I want to take a minute to say goodbye to three amazing industry people who passed recently. Victor Fields: Victor FieldsOctober 21, 1953 – December 1, 2025 World class jazz musician and loving father Victor Fields (born Robert Victor Fields) was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. Victor’s love of music was shaped by his mother, Edith Fields, a singer and a Julliard-trained pianist.
Victor deeply cherished his grandparents Mabel and Joseph English.In his youth, Victor lived in Los Angeles, and attended Oxford Street School and Budlong Street School. At Worcester Academy Victor was a star basketball player, served as a trustee for twenty years, and founded the Worcester Academy Association of Black Alumni (WAABA). Victor would go on to attend Bowdoin College, where he met his wife of 44 years, Regina Lynn Bryant, to whom he was deeply devoted.
Victor owned a State Farm office in Oakland, CA, where he met one of his best friends, and lifelong supporter of his music career, Jim Molina. It was during this time Victor studied with renowned classical voice coach David Tigner.Victor used his business savvy to study the music industry and become a Billboard-charting recording artist. In 1992, he founded his independent record label Regina Records.
Victor recorded his debut album Promise (2000) with acclaimed producer Kashif (George Benson, Whitney Houston). 52nd Street (2002) was the beginning of a lifelong collaboration with music director Chris Camozzi. Victor performed at the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s 20th Annual Jazz Tribute honoring John Levy in 2002. Mr.
John Levy managed a star studded roster that included Joe Williams, Herbie Hancock, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, Roberta Flack, and finally, Victor Fields. Levy recognized Victor as “not just a jazz singer, he’s a song stylist… a wonderfully gifted tenor with a style all his own.”Victor (2005), Thinking of You (2006), The Lou Rawls Project (2015), and Christmas with Victor (2024) complete his catalogue of six studio albums. Lou Rawls once called Victor Fields “the man with the Golden Voice.” Victor has shared the stage with Isaac Hayes, Cameo, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Maysa, and Melba Moore.
He performed at Yoshi’s in Oakland, Capitol Jazz Festival in D.C., and the Playboy Jazz Festival at The Rose Bowl. His albums feature artists like Gerald Albright, Tollack Ollestad, Scott Mayo, Nelson Braxton, Chris Botti; a galaxy of collaborations – too many to name, but cherished deeply. Victor lived his life dedicated to love, charity, and correcting injustice, performing at a number of benefits throughout his life for various causes.
He was an alumni and avid supporter of the educational organization A Better Chance. He was wise, generous with his counsel, and deeply spiritual: a Nichiren Buddhist, transcendental meditator, and Rosicrucian.Victor is survived by his wife, Regina Lynn Bryant-Fields, their child, Regina Victoria Fields, his sister Nancy Foster, his two nephews, five grand nephews, and a number of cousins and friends who loved him dearly. There will be a Celebration of Life in the Spring of 2026.
Learn more about Victor Fields’ extensive career, and listen to his music at www.victorfields.com. To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store. Kevin E.
RossKevin passed in early December. I wrote this on his FB page.. Really sorry to hear of Kevin’s passing.
Kevin and I would constantly get good laughs from people mistaking us because we had the same name, Then he started using Kevin E Ross and my middle name also starts with an E, then he wished his mother a happy birthday one year and said I want to wish my mother Dolores Ross a happy birthday, turns out my mother’s name was Dolores Ross too and she spelled it the same way. This was an amazing coincidence. The last time I spoke with him he told me he was having some health challenges.
RIP Kev. From the Living Legends Foundation: Cynthia Badie BeardWe are incredibly saddened to hear that our friend and sister, Cynthia Badie Beard, died peacefully in her sleep Monday Jan 5th. We featured Cynthia in 2019 in our Black Music Month salute to former music executives who had remixed their lives into a totally different career.
Cynthia produced some of our early awards shows and the Salute To Excellence Awards, after successful stints at MCA, Polygram and Columbia Records. She was one of those people who radiated positivity and made any room that she entered brighter. We are heartbroken and will miss her energy and that infectious smile.
RIP, Cynthia. You will be missed but never forgotten. Praying for your husband, Otis, and your family.