"Mr. Bass Trombone" George M. Roberts dies aged 86

George M. Roberts, a master of the bass trombone whose sound can be heard on albums by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, has died aged 86.

Roberts passed away from pneumonia over the weekend after a long battle with multiple sclerosis, according to the International Trombone Association.

Known as “Mr. Bass Trombone”, Roberts worked alongside distinguished arranger and composer Nelson Riddle at Capitol Records. His melodic sound appeared on the works of Sinatra, Martin, Nat “King” Cole, Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald to name just a few.

Roberts’ innovative playing style led to him becoming an in-demand session musician from the 1950s to 1980s. In 2005, Roberts estimated that he had played on more than 6,000 recordings. He also contributed to the soundtracks of iconic films such as Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

[via The Hollywood Reporter]

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