Wynton Marsalis has been listed as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine.
The nine-time Grammy award winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient is ranked 39th in the list, which includes the likes of The Pope, the 4th richest man in the world Warren Buffett, and former President Bill Clinton. Marsalis also stands ahead of the CEO of YouTube and the CEO of the world’s largest steelmaker, Lakshmi Mittal.
Marsalis’ ranking is based on his leadership in thought, composition, and education throughout his illustrious career. He currently serves as the Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York where he leads some of the largest audience development and education work ever undertaken in Jazz and plays a key role in organizing hundreds of Jazz concerts every year at JALC; all while leading the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
American Express CEO Ken Chenault, who ranked 18th in the same list, said Marsalis has, “developed a generation of musicians.” Having spent decades in the spotlight as a prominent musician and a strong advocate for what American jazz ‘should be,’ no one can deny Marsalis’ leadership has influenced millions of people throughout the world. He is one of just two musicians to make the list; the other being Bono for his charitable efforts over the past two decades.
Marsalis, 52, was also recently appointed as the Director of Jazz Studies at prestigious performing arts conservatory Juilliard.
Watch Wynton Marsalis introduce Jazz to a new generation of children on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in 1986 below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz_qR8u0VSU
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