Despite his gentle, quiet demeanor, Bobby Floyd is a giant on the keyboard. For much of his life, Floyd has been captivated by the joy of music—from picking out melodies at the age of 2 to mesmerizing audiences at home and aboard.
"It's great to have music as part of your life,” said Floyd. “It's good for everybody."
In April, in honor of his artistic achievements and contributions to the cultural landscape of central Ohio, The Columbus Foundation named Floyd the 2026 honoree of The Spirit of Columbus Award®. Also known as The Jerries® in honor of Jerrie Mock, the first woman to fly around the world solo, the award honors those in our community who exhibit bravery, determination, and inspiration through their actions.
The Columbus Foundation recently sat down with Bobby Floyd for a conversation about his life, music, and where he finds inspiration.
Continue reading below for Floyd's reflections and for footage of his uplifting musical performances.
What is your earliest memory of music?
Even at an early age, one of my biggest influences was listening to other musicians play, like Erroll Garner on piano. I love the way he played—a real natural style.
We had a piano in my house when I was growing up. I would sit at the piano and try to figure out little melodies. I wanted to take the music further by adding chords and a bassline. That's how I got started, and it has continued throughout my life—going at the piano, figuring out chords and melodies, and listening to the great artists.
Which artists helped you find your sound as a young musician?
I grew up playing in church, so gospel music was a big part of my life. My mom also played in church, so I was hanging out with her, listening to the choir and congregation sing. I listened to gospel artists like Billy Preston on piano and organ. He was a great keyboardist, even at his young age. He played behind the late great Reverend James Cleveland, who was big in gospel music in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
There were other genres—jazz piano players that my father was really into. He played a lot of records: Erroll Garner, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Charles Earland. I tried to learn from them, their lines, their chords.
I also listened to the horn bands of the 70s, like Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Tower of Power, Larry Graham, and R&B musicians. I love that music. So, my sound comes from a bunch of different sources.
How do the audiences you perform in front of inspire you?
They inspire me in different ways. Sometimes they'll say, “Hey, yeah, yeah, go ahead! That was good.” Sometimes, you can just look at the way they react to what you play, patting their foot or smiling.
I love playing on big stages, but my favorite venues to play in are the intimate, small places where people are closer to the stage. You can see and feel their reaction.
Jazz is often filled with improvisation. What does improvisation mean to you on a personal level?
I think every musician learning to play should experience jazz and what improvisation is all about. It gives you a chance to express yourself and not just read what's on the sheet music.
For me, personally, improvisation means a lot because I'm kind of laid back, quiet. I don't talk a whole lot. So, it gives me a chance to express myself in a different way.
How has living and working in this community shaped your music?
I was born and raised in Marion, Ohio. I moved to Columbus right after high school to get into the music scene. I wanted to go to a bigger city where I could play with jazz musicians like Rusty Bryant and Bill Mason. They were musicians that I grew up listening to, and I actually had the opportunity to play with some of them after I moved here.
Columbus has always been a great city for jazz musicians. There are musicians here in Columbus who have gone on to be very successful, like Nancy Wilson, Rusty Bryant, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. And there are quite a few young musicians doing great right now. Aaron Diehl, Hamilton Hardin, Micah Thomas—all young piano players who are performing all over the world.
So, Columbus has a great history. I'm just thrilled to be a part of it.
Who or what are you feeling most grateful for at this stage of your journey?
My involvement with music, and the fact that I've been able to make music my sole career. I'm grateful for that, and grateful for my family. They've always been supportive.
I’m thankful to Byron Stripling, music director for the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, who is doing great things throughout the country. He’s a great musician and has contributed a lot to helping my and other musicians’ careers.
And I'm grateful to God for giving me the gift to do this. Honestly, I feel like He put me here to do this and that I am fulfilling His wishes. I'm really grateful for that.
