Jack Nebergall Donation
Jack Nebergall was an extraordinary musician and harpist, and one of several harpists of his generation to broaden the scope of harp playing to include current popular music, as well as much in musicals and Broadway.He was widely respected in the harp community for his unique ballad style of playing.
Jack Nebergall began his own study of music at the age of four. His father managed a vaudeville theater, and as a result Jack was surrounded by music throughout his childhood. His early harp teachers included Doris Helen Calkins and Kajetan Attl. Jack had an extensive career as a pop and jazz harpist, including serving as staff harpist for CBS radio, and even accompanied soloists such as Nat “King” Cole and Ethel Merman. For many years Jack performed with Danny Yale and the Regency Strings, and released an album entitled, “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Jack Nebergall taught and performed at the very first Summer Festival of Jazz and Pop Music for Harp held in 1978 in Santa Barbara, California. At the 1995 Lyon & Healy Harp Fest in Tucson, Arizona, a special evening was dedicated to Jack for his contributions to the harp world.
Adapted from: Carrol McLaughlin. “In Memoriam: Jack Nebergall 1924-1996”.American Harp Journal 15 (Winter 1996): 45.