Chuck Mangione died

Photo Credit: Marek Lazarski / CC by 4.0

Chuck Mangione, the legendary Rochester jazz musician behind hits like “Feels So Good,” has passed away at age 84.

Chuck Mangione died in his sleep on Tuesday at his Rochester home, his family and attorney confirmed. The jazz legend, known for hits like “Feels So Good,” was 84 years old. Mangione’s family released a statement saying they were “deeply saddened to share that Chuck peacefully passed away in his sleep at his home in Rochester.”

Mangione was a flugelhorn and trumpet player who was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2012. He earned 14 Grammy nominations with two wins across his career. His album, Feels So Good, became one of the most successful jazz records ever produced.

Chuck Mangione’s career began alongside his brother, pianist Gap Mangione, as the Jazz Brothers. Gap Mangione was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Mangione graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music. He later taught jazz at Eastman and was granted an honorary doctorate degree.

In 1980, Mangione received international recognition when he performed the song “Give It All You Got” at the closing ceremonies of the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid.

In addition to his music, he was known for his distinctive style, marked by his long hair and a brown felt hat with a feathered band. Chuck later donated the hat to the Smithsonian Institution. Mangione was also known outside of the music business for his recurring appearances on the animated series “King of the Hill,” where he played a parody version of himself.

According to a statement released from a funeral in Rochester on behalf of Mangione’s family, the musician was characterized as possessing “boundless energy, unabashed enthusiasm, and pure joy that radiated from the stage.” His appreciation for his fans was demonstrated “by how often he would sit at the edge of the stage after a concert for however long it took to sign autographs for the fans who stayed to meet him and the band.”