I studied with a blind teacher from about 5 until I was 16, at two different schools. From the age of 12 until 16, I was in a boarding school-which, I believe, at that time was compulsory for blind children.

Along with dozens of musical stars of his day Shearing appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. In 1940 Shearing joined Harry Parry's popular band and contributed to the comeback of Stéphane Grappelli. Around that time he was also a member of George Evans's Saxes 'n' Sevens band.

He died of heart failure on February 14 2011 in New York City at the age of 91. Sir George Shearing OBE (August 13 1919 – February 14 2011) was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records MGM Records and Capitol Records.