Loonis McGlohon was one of America’s most beloved jazz pianists and songwriters. Born in Ayden, North Carolina, he grew up captivated by the big-band sound of the 1940s and learned piano from the organist at his family’s church. He became music director for WBT radio and WBTV television in Charlotte while performing widely with his own trio, appearing across the United States and internationally, including three times at Carnegie Hall. McGlohon accompanied legendary singers such as Judy Garland and Helen O’Connell and served as musical director for Mabel Mercer and Eileen Farrell. With collaborator Alec Wilder he hosted NPR’s Peabody Award–winning American Popular Song and co-wrote classics including Blackberry Winter and the score to the NC outdoor attraction "Land of Oz." He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
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