Hugh Cameron Trutton

Lewis & Clark College Alumnus Hugh Trutton passed away peacefully around 10 AM at his beloved Creekside Village home in Sonoma. He is survived by Martin Monroe, his loving partner of three-and-a-half years.

Hugh will be remembered with gratitude for his generous endowments to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Sonoma State University's Weill Hall, and to Food for Thought in Forestville. His many friends at Creekside Village will also remember him for his stellar piano playing in many locally acclaimed productions by the Creekside Players at the well-appointed recreation center there.

After a few years as a working trombone and piano player on professional gigs and recording dates, Hugh entered the recording industry as a record salesman, seeing the USA in his Chevrolet Bel Air during one of the great periods of music history, hobnobbing with industry legends like Tower Records founder Russ Solomon, as well as many of the recording artists themselves. Eventually, as he became expert in the technology of recording, he could unfailingly recite the make and model of a given recording studio or radio broadcast microphone. After a successful career in record sales, Hugh invested his savings in running his own art gallery, Trutton Gallery, in the heart of San Francisco at 3381 Sacramento St. during the early 1960s. Later opting for the greener pastures offered by Pacific Bell as a System Design Consultant, he achieved enough financial success to retire comfortably to Sonoma, where he continued to pursue his passions for art, opera, classical music, and Broadway musicals. He was a much sought-after accompanist for local singers, and loved playing four-handed piano with friends. Every year Hugh honored the birth of our Lord and savior with elaborate original musical compositions, Christmas cards and productions with the Creekside Players, belying a great inner faith that kept him going for 86 years. He also loved to travel -- in the U.S. and abroad -- and was a great traveling companion to all lucky enough to share the time with him.

Hugh was preceded in death by his former longtime love, Jim Clark, an advertising executive.

Hugh Trutton was a class act in every sense of the word – a great musician, musical director, musicologist, and a preservationist of opera and classical music history through the Trutton Classical Library at SSU. If you are kind enough to raise a glass to toast the memory of this fine gentleman and great American who always made sure to vote, please do so with Hugh's favorite drink, gin & tonic. He will be missed by his many friends throughout the U.S., Canada, Poland and elsewhere.

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