DATE: Sunday, May 11, 1997                  TAG: 9705110038

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   45 lines

LUCIAN F. MONTAGNA, LOCAL JAZZ TRUMPETER, DIES

Trumpeter Lucian Francis Montagna, whose music was once described as ``smooth as his sexy voice and as enchanting as those dark Italian eyes,'' died Friday in a Norfolk hospital.

Montagna, a native and lifelong resident of Norfolk, was 70. He retired as president of the family business, Montagna Shoes Inc., after 49 years. But his fame came as the area's most respected jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player.

A Maury High School graduate, Montagna played with the school band and the High School Jazz Band. He also played violin.

He went on to attend the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, now Old Dominion University, and played in the college band that included Tommy Newsom, Ziggy Harrell, Bones Garrison, Pat Roberts, Al Runaldue, Frank Ficarra, John Derieux and other young musicians.

After college, Montagna joined the Army at 18 and played with the 371st Army Band at Fort Meade, near Baltimore. After the war, he returned to Norfolk and joined the family business, Montagna's Shoes in the 400 block of Granby St.

``Years ago, I thought about going into the music business,'' Montagna said in 1990. ``But you know, with four kids and all. . . . Family is more important than anything else in this world.''

Still, music remained a major part of his life, and he shared it generously.

Montagna was invited to play his jazz interpretations whenever shows visited Hampton Roads, and he accompanied Shirley MacLaine, Pearl Bailey, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Martin, Jack Shelton, Chris Vadala and many others.

Survivors include two daughters, Katherine M. Terribile of Charlottesville and Gina M. Olykowski of Chesapeake; two sons, Frank P. Montagna of Atlanta and Lucian F. Montagna, Jr. of Norfolk; a brother, Joseph Montagna of Sun City Center, Fla; and six grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Pius X Catholic Church by the Rev. William Dale. Burial will be at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.

A Christian wake service will be held in St. Pius X Catholic Church at 7 p.m. Monday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Nuncy Sabato Wing of St. Pius X Catholic Church. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments, Norfolk, will be handling the arrangements. KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY

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