Ernest McCarty, an American bass player, composer and playwright, died on December 11, 2025, at age 84.
Born in Chicago on March 26, 1941, he was an upright bass player known for performing with Erroll Garner from 1970 until Garner’s death in 1977. McCarty also wrote, scored and directed plays.
He studied music in Chicago, attended DuSable High School, and later lived in New York before moving to Pittsburgh in 1993.
Ernest McCarty Jr. (March 26, 1941 – December 11, 2025) was an American upright bass player, musical composer and playwright. He is known for playing with Erroll Garner from 1970 until Garner’s death in 1977, as well as for plays he has written, scored and directed.