The Count of Jazz Fame is a title given to the legendary jazz musician, Count Basie. Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer who led his own band from 1935 until his death in 1984. He was renowned for his bluesy, hard-driving style of big band jazz and was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. He was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1962 and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987.