Al Jarreau

Al Jarreau's silky-smooth vocals and impeccable skill at vocalese - a style of jazz singing that applied lyrics to established instrumental numbers - made him one of the genre's most popular vocalists for over four decades, as well as one of the rare singers to win Grammys in three different musical genres. A polished performer who incorporated elements of R&B and pop into his material, Jarreau began minting hit records for Warner Bros. in the mid-1970s, scoring numerous Top 10 albums on the Jazz and R&B charts. By the early 1980s, he had branched into pop with hits like "Boogie Down" and the theme to the hit series "Moonlighting" (ABC, 1985-89), but focused largely on touring in the 1990s. The new millennium saw him return to his jazz roots while maintaining a tireless concert schedule around the globe; his celebrated career, which included multiple Grammys and Top 10 hits in jazz, pop and R&B, made Al Jarreau an accomplished listener favorite. Al Jarreau died of respiratory failure on February 12, 2017, only days after canceling an upcoming tour and announcing his retirement from music.