Family, Friends Remember Joe Byrd

Those mourning the , the 78-year-old jazz bassist killed in a three weeks ago, gathered Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Annapolis to remember the man and his music.

On March 7, police identified Byrd as the man who died after . Police said he was turning left from Lee Airpark Drive in his Volvo when a GMC Yukon struck his car in the driver’s door area. Byrd as firefighters worked to remove him from his car, according to police.

According to The Capital, Byrd’s family, friends and band members reminisced about the man that brought music into their lives, both with his bass and without it. The article included mentions of his love for playing piano, cooking, gardening and reading.

Byrd wasn’t just a local musician, he was an artist who performed in front of three presidents at the White House—presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, according to WTOP in Washington, DC.

The service at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Annapolis was a celebration of Byrd’s life more than a sad gathering, with five bassists gathering on stage together in a tribute performance, according to The Capital.

See The Capital for full coverage of the memorial service.