Alan 'Mr. Fabulous' Rubin, Blues Brothers Trumpet Player, Dead at 68
Posted on Jun 14th 2011 6:05PM by Cameron Matthews



Nicolas Gavet, Panoramic / Zuma

Sad news for Blues Brothers fans, as the Los Angeles Times reports that the band's trumpet player, Alan "Mr. Fabulous" Rubin has died Wednesday, June 8. The 68-year-old was suffering from lung cancer and passed away at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Rubin had played in the 'Saturday Night Live' house band in the 1970s before joining John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's blues/soul/R&B supergroup. He was often sought after as one of the best session horn players around, recording and performing with Duke Ellington, Blood Sweat and Tears, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, his wife told the LA Times.

Born in New York in 1943, Rubin began playing the trumpet at the age of 10 and was admitted into the world-renowned Juilliard School of Music when he turned 17. After dropping out at 20, the young trumpeter hit the road with legendary singer Robert Goulet.

He is known as 'Mr. Fabulous' for his role in the 1980 film 'The Blues Brothers' and 1998's 'Blues Brothers 2000' as a head waiter turned suit-adorned hermano of soul. Rubin is survived by his wife, Mary Moreno Rubin, and two siblings, Sharyn Soleimani and Marshall Rubin.

Watch the Blues Brothers Perform 'Almost' Live:




[www.spinner.com]

What was his connection to the Rolling Stones?

I had the honor of seeing him live with the Blues Brothers band about 10 years ago, afterwards he signed my flyer alongside the other original Blues Brothers Band members and it still has pride of place on the wall.

Sad to hear of another loss to the musci world.

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24FPS
What was his connection to the Rolling Stones?

I'm not sure. All I could find was his Wikipedia article that lists various artists he's played with.

Could just be his time on Saturday Night Live or his association with The Blues Brothers that had him around the Stones for a brief period.

RIP Alan

Of course, the Blues Brothers Band was really never the same with the 1982 passing of John Belushi.

~Ben

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24FPS
What was his connection to the Rolling Stones?

Played in the Blues Brothers Band with Steve Jordan who later-co-wrote "Almost Hear You Sigh" the last Stones single to make the Top 50 in the US. Sort of a Six Degrees of Separation thing.

Sad news. I only just found this thread by accident. I met alan in 1992 after a Blues Brothers Band concert in Blackpool (U.K.).
I was in my 20's,drunk on castlemaine XXXX and dancing all night. I think the BBBand were amused by my "efforts".
After the concert I shook his hand whilst he was on stage and said "Belushi Is God!!!"- he smiled and turned our handshake into a friendly,respectful "grasp".
R.I.P. and say "Hello!" to John from me,Mr.Fabulous!!!

www.nzentgraf.de/

040303A 3rd March: BLUES BROTHERS BAND. San Remo, Italy, Morgana Pub, incl.
- Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson) -unverified
Line-up: BW (bass)/Steve Cropper (gtr)/Lou Marini (tb)/John Tropea (gtr)/
Alan Rubin (tp)/John Paparozzi (voc, harm)/Eddie Floyd (voc)

======================================================
781216A 16th December: PETER TOSH. US TV (NBC) ‘Saturday Night Live’,
Westchester, New York. Incl.
- Don’t Look Back (William Robinson/Ronald White)
Line-up: MJ (voc)/Peter Tosh (gtr, voc)/Robbie Shakespeare (bass)/Mikey
Chung (gtr)/Sly Dunbar (dr)/Robert Lyn (keyb)/Lou Marini (sax)/
Alan Rubin (tp)/Tom Malone (tb) and three female backing singers

For Alan (and John!)