Sonny Rollins: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Walter Theodore Rollins • Newk
Born	September 7, 1930 • New York City • New York
Died	May 25, 2026 (aged 95) • Woodstock • New York
Awards And Honors	Kennedy Center Honors (2011) • National Medal of Arts (2010) • Grammy Award (2005) • Grammy Award (2001)

Photos

Sonny Rollins, wearing a bright red shirt, plays the saxophone on stage at the Barcelona International Jazz Festival in Spain.

Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins

See All Images →

Dizzy Gillespie, 1955.

Dizzy Gillespie

American musician

The Genius

Ray Charles

American musician

B.B. King

B.B. King

American musician

Charlie “Bird” Parker, 1949

Charlie Parker

American musician

Trane

John Coltrane

American musician

Coleman, Ornette

Ornette Coleman

American musician

Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter

American musician and composer

Count Basie, 1968

Count Basie

American musician

Benny Carter

Benny Carter

American musician

Stevie Wonder smiling and wearing sunglasses and a dark jacket while performing outdoors.

Stevie Wonder

American singer, composer, and musician

Ella Fitzgerald.

Ella Fitzgerald

American singer

Buddy Guy

Buddy Guy

American musician

Woody Herman.

Woody Herman

American musician

Cannonball Adderley.

Cannonball Adderley

American musician

Gordon, Dexter

Dexter Gordon

American musician

Benny Goodman in a tuxedo with bow tie and boutonniere, smiling and holding a clarinet, circa 1945.

Benny Goodman

American musician

Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck

American musician

Miles Davis

Miles Davis

American musician

“Satchmo”

Louis Armstrong

American musician

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

American musician