Joe Negri, the beloved jazz guitarist who charmed generations of children as Handyman Negri on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has died at age 99.
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Multiple outlets reported Negri’s death on Sunday, just days before what would have been his 100th birthday on June 10. His daughter, Lisa Negri, said he died of natural causes on Saturday.
Negri became a familiar face during the long run of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, where he portrayed the friendly handyman and musician who helped bring warmth, humor, and music to Fred Rogers’ television neighborhood. He appeared throughout the show’s decades-long run and eventually operated Negri’s Music Shop, a gathering place for musical performances and guest appearances.
Although television audiences knew him as Handyman Negri, he built an acclaimed career long before he stepped onto the set of the landmark children’s program.
Joe Negri Was Playing Instruments From Age 3
Born in Pittsburgh in 1926, Negri began playing music as a child. Reports say he started with a ukulele at age 3, picked up the guitar at 8, and toured with swing bands as a teenager. He later performed on radio programs and worked with entertainers including Fred and Gene Kelly.
His connection to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood started when Fred Rogers invited him to join the new series. Negri initially resisted because he lacked handyman skills, but Rogers assured him the role would be make-believe. The partnership lasted for decades and turned Negri into one of the show’s most recognizable supporting performers.
Music remained at the center of his life. On the show, Negri performed alongside celebrated artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, and Johnny Costa. Off-screen, he spent more than 50 years teaching jazz guitar at institutions including the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Negri retired from teaching in 2019 and received Pennsylvania’s Lifetime Achievement in the Arts honor for his contributions to music and education.
His death marks another loss for the extended Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood family, whose cast members helped shape one of the most influential children’s television programs in American history.