--- description: Jazz trumpet and flugelhorn virtuoso Clark Terry died on Saturday at the age of 94. title: Jazz Trumpeter Clark Terry Dies at 94 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt306abce1ff75776e/69878085428a9ecad6cc7481/clark-terry.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Clark Terry, Legendary Jazz Trumpeter and Educator, Dies at 94 by [David Stout](/author/david-stout/) ## David Stout Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 23, 2015 8:41 AM CUT  American Jazz musician Clark Terry performs on trumpet and flluegelhorn at Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights during a "Salute to Jimmy Cobb" at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City on March 10, 2005. American Jazz musician Clark Terry performs on trumpet and flluegelhorn at Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights during a "Salute to Jimmy Cobb" at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City on March 10, 2005.Jack Vartoogian —Getty Images by [David Stout](/author/david-stout/) ## David Stout Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 23, 2015 8:41 AM CUT Jazz trumpet and flugelhorn virtuoso Clark Terry, whose illustrious career spanned more than seven decades, died in the company of family, friends and students on Saturday. He was 94. “We will miss him every minute of every day, but he will live on through the beautiful music and positivity that he gave to the world,” wrote his wife Gwen, in a message [posted](https://www.facebook.com/clarkterryjazz/photos/a.280470578644380.71884.276645389026899/923678477656917/?type=1&theater "undefined") on Facebook. “Clark will live in our hearts forever.” The legendary trumpeter played along some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, including Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Outside of performing, Clark was heralded as an influential educator. Over the years, he held numerous high school and collegiate jazz clinics, hosted summer camps for musicians and was also an adjunct professor at William Paterson University in New Jersey. Last year, the St. Louis native [starred](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMFf9TmdL1k "undefined") in the documentary _Keep On Keepin’ On_, which chronicled his relationship with budding student Justin Kauflin during his final years. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3718438/clark-terry-obit-jazz-trumpeter-educator/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3718438/clark-terry-obit-jazz-trumpeter-educator/"},"headline":"Clark Terry, Legendary Jazz Trumpeter and Educator, Dies at 94","datePublished":"2015-02-23T08:41:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T04:37:16.641Z","description":"He dedicated his later years to sharing his love of music with subsequent generations","url":"https://time.com/3718438/clark-terry-obit-jazz-trumpeter-educator/","keywords":["Music","entertainment","Jazz"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt306abce1ff75776e/69878085428a9ecad6cc7481/clark-terry.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"David Stout","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/david-stout/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt306abce1ff75776e/69878085428a9ecad6cc7481/clark-terry.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Highlights20050310-109CTerry","caption":"Highlights20050310-109CTerry","creditText":"Jack Vartoogian —Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3718438/clark-terry-obit-jazz-trumpeter-educator/","name":"Clark Terry, Legendary Jazz Trumpeter and Educator, Dies at 94"}}]}] ```