[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/jackiewashingtondn1.jpg” caption=”Legendary jazz and blues musician and Hamilton native Jackie Washington, who passed away at the age of 89, gave his archives to McMaster University Library. Photo by Ron Scheffler. “]Hamilton lost one of its best this summer: legendary jazz and blues musician Jackie Washington, who passed away at the age of 89. Three weeks earlier he had been honoured at an event to celebrate his music and the gift of his archives to McMaster University Library.

Washington's archival collection includes journals, songbooks, some of his original train drawings, photographs and other memorabilia. Collectively these represent a fascinating glimpse into the long life and career of a man who experienced first-hand almost a century of jazz and blues history and the personalities and social change that accompanied it.

“We're all extremely grateful that Jackie Washington chose to leave his archives to McMaster,” said University Librarian Jeffrey Trzeciak. “Because of this, people will be able to study and enjoy his amazing contributions to music for generations to come.”

Born and raised in Hamilton, Washington began his singing career at age five and got his first guitar at age 13. During his career he knew or worked with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including jazz greats Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and Clark Terry, songwriters Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot, and blues musicians Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and Lonnie Johnson.

Washington was a member of Hamilton's Gallery of Distinction and the Canadian Jazz and Blues Hall of Fame and was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Arts Council. In 2003 he was given an honorary Doctor of Letters from McMaster University.

For more information on the Jackie Washington archives, please contact Carl Spadoni by email at spadon@mcmaster.ca or by phone at 905-525-9140 ext. 27369.

For photos of the Jackie Washington tribute event, see the Library's Flickr stream.