Andy Bey dead: Grammy nominated jazz legend dies aged 85

nominated jazz singer Andy Bey, has died in a retirement home at the age of 85. The legendary star's death occured on Saturday April 26 but is only just being made public now. The news was confirmed by BBC Radio 6 star Giles Peterson in a Facebook post. "Sad to report the passing of the truly gifted Andy Bey," he wrote. "John Coltrane's favorite singer and the voice that graced so many of our jazz classics. From the early days with his sisters and tracks like 'A Taste of Honey' to his work with Horace Silver ('I've had a little talk'), Max Roach ('Members don't get Weary') and those incredible features such as 'Celestial Blues' with @bartzoyo ...

"One of my dreams was bringing him to the UK to play... at @weoutherefest, but already back in 2019 he was too frail to travel - you could still catch him if fortunate at places like Smalls or Birdland until a few years ago where he would perform with piano and play songs like his beautiful version of Nick Drake's 'River Man' which brought him a whole new legion of fans.
Rest in Power Andy Bey," he concluded.

Fans imediately flooded the comments with tributes to the jazz icon. " Oh, this is just awful news. What a talent, with human warmth radiating from every note. A great loss to the world," one wrote.

"A beautiful voice musician another great who will be much missed ," another added. A third chimed in: "Sad ...I only recently discovered his amazing music ...it'll live on ...love and respect."

"I always loved Andy Bey's voice, from those early works with his sisters through the fantastic 'cosmic' 70s material to those latter 'stately' albums... Irreplaceable, eternal... RIP," a fourth penned.

A fifth commented: "I just heard the sad news on the radio on my way home. I'm so glad I discovered Andy Bey (also on the radio playing River Man) while he was still alive and even more glad that I was able to see his 80th birthday tribute and 30 minute set at Birdland. He truly was one of the great jazz vocalists, probably the best male vocalist in my opinion."

Meanwhile a sixth shared: "Absolutely incredible singer and musician. I found out about him when I saw him live in New York in the 2010's-went back and filled in the blanks on his career, then caught him every time I could over the next few years. He was tremendous working his way through standards in Andy Bey fashion. Even got to shake his hand once or twice. Unsung doesn't even begin to say it. What a loss, RIP to Mr. Bey."

Andy began his career in the 1950s and worked on the 1959/1960 television show Startime with Connie Francis. Aged just 17, he formed a trio with his sisters Salome Bey and Geraldine Bey called Andy and the Bey Sisters and the trio went on a 16-month tour of Europe. They recorded three albums before disbanding in 1967.

His albums include Experience and Judgment (1974), which was influenced by Indian music, Ballads, Blues & Bey (1996), Tuesdays in Chinatown (2001), American Song (2004) and Ain't Necessarily So (2007).

He accredited his eight octave range to the ten years he spent working with his sisters. It was perfect for soaring ballads and he enjoyed singing them. "A lot of men don't want to sing ballads because it exposes your vulnerability. It seems like male singers are not supposed to show that side a female singer can show. But as a singer you have to be willing to take it. For me it's like a cleanser," he told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2001.

He received the 2003 Jazz Vocalist of the Year award from the Jazz Journalists Association. Meanwhile his album American Song received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2005.