Al Jarreau

Class of 1962: Jazz legend, seven-time Grammy winner

Wisconsin-born singer and songwriter Alwin “Al” Jarreau is the only person in history to win Grammy Awards in three different categories: jazz, pop and R&B.

He was born March 12, 1940, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As the son of a minister, Jarreau began singing in the church choir at the age of 4. As a high school student, he attended the American Legion’s mock-government program, Badger Boys State, at Ripon College and served as governor. He majored in psychology at Ripon, and played basketball under legendary coach K.G. “Doc” Weiske, Class of 1950. He also performed locally with a vocal group called the Indigos with fellow Ripon College students.

“I had an interest in a wider world than central city,” Jarreau said. “I love Ripon for opening my eyes like that and making me dream about, ‘If I have in a career in music, it can take me to foreign lands, and I want to go. I’m curious and I’m interested.’”

“Being a Wisconsin kid and going to this little school where I was not a great student, the teachers made a project of getting this kid from the center city through and helping me figure out what I needed to do to get through,” he said.

He added later, “Ripon College is a part of me. I just love that place. I have dreams about Ripon College several times a year. I’ll bet Ripon (in 1962) was a lot like it is now. Really, that’s Ripon. The Midwest tradition – just simple things.”

From 1964-1968, Jarreau worked in San Francisco as a rehabilitation counselor for war veterans. However, he continued to perform in small clubs until he gained national television exposure on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson and “The Merv Griffin Show” and started to release albums.

He recorded more than two dozen albums over three decades. Career highlights include 1981’s “Breakin’ Away,” which included the hit single “We’re in this Love Together,” and went platinum; and the popular theme song from the 1980s’ television show “Moonlighting.”

Jarreau was renowned for his ability to sing many styles, including scat singing and taking on the character of guitar and percussion, all with his versatile and soulful voice.

Ripon College presented Jarreau with an honorary doctorate of fine arts at its commencement ceremony in 1988.

In 1996, Jarreau began a three-month stint on Broadway playing the role of Teen Angel in the hit musical “Grease.” He also made acting appearances on the television programs “New York Undercover” and “Touched by an Angel.”

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2001 and scores of international music awards.

Jarreau performed at the White House as part of the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert in April 2016, and received the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music in October 2016.

Ripon honored him with the Distinguished Alumni Citation and the 2017 Medal of Merit.

He died Feb. 12, 2017, at age 76.