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Roy Haynes
Roy Haynes drummer (cropped).jpg
Haynes performing in 1981
Background information
Birth name Roy Owen Haynes
Born (1925-03-13)March 13, 1925
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died November 12, 2024(2024-11-12) (aged 99)
Nassau County, New York, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Drums
Years active 1942–2024
Labels Mainstream, Emarcy, Galaxy, Impulse!, New Jazz, Vogue, Pacific Jazz, Evidence, Marge
Roy Haynes at Newport Jazz Festival
Roy Haynes at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2009

Roy Owen Haynes (born March 13, 1925 – died November 12, 2024) was an amazing American jazz drummer. He played drums for over 80 years! Roy Haynes recorded more music than almost any other jazz drummer.

He played many styles of jazz, like swing, bebop, jazz fusion, and avant-garde jazz. People often called him a pioneer, meaning he was one of the first and best at jazz drumming. In the 1950s, he even got a cool nickname: "Snap Crackle."

Roy Haynes led his own bands, including one called the Hip Ensemble. Some of his albums, like Fountain of Youth and Whereas, were nominated for a Grammy Award. He was added to the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1999. His family also loves music: his son Graham Haynes plays the cornet, and another son, Craig Holiday Haynes, and grandson Marcus Gilmore are both drummers too!

Roy Haynes's Early Life and Music Journey

Roy Haynes, 1964 (48127653736)
Roy Haynes performing in 1964

Roy Haynes was born in Roxbury, a part of Boston. His parents, Gustavas and Edna Haynes, came from Barbados. Roy had a younger brother, Michael E. Haynes, who became an important leader in the African American community. Michael worked with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement. He also represented Roxbury in the government and was a pastor at a church where King was once a member.

Roy started playing music professionally in his hometown of Boston in 1942. By 1945, he was a full-time musician. From 1947 to 1949, he played with the famous saxophonist Lester Young. Then, from 1949 to 1952, he was part of saxophonist Charlie Parker's group. He also recorded with other jazz legends like pianist Bud Powell and saxophonists Wardell Gray and Stan Getz. From 1953 to 1958, he toured and recorded with the amazing singer Sarah Vaughan.

Roy Haynes was admired by many musicians. Even Jim Keltner and Charlie Watts from the Rolling Stones recorded a song to honor him. Charlie Watts said that "Age seems to have just passed him by." He also mentioned that Roy was voted Best Contemporary Jazz Drummer when he was 83 years old! Roy even performed on stage with the Allman Brothers Band in 2006 and Page McConnell of Phish in 2008.

In 2008, Roy Haynes used his voice for the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. He played himself as a DJ on a made-up jazz radio station called Jazz Nation Radio 108.5.

Later Life and Passing

Roy Haynes loved to celebrate his birthdays by performing on stage. In his later years, he often celebrated at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City. Sadly, his 95th birthday celebration in 2020 had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roy Haynes passed away on November 12, 2024, at the age of 99. He died in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Roy Haynes received many important awards and honors throughout his long career.

In 1994, he was given the Danish Jazzpar prize. In 1996, the French government made him a "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres." This is France's highest award for people in literature and art. In 1995, the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts named him an NEA Jazz_Master, which is a huge honor for jazz musicians.

He also received special degrees from music schools, like the Berklee College of Music in 1991 and the New England Conservatory in 2004. In 2012, he received a Peabody Medal from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University. He was also added to the DownBeat magazine Hall of Fame in 2004.

In 2010, he received the BNY Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His album Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2001.

One of his biggest honors was in 2010 when he was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He received this special award in 2012. In 2019, the Jazz Foundation of America also gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Roy Haynes para niños

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