Donald Byrd
Born Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II
American jazz trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator
Born December 9, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan, USA
Died February 4, 2013 in Dover, Delaware, USA (aged 80)
Byrd attended Cass Tech, where he studied classical music and was mentored by the band director Harry Begian, a disciplinarian. He played trumpet in military bands during a stint in the Air Force from 1951–1953, before graduating from in 1954 with a music degree.