© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Patriarch Of New Orleans Musical Family, Ellis Marsalis, Dies At 85

Ellis Marsalis, jazz pianist, educator and patriarch of the Marsalis family, has died. His music students included Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Harry Connick, Jr., and 4 of his sons.

Copyright 2020 WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio. To see more, visit WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio.

Corrected: April 1, 2020 at 11:00 PM CDT
In this report, we incorrectly refer to Ellis Marsalis III as Ellis Marsalis Jr.
Gwen Thompkins
Gwen Thompkins hosts Music Inside Out on WWNO in New Orleans.
Congress just eliminated federal funding for KCUR, but public radio is for the people.

Your support has always made KCUR's work possible — from reporting that keeps officials accountable, to storytelling to connects our community. Help ensure the future of local journalism.