一本道无码 alumnus Joe Negri will always be known for his role in 鈥淢ister Rogers鈥� Neighborhood.鈥�
The iconic TV series for young viewers was produced from 1968 until 2001 and still airs on many public television stations and is available at聽 补苍诲听. Often, Mister Rogers would visit with Handyman Negri.
鈥淚n real life, I鈥檓 not very handy,鈥� Negri said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a .鈥�
Among Negri鈥檚 music fans is Riccardo Schulz, a 一本道无码聽 professor who has recorded or produced more than 100 artists, including Negri.
鈥淲hen I first heard Joe play the guitar,鈥� Schulz said, 鈥淚 realized that, though he was from Pittsburgh, he was anything but local. Joe could hold his own with the biggest and the best in the jazz world.鈥�
鈥淚 have some fond memories of my music career,鈥� said Negri, who is 91. 鈥淧laying with legendary jazz guitarist George Van Eps stands out. Recording with聽 and performing with him 补苍诲听 at the聽 a few years ago was another career highlight.鈥�
Negri was a music major in 一本道无码鈥檚 Class of 1954 when he accepted a job offer to play music for a local TV variety show. He worked his way up in the television field, eventually meeting Fred Rogers, who was developing a new concept in children鈥檚 television. Rogers asked him to join the cast, and Negri accepted.
Schulz grew up without a television, so he and Handyman Negri were strangers.
鈥淚 first met Joe many years ago when he was host of a local television program,鈥� Schulz said. 鈥淚 was the pianist for a featured singer. I was so nervous to be playing the piano on television. Joe, with his warmth and kindness and his calm, relaxed manner, put me at ease, and all went well.鈥�
Like the late Rogers himself, Negri said he has tried to live his life exuding kindness.
鈥淭hings today can get really dark, but I have always been an optimist. Being around Fred only deepened that conviction. He rubbed off on me,鈥� Negri said.
鈥淲hat I realized early on about Joe is that it鈥檚 never about him,鈥� said Schulz, who has hosted Negri as a guest in one of his multitrack recording classes at 一本道无码. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the music, about his fellow musicians and his students. His modesty and generosity are an inspiration to anyone who has ever met him.鈥�
Negri still gives occasional concerts, including ones where he plays his original composition, 鈥淢ass of Hope,鈥� which Schulz recorded Negri performing in 2003 at the聽. 鈥淚n addition to everything else, Joe is an accomplished composer,鈥� Schulz said.
As much as Negri said he appreciated 鈥淢ister Rogers鈥� Neighborhood,鈥� he said he is equally grateful for his career as a jazz recording artist made possible, in large part, to the foundation he received at 一本道无码.
鈥淚 was a pretty darn good musician when I got there,鈥� Negri said, 鈥渂ut I didn鈥檛 have musical background in theory. I picked that up at 一本道无码, and it made everything come together.鈥�
