Mike Wofford born 28 February 1938

Michael Wofford (February 28, 1938 – September 19, 2025) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He was an accompanist to singers Sarah Vaughan (in 1979) and Ella Fitzgerald (1989–1994). He was known in the jazz community going back to the 1960s for the albums Strawberry Wine and Summer Night. He performed with Shorty Rogers, Bud Shank, Joe Pass, Shelly Manne, Kenny Burrell, and Zoot Sims. 

Michael Wofford was born in San Antonio, Texas, on February 28, 1938; at age five, he and his mother moved to San Diego, California. At age seven, he began taking classical piano lessons at a local music store. He admired men such as Béla Bartok, Igor Stravinsky, Paul Hindemith, John Cage, and Art Tatum. Wofford was introduced to jazz by a combination of his mother, who had been a professional singer prior to being married, and radio. 

Wofford attended Point Loma High School, where he embraced his love for jazz as a sophomore. He played in area bands with men such as John Guerin, Don Sleet, and Gary Lefebvre. At age 19, the San Diego Symphony performed two compositions of his which he had written at age 14 and 18 respectively. He attended San Diego State College but dropped out after a semester due to lack of devotion. 

                  Here’s “I Know Your Heart” from above album. 

                                   

In 1959, he accepted an invitation to play in Howard Rumsey's band, the Lighthouse All Stars. After moving to Los Angeles, he was featured as the pianist in Mel Tormé's 1962 album Comin' Home Baby!. Through an association with Oliver Nelson, he also worked on TV-film scoring for works such as M*A*S*H, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Merv Griffin Show, The Bill Cosby Show, and You've Got Mail; he also did pop-music sessions with figures such as Joan Baez, The Jackson 5, John Lennon, and Cher. 

In 1964, record producer Albert Marx discovered Wofford and signed him and his trio (John Guerin on drums and John Doling on bass) to Epic Records. In 1966, Wofford released his first solo album, Strawberry Wine, which received critical acclaim. 

In the 1970s Wofford toured Europe with Manne and Lee Konitz, in the 1980s Japan with Manne, Sweets Edison, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Japan and Brazil with Benny Carter. He performed with Kenny Burrell, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Charlie Haden, Slide Hampton, Clifford Jordan, Ray Brown, and Charles McPherson. Wofford worked on John Lennon's album Rock 'n' Roll (1975) and in 1973 briefly toured with Roger McGuinn of the Byrds. He continued touring with various prominent artists and recording before moving back to San Diego in the late 1970s. 

He continued to work with various artists, including George Lewis, Sérgio Mendes, Quincy Jones, James Moody, Harry Nilsson, Zoot Sims, John Klemmer, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald, becoming the latter two's pianist and conductor from 1979 to 1983 and 1989 to 1994 respectively. He also collaborated with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and was featured on an array of film and TV soundtracks, from “The Godfather Part II” and “Sweet Charity” to “Hawaii Five-0” and “The Bill Cosby Show.” 

In 2000, Wofford married flutist Hofmann in 2000 and they toured together and recorded a 2006 duo album together at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in the San Diego neighborhood of La Jolla. Their chemistry together was equally palpable on stage and off. Wofford made significant contributions to jazz education through his involvement in workshops, clinics, and camps, particularly in San Diego, where he served as core faculty for the UC San Diego Jazz Camp starting from its inaugural session in 2003. 

On August 13, 2012, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 22nd Annual San Diego Music Awards. In 2023, Wofford was inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame for his lifetime of representing San Diego with exceptional musical talent. 

Wofford died  at the age of 87 years, on September 19, 2025, in the Balboa Park-area home he shared with his wife and longtime musical partner, flutist Holly Hofmann. He had been receiving hospice care there for the past two weeks. The cause of death, Hofmann said, was complications from hyponatremia, a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in the blood is too low. 

(Edited from Wikipedia & The San Diego Union-Tribune)