Peter Nero was a Grammy Award-winning pianist, well-known as the conductor of Philly Pops for more than three decades and often interpreting popular music through jazz and classical styles.
- Died: July 6, 2023 (Who else died on July 6?)
- Details of death: Died of natural causes in Eustis, Florida, at the age of 89.
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Peter Nero’s legacy
Nero never met a song he couldn’t reinterpret into a totally different genre. Born as Bernard Nierow, he began studying piano at age 7 before being accepted into New York City’s High School of Music & Art at 14. He later won a scholarship to study at Julliard before he’d even graduated from Brooklyn College. By the late 1950s, he was releasing jazz records and in 1961, he won his first of two consecutive Grammy Awards.
Though Nero was hailed as a virtuoso, he won wide attention by interpreting the popular music of his day – he initially worked with compositions by George Gershwin, but soon expanded his repertoire to include pop music, too. His mainstream appeal landed him many appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” In 1979, he started the Philly Pops orchestra, where he adapted music from Motown, the Beatles, and others into swing, classical, the blues, and other genres. He continued to lead the orchestra until 2013, often to sold-out crowds.
Over the course of his career, Nero released over 60 albums, earned six honorary doctorates, and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Federation of Musicians. He also worked with artists such as Frank Sinatra (1915-1988), Mel Torme (1925–1999), Ray Charles (1930–2004), Dizzy Gillespie (1917–1993), Johnny Mathis, and Elton John.
Tributes to Peter Nero
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times
