VENTURA, Calif. – Maynard Ferguson, the jazz trumpeter known for his soaring high notes and his recording of “Gonna Fly Now,” a hit version of the theme from the “Rocky” movies, has died. He was 78.
Ferguson died Wednesday at Community Memorial Hospital of kidney and liver failure caused by an abdominal infection, friend and manager Steve Schankman said.
At age 15, Ferguson quit school to pursue a career in music. The next year he was leading his own dance band, the first of a number of big bands and smaller ensembles he eventually fronted in a career that produced more than 60 albums and three Grammy nominations.
Ferguson became identified with ear-piercing power and dizzying high notes that he was able to play with precision. He was named Down Beat magazine’s “trumpeter of the year” three times.
He scored a Top-10 hit with his version of “Gonna Fly Now,” and the single spawned a gold album.
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