Beegie Adair
Birth nameBobbe Gorin Long
Born(1937-12-11)December 11, 1937
Cave City, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedJanuary 23, 2022(2022-01-23) (aged 84)
Franklin, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano
LabelsAdair Music Group, Green Hill, Village Square Music
Websitewww.beegieadair.com

Bobbe Gorin "Beegie" Adair (née Long, December 11, 1937 – January 23, 2022) was an American jazz pianist and bandleader, whose career spanned more than 60 years.

Early life

Bobbe Gorin Long was born in Cave City, Kentucky, on December 11, 1937.[1][2] Her parents, Bobbe (Martin) Long and Arthur Long, owned a gas station.[3] Adair began playing the piano at the age of five.[4][5] She graduated from Caverna High School in 1954.[6] Adair earned a Bachelor of Science degree in music education at Western Kentucky University in 1958.[2]

Adair worked as a children's music teacher for three years before relocating to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1961.[4][7]

Career

In 1961, Adair played in Printer's Alley and became a member of a jazz band led by Hank Garland.[4] She was employed as a session musician at the Noon Show on WSM-TV and on The Johnny Cash Show from 1969 to 1971.[4][7][8] On the Cash show, Adair accompanied performers such as Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee, Ray Stevens, Steve Allen, Chet Atkins, Cass Elliot, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton.[8]

She partnered with Denis Solee in 1982 to establish the Adair–Solee Quartet, which became the sextet Be-Bop Co-Op.[7] Adair released her first solo album in her name with Escape to New York (1998).[4][7] She formed the Beegie Adair Trio, which has sold more than 1.5 million albums.[9][10]

Adair appeared on more than 100 recordings throughout her 60-year career.[5] Of these, 35 were recorded by her eponymous trio which included Adair, bassist Roger Spencer and percussionist Chris Brown.[5][8] Among Adair's influences were George Shearing, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Erroll Garner.[7] In 2002, Adair released a six-CD centennial collection, The Great American Songbook Collection, with tunes by American composers such as Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael and Irving Berlin.[11]

Adair was an adjunct professor of jazz studies at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music.[6] She was a faculty and board member of the Nashville Jazz Workshop, where she often performed.[5][8]

In 2002, Adair was named a Steinway Artist.[7][8] She was inducted into Western Kentucky University's Hall of Fame and Cave City's Hall of Fame. She was the inaugural recipient of Nashville Jazz Workshop's Heritage Award.[8]

Personal life

Adair lived in Franklin, Tennessee. She was married to Billy Adair for 38 years until his death in February 2014.[4][12] He was an associate professor of jazz studies at the Blair School of Music.[12][13]

Adair died at her home in Franklin on January 23, 2022, at the age of 84.[3][2][8]

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Beegie Adair – Albums, titres, listes de lecture & articles". QUB Musique. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Collins, Michael J. "Beegie Adair, jazz musician and distinguished WKU alumna, passes away at 84". WKUHerald.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Risen, Clay (January 28, 2022). "Beegie Adair, a Jazz Master in Country Music's Capital, Dies at 84". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Paulson, Dave (January 24, 2022). "Nashville jazz great Beegie Adair dies at 84". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Hall, Kristin M. (January 26, 2022). "Bobbe 'Beegie' Adair, jazz pianist, dies in Tennessee". Associated Press. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Hall of Distinguished Alumni – Ms. Beegie Adair (Inducted in 2006)". Western Kentucky University Alumni Association. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Ruhlmann, William. "Beegie Adair – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Wynn, Ron (January 25, 2022). "Bobbe 'Beegie' Long Adair, a formative center of Nashville's jazz scene, dies at 84". NPR. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  9. ^ Hoover, Carl (January 23, 2019). "Jazz pianist Beegie Adair brings new life to the standards". Waco Tribune-Herald. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  10. ^ "JazzTrenzz : Between Sets with Beegie Adair :: EJazzNews.com : The Number One Jazz News Resource on the Net :: Jazz News Daily". Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
  11. ^ "The Great American Songbook Collection – The Great American Songbook Collection: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Patterson, Jim. "Blair School of Music stalwart Billy Adair has died". Vanderbilt University. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  13. ^ "The Tennessean". Blogs.tennessean.com. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk "Beegie Adair – Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d "Beegie Adair – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  16. ^ "Beegie Adair – Albums". QUB Musique. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  17. ^ "Trav'lin Light: Instrumental Jazz for the Open Road – Beegie Adair Trio, Denis Solee: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 26, 2022.

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