Focus Daily News
One of my longtime heroes, jazz pianist extraordinaire Phyllis Emert, died at her home in Rockport Oct. 27. Not from Covid-19 like so many in this plague-ridden year of 2020, but from a stroke she suffered last March. The stroke that stripped Phyllis of her ability to play the piano, an instrument that had been her closest companion since childhood, eventually took her life.
Because of all the restrictions in place during this Covid-19 era, her family and friends from across the country weren’t able to attend a service or finalize an obituary for someone we all admired and loved. As one of her biggest fans, I took it upon myself (with the blessing of her sister Karen) to gather information for a Tribute to Phyllis Emert, celebrating her life and career. Blessed with a unique talent from an early age, Phyllis also possessed a kind and gracious spirit that drew people to her.