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American jazz pianist and composer celebrated for his virtuosic technique, swing-era sensibilities, and distinctive melodic improvisations.Self-taught pianist from Pittsburgh who achieved global fame despite never learning to read music; composed the jazz standard 'Misty'; performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall; recorded over 100 albums.

• Garner was entirely self-taught and never learned to read sheet music, relying solely on his exceptional ear and memory throughout his career.
• He pioneered a unique piano style characterized by rhythmic independence between hands—playing melody 'behind the beat' with his right hand while maintaining steady stride/comping rhythms with his left.
• His 1954 composition 'Misty' became one of jazz's most recorded standards after Johnny Mathis's vocal version, later popularized by Clint Eastwood's film 'Play Misty for Me' (1971).
• Garner sued Columbia Records in 1960 for withholding royalties and won a landmark $2.3 million settlement, setting a precedent for artist rights in the music industry.
• He died of cardiac arrest at age 55, with emphysema cited as a contributing factor, just months after his final performance.