Colorado Jazz Music Legend Celebrates 101st Birthday At Red Rocks Amphitheater
MORRISON, Colo. (CBS4) -The Colorado Music Hall of Fame was visited by its oldest living inductee on Saturday. The museum calls Red Rocks Amphitheater home.
Charles Burrell turns 101 years old on Monday.
As part of his birthday celebrated, his visit to the museum included a trip to the amphitheater where he performed as the first Black musician to be signed to a symphony orchestra.
As a musician trying to make an honest living, he used money he earned by painting and washing seat at Red Rocks Amphitheatre to pay his bills.
"This is definitely one of the benches. I think it still remembers me. We had quite an association," Burrell said.
Burrell performed alongside Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan.