Jimmy Rowles's small but influential catalog of jazz compositions achieved enduring status through recordings by major artists. Born in Spokane, Washington in 1918, he developed a distinctive voice as a songwriter while working primarily as an accompanist to singers including Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee. His most celebrated composition, "The Peacocks," introduced on Stan Getz's 1977 album of the same name, became a hauntingly beautiful jazz standard. "502 Blues," popularized by Wayne Shorter in 1966 and included in The Real Book, established itself as a jam session staple. Rowles collaborated with lyricist Johnny Mercer on "Morning Star" and "Baby, Don't You Quit Now." His compositions reached a wider audience through his mentorship of Diana Krall. He died in Burbank, California in 1996.
