Wallace Roney, Grammy-Winning Jazz Trumpeter, Dead at 59 From Coronavirus

It’s been reported that Wallace Roney — a Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter — has died at the age […]

April 1, 2020, 1:42pm

It’s been reported that Wallace Roney — a Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter — has died at the age of 59, after contracting coronavirus. According to CNN, Roney’s publicist, Lydia Liebman, confirmed the sad news that Roney died at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey on Tuesday.

“I am saddened to confirm that the iconic trumpeter and jazz legend Wallace Roney passed away due to complications of COVID-19 this morning just before noon,” Liebman said. “Working with Wallace was and will remain one of the greatest privileges of my life. It was an honor to represent him and to be part of his musical world. I cannot even begin to express how much I will miss him and his music.” Following the tragic news, many have taken to social media to mourn Roney’s death.

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In a tweet, the Lincoln Center Jazz group wrote: “With great sadness, we learned today of the passing of singular trumpeter Wallace Roney. A former mentee of icons like Miles Davis and Clark Terry, Roney has long since carved out his own reputation as a true modern great. He will be missed dearly.”

Trumpeter Wallace Roney is dead age 59 from COVID-19, according to WGMC. He was one of our finest, carrying on the tradition of Miles Davis, who personally mentored him. I’ll never forget this 1991 collaboration on a very, very rare Miles retrospective. https://t.co/8bg90nYfIR pic.twitter.com/0w4dp66OIZ
— Ted Gioia (@tedgioia) March 31, 2020

“Each day this pandemic faces us with new realities. The Jazz Community recently lost Mike Longo of Dizzy Gillespie fame, African saxophonist Manu Dibango, and now today one of the major voices on trumpet, Wallace Roney. My heart goes out to their families, friends, & fans,” fellow jazz musician, Joe Lovano tweeted.

“So hard to believe two extremely influential heroes are now gone. We love & thank you Wallace Roney. So thankful for the moments I got to share on the stage with you,” jazz saxophonist Jaleel Shaw added.

Very sad to hear the news that jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney has passed away due to complications from coronavirus. I am at a loss for words. RIP Wallace. pic.twitter.com/DQRMHTXj7H
— Danilo Pérez (@DaniloPerezJAZZ) March 31, 2020

Among Roney’s notable accomplishments throughout his illustrious career, he once played with Miles Davis at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. The event was directed by music legend Quincy Jones. Roney also won a Grammy in 1994 — for the album A Tribute To Miles — and was nominated for another in 1997.

Liebman added that Roney’s family is considering holding a memorial service “once this pandemic has passed.”