Remembering Al Jarreau
Legendary jazz singer Al Jarreau died early Sunday morning, two weeks after he was hospitalized due to exhaustion. He was 76. The cause of death is not known at this time. The news of Jarreau’s passing was initially posted on his Twitter feed. NBC News reports Jarreau had been scheduled to perform in Illinois in late February but he had sent an email to fans last Friday saying his medical team advised him to cancel his 2017 concert dates. Jarreau, who was surrounded by friends and family in the hospital, was a seven-time Grammy winner best known for hits like “We’re in This Love Together,” “Breakin’ Away” and the theme song to the TV show “Moonlighting.”
A statement posted on the singer’s website reads, “[Jarreau’s] 2nd priority in life was music… His 1st priority, far ahead of the other, was healing or comforting anyone in need. Whether it was emotional pain, or physical discomfort, or any other cause of suffering, he needed to put our minds at ease and our hearts at rest. Song was just his tool for making that happen.”
According to Billboard, Jarreau was the only vocalist in history to earn Grammy awards from three different categories: jazz, pop and R&B. Jarreau’s family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music, which offers scholarships and music opportunities to students living in his hometown of Milwaukee.
