Jules Greenberg was born in Philadelphia in 1929 to Mort Greenberg and Rose Bolen. He loved big band music so much that he studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and became a professional musician, starting as a drummer and winding up a versatile percussionist.   

He joined the American Federation of Musicians in April of 1955 and went on to work on Broadway for years, playing shows like An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May, West Side Story, 1776, and many others. 

In 1961, he fell in love and married Joan Desberg Elton, a widow with a baby daughter named Faye. He adopted Faye, and they were a family from that day on.  It was a perfect match. Jules was the steady hand to the emotionally charged Joan.  (She was equal parts humor and worry.)  They fit together like they were made for each other and maybe they were.  

In 1971, the Greenberg family moved to Los Angeles, where Jules became a steady session player with studio orchestras for TV and film — The Carol Burnett Show, Moonlighting, WarGames, Funny Lady and Poltergeist  — and for decades he played with Alf Clausen and The Simpsons orchestra.  He played on pop and jazz records too.  He was also a member of the Baja Marimba Band with Julius Wechter.   It was a life of gigs, jam sessions, and laughing with his fellow musicians.  

But none of those credits tell you the main thing about Jules Greenberg: he was nice. Truly, deeply nice. Always a kind word. A warm hug. He always had a joke at the ready. It was often the first thing out of his mouth when you saw him. He had a light around him that offered joy and calm. He had all these cool credits and crazy musician buddies, but he wasn’t a wild man. He was a family man who loved good times and good food. The man knew every great Italian restaurant within 50 miles of Woodland Hills. He also knew when it was time to go home. He lead a peaceful life. And that peace transferred to anyone lucky enough to hang out with him. 

He died on March 25th, 2026, after a day of being cared for and loved by his daughter Faye, her husband David Lawrence, and their daughter Mabel. And listening to his favorite music — Benny Goodman & Gershwin. He was a calm and loving force in the world. His light will be missed by all who knew him. And the music he made will play on.