addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Death Conover died of lung cancer on May 17, 1996, at age 75. He had been a smoker for 57 years. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. In 2001, on the fifth anniversary of his death, US Embassy in Moscow and Moscow jazz society co-organized a commemorative concert in Moscow. Legacy Conover's broadcasts influenced a wave of Russian and Polish jazz musicians, such as Leo Feigin and Adam Makowicz. In 1990, Conover was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. In 2015, the University of North Texas announced its Willis Conover Collection would make digitized copies of Conover's programs available online. References External links Doug Ramsey, "Willis Conover", Rifftides, October 29, 2005. Article about Willis Conover from the Voice of America web site Willis Conover introduces a band of jazz musicians during a live performance Willis Conover tells his story Voices of Freedom: A Celebration of VOA Jazz and Willis Conover Article about Conover's interest in science fiction and fantasy, including his correspondence with H. P. Lovecraft. The Willis Conover Collection at the University of North Texas David Brent Johnson, "Conover’s Coming Over: Willis Conover and Jazz at the VOA", Indiana Public Media (NPR program), November 12, 2007. 1920 births 1996 deaths American radio producers Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Deaths from lung cancer Salisbury University alumni Jazz radio presenters Voice of America people