In Memoriam: Jazz Legend, Guitar Master, and Mentor Joe “Handyman” Negri

A Pittsburgh native and one of the city's most treasured musicians, Joe was known to generations of television viewers as “Handyman” Negri on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, where he brought music, warmth, and generosity to viewers throughout the landmark PBS program’s historic run. But to the Duquesne community, he was something more personal. He was a devoted educator who founded the jazz guitar program at the Mary Pappert School of Music. Over the next 47 years, he served as Adjunct Professor of Jazz Guitar, as well as Chair of the Jazz Guitar Department, teaching and shaping the musical lives of countless students until his retirement in 2020. 

Faculty members at the Mary Pappert School of Music responded to Joe’s passing by remembering his kindness, artistry, and lifelong dedication to teaching.

Thomas Kikta, who has taught classical guitar at Duquesne since 1987, cherishes his friendship with the late guitarist. “Joe not only inspired you to be the best musician you could be but more importantly, the best person you could be. He was an amazing human being and touched and changed the lives of hundreds of students here." 

Dean David Allen Wehr reflected: "Joe Negri was guitar at Duquesne University for nearly half a century, mentoring generations of guitarists in addition to being a superlative role model as a human being. He leaves an indelible legacy as a great musician and a caring teacher."

Thomas Wendt began playing drums with Joe at the age of 16 and is now Adjunct Professor of Jazz Percussion at Duquesne. Like so many others, he credits Joe as a defining influence on his life as a musician, saying, “Joe Negri provided the essential example of how to be both a world-class musician and artist while also presenting the music in a way that is engaging for people of all ages.”

Joe’s list of awards and accolades reflects the extraordinary breadth of his life in music. He was named "Established Artist of the Year" in 1999 by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, received the Mellon Jazz Community Award in 2000, and was honored with the Hillman Foundation’s Elsie Award in 2004. In 2008, he was named "Man of the Year" by the Audia Caring Heritage Foundation, and in 2019 he received both the JazzLive Legacy Award from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Lifetime Achievement in the Arts from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Awards for the Arts. His musical legacy also reached the national stage through his performance on Nancy Wilson’s 2005 GRAMMY Award-winning album, R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal).

At Duquesne, those honors carried a special meaning because they recognized not only Joe’s artistry, but also the generations of musicians he shaped as a teacher and mentor. He received an Honorary Doctor of Music from Duquesne University in 2002, and in 2013 the University celebrated the creation of the Joe Negri Jazz Guitar Endowed Scholarship with A Tribute to Joe Negri. In 2018, former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto proclaimed July 21 as “Guitar Day with Joe Negri in the City of Pittsburgh” during Duquesne’s summer Guitar and Bass Workshop, and in 2021 the School of Music dedicated the Joe Negri Guitar Legends Studio in his honor. The University recognized him once more in 2022, when President Ken Gormley presented him with the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Service to Duquesne University and the Community, honoring a lifetime of music, mentorship, and service that helped define Pittsburgh’s musical character.

For Duquesne, his passing is not only the loss of a legendary musician, but the loss of a teacher whose influence will continue to resonate with students for years to come. Through the Joe Negri Guitar Legends Studio, the Joe Negri Jazz Guitar Endowed Scholarship, and the many faculty, alumni, and musicians who carry his work forward, future generations of students will continue to benefit from the generosity, discipline, humility, and deep love of music he modeled throughout his life. He will be deeply missed.