Advertisement

Moonlighting singer and jazz legend Al Jarreau dies aged 76

Acclaimed jazz and soul singer Al Jarreau has died, aged 76.

The artist, who was best known for his songs Moonlighting, Mornin' and Trouble in Paradise, had announced his retirement from touring just days ago.

He was admitted to hospital earlier in the week a few days after saying his retirement was due to exhaustion.

His official Twitter feed and website said he was surrounded by his wife, son and other family members in a Los Angeles hospital as he died.

During his career, which spanned more than 50 years, he was one of only a few artists to have won a Grammy in three separate categories.

He took home a total of seven of the awards for jazz, pop and R&B and was described by Time Magazine as the "greatest jazz singer alive".

His biggest hit in the UK was the theme from the TV show Moonlighting, which won a cult audience and shot Bruce Willis to fame and reprised the career of Cybill Shepherd in the mid to late 1980s.

Jarreau was also a vocalist on the all-star 1985 track We Are the World, which aimed to raise money to buy aid for Africa.

He released 16 studio and five live albums between 1975 and 2014.

He continued to perform with other jazz and soul legends like George Benson and Miles Davis, well into his 60s and 70s.

He is survived by his second wife Susan Player and their son Ryan.