Any Major Dude With Half A Heart

The Grim Reaper maintained his unwelcome prolific endeavours, adding something of a twist to this month’s proceedings. On August 19, Michael Been, former bassist and singer of 1980s group The Call, died at Belgium’s Pukkelpop festival, where he had acted as the sound engineer for his son’s group, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The following day, synth popster Charles Haddon, 22, committed suicide after performing at the same festival with his band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, whose debut album was due for release in October.

The old adage instructs us not to speak ill of the dead. I don’t subscribe to that point of view. I will gladly speak ill of, say, Sid Vicious, and I will not hold my counsel when Dick Cheney finally takes the highway to hell. So while most entries here, as always, are listed in affectionate tribute to doubtless lovable artists, I’m not sure what to make of George Richey, the last husband of Tammy Wynette (who was previously married to George Jones, for whom Richey wrote). Richey allegedly injected Wynette with drugs to keep her performing and supposedly had her brutally assaulted. Or so Tammy’s daughters said when they sued him, unsuccessfully, for the wrongful death of their mother. Richey denied the charges. Wynette stayed with him for two decades until her untimely death in 1998 at 55. Is there no smoke without a fire, or do we take a wife’s loyalty as evidence?

Fact fans might enjoy Bill Phillips’ song and title track of his 1966 album, which was written by a young and already prodigiously talented Dolly Parton.

And so to last month’s departed, with the listed songs all wrapped up in one file for your tributing pleasure.

Richard ‘Scar’ Lopez, 64, member of Cannibal and the Headhunters, on July 30.
Cannibal and the Headhunters – Land Of 1000 Dances (1965)

Mitch Miller, 99, producer, musician, record executive and TV host, on July 31
Mitch Miller – Yellow Rose Of Texas (1955)
Frankie Lane – Mule Train (1949) (as producer)

George Richey, 74, country musician, songwriter, producer, and manager, on July 31
George Jones – I’ll Share My World With You (1969) (as composer)

Mitch Jayne, 82, bassist of country/bluegrass band The Dillards, on August 3
The Dillards – Ebo Walker (1965)

Bobby Hebb, 72, soul singer and composer of Sunny, on August 3
Bobby Hebb – A Satisfied Mind (1966)

Chris Dedrick, 62, member of ’60s pop group The Free Design, on August 6
Fee Design – Kits Are Fun (1967)

Catfish Collins, 66, guitarist with James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic and Bootsy Collins’ brother, on August 6
Parliament – Flashlight (1977)

Ted Kowalski, 79, singer of Canadian doo-wop band The Diamonds, on August 8
The Diamonds – She Say (Oom Dooby Doom) (1959)

Jack Parnell, 87, British drummer, composer and bandleader of The Muppet Show, on August 8
Theme of The Muppet Show

Ezra Ngcukana, 55, influential South African jazz saxophonist, on August 9

Dana Dawson, 36, soul singer, actress and cancer activist, on August 10
Dana Dawson – Ready To Follow You (1988)

Richie Hayward, 64, drummer of Little Feat, on August 12
Little Feat – Strawberry Flats (1970)

Esteban ‘Steve’ Jordan, 71, accordion wizard, on August 13

Abbey Lincoln, 80, jazz singer and actress, on August 14
Abbey Lincoln – As Long As You’re Living (1959)

Robert Wilson, 53, bassist of The Gap Band, on August 15
The Gap Band – Outstanding (1983)

Ahmad Alaadeen, 76, American jazz musician, on August 15

Mac Tontoh, 69, trumpeter and chief songwriter of Afro-fusion band Osibisa, on August 17
Osibisa – Sunshine Day (1975)

Kenny Edwards, 64, singer-songwriter and member of folk-rock band The Stone Poneys (with a young Linda Ronstadt), on August 18
The Stone Poneys – Different Drum (1967)

Dick Maloney, 77, Canadian singer, on August 19
Dick Maloney – Late Night Bar

Michael Been, 60, member of ’80s group The Call, on August 19
The Call – Let The Day Begin (1989)

Charles Haddon, 22, member of British synthpop Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, of on August 20
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool – Dance The Way I Feel (2009)

George David Weiss, 89, co-composer of hits such as What a Wonderful World, Can’t Help Falling in Love, and the ripped-off The Lion Sleeps Tonight, on August 23
Ella Fitzgerald – Lullaby of Birdland (1955) (as lyricist)

Bill Phillips, 74, country singer, on August 23
Bill Phillips (with Dolly Parton) – Put It Off Until Tomorrow (1966)

DOWNLOAD IN MEMORIAM AUGUST 2010

* * *

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook

.

The grim reaper evidently is a big football fan, stepping up his reaping only after the World Cup concluded (taking, however, the great South African saxophonist Robbie Jansen before its conclusion), but then with a vengeance. The most notable musician this month may be Harvey Fuqua, whose impact on music was mostly behind the scenes. Fittingly, Marvin Gaye on the last track of his last album paid tribute to his mentor. Just a short while after Big Star’s Alex Chilton, Andy Hummel died.

A couple of session musicians who played on rock classics passed on. I usually don’t include technical staff other than influential producers. But as a sound engineer Bill Porter shaped the Nashville sound. We all know songs that he has produced (many have featured on this blog), including classics by the Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Skeeter Davis, Hank Locklin, and Jim Reeves. Also passing on is the relatively obscure funk and soul singer Melvin Bliss, whose 1973 b-side Synthetic Substitution became a staple hip hop sample (for a list, see here)

But the most tragic death came towards the end of the month when the jazz drummer Chris Dagley — who also was a session man (as featured on jazz singer’s Claire Martin’s latest album) — died in a motorbike accident on the way home from playing a gig at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s. He leaves behind his wife and three kids.

Tracks listed for each entry are on the compilation linked to at the end of this post.

*    *    *

Ilene Woods, 81, American singer and actress, on Juy 1
Ilene Woods – Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (from Cinderella, 1950)

Harvey Fuqua, 80, singer with The Moonglows and record producer, on July 6
Harvey & The Moonglows – Ten Commandments Of Love (1959)
Marvin Gaye – My Love Is Waiting (1982)

Bill Porter, 79, hugely influential rock & roll and country sound engineer, on July 7
Bobby Bare – 500 Miles Away From Home (1963)
Skeeter Davis – I Can’t Stay Mad At You (1963)
Elvis Presley – (You’re The) Devil In Disguise (1963)

Robbie Jansen, 60, South African jazz saxophonist and singer, on July 7
Robbie Jansen – Praise My Soul (1998)
Tony Schilder Trio – Give Her Back To Me (1995)
More Robbie Jansen here

Sugar Minott, 54, reggae singer, on July 10
Sugar Minott – Good Thing Going (1981)

Walter Hawkins, 61, gospel singer, on July 11
Walter Hawkins – For My Good (1998)

Tuli Kupferberg, 86, poet, cartoonist and musician with folk-group The Fugs, on July 12
The Fugs – The Garden Is Open (1968)

Paulo Moura, 77, Brazilian saxophonist and clarinetist, on July 12
Paulo Moura & Os Batutas – Lamentos (1996)

Olga Guillot, 87, Cuban “Queen of Bolero”, on July 13
Olga Guillot – Sabor a mi

Gene Ludwig, 72, jazz organist, on July 14
Gene Ludwig – Blue Flame (1966)

Hank Cochran, 74, country music singer-songwriter and duo partner of Eddie Cochran, on July 15
Cochran Brothers – Slowdown (1956)
Wanda Jackson – I Fall To Pieces (1988)

Yandé Codou Sène, 78, Senegalese singer, on July 15
Yandé Codou Sène & Youssou N’Dour – Sama Guent Guii (1995)

Carlos Torres Vila, 63, Argentinian folk singer, on July 16
Carlos Torres Vila – Que Pasa Entre Los Dos (1976)

Fred Carter Jr., 76, guitarist (e.g. on The Boxer and bass on Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay), songwriter and producer, on July 17
Marty Robbins – El Paso (1959)
Simon & Garfunkel – The Boxer (1970)

Andy Hummel, 59, founder member of Big Star, on July 19
Big Star – My Life Is Right (1972)

Phillip Walker, 73, blues musician, on July 22
Phillip Walker – Hello My Darling

Harry Beckett, 75, British trumpeter, on July 22
Harry Beckett – Ultimate Tribute (2009)

Al Goodman, 63, singer with The Moments and Ray, Goodman & Brown, on July 26
The Moments – Love On A Two-Way Street (1970)
Ray Goodman Brown – Special Lady (1979)

Melvin Bliss, 75, soul singer, on July 26
Melvin Bliss – Synthetic Substitution (1973)

Bice, 37, Japanese singer-songwriter and producer, on July 26
Bice – An Apple A Day (2001)

Ben Keith, 73, country/folk/rock musician and producer, on July 27
Neil Young – Are You Ready For The Country? (1972)

Chris Dagley, 38, English jazz drummer, on July 28
Claire Martin – Everybody Today Is Turning On (2009)

DOWNLOAD IN MEMORIAM – JULY 2010

* * *

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook

.

The grim reaper enlarged the Big Summer Rock Festival in the sky in June by taking the man who played what might be my all-time favourite guitar solo (Tony Peluso’s effort in the Carpenters’ Goodbye To Love), the bassists on some of the sweetest soul music of the ’70s and some of the most exciting rock tunes of the ’60s. Also departed is one of the original members of The Quarrymen, the group that brought John Lennon and Paul McCartney together, and — speaking of Liverpool — the original singer of You’ll Never Walk Alone. And still on the Beatles, we previously discussed how the piano work on Humphrey Lyttelton’s Bad Penny Blues influenced Paul McCartney’s Lady Madonna. The ivory tinkler on the Lyttelton record has passed away, as has the man who played the trombone solo on Count Basie’s April In Paris. All songs listed are in one compilation; there is is some really good stuff in there (such as Larry Jon Wilson, of whom I had not heard before).

* * *

Tony Peluso, 60, guitarist and record producer, on June 5
Carpenters – Goodbye To Love (1972)

Marvin Isley, 56, bassist of The Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley) on June 6
The Isley Brothers – If You Were There (1973)

Dana Key, 56, guitarist of Christian rock group DeGarmo and Key, on June 6
DeGarmo & Key – Dare 2 Be Different (1993)

Stuart Cable, 40, drummer of The Stereophonics, on June 7
The Stereophonics – Maybe Tomorrow (2003)

Oliver N’Goma, 51, Gabonese singer and guitarist,on June 7
Oliver N’Goma – Muetse (1995)

Crispian St Peters, 71, British pop singer,on June 8
Crispian St Peters – Pied Piper (1966).mp3

Christine Johnson, 98, soprano and actress, on June 9
Christine Johnson – You’ll Never Walk Alone (1945)

Johnny Parker, 80, British jazz pianist, on June 11
Humphrey Lyttelton – Bad Penny Blues (1956)

Paul Reekie, 50, Scottish post-punk musician, on June 11

Jimmy Dean, 81, country singer, on June 13
Jimmy Dean – Big Bad John (1961)

Ken Brown, 70, guitarist and original member of Beatles pre-cursor The Quarrymen, on June 14
The Quarrymen – That’ll Be The Day (1958)

Busi Mhlongo, 62, influential South African singer, on June 15
Busi Mhlongo – We Baba Omncane (1998)

Garry Shider, 56, guitarist of Parliament/Funkadelic, on June 16
Funkadelic – I Wanna Know If It’s Good to You (1970)

Bill Dixon, 84, US jazz musician, on June 16

Chris Sievey (Frank Sidebottom), 54, British comedian and musician with the Freshies, on June 21
The Freshies – Yellow Spot (1980)

Larry Jon Wilson, 69, country/folk musician & songwriter, on June 21
Larry Jon Wilson – Shoulders (2009)

Tam White, 67, Scottish blues singer, on June 21

Pete Quaife, 66, bassist of The Kinks, on June 24
The Kinks – Picture Book (1968)

JoJo Billingsley, 58, back-up singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd who missed that flight in 1977, on June 24
Lynyrd Skynyrd – That Smell (1977)

Fred Anderson, 81, avant garde jazz saxophonist, on June 24.

Sergio Vega, 40, Mexican banda singer, shot dead on June 26.
Sergio Vega – Musico, Poeta y Loco (2004)

Benny Powell, 80, jazz trombonist with Lionel Hampton and Count Basie a.o., on June 26.
Count Basie – April In Paris (1963)

Harold Cowarts, 66, bassist on hits such as Brook Benton’s Rainy Night In Georgia, Grease and Islands In The Stream, on June 27.
John Fred & his Playboy Band – Judy In Disguise (1968)

Rammellzee, 49, hip hop musician and graffiti artist, on June 27.
Rammellzee – Pay The Rent (2004)

Alf Caretta, 93, Singer of British band The Zimmers, on June 29.
The Zimmers – My Generation (2007)

Queen Jane, 45, Kenyan singer, on June 29.

DOWNLOAD

* * *

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook

I realise that this is coming rather late in the month, and there has been the death of Marvin Isley in the interim. Anyway, the two big deaths in May were those of the stunning Lena Horne and heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio. Another particularly notable death is that of country musician and songwriter Slim Bryant, who died at 101. He had one of his songs recorded by the legendary Jimmie Rodgers, who died in 1933, and played guitar on his 1932 song Mother Queen Of My Heart, and collaborated with the seminal fiddler Clayton McMichen.

Siphiwo Ntshebe, who died of tuberculosis, was a promising South African tenor, who merits inclusion by dint of having been slated to sing at the World Cup opening ceremony on June 11.

I owe the Chubby Carrier song to the marvellous Cover Me blog, which posted it on May 15, apparently unaware that Carrier had died 12 days earlier.

* * *

Rob McConnell, 75, Canadian jazz trombonist, on May 1
Rob McConnell – My Bells (1980).mp3

Eddie Jackson, 63, founder guitarist of soul group Brenda & The Tabulations, on May 3
Brenda & The Tabulations – Dry Your Eyes (1967).mp3

Chubby Carrier, 63, American zydeco (Creole folk) musician, on May 3
Chubby Carrier – Rockin’ Robin (2001).mp3

Dave Fisher, 69, singer with folk band The Highwaymen, on May 7
The Highwaymen – Whiskey In The Jar (1962).mp3

Francisco Aguabella, 84, Cuban-born jazz percussionist, on May 7
Francisco Aguabella Orchestra – Que Mambo.mp3

Lena Horne, 92, actress and singer, on May 9
Lena Horne – Stormy Weather (1941).mp3

Ronnie James Dio, 67, heavy metal singer with Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Dio, on May 16
Ronnie James Dio – Holy Diver (1983).mp3

Hank Jones, 91, legendary jazz pianist and bandleader, on May 16
Hank Jones – I Mean You.mp3
Marilyn Monroe – Happy Birthday, Mr President.mp3
(with Jones on piano)

Larry Dale, 87, blues singer and guitarist who inspired Brian Jones, on May 19
Larry Dale – Feelin’ Alright (1955).mp3

Judy Lynn, 74, country singer and beauty queen, on May 26
Judy Lynn – Hello Mr DJ.mp3

Slim Bryant, 101, country singer-songwriter, on May 28
Jimmie Rodgers – Mother Queen Of My Heart (1932).mp3

Ali-Ollie Woodson, 58, singer with The Temptations (1984-86, and from 1988-96), on May 30
The Temptations – Treat Her Like A Lady (1984).mp3

Kevin Thomson, 56, bassist of Christian rock group Sweet Comfort Band, on May 30
Sweet Comfort Band – When I Was Alone (1977).mp3

Rubén Juárez, 62, Argentine tango singer-songwriter, on May 31
Rubén Juárez – Como dos extraños (1980).mp3

Also passing away in May:
Joëlle van Noppen, 30, singer with Dutch girl band WOW, on May 12
Beaver, 59, New Zealand jazz singer, on May 23
Paul Gray, 38, bassist of masked heavy metal group Slipknot, on May 24
Stella Nova/Steve New, 50, British guitarist and (as Steve New) member of the Rich Kids,on May 24
Siphiwo Ntshebe, 34, South African tenor, on May 25

* * *

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook

The big news death in April obviously was that of Malcolm McLaren, but more shocking perhaps was the suicide of rock singer-songwriter and Grammy-nominated sound engineer Will Owsley at 44. It also was not a good month for jazz keyboardists and drummers.

On a different note, I’d appreciate some feedback as to whether to continue with this series. It takes up a lot of work, but generally there is little comment, and download numbers tend to be modest.

* * *

Malcolm McLaren, 64, haberdasher, musician and punk svengali, on April 8.
Malcolm McLaren – Double Dutch (1983).mp3

Morris Pert, 62, composer, jazz percussionist and session drummer/pianist (for Kate Bush, Paul McCartney, Mike Oldfield, John Martyn, Peter Gabriel, Nick Heyward, Talk Talk a.o.), on April 27
Morris Pert – Anthem For The Cuthin.mp3
Nick Heyward – Atlantic Monday (1983).mp3

Susan Reed, 84, folk singer, on April 29.
Susan Reed – The Soldier And The Lady (1947).mp3

(Will) Owsley, 44, singer-songwriter, in an apparent suicide on March 30.
Owsley – Dirty Bird.mp3

Corrado ‘Connie’ Codarini, 80, singer with The Four Lads, on April 28.
The Four Lads – Moments To Remember (1955).mp3

Mike Zwerin, 79, jazz musician in Miles Davis “Birth Of Cool” band, on April 2.
Miles Davis – Move (1949).mp3

Vinnie Chaz, ca. 41, bassist with LA glam metal group Pretty Boy Floyd, on April 6.
Pretty Boy Floyd – Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz (1989).mp3

Peter Steele, 48, singer and bassist with heavy metal band Type O Negative, on April 14
Type O Negative – Cinnamon Girl (1997).mp3

Guru, 48, rapper with Gang Starr, on April 19
Gang Starr – You Know My Steez (1997).mp3

Kenneth McKellar, 82, Scottish singer, on April 9.
Kenneth McKellar – A Man Without Love (1966).mp3

Bo Hansson, 67, Swedish prog rock instrumentalist, on April 24.
Bo Hansson – The Horns Of Rohan/The Battle Of The Pelennor Fields (1972).mp3

Devon Clifford, 30, drummer of Canadian indie band You Say Party! We Say Die!, on April 18
You Say Party! We Say Die! – Cold Hands! Hot Bodies! (1997).mp3

Steve Reid, 66, American jazz drummer and session musician (James Brown, Dionne Warwick, Horace Silver, Motown a.o.), on April 13
Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid – People Be Happy (2007).mp3

Gabriel Ayanniye & Omo Olope, drummer and percussionist with King Sunny Adé’s African Beats, in a car accident on March 26.
Kelvin Henderson, 62, British country musician and radio presenter, on April 2.
Luigi Waites, 82, American jazz drummer and vibraphonist, on April 6.
Graciela (Pérez Grillo), 94, Cuban singer, on April 7.
Mississippi Slim, 66, blues singer, on April 14.
George Melvin, 63, keyboardist and session musician, on April 15
Mal Perry, 70, English singer and early friend of John Lennon, on April 16.
Georgia Lee, 89, Australian jazz and blues singer, on April 23.
Dorothy Provine, 75, singer and actress, on April 25.

* * *

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook

A little later in the month than previously, here are some of the music people who died in March (since then, of course, Malcolm McLaren has joined the great recording studio in the sky). The Grim Reaper took two notable frontmen from us, Alex Chilton and Mark Linkous, as well as the blues singer Marva Wright (whose version of I Will Survive is as glorious as Gloria’s) and grievously underrated folky Lesley Duncan (featured here with one of the few songs Elton John ever covered). Most bizarre was the death of Serbian pop star Ksenjica Pajcin, who apparently was shot dead by her boyfriend who then killed himself. Her 2006 greatest hits compilation featured the legend, “My boyfriend is out of town”. A few names appear here without tribute track — that’s because I have nothing by them.All listed songs can be downloaded in one file.

* * *

Ralph Martin, 70, singer with doo wop band The Willows (or The Five Willows), on February 19.
The Willows – Church Bells Are Ringing (1956)

Lolly Vegas, 70, singer of Native-American rock group Redbone, on March 4.
Redbone – The Witch Queen Of New Orleans (1970)

Ron Banks, 58, singer of soul group The Dramatics, on March 4.
The Dramatics – Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get (1972)

Johnny Alf, 80, Brazilian singer and composer, on March 4.
Johnny Alf – Rapaz de Bem (1990)

Fred Wedlock, 67, British Western singer, on March 4

Andy Johnson, 62, guitarist of British blues band Sam Apple Pie and sound engineer for the Pogues, U2 and others, on March 5
Sam Apple Pie – Something Nation (1968)

Mark Linkous, 47, frontman of alt.rock act Sparklehorse, on March 6.
Sparklehorse – Don’t Take My Sunshine Away (2006)

Micky Jones, 63, singer-guitarist of Welsh prog rock band Man, on March 10.

Lesley Duncan, 66, singer-songwriter and backing vocalist for Pink Floyd (on Dark Side Of The Moon), the Alan Parsons Project, Dusty Springfield, Walker Brothers a.o., on March 12.
Lesley Duncan – Love Song (1971)

Carol Clerk, 52, British rock journalist (Melody Maker), on March 12.

Jean Ferrat, 79, French singer, on March 13
Jean Ferrat – Potemkine (1965)

Kevin Neill, 78, bassist with the Karl Denver Trio, on March 13.
Karl Denver Trio – Wimoweh (1962)

Cherie De Castro, 87, member of The DeCastro Singers, on March 14.
DeCastro Sisters – Teach Me Tonight (1954)

Ksenjica Pajcin, 32, Serbian pop star, murdered on March 16.
Ksenija Pajcin – Vestica

Alex Chilton, 59, singer with the Box Tops and Big Star, on March 17.
Big Star – The Ballad Of El Goodo (1972)
Box Tops – Cry Like A Baby (1968)

Marva Wright, 62, big-voiced blues singer, on March 23
Marva Wright – I Will Survive (2004)

Johnny Maestro, 70, singer with doo wop band The Crests, on Marc h 24.
The Crests – Sixteen Candles (1958)

John Ciambotti, 67, session bass player for Elvis Costello, Huey Lewis, John Prine, Lucinda Williams a.o. and chiropracter, on March 25
Elvis Costello – Alison (1977)

Herb Ellis, 88, legendary jazz guitarist, on March 28.
Herb Ellis & Joe Pass – The Shadow Of Your Smile (1968)

DOWNLOAD

.

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook

After a hyperactive beginning of the year, the Grim Reaper took it mercifully easy on the world of music in February. So featured this month are some musicians who left us during the month past (and one of them died on the last day of January). As always, I don’t claim that this list is complete.

* * *

Herman Dunham, 73, doo wop singer with The Solitaires, the Vocaleers and The Blenders, on January 31
The Solitaires – Walking Along (1958).mp3

Richard Delvy, 67, drummer of the Bel-Airs, songwriter and producer, on February 6
The Bel-Airs – Mr Moto (1962).mp3

John Dankworth, 82, saxophonist and clarinetist, jazz and movie soundtrack composer, on February 6
Johnny Dankworth and his Orchestra – Experiments With Mice (1956).mp3

Pena Branco, 70, Brazilian folk singer, on February 8
Pena Branca & Xavantinho – Cutelinho (2002).mp3

Dale Hawkins, 73, rockabilly singer and songwriter, on February 13
Dale Hawkins – Suzie Q (1957).mp3

Lee Freeman, 60, rhythm guitarist with Strawberry Alarm Clock, on February 14
Strawberry Alarm Clock – Tomorrow (1967).mp3

Lil’ Dave Thompson, 40, blues guitarist, on February 14
Dave Thompson – Mississippi Boy (1995).mp3

Doug Fieger, 57, frontman of The Knack, on February 15
The Knack – Good Girls Don’t (1979).mp3

Art Van Damme, 89, jazz accordionist of cool repute, on February 15
Art Van Damme – Autumn In New York.mp3

Kathryn Grayson, 88, musicals actress (Kiss Me Kate, Showboat, Anchors Aweigh etc), on February 17
Kathryn Grayson &  Howard Keel – Make Believe (from Showboat, 1951).mp3

Chilly B, 47, co-founder of influential ’80s rap group Newcleus, on February 23
Newcleus – Jam On It (1984).mp3

Tom ‘T-Bone’ Wolk, 58, bassist for Hall & Oates since 1981 (also recorded with Elvis Costello, Carly Simon, Billy Joel a.o.), on February 27
Hall & Oates – Maneater (1982).mp3

Larry Cassidy, 56, singer and bassist of Section 25, on February 27.
Section 25 – Dirty Disco (1981).mp3

.

In Memoriam January 2010
More In Memoriam

Having rounded up most of the deaths of musicians in 2009, I’ll start to do so monthly as of now. I won’t include everybody who has died. So jazz drummer Ed Thigpen, who died on 13 January at 79, doesn’t feature because I have no music by him. Others won’t feature because their genre is meaningless to me (death metal, for ironic example). And a few will surely slip under my radar, though probably fewer than the numbers ignored by the Grammys. I will include only musicians; songwriters, producers, managers, label bosses and so on are excluded unless they also recorded, as is the case with the man who heads this month’s list and was all these things. The Grim Reaper certainly had a productive month in January…

* * *

Willie Mitchell, 81, soul/jazz musician, producer, boss of Hi Records, on January 5.
Willie Mitchell – Mercy Mercy Mercy

Robert ‘Squirrel’ Lester, 67, second tenor in ’70s soul group The Chi-Lites, on January 22
The Chi-Lites – Stoned Out Of My Mind

Sandra Wright, 61, gospel, blues and soul singer, on January 11.
Canned Soul – Unbelievable

Teddy Pendergrass, 59, soul singer, on January 13
Teddy Pendergrass – It Don’t Hurt Now

Mano Solo, 46, French singer, on January 10
Mano Solo – Je Suis Venu Vous Voir

Lhasa De Sela, 37, American-born cross-genre singer, on January 1.
Lhasa De Sela – El Desierto

Alistair Hulett, 58, Scottish-born and Australia-based socialist folk singer, on January 28.
Alistair Hulett – L’Internationale

Kate McGarrigle, 63, Canadian folk singer, on January 18.
Kate & Anna McGarrigle – I’m Losing You

Carl Smith, 82, country singer and songwriter and ex-husband of June Carter, on January 16.
Carl Smith – Air Mail To Heaven

Bobby Charles, 71, songwriter and country/rockabilly singer, on January 14.
Bobby Charles – Time Will Tell

Shirley Cadell, 78, country singer and ex-wife of Willie Nelson, on January January 27.
Shirley Cadell and the Aristocrats – The Big Bounce

Mick Green, 65, English guitarist with Johnny Kidd and Billy J Kramer, on January 11
Johnny Kidd and the Pirates – Shakin’ All Over

Jay Reatard, 29, American punk musician, on January 13
Jay Reatard – It Ain’t Gonna Save Me

Gregory Slay, 40, drummer of alt-rock band Remy Zero, on January 1.
Remy Zero – Save Me

Pauly Fuemana, 40, singer of New Zealand band OMC, on January 31.
OMC – How Bizarre

Young Cliff, member of rap kreyole group Barrikad Crew, in Haiti’s earthquake on January 12.
Barikad Crew – Toup pou yo

Yabby You, 63, reggae singer and producer, on January 12.
Yabby You – Zion Gate

Lyn Taitt, 75, influential reggae guitarist, on January 20
Lyn Taitt and the Jets – Unity

.

DOWNLOAD

…

More In Memoriam

Keep up with pop deaths on Facebook

Inevitably, I missed a few dead musicians in the In Memoriam series. I picked up three as I perused the AM, Then FM blog.  In my defence, two of those were actors who occasionally sang, but I had thought of both while driving, and then forgot to include them. But how I could forget Sam Butera when I trumpeted his death on my regular message board? And then I came across a few more. As I have stressed, I make no claims of having compiled a complete list of music’s departed in 2009.

So will you please add the following to your In Memoriam folder:

Sam Butera,81,  influential tenor saxophonist and arranger with Louis Prima’s backing band The Witnesses, on June 3.
Sam Butera & the Witnesses – Bim Bam.mp3

Ricardo Montalbán, 88, actor who appeared in several musicals, on January 14.
Ricardo Montalbán – Chihuahua Choo Choo.mp3

Mercedes Sosa, 74, Argentian folk singer and anti-fascist activist, on October 4.
Mercedes Sosa – La Maza.mp3

Blossom Dearie, 84, jazz vocalist and pianist, on February 7.
Blossom Dearie – Give Him The Ooh-La-La.mp3

Dickie Peterson, 63, lead singer and bassist of psychedelic rock band Blue Cheer (whose cover of Summertime Blues is sometimes called the first heavy metal song), on October 12.
Blue Cheer – Summertime Blues.mp3

Bud Shank, 82, jazz saxophonist and flautist, on April 2.
Bud Shank – I Am The Walrus.mp3

Rowland S Howard, 50, member of Australian band The Birthday Party and Nick Cave sideman, on December 30.
The Birthday Party – Nick The Stripper.mp3

Patrick Swayze, 57, actor and some-time singer, on September 14.
Patrick Swayze – She’s Like The Wind.mp3

Brittany Murphy, 32, actress who sometimes sang, on December 20.
Brittany Murphy – Somebody To Love.mp3

*    *    *

Keep up with pop deaths on Facebook

Darren of the Inveresk Street blog rightly pointed out that most of the musicians who died in 2009 featured in the two previous posts lived to a ripe age. As every year, there were exceptions. Poor Taylor Mitchell, for example, was only 19 and had just released her debut album when she was attacked and killed by coyotes. Others who died young in 2009 included Jeff Hanson (31), Steven Gately (33), guitarist Jack Rose (38), Chris Feinstein of The Cardinals (42), Vic Chesnutt (45), Jay Bennett (45) and, of course, Michael Jackson (50) (EDIT: as well as former Nick Cave sideman Rowland S. Howard on December 30). Granted, it’s not a death epidemic of 1970/71 proportions. I’ve tried to pay tribute to a few forgotten people in pop, including session musicians of whom we may know nothing but whose work we know well. What would When A Man Loves A Woman be without Barry Beckett’s keyboard, and Motown without the Funk Brothers, whose drummer Uriel Jones died in 2009?

* * *

Barry ‘The Bear’ Beckett, 66, soul keyboard player, producer and A&R man, on June 10
(Percy Sledge – When A Man Loves A Woman)

Jeff Wingfield, 69, briefly lead guitarist of The Left Banke, on June 11
(The Left Banke – She May Call You Up Tonight)

Bobby Graham, 69, British session drummer who appeared on classics such as The Kinks’ You Really Got Me, Petula Clark’s Downtown and the song featured here, on September 14
(Dusty Springfield – I Only Want To Be With You)

Larry Knechtel, 69, guitarist and keyboard player of Bread (the guitar solo on Guitar Man is his) who as a session man collaborated with Phil Spector on the Wall of Sound productions and played the piano on Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, August 20
(Bread – The Guitar Man)

Vic Chesnutt, 45, singer-songwriter, on December 25
(Vic Chesnutt – You Are Never Alone)

Tim Hart, 61, singer with folk-rockers Steeleye Span, on December 24
(Steeleye Span – John Barleycorn)

James Gurley, 70, guitarist of Big Brother & the Holding Company and Janis Joplin’s ex-lover, on December 20
(Big Brother & the Holding Company – Combination Of The Two)

Mick Cocks, guitarist with Rose Tattoo (and the fourth member of the group to die since 2006), on December 22
(Rose Tattoo – Fightin’ Sons)

Kelly Groucutt, 63, bassist of the Electric Light Orchestra whose backing vocals can be heard on the featured track, on February 19
(ELO – The Diary Of Horace Wimp)

Stephen Gately, 33, singer and former member of Boyzone, on October 10
(Stephen Gately – New Beginning)

Hank Crawford, 74, jazz and R&B saxophone player, on January 29
(Hank Crawford – Wildflower)

Dan Seals, 67, half of cumbersomely named soft rock duo England Dan & John Ford Coley, on March 25
(England Dan & John Ford Coley – Some Things Don’t Come Easy)

Winston Mankunku Ngozi, 66, South African jazz master, on October 22
(Winston Mankunku Ngozi – Lagunya Khayelitsha)

Louie Bellson, 84, legendary jazz drummer, on February 14
(Louie Bellson – Hot)

Les Paul, 94, guitar inventor and virtuoso, on August 13
(Les Paul – Meet Mister Callaghan)

Yvonne King, 89, of the King Sisters (not the King Singers!), on December 13
(The King Sisters – Sweet Leilani)

Soupy Sales, 83, comedian, on October 22
(Soupy Sales – My Baby’s Got A Crush On Frankenstein)

Jimmy Boyd, 70, juvenile star of the 1950s who sang the original of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, on March 7
(Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd – Tell Me A Story)

Duke D’Mond, 66, singer with English comedy troupe The Barron Knights, on April 9
(The Barron Knights – A Taste Of Aggro)

Renato Plagiari, 66, half of the one-hit wonders Renée & Renato and the voice of the UK’s late ’70s Just One Cornetto commercial, on July 27
(Renée & Renato – Save Your Love)

Maurice Jarre, 84, film composer, on March 29
(Maurice Jarre – Doctor Zhivago Theme)

.

DOWNLOAD IN MEMORIAM VOL. 3

.

Keep up with pop deaths on Facebook