Oscar Peterson, Jazz Piano Titan, Dies at 82

Oscar Peterson, the Canadian jazz pianist whose unmatched virtuosity placed him among the greatest in his field, has passed away on Dec. 23 at age 82 in his home outside Toronto. Born outside Montreal, the legendary musician has played alongside many of the top jazz artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, Peterson distinguished himself with his dazzling keyboard technique and speed. Fellow player Billy Taylor called Peterson one of the finest jazz pianists of his time.

In a career that has spanned seven decades and won him the unstinting admiration of jazz fans as well as his music peers, Peterson has won seven Grammys in his career as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2005 he became the first living non-monarch to be featured on a postage stamp in Canada.