RIP Sherman Hemsley aka "George Jefferson"

RIP Sherman Hemsley

.......and check this out:

Quote :

Notes From the Edge


RIP Sherman Hemsley. His character George Jefferson (on "The Jeffersons") probably had little in common musically with that of the actor: Sherman was a huge Yes fan, and I remember a profile on him in TV Guide from the mid-1970s where he was photographed sitting in the lotus position, and the article mentioned how his music of choice was prog rock, including Yes.

I spoke to Sherman on a few occasions when I was running YesWorld, as he somehow got my phone number and asked me to put him in touch with Jon. The following is what I posted to NFTE #213, from February 12, 1999, following one of our conversations (don't know what became of "Festival of Dreams"). High Vibration go on, Sherman, and our hearts go out to his family and friends.

- He gets it all the time. George Jefferson of the '70s TV series "The Jeffersons"...a Yes fan?!? While it's highly unlikely that television character George would be rocking to CTTE, for actor Sherman Hemsley it's something he's enjoyed doing since the album was released in 1972. Before discovering the band Sherman was a keyboardist with a background in jazz, grooving to the likes of Mandrill (whose tune "Universal Rhythms" was an inspiration) and Horace Silver (with his album UNITED STATES of MIND), music that proved influential in introducing him to spirituality and meditation. He soon latched on to progressive rock (he was into Emerson Lake and Palmer prior to Yes: TARKUS is his favorite ELP album), and though his introduction to Yes with FRAGILE was unexceptional due to an abysmal sound system he immediately embraced CTTE. He has been a major fan ever since. (Some Yes vets may recall seeing a TV Guide article on Sherman during "The Jeffersons" heyday; a photo depicted Sherman in a lotus position, and the text described how he embraced spirituality and listened to such "far out sounds" as Nektar...and Yes' TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS.)

While Sherman continues to act (he'll soon be making an appearance on the ABC series "The Hughleys") he is exploring his own musical side: he is in the process of composing a musical titled "Festival of Dreams" with lyrics written by Yes' own Jon Anderson

Another wild story from Daevid Allen of Gong/Soft Machine fame...

http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2009/03/05/george-jefferson-worlds-biggest-gong-fan/

Apparently, he was a HUGE progressive Rock fan!

I always loved watching The Jeffersons. Never knew he was so into prog-rock. RIP Sherman

R.I.P.

I actually have a supervisor at work who looks kind of like a white version of him.

Growing up I watched 'The Jeffersons', show made me laugh alot as a kid, so thanks for the laughs Sherman Hemsley

Another icon from television gone (the third this summer). I loved him on The Jeffersons and All In The Family.

RIP to a true icon. "Movin' On Up" indeed!

Hmmm, I thought he died awhile ago. I wasn't the biggest Jeffersons fan, but I enjoyed him thoroughly on 'All In The Family'. Rest in peace, Sherman. You and Weezie are reunited in the afterlife.

R.I.P. Mr. Jefferson. Enjoy that deeeeee-luxe apartment in the skyyyyy...

RIP!

RIP Enjoyed him as George Jefferson and the character he played on The Fresh Prince as Uncle Phillips's law mentor. Lets also not forget Amen.

Oh man I missed this! I loved Sherman Hemsley on The Jeffersons and Amen!

He was one funny dude. He will be missed.

RIP Sherman

another victim of cancer