Veteran jazz pianist and composer Mike Wofford, who worked with legendary singers like Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, has passed away.
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Wofford died on Sept. 19 from hyponatremia, as reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune. Wofford passed away in the Balboa Park-area home he shared with his wife and longtime musical partner, flutist Holly Hofmann. He had been receiving hospice care there for two weeks.
According to the newspaper, Wofford was still performing until this summer. He was 87.
Michael Wofford was born in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 28, 1938. At age 5, he moved with his mother to San Diego, California, and began classical piano lessons at age seven. He admired composers like Béla Bartók and Igor Stravinsky, and jazz pianist Art Tatum.
Wofford discovered his passion for jazz at Point Loma High School, playing in local bands. By age 19, the San Diego Symphony had performed two of his compositions, written when he was 14 and 18. He briefly attended San Diego State College but dropped out.
In 1959, he accepted an invitation to play in Howard Rumsey’s band, the Lighthouse All Stars. After moving to Los Angeles, he was featured as the pianist in Mel Tormé’s 1962 album Comin’ Home Baby!.
Mike Wofford Had a Prolific Career Scoring for Film and TV
Through an association with Oliver Nelson, he also worked on TV and film. He scored works for productions such as The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Merv Griffin Show, The Bill Cosby Show and You’ve Got Mail
He also did pop-music sessions with figures such as Joan Baez, The Jackson 5, John Lennon, and Cher.
In 1964, record producer Albert Marx signed Wofford and his trio (drummer John Guerin and bassist John Doling) to Epic Records. Wofford released his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Strawberry Wine, in 1966.
He continued touring and recording with prominent artists before returning to San Diego in the late 1970s. He collaborated with figures like George Lewis, Sérgio Mendes, Quincy Jones, James Moody, Harry Nilsson, Zoot Sims, John Klemmer, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald. Notably, he was a pianist and conductor for Sarah Vaughan (1979-1983) and Ella Fitzgerald (1989-1994).
In 2000, Wofford married flutist Holly Hofmann. The couple recorded a duo album in 2006 at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla, San Diego, and had three children: Melissa, Christopher, and Michael Wofford Jr.
He is also survived by seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.