Wednesday morning the Erie community lost Mary Alice Brown, Erie's "Queen of Jazz," one of the most well-known musicians in Erie. Family members, fellow musicians and friends, now remembering her legacy.

"Such an amazing, charming person," said John Vanco who met Brown in 1969. "[A] beautiful individual in every respect."

Vanco had one of Brown's 1960's records in his home on the bookshelf.

"She had her own take on jazz and music that kept her going and kept her audience loving her," Vanco; said.

Local musician Monica Lewis studied under Brown, saying her teaching style was direct.

"She was always like, 'Okay girl, you need to put more air underneath your big notes or you're gonna lose power,'" Lewis said. "She said to me, 'Girl, you need to learn how to sing and cut time.'"

Lewis says the community has lost a "treasure" and she'll never forget the last thing Brown ever said to her.

"'You're where you need to be,'" Lewis said. "'Now you just need to let God into your performances.'"

In the JFK Center, Brown's grandchildren Delia and Charles reminisced in the very room that their grandmother taught them the wonderful world of music.

"She always used to tell me your voice is your light and your voice will carry you places," Delia said.

Of course, the music carried out beyond lessons. It was the life and blood of Mary Alice Brown.

"A beautiful memory that I always hold in my heart," Charles said. "I always go to her for approval. Her approval mattered to me the most. Just knowing that I had somebody like that in my corner and pushing me and being proud of me."

"She was just a huge impact," Delia said. "I would have never thought that she would go. I just thought she was one of those people that was going to live forever. She was just amazing and so strong and so humble."