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Robert Wilson, passed away this past Saturday, October 8, 2022 after a long illness. Robert, Music Artist-in-Residence and Lecturer in Jazz Styles was a faculty member at UHD from September 1990 until his retirement in January 2022.

Robert is preceded in death by his parents, Roy Wilson and Mary Wilson Coble; his daughter, Jessica Wilson; his brother, William Wilson, and his uncle James Tarver.

Robert is survived by his wife, Julie Wilson of Houston, children; Leslie Cooper (Joe Aguzin), Amy David (Chad David), Ember Freitas (Rockland Freitas), Amanda Harman, and Shanon Harman, grandchildren; Allison Cooper, Lucy Whittington,        Lauren Whittington, Alec David, Grant David, Grace David, Miles David, Riley Whisler, Tucker Whisler, Hudson Whisler, and Lily Whisler; nephews and niece, Kim Wilson Padgett, Jason Wilson (Tony Wilson), and Aaron Wilson (Zulemy Wilson); grandnephews, Thomas Padgett, and Charles Padgett; and Sister-in-law, Cathy Hair Wilson.

Robert was born August 9, 1939 in Houston, Texas. He received an M.A. and B. A. In English, from Sam Houston State University, and a Ph.D in English from the University of Oklahoma. Robert became a professional musician and bandleader at the age of 12, when he formed his own jazz band at the urging of his instructor, the legendary Don Cannon, who gave him his first gig for New Year's Eve. In a musical career that spanned over 50 years, Robert performed with Lionel Hampton, Judy Garland, Diana Ross, Arnett Cobb, Chet Baker, Ray Charles, Tony Bennet, Ray Price, and David "Fathead" Newman, among many others. He founded and conducted jazz orchestras and developed and promoted jazz events wherever he went following his second career as an English Literature Professor specializing in William Faulkner, and developing and implementing English as a Second Language Programs. Among these were Sam Houston State University, Lamar University, University of Oklahoma, University of California Berkeley, Austin Community College, and University of Texas  Austin. He also taught ESL as part of a Visiting Professor Program at UT Austin in Malaysia and South Korea.

Once in Houston, Robert founded the University of Houston- Downtown Civic Jazz Orchestra and the UHD Young Sounds of Houston Youth Jazz Orchestra. The Civic Jazz Orchestra was made up of excellent Houston players and Young Sounds consisted of local middle and high school performers. Both bands brought concerts and jazz education to the Houston area. Robert also held his annual "Women In Jazz" concert for many years and brought in prominent women jazz musicians such as Marsha Frazier, Pamela York, Carol Morgan and Sharel Cassity.

In another educational effort, Robert conducted summer youth jazz camps for several years at Camp Allen in Waller, Texas, and had an exchange program with Bordeaux, France for two years.

Robert's Jazz Styles classes at UHD were immensely popular for decades. He taught a two semester comprehensive jazz history class and also taught a Jazz Heritage class that took students to New Orleans for five days in "the birth place of jazz" to see, experience and learn; and to listen to and meet the excellent musicians that continue the tradition. He also organized two trips to explore jazz in London and Paris. The students loved his passion and knowledge of the genre, and the fact that he had "lived the life" and had played with and been friends with many of the greats he discussed in the courses. For his part, he loved interacting with and supporting all his students and this is what kept him teaching until the age of 82 and he became too ill to continue.

Furthermore, Robert  founded and directed the annual Kemah Boardwalk Jazz Festival for 15 years, which was co-sponsored by UHD, the Houston Professional Musicians Union, and the Kemah Boardwalk and featured "A-list" local and national jazz artists. These included Tony Campise, Dennis Dotson, Horace Grigsby, Kellye Grey, Woody Witt, Norma Zenteno, as well as David "Fathead" Newman, James Moody, Bud Shank and Randy Brecker.

Because of his many musical undertakings, advocacy, support and promotion of jazz and its artists throughout the years, he was awarded the 1980'S Decade Award for Outstanding Jazz Musician by the Austin Music Critics,  he was nominated in 2005 for America's highest jazz award, the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master's Award, and he received the Kemah Boardwalk Jazz Achievement Award for 2010. Robert also served on the Texas Commission for the Arts for Dance and Music Board in 2004 and 2005.