Stan "Stash" Pyrzanowski

Stan Anthony “Stash” Pyrzanowski, of Pittsfield, passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Berkshire Medical Center, in the loving company of his parents and his beloved sister and lifelong best friend, Jen. He was 55 years old. Born at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield on April 7, 1971, he was the son of Stanley and Nina Robie Pyrzanowski. Stash grew up on Onota Street after his family moved there when he was two years old. He graduated from Taconic High School. Stash possessed an unusually acute memory and could recall precise details of family events, people, places, and years, making him the family historian. He particularly loved remembering his earliest years living on the lower level of his Polish great-grandmother’s duplex, where she lovingly crowned him “Stasiu,” the name he preferred and continued to sign until his passing. His Polish pride remained an important part of who he was, and he vividly recalled his great-grandmother and the unmistakably Polish character of the Seymour Street neighborhood where the duplex stood. His childhood on Onota Street was, in Stash’s impeccable memory, idyllic. As a boy, he gained his independence by way of bicycle, which led to endless adventures with neighborhood friends, playing Wiffle Ball homerun derby most days in the summer months, baseball, basketball, working his Berkshire Eagle paper route, collecting and trading baseball cards, and taking on his first job at West St. Market. He was a Little League pitcher, winning games and sometimes trophies, and at age 11, he won a ping-pong championship at the Boys Club. He went to West Side Community School and had loads of West Side pride; as the saying went, West Side was the Best Side! As a teen, his love of baseball cards gave rise to an entrepreneurial spirit. With his childhood friend Rob Sowalsky, and the support of Mr. Kelly, the owner of West St. Market, the boys began selling baseball cards at the corner store. While still in high school, the two opened “Stan and Rob’s Cards” on Kent Avenue and the boys were in business for over a year. They closed the business after a robbery, but Stash’s love of baseball cards never wavered. With the arrival of the internet and eBay, he continued buying, selling, studying, and collecting until his passing, and was particularly knowledgeable about 1970s baseball cards, teams, and statistics. Above all else, Stash was a singer-song writer. He could not remember a time when he did not create music. His father, Stanley, a gifted self-taught guitar player and singer, was naturally his first musical influence. Stash also inherited musical talent from his maternal grandfather, Clinton Robie, who was a professional musician. Stash’s musical gifts were evident from an early age. His precise timing, remarkable coordination, and natural musicality allowed him to turn almost any common object into a percussion instrument. His first music teacher, Mr. Baker of West Side Community School, put Stash on stage for his first performance at approximately seven or eight years old. By high school, Stash had deliberately committed himself to becoming a guitarist, with Jimi Hendrix serving as his primary inspiration throughout his life. What began with playing other people’s songs with remarkable talent soon transformed into something more. Stash became a songwriter, using music to tell his stories and express his view of the world. His songs, even from his earliest years, reflected a heightened awareness of himself and what was happening around him and a remarkable ability to capture intangible experiences and turn them into something tangible through music. In 1993, Stash helped form one of his most beloved projects, John Street Jive, with Ed Moran, Seth Fleischmann, Josh Fleischmann, and John O’Boyle. In 1994, he took on the role of singer, as well as song writer and guitarist. Through determination, passion, and sheer will, Stash taught himself to sing beautifully. He ultimately became a versatile musician and songwriter who could move effortlessly among folk, funk, rock, rhythm and blues, country, jazz, and many other styles. He described himself as a “Funk Guitarist,” but he could play virtually anything. He could lead or accompany, write or perform, and solo with the best of them. The John Street Jive project ended in 1996 as its members went in different directions, but the musical friendships and collaborations continued for decades. In 1997, Stash moved to New York City, where he lived for nearly two decades, first in Queens and later in Brooklyn. He was determined to expand his musical knowledge, develop his songwriting, perform, and grow as an artist. He studied guitar in Manhattan with Ronny Lee, an influential jazz guitarist, author, and music educator. Stash eventually worked in Creative Services, Shop 67, at Polo Ralph Lauren. While the job helped pay the bills, the friendships, creativity, and fun he found there became an important part of his life and artistic development. During his years in New York, he was involved in numerous musical projects, including Rent Party Troubadours, El Rhythm Method, Isabella, GrandStan, The Sheetrockers, and many others. He and his musical companions performed at venues throughout the city, including the BMW Bar, Arlene’s Grocery, The Back Fence, The Bitter End, The Sidewalk Cafe, CBGB Gallery, The Lion’s Den, The Baggot Inn, and many more. When Shop 67 was restructured and Stash was moved into a desk job, he resigned rather than compromise what mattered to him. That was Stash: stubborn in the best and most quintessentially Stash way, unwilling to do something simply because it was expected of him. He thrived when surrounded by artists, creativity, and had the most fun when with his crew engaged in what others might call silly nonsense. That nonsense was often where the joy, laughter, friendship, and unforgettable memories lived and Stash had plans for those memories. By the time his New York chapter ended, Stash had accumulated an extraordinary body of musical work, including countless original songs and projects, along with a vast network of artistic friends and collaborators throughout New York City, across the country, and around the world. In 2016, Stash returned to his childhood home in the Berkshires, drawn by fresh air, summer swimming, long walks in nature, and, time with family. He quickly found a home at Wood Brothers Music, the storied music store of the Berkshires. He also rebuilt his private guitar studio, teaching and mentoring students, and began performing locally under the name Uncle Stash, a name inspired by his deep love for his niece and nephew. Back in the Berkshires, Stash continued to create. He and old bandmates formed the Riverside Brothers and produced an album with Rising Sun Recording Studio, enjoying the opportunity to work closely with Abe Guthrie. The group performed their work at many venues including the Iron Horse, the Stationery Factory, the Dream Away Lodge, the Red Lion Inn, and other Berkshire venues. Stash remained creatively active until the end of his life. He was involved with Betaside Records/Short Hills Music and spent time in California working on projects that included the 2024 American All-Star Album. He collaborated with his Ecuadorian friend and fellow musician Fernando Hinojosa and just recently returned from a visit with him in April 2026. Members of John Street Jive bandmates came together again in recent years, performing together in 2017 and 2025, and were making plans for another album. Music was the center of Stash’s life, but it was far from the only thing he loved. He remained devoted to baseball, the Red Sox, baseball history and statistics, Latin American culture and language, travel, teaching, and mentoring. He cherished his friends and family and made time for the people he loved. Stash was, above all, authentic. Whatever he did, he did with complete commitment. He did not compromise his art or himself. He could be charming and hilarious, but he never needed to make himself the center of attention; he wanted the focus to remain on the music. He could show up to a gig in his work clothes, refuse to cut his hair or trim his beard, and simply play. He was a musician before anything else, and his greatest gift was the music he created and generously shared with others. He was also a deeply good person. Those who knew him cannot imagine Stash deliberately harming another person. It simply was not in him. He could not abide fraudulent or ill-intentioned people. He was a great son, a terrific brother, an amazing uncle, and a wonderful friend. Stash leaves behind his parents, Stanley and Nina Robie Pyrzanowski; his sister and lifelong best friend, Jennifer “Jen” Pyrzanowski; his brother-in-law, Christopher Cousineau; his beloved nephew and niece, Miles and Nina; a younger brother, a large and loving extended family; and a legion of heartbroken friends and former bandmates. Stash will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His family and friends are grateful for the years they shared with him, for his friendship and love, and for the extraordinary gift of his music. The music he left behind will continue to reach people, bring joy, and carry his spirit forward for generations to come. “Ain’t no way we will make this all be in vain.” —“Sunshine Memory” (2009) Click here to listen to Stash's music Funeral Notice Funeral services for Stash will be held Friday, August 28, 2026, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Church, celebrated by Rev. John Salatino, Pastor. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Stash’s memory may be made to the family who will use those funds to preserve his music and complete his unfinished projects where possible.

Stan "Stash" Pyrzanowski

April 7, 1971 - August 18, 2026