What was Dave Brubeck's Net Worth?
Dave Brubeck was a renowned American jazz pianist and composer who had a net worth of $15 million at the time of his passing in 2012. Recognized as a pioneer of the cool jazz genre, Brubeck was famous for his use of unusual time signatures and contrasting rhythms, notably on his influential album, Time Out.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Brubeck released numerous albums with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and toured globally, representing the U.S. Department of State in Europe and Asia. Among his accolades were the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and an appearance on the cover of Time magazine in 1954. Brubeck's compositions like "The Duke" and "In Your Own Sweet Way" are jazz standards, and his most famous piece, "Take Five," remains a timeless classic.
Brubeck received several prestigious awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, BBC Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, and induction into the California Hall of Fame. He passed away on December 5, 2012, one day before his 92nd birthday, due to heart failure.
Early Life
Born on December 6, 1920, in Concord, California, to Peter and Elizabeth Brubeck, Dave grew up on a cattle ranch managed by his father, while his mother was a piano teacher. Despite having poor eyesight, which hindered his ability to read music, Brubeck exhibited a natural musical talent from an early age.
Brubeck initially pursued veterinary science at the College of the Pacific in Stockton, California, but his passion for music led him to switch majors. Although almost expelled for his inability to sight-read music, his exceptional skills in counterpoint and harmony allowed him to complete his degree under the condition that he would never teach piano.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, Brubeck served in the Third Army in Europe. His talent was discovered during a Red Cross show, and he was spared from combat to form the military's first racially integrated band, The Wolfpack, where he met musician Paul Desmond. After the war, Brubeck studied at Mills College and collaborated with Jack Sheedy and the Weiss brothers of Fantasy Records.
Career
Brubeck's early recordings on Fantasy Records were successful, leading to the formation of the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951, featuring Paul Desmond. Their live albums, Jazz at the College of the Pacific and Jazz at Oberlin, were early cool jazz milestones. Signing with Columbia Records in 1954, Brubeck's Jazz Goes to College gained immense popularity and earned him a spot on the cover of Time magazine.
In 1958, African-American bassist Eugene Wright joined the Quartet before their State Department tour. Brubeck was committed to racial equality, famously canceling performances if Wright was excluded due to his race. His advocacy for black musicians was significant, as he believed many deserved more recognition.
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The 1959 release of Time Out became Brubeck's most successful album. Continuing to release albums through the 1960s, the Quartet enjoyed significant productivity, peaking with up to four albums a year. Their final studio album for Columbia was Anything Goes in 1966. Later, Brubeck recorded with Atlantic Records, maintaining his status as a jazz icon.
Throughout his career, Brubeck amassed numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts, induction into the DownBeat Hall of Fame, and multiple Grammy awards. In 2004, he received an honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from the University of Fribourg, and in 2007, he was honored with the BBC Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award. Brubeck's contributions to public diplomacy earned him the Benjamin Franklin Award in 2008, and he was celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009. In 2011, he became an honorary fellow of Westminster Choir College.
Personal Life and Death
Dave Brubeck married jazz lyricist Iola Whitlock in September 1942. The couple had six children, four of whom became professional musicians and occasionally performed with their father. Brubeck converted to Catholicism in 1980 and was honored with the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame in 2006.
Brubeck passed away on December 5, 2012, in Norwalk, Connecticut, en route to a doctor's appointment, a day before his 92nd birthday. A memorial tribute was held in May 2013, and he was laid to rest at Umpawaug Cemetery in Redding, Connecticut.
