Ralph Sharon, who played piano for Tony Bennett beginning in the late 1950s, died March 31 at his Boulder, Colo., home. He was 91. A cause of death was not specified in published reports.
Born September 17, 1923, in London, Sharon turned professional in 1946, working with British bandleader Ted Heath and Frank Weir’s orchestra. Sharon moved to the United States in 1953, where he accompanied singers such as Chris Connor and Johnny Hartman and, beginning in 1957, Bennett, playing with the singer on dozens of recordings and countless live engagements. Among the albums they made together was 1961’s Tony Sings for Two, a set of vocal and piano duets.
Start Your Free Trial to Continue Reading
Become a JazzTimes member to explore our complete archive of interviews, profiles, columns, and reviews written by music's best journalists and critics.
