That Eric Alper

On July 22, 2025, we said goodbye to Chuck Mangione, the flugelhorn legend whose melodies filled the air with joy for generations. From jazz clubs to Olympic ceremonies to animated supermarkets, Chuck left a mark unlike any other. Here are 84 fun and wholesome facts to remember him by—one sweet note at a time.

1. Chuck Mangione was born in Rochester, New York, on November 29, 1940.
2. He was raised in a big Italian family with his brother Gap.
3. His uncle was writer Jerre Mangione.
4. Chuck started out in music with the Mangione Brothers Sextet.
5. His early tune “Something Different” was recorded by Cannonball Adderley.
6. He studied at the Eastman School of Music from 1958 to 1963.
7. He played trumpet for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the early ’60s.
8. He once filled the same trumpet chair as Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan.
9. In 1968, he co-founded The National Gallery, blending jazz and modern art.
10. Their debut album interpreted paintings by Paul Klee in musical form.
11. Chuck served as director of the Eastman jazz ensemble from 1968 to 1972.
12. His 1970 live album Friends and Love featured the Rochester Philharmonic.
13. He loved pairing jazz with orchestral arrangements.
14. His longtime saxophonist partner was Gerry Niewood.
15. Chuck’s song “Bellavia” won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition.
16. “Bellavia” became a winter anthem during the Blizzard of ’78.
17. His tune “Chase the Clouds Away” played during the 1976 Olympics.
18. He wrote “Give It All You Got” for the 1980 Winter Olympics.
19. Chuck performed it live at the closing ceremony for a global audience.
20. In 1978, “Feels So Good” became his biggest hit.
21. The song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
22. “Feels So Good” became one of the most recognizable instrumentals ever.
23. His 1978 album Children of Sanchez was a Grammy-winning film score.
24. The title track of that album is nearly 15 minutes long.
25. He composed the theme to the 1981 comedy film The Cannonball Run.
26. His 1970s touring band included Chris Vadala and Grant Geissman.
27. They toured behind Fun and Games and Children of Sanchez.
28. Their live album An Evening of Magic was recorded at the Hollywood Bowl.
29. He opened and closed that show with “Feels So Good” and its reprise.
30. He played with a 70-piece orchestra at that performance.
31. Frequent collaborator Jeff Tyzik arranged the horns that night.
32. Bill Reichenbach arranged the lush strings on “B’ Bye.”
33. In 1980, he threw a nine-hour benefit concert for Italian earthquake victims.
34. Guests included Chick Corea, Steve Gadd, and Dizzy Gillespie.
35. A&M Records released part of it on vinyl as Tarantella.
36. That same year, Chuck helped raise over $50,000 for St. John’s Nursing Home.
37. He celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert at the Eastman Theatre.
38. He had a recurring role on the cartoon King of the Hill.
39. In the show, he was Mega Lo Mart’s celebrity spokesman.
40. He always exited scenes playing “Feels So Good.”
41. His 2000 album Everything for Love featured a track titled “Peggy Hill.”
42. Chuck once appeared on Magnum, P.I. as a nightclub musician.
43. He played “Little Boy Blue” on Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Elephant Show.
44. He kept a strong connection to children’s television and education.
45. He often smiled with his whole face when he played.
46. Chuck’s signature instrument was the flugelhorn.
47. He popularized the flugelhorn in American pop culture.
48. He often performed in big, floppy hats and oversized coats.
49. His warm tone made his music instantly comforting.
50. He released over 30 albums in his lifetime.
51. Chuck toured internationally for decades.
52. He made jazz feel accessible and fun.
53. His concerts blended humor, storytelling, and musicianship.
54. He was known to laugh on stage mid-solo.
55. Chuck inspired generations of young brass players.
56. He encouraged students through clinics and masterclasses.
57. He helped shape the Eastman jazz curriculum.
58. His albums were stocked in jazz, pop, and easy listening bins.
59. His bandmates often described him as “musically fearless.”
60. He loved musical collaboration more than musical competition.
61. His compositions mixed jazz, classical, Latin, and pop.
62. Chuck once said his favorite sound was “a melody that hugs you.”
63. He wrote tunes for lovers, dreamers, and Sunday afternoons.
64. His music has been used in movies, ads, newscasts, and memes.
65. In interviews, he often expressed disbelief at his own fame.
66. He called “Feels So Good” his “accidental smash.”
67. The tune has been covered, sampled, and parodied countless times.
68. Chuck’s music brought calm during turbulent times.
69. He performed for multiple presidents and at countless fundraisers.
70. He appeared on Johnny Carson and Sesame Street alike.
71. Chuck was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame.
72. His flugelhorn is in the Smithsonian Jazz Collection.
73. He helped define the “smooth jazz” movement before it had a name.
74. His 1980s albums explored funk, synths, and fusion.
75. Yet he always returned to warm melodies and acoustic instruments.
76. He stayed based in Rochester for most of his life.
77. His hometown honored him with Chuck Mangione Day.
78. He was beloved as much for his kindness as his compositions.
79. He never lost touch with his brother Gap, his first bandmate.
80. Chuck’s smile was as famous as his horn.
81. His last studio album was Everything for Love in 2000.
82. He played until the end, often in benefit concerts and tributes.
83. Chuck Mangione passed away peacefully at age 84 in Rochester.
84. And yes—his music still feels so good.

Rest in peace, Chuck. Thanks for the good feels, always.