In 1954 a young man from Boston took his passion for jazz and turned it into an American tradition.
1954 was the year 29-year-old George Wein organized the first Newport Jazz Festival, an achievement that launched a decades-long career of promoting – and helping shape – American jazz.
He later helped establish the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Newport Folk Festival.
His long career Wein met, worked with, and helped advance the careers of many of the most revered jazz artists of the 20th century.
And he introduced jazz to millions around the world.
In 2003 Wein – who was then 78 – wrote his memoir, called Myself Among Others. That’s when I had a few minutes with this music legend.
So here now, from 2003, George Wein.
George Wein died in 2021 at age 95.