The 'Healing Musician' Returned to Nature... Pianist Joji Winston Passes Away

American naturalist pianist George Winston has passed away at the age of 73.

According to American entertainment media Variety and others on the 6th (local time), Winston's family announced through his official website and social media accounts that he passed away on the 4th due to an illness.

According to his family, Winston battled cancer for 10 years and passed away peacefully in his sleep without pain.

Previously, Winston received cancer treatment including a bone marrow transplant for myelodysplastic syndrome at City of Hope in Duarte, California in 2013. Even during chemotherapy, he continued composing and recording, and donated album proceeds to organizations fighting hunger, continuing his activities and good deeds.

He debuted in 1972 with "Ballad And Blues" and became known for his seasonal series of music capturing the feeling of nature, such as "Autumn," "Winter Into Spring," and "December." Influenced by this, he called himself a "naturalist pianist" during his lifetime.

During his 50-year career, Winston released 16 albums, selling a total of 15 million copies. The album "Night," released in May 2022, became his final work.

Amid his active career, Winston donated his album proceeds to victims of the 9/11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina victims, and cancer research organizations. He also gained a reputation as a "healing musician" by holding charity concerts for socially vulnerable people and patients.

During his visit to Korea in 1998, he donated all his appearance fees to a "fund for the unemployed" to support Korea, which was facing a crisis due to the IMF crisis. In 2011, he left a strong impression on Korean fans through a nationwide tour in Korea.