BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Friends and loved ones of Sara Rogers say she was a person who lit up every space she was in. They’re remembering her as someone with a bright spirit and a beautiful soul.
The 29-year-old musician was killed Friday night while riding her bicycle after a driver hit her and two others. Rogers was pronounced dead at Buffalo General – the two other victims were taken to ECMC with serious injuries. Buffalo police are investigating whether the driver of the Chrysler sedan suffered a medical emergency causing the crash.
Since then, friends have been paying tribute to Rogers – many described her as a community advocate and a strong presence in the Buffalo music scene.
“I think she shattered the glass, if you will, for female musicians. Most times in the jazz world, you hear of a female musician and you think of a female jazz vocalist,” said JazzBuffalo executive director, Tony Zambito. “Well, she was a great jazz vocalist but she was also a great composer, guitarist, trumpet player spanning multiple genres; and she was a leader.”
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Rogers was scheduled to perform at some upcoming shows. Zambito said the group will use those dates as an opportunity to honor her memory instead. That includes the Northwest Jazz Festival in Lewiston where they will rename the stage ‘The Sara Rogers Peace Garden Stage.’
“What we want to be able to do is to make sure we build upon that legacy she’s left for us,” Zambito said.
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Marlee Tuskes is a reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2019. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.