McCoy Tyner, a pianist who played with John Coltrane, passed away Friday (March 6) at his home in northern New Jersey. He was 81 and his death was confirmed by a nephew.

Tyner was a member of Coltrane’s seminal 1960s quartet. His distinctive sound on acoustic piano was influential to many who followed him. 

Born in Philadelphia in 1938, Tyner began taking piano lessons at 13. His mother would buy him his first piano, setting it up in her beauty shop.  

Tyner would go on to study at the Granoff School of Music, and began playing professionally at age 16 with a rhythm & blues band. 

Tyner met saxophone legend John Coltrane in 1957 at a Philadelphia nightclub, and the two became friends.

McCoy Tyner is survived by his wife, Aisha Tyner, his son Nurudeen, his brother, Jarvis, his sister Gwendolyn-Yvette Tyner, and three grandchildren. A cause of death has not yet been released.