May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins Passes Away at 95
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
Louis Prima (left) and Keely Smith
(Photo: DownBeat Archives)Keely Smith, a vocalist who recorded throughout the 1950s and 1960s alongside Louis Prima and Frank Sinatra, died of heart failure Dec. 16 in Palm Springs, California, according to a news release.
Smith, whose birthday has been reported as being March 19, 1928 or 1932, first began performing with Prima’s ensemble in 1948 after an audition. The pair wed in 1953. The duo’s rendition of “That Old Black Magic” earned them a Grammy in the category Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group for 1958.
“When I was a kid in Norfolk, [Virginia], … I fell madly in love with Louis’ music, particularly with his record of Civilization,” Smith told DownBeat in a cover story that ran in the Feb. 19, 1959, edition. “Hearin’ that set me to thinkin’ how it’d be to work with his band.”
By 1961, though, the couple had split and Smith pursued a solo career.
Smith received a 2002 Grammy nomination for her album Keely Sings Sinatra.
She would sing in public for the final time during a performance at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center in Southern California in February 2011.
She is survived by two children, Toni Prima and Luanne Prima. Services for the singer currently are in the works.
To read a DownBeat review of the reissue of The Intimate Keely Smith, click here. DB
Onstage, Rollins would move about restlessly, thrusting his tenor sax in the air as he blew.
May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
To the world, James Blood Ulmer was a legend, a visionary and a musical force whose sound was distinctive and unique. To his family, he was their teacher, their storyteller and a source of strength.
Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
Dave King (left) and Reid Anderson offer insights into why The Bad Plus’ chemistry was cool, the accomplishments many and its longevity so fruitful.
May 12, 2026 11:42 AM
The scene still sticks with me. I had heard the oddball name of this new group being dropped around town, and…
How best to mark Miles Davis’ centennial? By allowing the stories to flow, and cross-discussions to happen.
May 26, 2026 10:40 AM
Editor’s Note: The iconic trumpeter, composer and bandleader Miles Davis would have turned 100 today (May 26, 2026).…
Ava Preston, a 12-time DownBeat Student Music Award winner, is currently pursuing her master’s degree in jazz voice at Juilliard.
May 12, 2026 10:00 AM
Ava Preston, from Cleveland, Ohio, was named the winner of the ninth annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition on…
