Musician
Jazz musician VAL EDDY has died, aged 88.
Eddy, real name Valentino DeCastris, passed away on 4 August (14) in his hometown of Rockford, Illinois following a battle with cancer and Parkinson's disease.
The singer and band leader played the bass, banjo and mandolin and partnered up with late pianist Homer Carlson to become the Val Eddy Duo.
During his 70-year career, he performed internationally with jazz greats including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
In the 1950s, the duo was joined by late guitarist Dave Pitts and became the Val Eddy Trio.
The band starred in its own live music TV series called The Song Shop.
Friends will perform jazz songs in his honour at the local funeral home on Wednesday (13Aug14) and Eddy's service will take place on Thursday (14Aug14).