George Shearing, jazz musician extraordinaire, has died

Mon, 02/14/2011 - 4:34pm by sernabad

George Shearing, one of the giants of modern jazz, died today at his home in Manhattan.

Born blind to London parents of modest means, Shearing's love of piano was obvious by the time he was three. When he was still a teenager, he was playing in pubs and performing on BBC radio. He moved to the U.S. in his late twenties.

Two of his most famous compositions, Lullaby of Birdland and September in the Rain were performed by such greats as Ella Fitzgerald and Bill Haley. Shearing also recorded with Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, and Billy Eckstine, among others.

His autobiography, Lullaby of Birdland, was written in 2004 by Alyn Shipton.

In 2007, Queen Elizabeth knighted Shearing for "his services to music".

Shearing, who was 91, died of heart failure.