In Memorium Billy Taylor

The Eastern Province celebrates the life of its dear brother, Dr. Billy Taylor, a graduate of Virginia State University, and a lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Taylor was a jazz legend and a staunch advocate for jazz music. Throughout his illustrious career as a musician and educator, Taylor garnered many outstanding achievements and accolades. “With over twenty-three honorary doctoral degrees, Taylor was also the recipient of two Peabody Awards, NEA Jazz Masters Award (1998) an Emmy Award (1983) for ‘Outstanding Informational, Cultural or Historical Programming’, a Grammy Award (2004) and a host of prestigious and highly coveted prizes, such as the National Medal of Arts (1992), the Tiffany Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Down Beat Magazine. He was also honored in 2001 with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Jazz Living Legend Award, and election to the Hall of Fame for the International Association for Jazz Education.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Michael Kaiser, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, wrote a very sincere and heart-warming tribute to Brother Taylor, who served as the Artistic Director for the Kennedy Center’s Jazz program:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-kaiser/in-memoriam-billy-taylor_b_803487.html