Jazz legend Chuck Mangione has passed away at the age off 84, leaving behind a legacy of iconic hits and a career that spanned decades.
Best known for his 1978 hit single “Feels So Good”, which reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year, Mangione rose to fame as a composer and flugelhorn and trumpet player.
He started his music journey at the tender age of 8, forming his first jazz band while still in high school, which included his brother Gap.
Early Career and Breakthrough
Mangione attended the Eastman School of Music from 1958 to 1963 before joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.
In the late 1960s, he became a member of The National Gallery and served as director of the Eastman jazz ensemble from 1968 to 1972.
He won his first Grammy Award in 1977 for best instrumental composition and his second Grammy in 1978 for best pop instrumental performance for his work on the soundtrack for the film “The Children of Sanchez”.
Olympic Glory and Soundtrack Success
Two of his compositions were used as themes at the Olympic Games: “Chase the Clouds Away” at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, and “Give It All You Got” at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York.
Following the success of “Feels So Good”, Mangione and his band performed with a 70-piece orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl in 1978.
Awards and Accolades
Throughout his career, Mangione released 30 albums and was nominated for a total of 14 Grammys.
Aside from his music, he also made appearances in TV shows, including “Magnum, P.I.” and “King of the Hill”.
A Life Cut Short
In 2009, Mangione faced tragedy when two members of his band, Gerry Niewood and Coleman Mellett, were among the 49 passengers killed in the Continental Airlines Flight 3407 crash.
Mangione died in his sleep earlier this week, according to a funeral home notice.
He will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on through his timeless music.