Jerry Granelli Biography – Jerry Granelli Wiki
Jerry Granelli was an American-born Canadian jazz drummer. He was best recognized for playing drums on the soundtrack of A Charlie Brown Christmas with the Vince Guaraldi Trio. He taught master classes on jazz composition at Vancouver Community College. At his initial stages in the music industry, he learned the violin for a year, before switching to drums. He was consequently involved with the city’s hard bop scene while he was still young. He spent a day with drummer Gene Krupa in 1948 and the experience informed his passion for percussion and eventually led to him studying with Joe Morello.
He recorded and toured with the Vince Guaraldi trio during the 1960s, featuring on Vince Guaraldi, Bola Sete, and Friends and A Charlie Brown Christmas. He was only paid $120 for the recording session of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and never received any royalties from the television special or its soundtrack. The soundtrack went on to become a triple-platinum award-winning album.
He also filled in as a session drummer during this period. Among his many sessions was the recording of the Sylvia Tyson penned “You Were On My Mind” by folk group We Five, which won a Grammy award in 1965 for Best Performance by a Vocal Group. Later in the decade, he joined the Denny Zeitlin trio with Charlie Haden.
From the 1990s until his death, he was residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, consequently becoming a Canadian citizen in 1999. In 2010, he released his first solo album, 1313. Granelli toured jazz festivals and holiday venues with his one-man show Tales of a Charlie Brown Christmas, which retells the three-hour recording session in 1965 that culminated in the timeless Christmas classic.
Jerry Granelli Age
His birth-given name was Gerald John “Jerry” Granelli. He was born on December 30, 1940, in San Francisco, California, United States, and died on July 20, 2021. He was 80 years.
Jerry Granelli Family
Granelli was born in the Mission District of San Francisco, United States. Both his father and uncle played the drums and were passionate about jazz.
Jerry Granelli Children
He was a family man and had three children who live outside of Canada and also had five grandchildren. One of his children is his son J Anthony Granelli who broke the news about his demise.
Jerry Granelli Death
He died on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at the age of 80. He had suffered a fall in December 2020 that resulted in internal bleeding. He spent two months recuperating in an intensive care unit before he was discharged. He died seven months later on the morning of July 20, 2021, at his home in Halifax. He was 80 years and hosted a workshop for the Halifax Jazz Festival two days before his demise.
His son Anthony took to Facebook to announce the death of his father writing; “It is with such great sadness that I must let you all know that my father Jerry Granelli passed away peacefully at his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia around 9 am Atlantic time this morning. As many of you know he was hospitalized in December for many months. Since being home he had made steady progress but eventually was not able to overcome the ordeal.
I was so blessed to have him as a father, artistic collaborator, mentor, and my fiercest champion. He was in every sense of the word my friend.
Dad was a true force of nature, he will be greatly missed by his three children, five grandchildren, and all of the countless people he touched through his music, teaching, and spirit. He lived his life fully and explored the boundaries of the possible every chance he could get.
I feel sad because of his not being here physically anymore, but I am not sad for him. I can’t wait to see him on our next turn of the wheel together.”
Jerry Granelli Cause of Death
Granelli suffered a fall in December 2020 that resulted in internal bleeding. He spent two months recuperating in an intensive care unit before being discharged. He died seven months later on the morning of July 20, 2021, at his home in Halifax.
Jerry Granelli Go Fund Me
Over the year 2020, his health issues were announced; his son set up a GoFundMe page to provide some assistance after he had spent two months in ICU with a near-fatal case of internal bleeding and a collapsed lung at the start of the year.
