Iconic entertainer, pianist and poet Alvin (Hambone) Brangman — a luminary of the Island’s hotel circuit from the heyday of local music — has died aged 90.

Mr Brangman, who performed throughout the calypso era and remained devoted to music up until his passing on March 25, will be laid to rest at a service today in Hamilton’s Wesley Methodist Church.

“It’s a tremendous loss,” said music historian Dale Butler. “He gave so much to the tourism industry and to Bermuda — and you couldn’t have asked for a nicer guy.”

Mr Brangman “loved Bermuda and loved music”, Mr Butler added.

“An outstanding arranger, pianist and entertainer, very well-known and gifted. He was well groomed, well spoken, with a charming personality. He goes with people like Earl Darrell, Lance Hayward and Reggie Goater. We were producing a whole host of great pianists in this country.”

Such was his stature that in 2011 Mr Brangman was inducted into the Bermuda Music Hall of Fame.

“Any time you dined at any of our great hotels, you would have seen him playing,” Mr Butler said.

Hailing from the Rocklands neighbourhood of Warwick, Mr Brangman started out playing at the age of seven and showed instant promise as a performer, his daughter Alvina Brangman recalled. Mr Brangman was father also to Sherlene G.D. Trott and Valerie Arorash.

“He used to play for the family — one song he loved to play at parties was ‘Boogie Woogie Woogie’,” Ms Brangman said. “His father, Charles Ambrose Brangman, used to play music as well. He remained active playing up until his death.”

By Mr Brangman’s own account, his career started around 1941. He was “the first one to originate the Four Spots and the Five Stars”, according to Mr Butler’s book ‘Music on the Rock’.

He toured the US with local musicians in 1952, living overseas for a spell and then bringing his experience with the American entertainment scene back home to promote shows, playing the accordion and organ as well as piano.

Mr Brangman also had an abiding fondness for the Motown great Marvin Gaye, and the jazz pianist and singer Nat “King” Cole.

“He had a lot of charisma, he was always smiling, just a very joyful person,” Ms Brangman said, adding that her father was particularly attached to The Reefs, Elbow Beach Hotel and Cambridge Beaches as venues.

A cricket lover, Mr Brangman made a point of rising early for Cup Match and attending both days of the games. He also enjoyed photography and making kites, as well as writing his own songs and composing poems.

His distinctive nickname came courtesy of his mother, Editha Gertrude Simons-Brangman.

“He’d always make a pot of soup and put a ham bone in it — he and his sisters used to fight over who got the bone, and he’d always win,” Ms Brangman said.

Mr Brangman was also a retired clerk from Belco’s transport department and had an interest in electronics. He attended North Shore’s Grace Methodist Church.

A viewing will be held today from 12pm to 12.45pm at Wesley Methodist Church, with the service following at 1pm.