🎺 A Jazz Icon Who Made The World “Feel So Good”
Jazz great Chuck Mangione, whose 1978 instrumental “Feels So Good” became one of the most recognizable crossover hits of all time, has passed away at the age of 84.
The Rochester, NY native passed peacefully in his sleep, according to Bartolomeo & Perreto Funeral Home, with multiple local outlets confirming the news on Tuesday.
Over a career that spanned more than five decades and 30 albums, Mangione captured the hearts of music lovers across generations—earning two Grammys, multiple chart-topping hits, and even a surprise fan base through his hilarious animated alter ego on “King of the Hill.”
🎶 “Feels So Good” Took Over The Airwaves
When disco ruled the airwaves in the late ’70s, Chuck Mangione offered a smooth, soulful alternative.
His 1978 hit “Feels So Good” soared to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominated the adult contemporary chart.
“It was such a hit because of the Bee Gees,” he once quipped.
With “Saturday Night Fever” saturating the charts, radio DJs needed a breather—enter Chuck with a flugelhorn and a 9-minute jam that was trimmed to 3:31 for airplay.
Even he had a love-hate relationship with his smash hit.
“I just wish that I had written it in a different key,” he joked, “because the high D is hard to play.”
🏅 Olympic Moments And Grammy Gold
“Feels So Good” was just the beginning of Mangione’s mainstream success.
His Olympic theme, “Give It All You Got,” was commissioned for the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid.
Before that, his 1975 song “Chase the Clouds Away” played during the Montreal Olympics.
He took home his first Grammy in 1976 for Bellavia and earned another for the Children of Sanchez soundtrack—also picking up a Golden Globe nomination for the film’s moving score.
📺 From Jazz Stages To King Of The Hill
If you didn’t know Chuck Mangione from his music, chances are you knew him from “King of the Hill.”
Playing an animated version of himself, Chuck became the Mega Lo Mart’s celebrity pitchman—always rocking that signature floppy hat and casually slipping into “Feels So Good” at every turn.
“Many people watch that show, so it’s great exposure,” he said of the role, which introduced him to a whole new generation of fans—without ever having to change hats.
🎓 A Rochester Kid Who Became A Legend
Born November 29, 1940, Mangione got his musical start early.
He began piano at age 8 before switching to horn after watching Young Man With a Horn.
He studied at the Eastman School of Music, eventually returning as a teacher and director of the Eastman Jazz Ensemble.
Chuck and his brother Gap formed The Jazz Brothers and dropped three albums while he was still a student.
He later joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, holding his own among greats like Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea.
📀 An Impressive Catalog And An Iconic Hat
Chuck Mangione’s discography reads like a time capsule of jazz evolution.
From Friends & Love to Children of Sanchezand nine albums with A&M, his music graced both the jazz charts and Olympic ceremonies.
He poked fun at his signature look often, once clarifying, “No, it is not attached to my head, and no, I do not wear it in the shower.”
💔 Rest In Peace
Chuck Mangione’s music wasn’t just smooth—it was joyful.
Whether you remember blasting “Feels So Good” in the car or catching his cartoon cameos, his sound made its way into your life somehow.
Rest in peace to the man who made jazz a little more mainstream—and a lot more fun.
Will you be spinning “Feels So Good” today? Drop down in the comments and share your favorite Chuck Mangione memory.
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