Piet Levy, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 1:24 p.m. ET Feb. 12, 2017 In this Sept. 27, 2015, file photo, Al Jarreau performs at the Rock in Rio music festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.(Photo: Felipe Dana, AP) Seven-time Grammy winner Al Jarreau has died. His passing comes two days after an announcement was made on his website that he was retiring from touring due to exhaustion. Jarreau had been in a hospital in Los Angeles and was “slowly recovering,” according to a statement posted on Thursday. He was 76. Jarreau died at 5:30 a.m. PT Sunday, according to a statement from his booking agent Bob Zievers. Gordon said in lieu of flowers or gifts, Jarreau’s family requested contributions be made to the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music. Jarreau received a lifetime achievement award from the foundation last fall, and an endowment to benefit Milwauke Public School children needing financial assistance for music programs was established in his name. First singing at church and PTA meetings when he was four or five, Jarreau told the Journal Sentinel it was at Lincoln High School where “Â “My love of music and singing really deepened. I began to have ideas of taking this as far as it could go. And I kept dreaming that dream and nourishing that dream.” He took that dream exceptionally far. Jarreau has 20 albums to his name, and is the only Grammy vocalist to win in the jazz, pop and R&B categories. He performed 50 concerts last year,…more detail
