Lem Winchester

Although Lem Winchester displayed exceptional promise as a vibraphonist, a fatal mishap ended his trajectory prematurely. Drawing from Milt Jackson while forging an individual approach, he had earlier performed on tenor, baritone, and piano before committing exclusively to the vibraphone. As a police officer in Wilmington, Delaware, he left a strong mark at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and soon appeared on sessions with leading figures such as Oliver Nelson, Benny Golson, and Tommy Flanagan. Winchester stepped away from the police force in 1960 to devote himself fully to music, yet on January 13, 1961, an attempted demonstration of a revolver trick proved unsuccessful.