Gilbert Askey (March 9, 1925 – April 9, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, producer and musical director who was born inAustin, Texas, and emigrated to Australia in 1988.
Askey was born inAustin, Texas, on March 9, 1925.[1] He is the son ofAda Simond, a Texan public health activist and historian.[2] He left home at the age of 17.[1][3] He completed two years of university on a medical scholarship.[1]
In 1980, he married an Australian woman whom he had first met in 1973 and the couple moved toMelbourne, Australia in 1988.[1][4]
Askey was considered to be "one of the architects of the legendarymotown sound".[5]Berry Gordy often called Askey "The glue that kept everything together".
Askey studied music at theBoston Conservatory of Music and the Harnett School of Music in New York.[6]
He performed with jazz musicians includingDizzy Gillespie,Miles Davis,Duke Ellington andCount Basie, and even did a duet withBillie Holiday.[1] He worked as a musical director for many acts such asDiana Ross, both with and withoutthe Supremes, theFour Tops,the Temptations,Stevie Wonder,the Jackson 5,Gladys Knight,Keni Burke andLinda Clifford.[1]
Askey played as a jazz trumpeter for almost 25 years before arriving at Motown Records to work as a musical director, producer, songwriter and musical arranger for such artists asBilly Eckstine, Gladys Knight, the Temptations, the Supremes,Martha and the Vandellas,Marvin Gaye andStevie Wonder, the Jackson 5 andthe Funk Brothers. Askey was also part of Motown's Artists Development crew that includedMaxine Powell, Maurice King,Cholly Atkins andHarvey Fuqua.
When Diana Ross became a solo performer, she hired Askey to be her musical director. He worked with her for 10 years and wrote the score for her first motion pictureLady Sings the Blues that earned him anAcademy Awards nomination in 1972. In the mid and late 1970s, Askey worked withCurtis Mayfield, writing and arranging for hisCurtom Record Company on recordings by Linda Clifford, The Jones Girls and Mayfield himself. When things got out hand during a show in Antwerp, Belgium, that starred theFour Tops, Askey went on the stage and played trumpet. Askey was the arranger and conductor forThe Supremes during their successful runs at theCopa nightclub in New York.
After moving to Australia in 1988, Askey returned to performing in 1993,[3] and continued to perform until to his death from lymphoma in Melbourne on April 9, 2014.[7][8][9]
In Melbourne, Askey taught and mentored young aspiring musicians. He also toured and played many regular gigs and jazz spots around the country until his death.
In 2025, Askey was inducted into theNational Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
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