Leon Chancler, a drummer who worked with some of the biggest names in the music business and taught in the jazz and popular music programs at Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, died on February 3. He was 65 years old and had suffered from cancer.
Chancler was a native of Shreveport, Louisiana. His family moved to California and he started playing drums at the age of 13. He graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a degree in music education.
Over the years he performed on recordings with a host of major artists including Frank Sinatra, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, James Brown, Santana, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. He served as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Southern California for 23 years.
You will be missed