Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time.
Born in Montreal in Aug. 15, 1925 Died 23 Dec 2007
He was 82 years old.
He lived in Mississauga for over 30 years.
Oscar Peterson was 6-foot-3, he had a good sense of humour and was a gentle man by many accounts.
He performed with legendary figures such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong,
He made more than 200 albums.
Among the many awards and honours Oscar Peterson received are
- 8 Grammy awards including a lifetime achievement honour in 1997.
- Honoured with An International Jazz Hall of Fame Award and entry into several halls of fame.
- Canada Post issued a 50-cent stamp to celebrate his 80th birthday.
- He was made a companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian achievement.
- Peterson became the first member of the Mississauga Arts Hall of Fame.
- A public school that specialized in musical education was named for him Oscar Peterson Public School
A Tribute to Oscar Peterson concert that took place in September 2003 at The Living Arts Centre (LAC).
Peterson was recognized by the City of Mississauga in 2003 when a street was named for him: Oscar Peterson Boulevard.
He received the highest honour a citizen can receive In Mississauga, the Civic Award of Merit. It has only been presented twice.
He wrote an autobiography, A Jazz Odyssey: The Life of Oscar Peterson, it was written in collaboration with jazz journalist Richard Palmer.
His life was showcased in a several of films:
- Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar in 1995
- Oscar Peterson: The Life of a Legend in 1996
- CBC's The Life and Times of Oscar Peterson (documentary)
- In the Key of Oscar - the National Film Board's (documentary)
