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Charles Burrell

1920–2025

United States

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Biography

Charles Burrell (October 4, 1920 – June 17, 2025) was an American classical and jazz bass player most prominently known for being the first African American to be a member of a major American symphony (the Denver Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Colorado Symphony). For this accomplishment, he is often referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of Classical Music".

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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