George Shearing

Bio

George Shearing (1919–2011) was a British jazz pianist and composer who became one of the most influential figures in mid-century jazz. Blind from birth, he developed a distinctive locked-hands style that combined block chords with a light, swinging touch, later known as the “Shearing sound.” After moving to the United States in 1947, Shearing led a popular quintet whose 1949 recording of “Lullaby of Birdland”—his own composition—became a jazz standard. He recorded extensively for MGM, Capitol, and Concord, collaborating with vocalists such as Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, and Mel Tormé, and remained active as a performer and educator well into his later years.