Sad news in the music world on Tuesday as jazz drummer Jerry Granelli passed away. He was 80 years old and died at his home in Halifax.
Jerry Granelli, the jazz drummer and music teacher who played on "A Charlie Brown Christmas," died Tuesday in his Halifax home. He was 80 years old, and had just given a workshop at @HFXJazzFest. Rest in peace, Jerry. https://t.co/J178TvPg8j pic.twitter.com/SidpLL60Ri
— THE COAST HALIFAX (@TwitCoast) July 20, 2021
Granelli played drums in the Vince Guaraldi Trio, who recorded all of the jazz music score for the iconic A Charlie Brown Christmas special. Granelli was paid $120 for the session and the music was perfectly suited for the show, which became a huge hit when it aired in 1965. He played with other groups and toured with the Grateful Dead and later formed his own trio. If you were like me, you know the music for the Charlie Brown special became a very important part of the show and continues to be popular even now with great pieces like Christmas Time is Here and Linus and Lucy.
