Michael R. Greco, an accomplished jazz pianist and music teacher who left the Pittsburgh area for Tucson, Ariz., in the early 1960s, died Monday of lung cancer. Mr. Greco, known as "Mickey," was 77.

Mr. Greco grew up in Sharpsburg and started performing in local clubs at the age of 16.

After earning a bachelor's degree in music from Westminster College and a performance degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Mr. Greco taught music at the junior high and high school levels.

Later, he committed to playing music full time, performing in big bands, backing up a variety of artists, including Nat Cole, Tony Bennett and the Mills Brothers.

In 1963, Mr. Greco and his wife, Carole, moved the family to Tucson. For the next 10 years, Mr. Greco and his trio played at the Hilton Hotel there, backing up shows brought in from Las Vegas and other cities.

In 1976, Mr. Greco opened his own club, the Tender Trap. He and his quartet performed there until 1986, when Mr. Greco sold it and retired.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Greco is survived by a daughter, Karen Metzinger, and two sons, Mike and James, all of Tucson.

A Mass will be celebrated Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Our Mother of Sorrows Church in Tucson.