, Italy.

Hank Jones lived in Cresskill, NJ, upstate New York and in Manhattan.

Hank Jones died at a Calvary Hospital Hospice in The Bronx, New York, on May 16,2010, survived by his wife Theodosia.