Biography for
Rufus Harley More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

20 May 1936, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Date of Death

1 August 2006, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (prostate cancer)

Nickname

"Pied Piper of Jazz"

Height

6' 2" (1.88 m)

Spouse

Barbara Jean Jones

(? - ?) (separated)

Trade Mark

McLeod Tartan

Performing in both an African dashiki and a Scottish kilt.

Trivia

Proficient on the oboe and the saxophone, Rufus Harley is best known as the only jazz bagpiper in the known world to date (2006); he has played with John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Laurie Anderson and The Roots.

He had 16 children and 15 grandchildren.

Performed frequently with one of his sons, Messiah Patton Harley, a jazz trumpeter.

Lived most much of his life in the Germantown neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Frequently gave music presentations in Philadelphia-area public schools.

After seeing him perform on television, a Scottish family gave him their tartan, the McLeod tartan, which he wore for the rest of his life.

Whenever a neighbor called the police to complain about his practicing in his apartment, he would put away his bagpipes and ask the officer, "Do I look like I'm Scottish to you?"

Adapted the bagpipes to jazz, blues, funk and other typically African-American music styles, while still paying tribute to the instrument's Scottish roots.

Made his bagpipe debut in 1964.

Was of mixed Cherokee and African-American descent.

Survived by 16 children and 15 grandchildren.

Inspired to learn to play the bagpipes after seeing the Black Watch's performance at the 1963 funeral of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

He liked to promote Philadelphia by giving away miniature Liberty Bells and copies of the US Constitution.

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