I saw Chuck Mangione at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas in 1987. It was around the time that I was graduating from medical school. He had a pure, fantastic sound. His hook was that he played the flugelhorn as his main instrument. BTW, the concert was wonderful.
Chuck Mangione, an American flugelhorn and trumpet player and composer, passed away recently at the age of 84. He was a celebrated figure in the jazz world with a career spanning over six decades.
Mangione gained prominence in the 1960s as a member of Art Blakey’s band and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother, Gap Mangione, who was a pianist.
He is widely known for his jazz-pop single “Feels So Good,” released in 1978, which achieved international success and became his biggest commercial breakthrough. Other notable compositions include “Children of Sanchez” and “Land of Make Believe.” His track “Chase the Clouds Away” was used as background music for the 1976 Summer Olympics, and “Give It All You Got” was the theme for the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Throughout his career, Mangione released over 30 albums and received numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards. He won his first Grammy in 1977 for his album “Bellavia” and another in 1979 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “Children of Sanchez.” He was also inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
In addition to his music, Chuck Mangione was known for his recurring animated role as himself on the popular TV series “King of the Hill.” #RIP
