Howard Stone, Vail Jazz Festival Co-Founder, Dies at Age 79

By DownBeat I Aug. 9, 2022

“Careers were launched and lives enhanced thanks to Howard’s vision,” said Amanda Blevins, Vail Jazz executive director.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Vail Jazz Foundation)

Vail Jazz Festival co-founder Howard Stone died on Aug. 3 of post-surgical complications, according to a statement from the Vail Jazz Foundation.

Stone organized the first-ever Vail Jazz Party in 1995. The following year, he launched the Vail Jazz Foundation to promote jazz through the presentation of jazz performances and educational programs for young people.

Over its 27-year history, Vail Jazz expanded to include a summer-long jazz festival, a winter music series, jazz soirées, an immersive jazz workshop for promising high school musicians, an elementary school program in Eagle County called Vail Jazz Goes to School, free concert series and numerous educational programs. Under Stone’s leadership, DownBeat named the Vail Jazz Workshop as the nation’s best jazz educational program in 2019.

“Careers were launched and lives enhanced thanks to Howard’s vision,” said Amanda Blevins, Vail Jazz executive director. “In addition to entertaining many thousands of audience members over the past 28 years, the Jazz Workshop has trained over 300 outstanding young musicians, and Vail Jazz Goes to School has educated tens of thousands of students in Eagle County. Each of these programs will continue to grow as part of Howard’s legacy.” DB