Robert Ringwald Dead at 80: Daughter Molly Pens Heartfelt Obituary; What's the Cause of Death?
The pianist who played and promoted jazz in California for more than half a century has died at the age of 80.
Also known as Bob to fans and friends, the musician died on August 3, his daughter Molly Ringwald wrote in an obituary for the Sacramento Bee.
The cause of his death was not mentioned.
The star was born in Roseville, California, and he went blind at an early age. Even though he was considered legally blind as an infant, and completely blind as an adolescent, he was still able to pursue piano lessons at 5 and became a member of his first band at 13.
Robert Ringwald And His Passion For Jazz
Molly Ringwald, the lead actress in "The Breakfast Club," wrote for his obituary what came after he turned 17. "He was able to grow enough of a beard to be able to pass for an adult to play in nightclubs as a professional musician, an occupation he held for the next six decades."
As first drawn to modern jazz, Ringwald got inspired from Louis Armstrong's music and got a lifelong passion for the performance and preservation of traditional New Orleans jazz.
As reported by this article, by the 1970s, Ringwald worked at the clubs seven nights a week as he plays piano, and by 2012, he was honored by Sacramento Jazz Festival as the "Emperor of Jazz."
Other than music, Ringwald also got a passion for ham radio and the Los Angeles Dodgers, for he once served as a guest announcer.
Molly Ringwald Shares Tribute To Father Bob
Robert Ringwald's daughter posted on Instagram with a photo of her and his father and left a statement to her followers regarding his death.
Her post said, "It's with a heavy heart that my family says goodbye to my father. I consider myself very lucky to have had in my life as long as I did."
Alongside his wife of 60 years, Adele, and daughter Molly, Robert Ringwald is survived by his sister, Renée Angus; another daughter, Beth Ringwald Carnes; a son, Kelly Ringwald, and more of his relatives unnamed.
The Ringwalds ask that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Foundation Fighting Blindness or to CURE Childhood Cancer.
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