85 year old James Moody , passed away on Thursday at San Diego Hospice after a 10 month battle with pancreatic cancer, his wife said. He is survived by Linda Moody, his third wife, sons, Patrick, Regan and Danny McGowan,a daughter, Michelle Bagdanove, his brother Lou Watters, four grandchildren and one great grandson.
A public funeral service is scheduled December 18 th at Greenwood Memorial Park, followed by a public celebration of his life at Faith Chapel in Spring Valley. Jazz saxophonist Moody is best known for his 1949 “Moody’s Mood for Love,” but when he recorded the hit that eventually was elected into the Grammy Awards’ Hall of Fame, he said, he was just “trying to find the right notes.” The song later was recorded by Aretha Franklin, Amy Wine house, Van Morrison and others.
Longtime fan and confidante Bill Cosby called it a “national anthem.” Cosby told the San Diego Union Tribune,”He has taught me integrity, how to express love for your fellow human beings and how to combine and contain manhood and maturity,” Moody was nominated for several other Grammies . He received the Kennedy Center Living Jazz Legend award and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award . He has also been inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame.
Moody performed on stages around the world, including the London’s Royal Festival Hall, Carnegie Hall ,The White House and The Hollywood Bowl. His last public performance was January 28 at a Grammy sponsored show at Seal Beach in California. Moody received a Grammy nomination earlier this month for his last album ,”Moody4B” that was recorded in 2008 and released in 2010 for best jazz instrumental album.
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