Bross Townsend
Bross Elvie Townsend Jr. (October 18, 1933 – May 12, 2003) was an American jazz and blues pianist. Townsend was born in Princeton, Kentucky.
Bross Townsend
Khfroehner · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Born
- 1933
- Died
- 2003
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- pianist · musician
- Fields
- jazz
- Education
- Cleveland Institute of Music
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Bross Elvie Townsend Jr. (October 18, 1933 – May 12, 2003) was an American jazz and blues pianist. Townsend was born in Princeton, Kentucky.
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wikidata · Q990708 · wikipedia · Bross Townsend
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Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1933
Bross Townsend was born on 18 October 1933.
2003
Bross Townsend died on 12 May 2003.
Discography
His father was also a pianist, and started his son on the instrument at age seven. Townsend moved to Cleveland in 1951 and attended the Cleveland Institute of Music. He accompanied local singers such as Little Jimmy Scott and Wynonie Harris and played freelance from 1953 with Gene Ammons, John Coltrane, Memphis Slim, and Jimmy Reed. He made several tours of Europe. Townsend was active in New York City from 1959 almost up until his death there in 2003; he worked with Warren Smith (in the Composer's Workshop Ensemble), Carrie Smith, Bubba Brooks, Woody Herman, Diana Ross, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Arvell Shaw, in addition to performing solo. He was also a member of The 3B's, with Bob Cunningham and Bernard Purdie. Townsend went blind in the middle of the 1990s but continued to perform. He often backed vocalist Carrie Smith.
• As leader/co-leader • What a Body – Bross Townsend and his trio – GP label GBTB 5030 • 1995: I Love Jump Jazz (Claves Jazz) • 1998: I Got Music on My Mind (BNH) • With The 3B's • 1993: After Hours with The 3B • 1994: Soothin n Groovin with the 3B – additional personnel: Eunice Newkirk (vocals); Donny Albano, Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Rob Paparozzi (harmonica); Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Fred Smith (trumpet).
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reference work
- “Bross Townsend”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q990708: Bross Townsend
General reference · Wikidata
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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