Pianist George Winston died June 4th, 2023 after a decades long struggle with cancer. George first gained popularity in the 1980s for what was then called New Age Music, although George refered to his playing as “folk piano.” His influences were broad—everything from New Orleans and stride piano to rock and blues—and he had an unusually specific memory about when each of these styles made their way into his subconscious and music.

George Winston discussed his long career and his CD, Spring Carousel with me in November 2017. George wrote the music for Spring Carousel while he was in treatment for bone cancer and donated the profits from it to cancer research.