Sonny Rollins, the towering tenor saxophonist whose improvisational brilliance defined an era of jazz and influenced generations, has died at the age of 95. His representative, Terri Hinte, confirmed that Rollins passed away Monday afternoon at his home in Woodstock, New York. No cause of death was given.
Rollins was widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, standing alongside John Coltrane and Charlie Parker as a master of bebop and beyond. Over a career spanning more than 70 years, he released over 60 albums, with landmark recordings such as Saxophone Colossus (1956), Way Out West (1957), and The Bridge (1962).
He earned three Grammy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and an honorary doctorate from the Juilliard School. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of Arts and later honored him as a Kennedy Center Honoree—both times at the White House.
Rollins continued to tour and record into the 2000s, finally retiring in 2014 due to health issues. His legacy as a fearless improviser and a beacon of artistic integrity remains unmatched.