We lost an icon of American music this week when Harvey Phillips died at the age of 80 at his Bloomington Indiana home.
Harvey Phillips, a Titan of the Tuba, Dies at 80
Many people will make a connection to Harvey Phillips if you mention Tuba Santas or Tuba Christmas. It was Harvey who first made that connection when he started TubaChristmas as a tribute to his teacher, William J. Bell who was born on Christmas Day 1902.
The first TubaChristmas took place in 1974 on the ice rink at Rockefeller Center. Here's video I shot in 1978 of a TubaChristmas in Harvey's hometown of Bloomington, Indiana.
Since that beginning there has also been a TubaChristmas every year in Bloomington and hundreds of other communities throughout the world. Harvey Phillips died October 20, 2010 but the legacy he has left for himself, his instrument and his teacher is enormous.