PITTSBURGH, PA—On May 30, jazz guitarist, Joe Negri passed away at 99. He was born on June 10, 1926, less than 2 weeks of celebrating his 100th birthday. According to Negri’s oldest daughter, Lisa, he died on Saturday of natural causes.
Negri began playing musical instruments as a child. He’d wrap his tiny fingers around his ukulele at the local radio station at the age of three. He learned to play guitar at 8 years old and toured with swing bands by the time he was 16.
As a member of Shep Fields and the Rippling Rhythm Orchestra, he toured nationally in 1943 until he joined the Army in 1944. He served for two years. Upon his return, he performed with his pianist, brother Bobby Negri in Pittsburgh.
Joe enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University concentrating on music composition. He performed locally working with his brother and with another pianist, Johnny Costa, on KDKA TV.
In 1968, he appeared on WQED TV’s first episode alongside Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Negri played the handyman at Negri’s Music Shop on various episodes until the show ended in 2001.
“The handyman doesn’t just fix things. He also fixes problems. I hope children see me as someone they can trust.,” read a statement on the website.
In the 1970s, Joe started teaching at the University of Pittsburgh. He later founded the jazz guitar program at Duquesne University, retiring from Pittsburgh University in 2019, and Duquesne University three years later.
He taught jazz-guitar for 49 years and was part of establishing the jazz guitar program at Duquesne University. He taught students including Ralph Patt, who invented Major-Thirds Tuning in 1964. Negri and Patt later recorded together in 1989.
In 2010 Joe and Michael Feinstein recorded the album, “Fly Me to the Moon” and played their music live the following year at the Newport Jazz Festival. In September 2010, Rich Kienzle featured Joe in Vintage Guitar magazine.
Joe leaves behind his wife, Joan Negri, “Joni,” three daughters, and three granddaughters.
