Canadian jazz musician Peter Appleyard, a master of the vibraphone, has died at the age of 84.
Appleyard was born in Lincolnshire, England, and became a drummer during the Second World War before immigrating to Toronto in 1951.
He started his own band in 1956 and began lining up commercial work with frequent television and radio appearances including the CBC-TV program Mallets and Brass with Guido Basso. A casual conversation with Benny Goodman resulted in a position in Goodman’s sextet. Appleyard shared the stage with Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Mel Torme and Ella Fitzgerald.
An avid equestrian, he lived in the lush farming area east of Guelph for 30 years, performing regularly in the community hall. In recent years he was living in the village of Eden Mills, Ont.
In 1992, Appleyard was made an officer in the Order of Canada. He received the Oscar Peterson lifetime achievement award and an honourary degree from the University of Guelph
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