Ray Manzarek, keyboardist for the Doors died of cancer. A hugely influential band but I must say it was years before I could listen to them. See I grew up in Scarbourgh listening to punk, new wave as well as garage and rockabilly from the 50's & 60's while everybody else was listening to Q-107 who insisted on playing the same playlist every fucking day for years and years. The Doors, Zeppelin, Stones, Who, Floyd and Rush literally every fucking day, at least twice a day. No exaggeration. I really resented that at the time. It wasn't till years later that I got over that and decided that they were actually good bands. Except for Rush, they still suck.
Anyway where was I? Oh right, Ray Manzerek. He also produced the first X album as well, on which they buzz-sawed their way through "Soul Kitchen". Which was in turn later used in an episode of "Miami Vice" just before something blew up real good. So there's that.
THE DOORS ~ "LIGHT MY FIRE";
X & RAY MANZAREK ~ "SOUL KITCHEN";
Ronnie Splinter ~ Guitarist for influential 1960's Dutch garage band The Outsiders (not be confused with the 1960's American garage band The Outsiders who had a hit with the classic "Time Won't Let Me")
THE OUTSIDERS ~ "LYING ALL THE TIME";
Marshall Lytle ~ Bassist with Bill Haley's Comets as well as his preceding band The Saddlemen. Also co-wrote "Crazy Man Crazy" and a few songs for Haley associated group The Jodimers including their big hit "Rattle Shakin' Daddy", pioneer of the Rockabilly "Slap Bass" sound ~ 79
BILL HALEY & THE COMETS ~ "ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK";
BILL HALEY & THE COMETS ~ "RAZZLE DAZZLE";
Johnny Smith ~ 1955 Guitarist who did the original version of the surf classic "Walk Don't Run", later covered by The Ventures, Shadows, Belaires, Los Straitjackets and virtually every other surf band ~ 90
THE VENTURES ~ "WALK DON'T RUN";
Roger LaVern ~ British rock keyboardist with The Tornados and Joe Meek ~ 75
JOHN LEYTON ~ "JOHNNY REMEMBER ME" & THE TORNADOS ~ "TELSTAR";
Jim Sundquist ~ Guitarist for 1960's garage band The Fendermen "Mule Skinner Blues" ~ 75
THE FENDERMAN ~ "MULE SKINNER BLUES";
Eddie Bond ~ 1950's Rockabilly singer originally on Sun Records then on Mercury later became a country singer ~ 79
EDDIE BOND ~ "TORE UP";
EDDIE BOND ~ "ONE WAY TICKET";
Bobby Blue Bland ~ American Blues and R&B singer from the 1950's on. With hits like "Turn On Your Love Light", "I Pity The Fool", "Stormy Monday", "I'll Take Care Of You". Sang with BB King as well. "Turn On Your Love Light" was covered by Van Morrison & Them, Edgar Winter, Greatful Dead, Grand Funk Railroad, Rascals, Paramounts, Fugitives, Jerry Lee Lewis and more.
BOBBY BLUE BLAND & BB KING ~ "IT'S MY OWN FAULT";
BOBBY BLUE BLAND & BB KING ~ "THE THRILL IS GONE";
Cedar Walton ~ American Jazz Pianist from 1960's w/ The Jazztet, Art Farmer, John Coltrane, Don Ellis, Lee Morgan, Abbey Lincoln ~ 79
THE JAZZTET ~ "KILLER JOE";
Donna Hightower ~ American 1960's & 70's R&B singer ("The World's In A Mess") ~ 86
DONNA HIGHTOWER ~ "THE WORLD TODAY IS IN A MESS";
Floyd McRae ~ Singer with 1950's Doo-Wop group The Chords who did the original version of the classic hit "Sh-Boom" later covered by The Crewcuts ~ 80
THE CHORDS ~ "SH-BOOM" (recorded in 1980);
THE CREWCUTS ~ "SH-BOOM";
Virgil Johnson ~ Singer with Doo-Wop group The Velvets ~ 77
THE VELVETS ~ "MY LOVE";
Bob Engemann ~ Singer with 1950's Pop Vocal Group The Letterman w/hits like "Love is A Many Splendored Thing", "When I Fall In Love", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Softly", and covers of pop hits like "You'll Never Walk Alone", "Up Up And Away", "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" and "Walk On By" ~ 76
THE LETTERMEN ~ "LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING";
THE LETTERMEN ~ "WALK ON BY";
Ed Shaughnessy ~ Jazz and Swing drummer from the 1950's on; played with Benny Goodman, Dorsey Brothers, Gene Ammons, Roy Eldridge, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Shirley Scott, Horace Silver, Count Basie and Jimmy Smith among others. Later played with Doc Severnson's Tonight Show Band ~ 84
THE DORSEY BROS ~ "MARIE";
Marion McPartland ~ British born Jazz Pianist, and composer from the 1940's on, called the "First Lady of Jazz". Married American Jazz Cornetist Jimmy McPartland, later became a jazz historian and host of a long running radio show ~ 86
MARION MCPARTLAND ~ "IN A MIST";
Marilyn King ~ American singer and actress, last surviving member of 1940's and 50's pop vocal group The King Sisters ~ 82
THE KING SISTERS ~ "ROUTE 66";
Pixie Williams ~ New Zealand 1950's pop singer, scored the first New Zealand based hit record with "Blue Smoke" in 1949 later covered by Nat King Cole ~ 85
