Sonny Rollins, Giant of the Jazz Saxophone, Dies at 95

musicMay 25, 2026743,061

Sonny Rollins died at his home in Woodstock, New York, at age 95. Born Walter Theodore Rollins on September 7, 1930, he recorded as a sideman with Bud Powell, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk before leading landmark recordings and composing the calypso standard "St. Thomas." He paused recording and almost stopped performing from 1966 to 1972 for what he later described as a spiritual quest in Japan and India, then returned to push improvised saxophone into freer, risk-taking territory for more than five decades. Rollins's bold tone, relentless improvisation, and enduring compositions reshaped the tenor saxophone and remain central to how jazz is taught and played today.

Old School Punk Librarian

@kennethf62.bsky.social

We lost one of the great ones today. RIP to the saxophone colossus, Sonny Rollins. #SonnyRollins #Jazz #Musicsky

Sonny Rollins (1930-2026), holding his saxophone

74254d ago

Scott Gable4

Damn!!! We just lost Dick Parry from Pink Floyd on Friday!!!! 😢

eddiegaedel3

Yeah. This one hurts. He mentioned during an interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air that he had Monk's piano but I don't know if they ever unraveled its current whereabouts. Maybe she'll re-broadcast at least part of it tomorrow.

Linda UWSⓥ2

💔 truly one of the greatest. RIP.

The New York Times

@nytimes.com

Breaking News: Sonny Rollins, a jazz great with a forceful and imaginative approach to the tenor saxophone, has died at 95.

39254d ago

Grizzled Shopkeep19

One of his early albums was called Saxophone Colossus and nothing changed in the 70 years since it was released.

quick-geezer.bsky.social8

Man ... Sonny Rollins was one of the true giants of jazz. Like so many great jazz players, but more than most, there was nobody remotely like him. So many great records, and no doubt even more great performances that were heard only by the lucky people who were there. Rest in power, Sonny.

clemster90241.bsky.social6

One of the all time greats!

🥾☁️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🌏🍃 🇹🇼 Paces in Places 🇺🇦 ☮️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🌳💌 🇬🇱3

O, damn. Of course you knew he himself couldn’t live forever 🕊️ 🎷 🎶 but let’s hope his music will.

Rachel Richmond2

One of the greatest. Peace.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

@sterlewine.bsky.social

Farewell to the great Sonny Rollins, one of the true giants of the 20th Century.

14954d ago

Adam Keiper

@adamkeiper.com

Sonny Rollins, R.I.P. One of the greats. He was the last living jazz musician pictured in this famous 1958 photo (a copy of which I have on the wall of my office), "A Great Day in Harlem." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Great...

The black and white photo "A Great Day in Harlem" picturing a large collection of people on a stoop in Harlem in 1958.

14154d ago

The Associated Press

@apnews.com

Sonny Rollins has died at age 95. The tenor saxophonist and restless genius's bold, distinctive tone and constant experimentation kept him on the cutting edge of jazz for more than 50 years.

15354d ago

Nats2

Another great one gone from us.

Lenny Davits2

WJAZ broadcasts live from the foot of Mount Belzoni. #RIP Sonny Rollins. Lester “The Nightfly” sends his deepest condolences.

Aaron D'Souza

@aarondsouza.bsky.social

The colossus has transitioned. I don't think there's been a single gig in the last two years in which someone hasn't called a Sonny Rollins tune. What a life. What an inspiration. 🐐

11154d ago

Stereogum

@stereogum.com

R.I.P. Walter “Sonny” Rollins. The legendary jazz saxophonist passed away at his home in Woodstock, NY today according to a statement from his family. Rollins was 95.

8954d ago

Noir Beach Shack ♬

@noirbeachshack.bsky.social

Sonny Rollins plays his saxophone on the Williamsburg Bridge, 1966 📷 David McLane

Sonny Rollins plays his saxophone on the Williamsburg Bridge (Photo by David McLane/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) 1966

7653d ago

Josh Shepperd

@joshshepperd.bsky.social

RIP Sonny Rollins! My favorite musician and a genius. Time to spin St. Thomas.

8054d ago

Shaybo2

RIP, Sonny. You lived a life! 🎶

David Mittelman2

It hurts in my heart.

Monica H Green

@monicamedhist.bsky.social

Here's a #GiftLink to this New York Times obit of Sonny Rollins: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/a...

4654d ago

Alex Zucker

@alexzucker.bsky.social

The Sonny Rollins Bridge Project seeks to rename NYC’s Williamsburg Bridge to commemorate Rollins’ musical sabbatical there from 1959-1961. SIGN OUR PETITION sonnyrollinsbridge.net/our-quest/

5154d ago

Chantal James

@chantalalive.blacksky.app

Don't be antiblack & mourning Sonny Rollins! Jazz is not for you if you're wack about Black people. Love us not just our cool culture.

6053d ago

Jeff Weiss

@passionweiss.bsky.social

RIP Sonny Rollins, the Colossus who reinvented the saxophone at least twice, who tapped the subconscious realm to realize the most brazen, beautiful riffs ever conceived, who embodied a spirit of total integrity & discipline, playing for hours under the bridge, consecrated to pure mastery of the art

5353d ago

Matthew Dow Smith

@matthewdowsmith.bsky.social

Farewell to a colossus. Rest in Peace, Sonny Rollins. Thank you for the music. May we all be as stylistically adventurous and creatively uncompromising as you.

6054d ago

Sean Walters

@seanwrite.bsky.social

Sad to hear jazz legend Sonny Rollins has died at 95. The iconic tenor saxophonist was one of the last remaining living connections to jazz of the 1950s. Rollins live in Denmark in 1965 and 1968. Length: 1:26:39. #RIPSonnyRollins #Jazz #JazzMusic m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgev...

5954d ago

1 source

nytimes.comSonny Rollins, Giant of the Jazz Saxophone, Is Dead at 95

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Sonny Rollins, Giant of the Jazz Saxophone, Dies at 95

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