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And the sad news just keeps coming…

John McGann, noted instrumentalist and acoustic music educator passed away this morning in Boston. He was on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music where he taught mandolin and guitar, and led a number of string ensembles. He was also a gifted performer who was conversant in a wide variety of musical genres.

We understand that John had been diagnosed with a kidney condition just a few weeks ago, and was thought to have been responding well to treatment. He had been away from school, but the expectation at Berklee was that a full recovery was anticipated.

John leaves behind a wife and young daughter.

David Hollender, who served with McGann on the Berklee faculty, described his colleague as…

    "One of the nicest, funniest, most knowledgable people I have ever known. The things he knew about music would blow your mind.

    When he was out playing with Matt Glaser, they used to play a game on stage called "Ask John." No matter what instrument he had in his hands, people could call out any Beatles tune, and he could start playing it on the spot.

    He knew bluegrass, jazz, gypsy jazz, classical, Celtic and American folk music well.

    John wore lot of hats. He was a great musician and we will miss him terribly."

One bluegrasser whose life John touched is Sierra Hull, who studied with him every week while she was enrolled at Berklee.

    "My heart is so heavy with the news of Johns passing. He was a special person and has been a great inspiration to me. I feel so blessed to have known him, and to have studied with him during my two years at Berklee.

    He was one of the most gifted mandolin players and musicians I have ever met. He knew how to teach in such a way not to intimidate, though he knew more than I will probably ever start to grasp. He always carried with himself with a smile, and was a great encourager to anyone that he was around. Thanks to him, my Berklee experience was one that I am proud of and thankful for.

    He will be so greatly missed!"

Bluegrass Today offers our most sincere condolences to the McGann family, the community at Berklee, and all John's many friends and students who loved him dearly.