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Jazz Legend, 85, Enters Hospice Amid Dementia Battle

Bassist John B. Williams is currently being cared for by nurses on around-the-clock duty.

Former Tonight Show bassist John B. Williams has suffered a fall and been placed in hospice care, according to TMZ. The 85-year-old jazz legend had brain surgery after the incident and is reportedly being cared for by nurses “around the clock.” After playing for seven years as part of the band on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Williams spent six years with The Posse, the band of The Arsenio Hall Show. He also spent more than 25 years as a member of the Nancy Wilson Trio. Williams is known for working with some of jazz’s biggest names, including Count Basie and Louis Armstrong. Williams continued releasing music well into his 80s, including his 2024 album—and self-proclaimed best work—“The African Queen,” which he produced in memory of fellow jazz icon Horace Silver. Williams was battling dementia prior to his fall, but his wife, Jessica Williams, revealed that the tumble and subsequent surgery “greatly accelerated” the disease, making him unable to walk or talk.