Chuck Mangione, the Grammy-winning jazz musician and composer renowned for his flugelhorn and trumpet playing, has died at the age of 84. His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Rochester, New York, on 22 July 2025.
Born on 29 November 1940 in Rochester, Mangione was introduced to jazz by his father, who took him and his brother, pianist Gap Mangione, to jazz clubs and invited musicians home for meals. He began playing trumpet in high school with the Jazz Brothers and later studied at the Eastman School of Music, graduating in 1963. He returned there in 1968 to direct the jazz ensemble and expand the programme until 1972.
Mangione launched a successful solo career, releasing over 30 albums and selling millions of records. He earned 13 Grammy nominations and won two Grammys: one in 1977 for 'Bellavia' and another in 1979 for 'The Children of Sanchez'. His 1977 album 'Feels So Good' became one of the most successful jazz records ever produced. In 1980, he performed at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.
In 2009, Mangione donated memorabilia to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and he was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2012. His family described his love of music as characterised by 'boundless energy, unabashed enthusiasm, and pure joy that radiated from the stage', noting his genuine appreciation for fans, often staying after concerts to sign autographs.
