Richard Alleyne, Dies of Cancer

By Deardra Shuler

Richard Alleyne passed due to cancer complications on Wednesday, October 29, 2014, at 6:45 p.m., in Westwood, New Jersey, at Hackensack University Medical Center at Pascack Valley, after a lengthy illness.  Still grieving over the loss of his mother, Mr. Alleyne passed just 1 year and 14 days after his mother, jazz icon, Gloria Lynne's death on October 15, 2013.  Ms. Lynne is best known for her signature song, “I Wish You Love.”

Richard, fondly known to his friends and family as P.J., was born in Harlem, NY, and raised in Englewood, NJ.  He was often cared for by his grandmother who nurtured him during those times his mother was performing or touring on the road.  In fact, due to his mother’s musical career, P.J., was exposed to the likes of Dizzy Gillespie (who lived around the corner from him), Miles Davis, Quincy Jones who worked with Gloria Lynne on one of her albums, trumpeter Harry “Sweets,” Edison and Lionel Hampton, etc.  

P.J.  attended Eron Preparatory school and went on to graduate from business school.  However, since music was always his passion he pursued music.  He appeared on the Apollo Amateur Hour in the 1980’s with his rock band and spent time in California working with rock music.  He also tried his hand at acting eventually appearing on TV programs such as “Charlie’s Angels,” “Cagney & Lacey,” et. al. 

A musician, composer, producer and arranger in his own right, and a partner with his mother in their company, Family Bread Music, P.J. , helped produce several of his mother’s songs, working on the arrangements of songs like “Mountain Greenery.”  PJ was also working with percussionist, music composer and producer, Jay Dittamo, prior to his death on “To Be In Love” and ”I Wish It Would Snow,” the only Christmas song ever sung by his mother, the legendary Gloria Lynne.

Gloria and PJ had many admirers and friends such as Harry Belefonte, Sue Simmons, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, B.B. King, Liza Minelli, David Guest, Dionne Warwick, Smokey Robinson, Valerie Simpson, Chuck Jackson, Lloyd Williams, Ann C.  Rubino, Mary Ann Niehaus, Janet Zuckerman, Jimmy Sabini, Geoffrey Eaton, Vince Ector, Roy Merriweather, Wendy Oxenhorn, Abiodun Oyewole, Todd Barkin, Jay Dittamo, Voza Rivers, Billy Mitchell, Congressman Charles Rangel, Percy Sutton, Mayor David Dinkins, East Orange NJ Mayor Robert Bowser, Dr. Ramesh Sawhney, Maxine McCray, Dell Long, Roz Nixon, Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, Catherine Willis, Cobi Narita, Tina Mcrae, Cosmo, Karen Chilton, Grassella Aliphant, Joe Fields, Duke Wade, Tom Daugherty, Robert and Susan Gleason, John DeMartino, Greg Skaff, Leon Dorsey, Deardra Shuler and numerous others.

It was the wish of Mr. Alleyne to be cremated.   At the time of this reporting a Memorial is pending.

 Richard Alleyne is survived by an uncle, John Wilson who lives in Yonkers, NY, and 2 step sisters Robin and Carol.