‘Chuck Mangione: The Sound of Home, the Weight of Loss, and a Lasting Legacy

Rochester jazz legend has tragic ties to Colgan Air Flight 3407 tragedy in Buffalo

WATCH: “Feels So Good” Live at Cannes

By Clay “Tiger” Hulin,

In the summer of 1976, a six-year-old Navy brat living with his family in a small rental on La Maddalena, Italy, tuned into Armed Forces Radio and heard Chuck Mangione’s Feels So Good. The sound of the flugelhorn cut through static and distance, carrying warmth, joy, and a sense of home across the Mediterranean. For many Americans abroad, Mangione’s music was more than entertainment. It was connection.

I remember when the DJ, some bored sailor filling the airwaves, introduced the track as the sounds of home. He said Mangione was from Rochester, New York, and in that moment I felt even closer to home myself.

That memory came a full year before the song was officially released in the United States. While American audiences would not embrace it until 1977, service members and their families overseas were already living with Mangione’s horn as part of their daily lives.

From Rochester to Global Acclaim

Chuck Mangione was born in Rochester, New York, in 1940. Raised in a musical household, he studied at the Eastman School of Music before joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the 1960s. Alongside his brother Gap, he led the Jazz Brothers and built a reputation for lyrical phrasing and a distinctive voice. Over decades, he released more than thirty albums and received thirteen Grammy nominations, winning awards for Bellavia in 1977 and Children of Sanchez in 1979.

His 1977 album Feels So Good became one of the most successful instrumental records ever. The radio edit climbed the Billboard charts, while the nearly ten-minute album version revealed the full depth of his artistry. At the heart of his sound was the flugelhorn. Its warm, round tone gave Mangione’s music emotional intimacy that resonated far beyond the jazz world.

Loss in Buffalo

On February 12, 2009, tragedy struck. Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing all on board. Among the victims were two members of Mangione’s band, saxophonist Gerry Niewood and guitarist Coleman Mellett, who were traveling to perform with Mangione and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Gerry Niewood was a longtime collaborator. A Rochester native and Eastman graduate, he first joined Mangione in 1968 and remained a vital part of his sound through the 1970s and again in the 1990s. He was a master of soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, as well as flute, clarinet, and piccolo. His improvisations added depth to Mangione’s music. Beyond their collaboration, Niewood also worked with Simon & Garfunkel, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Gil Evans, and contributed to film scores such as When Harry Met Sally and A Bronx Tale.

Coleman Mellett joined Mangione’s ensemble in 1999 and added modern versatility as a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. After his untimely death, his unfinished recordings were assembled into a posthumous album, Sing You a Brand New Song. Produced by his wife Jeanie Bryson and keyboardist Barry Miles, with guest contributions from Mangione, James Taylor, Steve Gadd, and others, the album revealed Mellett’s melodic warmth and lyrical gifts.

Moving Forward Through Music

The loss of Niewood and Mellett deeply affected Mangione. He continued performing, honoring his colleagues in concerts and tributes. The Buffalo Philharmonic concert that never happened became a symbol of grief but also of resilience. Mangione later invited families of the crash victims to a memorial concert, offering music as both remembrance and healing.

Pop Culture Crossover: King of the Hill

Mangione’s reach extended beyond jazz audiences when he became a recurring character on the animated series King of the Hill. He appeared as a flugelhorn-playing version of himself, often linked to the fictional Mega Lo Mart. His theme music, always introduced as Feels So Good, became a running gag that made him recognizable to a new generation. In the Hulu revival of the series, a tribute scene included a Mega Lo Mart display with Mangione’s cutout alongside Snoop Dogg, honoring his passing with affection and humor.

A Lasting Legacy

Chuck Mangione’s career bridged genres and generations. His horn introduced jazz to countless homes, and his music spoke directly to the heart. For the child in Italy in 1976, his notes were the sound of home. For listeners after, they became the soundtrack of joy, longing, and resilience. And for those who remember Gerry Niewood and Coleman Mellett, they remain a reminder that even through loss, music endures.

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