Sonny Rollins, one of the most influential tenor saxophonists in jazz history, has died at 95. His representatives announced that he died at his home in Woodstock, New York, with no specific cause of death immediately given.
Rollins was known for a sound that was direct, restless, and deeply personal. Born Walter Theodore Rollins in Harlem in 1930, he became a defining figure in modern jazz and helped shape the language of bebop, hard bop, and improvisational performance.
His 1956 album Saxophone Colossus became one of the landmarks of jazz recording, while pieces such as St. Thomas, Oleo, and Doxy became standards played by generations of musicians. Across his career, Rollins worked with major artists including Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, and Bud Powell.
He also became known for stepping away from the spotlight to practice and rethink his music, including a famous period spent practicing on the Williamsburg Bridge. Rollins retired from performing in 2014 after health issues, but his recordings remain central to jazz history.