Some 70's & 80's Soul, R&B & Blues Figures

Anita Pointer - 74 - Singer with The Pointer Sisters

THE POINTER SISTERS ~ "SLOW HAND";


THE POINTER SISTERS ~ "FIRE";


THE POINTER SISTERS ~ "JUMP FOR MY LOVE";


THE POINTER SISTERS ~ "I'M SO EXITED";


Irene Cara - 63 - American singer ("Flashdance... What a Feeling") and actress ("Sparkle", "Fame", "Sister Sister", "City Heat"), Oscar winner (1983)

IRENE CARA ~ "WHAT A FEELING";


IRENE CARA ~ "OUT ON MY OWN";


Calvin Simon - 79 - Singer with 1970's American Funk band Parliament-Funkadelic

PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC ~ "BRING BACK THE FUNK";


PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC ~ "COSMIC SLOP";



Greg Webster - 84 - Drummer w/1970's R&B band the Ohio Players

THE OHIO PLAYERS ~ "ROLLERCOASTER OF LOVE";


THE OHIO PLAYERS ~ "FIRE";



Sidney Kirk - 78 - American Jazz and R&B pianist with Issac Hayes, Dionne Warwick, Albert King, Rufus Thomas & the Platters

ISSAC HAYES ~ "SHAFT";


William Hart - 77 - American singer/songwriter with 1970's R&B group The Delfonics ("La-La (Means I Love You)", "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)")

THE DELFONICS ~ "DIDN'T I BLOW YOUR MIND THIS TIME";


THE DELFONICS ~ "LA LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU";


Sam Gooden - 87 - Singer with 1970's R&B group The Impressions

THE IMPRESSIONS ~ "IT'S ALL RIGHT";


THE IMPRESSION ~ "PEOPLE GET READY";


Betty Davis - 77 - American 1970's Funk and Soul singer

BETTY DAVIS ~ "FUNK";



Howard Grimes ~ 80 ~ Memphis Soul drummer for Stax and Hi Records in the 1960's & 70's w/Rufus & Carla Thomas, Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Otis Clay, O.V. Wright, Syl Johnson, Ann Peebles, Don Bryant, The Bo-Keys, Cyndi Lauper, Deke Dickerson

RUFUS & CARLA THOMAS ~ "CAUSE I LOVE";


AL GREEN ~ "TIRED OF BEING ALONE";


AL GREEN ~ "LET'S STAY TOGETHER";


David Tyson ~ 62 ~ Singer w/1970's Vocal group the Manhattans

THE MANHATTANS ~ "GIRL OF MY DREAM";


THE MANHATTANS ~ "KISS & SAY GOODBYE";



Richard Pratt - Singer with 1970's Soul vocal group Blue Magic

BLUE MAGIC ~ "CHASING RAINBOWS":



Timmy Thomas ~ 77 ~ US 1960's & 70's Soul singer

TIMMY THOMAS ~ "WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER";



Eric Mercury ~ 70's ~ Toronto 1960's & 70's R&B singer with The Soul Searchers

ERIC MERCURY & THE SOUL SEARCHERS ~ "LONELY GIRL";



Adam Wade - 87 - American Soul singer ("The Writing on the Wall") and television host (Musical Chairs)
ADAM WADE ~ "THE HUNGARY YEARS";


Donny Gerrard ~ Vancouver 1970's Soul and R&B singer w/Skylark, later backup singer with Mavis Staples, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John & Cher

SKYLARK ~ "WILDFLOWER"



Geraldine Hunt - 77 - American R&B singer ("Can't Fake the Feeling")

GERALDINE HUNT ~ "CAN'T FAKE THE FEELING":


Syl Johnson ~ 85 ~ 1970's Chicago Soul singer

SYL JOHNSON ~ "WE DID IT";


SYL JOHNSON ~ "ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS";


Jimmy Johnson (real name James Earl Thompson) - 93 - Blues guitarist and singer w/Slim Harpo, Freddie King, Albert King, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Eddy Clearwater, Otis Clay and Jimmy Johnson (to whom he was not actually realated), brother to Syl Johnson

JIMMY JOHNSON & BIG TIME SARAH ~ "B.L.U.E.S";


JIMMY JOHNSON ~ "AS THE YEARS GO PASSING BY";


Luther Johnson - 83 - Mississippi BLues singer/guitarist w/Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, John Lee Hooker (including in "The BLues Brothers"), Jimmy Johnson & solo

LUTHER JOHNSON;


Freddie Roulette ~ 83 ~ Chicago Blues & Gospel steal guitarist & singer

FREDDIE ROULETTE ~ "LUCILLE";


Walter Wolfman Washington ~ 79 ~ New Orleans Blues and R&B singer/guitarist

WALTER WOLFMAN WASHINGTON ~ "STEAL AWAY";


WALTER WOLFMAN WASHINGTON ~ "NOBODY'S FAULT BUT MINE";


Barbara Morrison - 72 - American Jazz and R&B singer w/Johnny Otis, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Jr Mance, Joe Sample

BARARA MORRISION ~ "WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES";


Ernie Andrews ~ 94 ~ American Jazz, Blues, Big Band and R&B singer from the 1940's onward

ERNIE ANDREWS ~ "IF I DON'T LOVE YOU";


ERNIE ANDREWS ~ "OLD MAN JAZZ":



Derf Reklaw Raheem ~ Percussionist with 1970's & 80 Jazz/Funk Fusion bands The Pharohs, The Intentions, The Blend Crafters,

THE PHAROAHS ~ "THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS";


THE INTENTIONS ~ "DIG IT";



Charles E. McCormick - 75 - Singer with American 1970's R&B band Bloodstone

BLODDSTONE ~ "NEVER LET YOU GO";


James Mtume - 76 - American Jazz musician (keyborads, bass, percussion,guitars) w/Mtume & Miles Davis and songwriter ("Juicy Fruit", "The Closer I Get to You")

MTUME ~ "JUICY FRUIT";


MTUME ~ "YOU ME & HE";



Benjamin Moore Jr ~ 81 ~ Singer/guitarist with the Blind Boys Of Alabama from the 2000's onward

THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA ~ "AMAZING GRACE";


THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA ~ "SPIRIT IN THE SKY";


Joyce Sims - 63 - American R&B singer-songwriter ("Come Into My Life")

JOYCE SIMMS ~ "COME INTO MY LIFE";


Jessie Daniels - 58 - Singer w/1980's American R&B the Force MD's

THE FORCE MD'S ~ "TENDER LOVE";


THE FORCE MD'S ~ "LOVE IS A HOUSE";



Traci Braxton - 50 - American R&B singer (The Braxtons) and television personality (Braxton Family Values)

THE BRAXTONS ~ "THE BOSS";


THE BRAXTONS ~ "WHERE'S THE GOOD IN GOODBYE";



Keith Martin - 55 - American R&B singer

KEITH MARTIN ~ "NEVER FIND SOMEONE LIKE YOU";



Roderick "Pooh" Clark - 49 - American R&B singer w/1990's R&B group Hi-Five

HI-FIVE ~ "I LIKE THE WAY";


HI-FIVE ~ "SHE'S PLAYING HARD TO GET";

Diane Luckey (AKA Q Lazzarus) ~ 61 ~ American R&B singer ("Goodbye Horses")

Q LAZZARUS ~ "GOOBYE HORSES";


Jewell Caples ~ 53 ~ American 1990's R&B singer for Death Row Records

JEWELL CAPLES ~ "WOMAN TO WOMAN";

Allen Toussaint & Some Other 1950's & 1960's Figures

Allen Toussaint (77) was an iconic figure of the New Orleans R&B and R&R scene from the early 1960's to the 1970's. A pianist, singer, producer and arranger he wrote songs like;

"Ruler of My Heart", recorded by Irma Thomas and later by Otis Redding under the title "Pain in My Heart", and by The Rolling Stones on their second album.
In 1964, "A Certain Girl" (originally by Ernie K-Doe) was the B-side of the first single release by The Yardbirds; the song was released again in 1980 by Warren Zevon.
A two-sided 1962 hit by Benny Spellman comprised "Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)," later covered by The O'Jays, Ringo Starr, and Alex Chilton.
"Fortune Teller", which was covered by many 1960s rock groups including Benny Spellman, The Rolling Stones, The Nashville Teens, The Who, The Hollies, The Throb, and ex-Searchers founder member Tony Jackson later by Robert Plant & Alison Krause and The Chains.
"Working On A Coalmine" by Lee Dorsey, later covered by Devo (no, really)
"Southern Nights" covered by Glen Campbell
"Get Out of My Life, Woman" covered by Paul Butterfield, Albert King, Solomon Burke, The Doors, Mountain, Big Joe Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Lee Dorsey, Fugitives, Jerry Garcia, Mad Lads
"Java" by Al Hirt
He played and produced with artist like Dr. John, The Meters, Irma Thomas, John Mayall, The Band, Lee Dorsey, Bonnie Raitt, Paul McCartney, Patti LaBelle, Elvis Costello, Earl King,

LEE DORSEY ~ "WORKING IN A COAL MINE":


BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND ~ "GET OUT OF MY LIFE WOMAN";


ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSE ~ "FORTUNE TELLER":


PF Sloan ~ Songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer from the 1960's on. Wrote or co-wrote; "The T.A.M.I. Theme Song", "Eve Of Destruction" (covered by Barry McGuire and later DOA), "Take Me For What I'm Worth" (the Searchers), "Secret Agent Man" (Johnny Rivers and later Agent Orange), "That's Cool, That's Trash" (The Kingsmen).

JOHNNY RIVERS ~ "SECRET AGENT MAN":


BARRY MCGUIRE ~ "EVE OF DESTRUCTION";


As session musician played with Surf bands like Jan & Dean (he actually sang lead on "Little Old Lady From Pasadena") and The Fabulous Baggies, later member of famous session L.A. session group the Wrecking Crew who played on hits by The Byrds ("Mr Tambourine Man"), Mama's & Papa's ("California Dreaming"), The Monkees, Glen Campbell, Grass Roots ("Live For Today"), Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny & Cher and many, many more.

THE GRASS ROOTS ~ "LET'S LIVE FOR TODAY";


MAMAS & PAPAS ~ "CALIFORNIA DREAMING";


Stevie Wright ~ 68 ~ English-born Australian singer w/ The Easybeats ("Friday On My Mind" & "Sorry") alter solo and w/Flash & The Pan

THE EASYBEATS ~ "SORRY";


THE EASYBEATS ~ "FRIDAY ON MY MIND";


THE EASYBEATS ~ "GOOD TIMES";


Arthur Brooks ~ 82 ~ Singer w/1950's & 60's Doo Wop & R&B group The Impressions ("People Get Ready", "For Your Precious Love")

THE IMPRESSIONS ~ "IT'S ALL RIGHT":


Cynthia Robinson ~ Trumpet player 1960 Funksters w/Sly & The Family Stone

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE ~ "DANCE TO THE MUSIC":


SLY & THE FAMILY STONE ~ "TAKE YOU HIGHER";


Ronnie Bright ~ 77 ~ American R&B bass singer w/The Cadillacs, The Coasters, The Valentines, and Johnny Cymbal ("Mr Bassman").

THE COASTERS ~ "SEARCHING";


THE COASTERS ~ "CHARLIE BROWN";


William Guest ~ 74 ~ American R&B singer w/Gladys Knight & the Pips

GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS ~ "I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE";


Joe Houston ~ 89 ~ American jazz and R&B saxophonist from the 1950's on with Big Joe Turner, Amos Wilburn. King Kolax and with his own Joe Houston & The Rockers

BIG JOE TURNER ~ "SHAKE RATTLE & ROLL";


BIG JOE TURNER ~ "FLIP FLOP & FLY"


AMOS WILBURN ~ "DOWN THE ROAD APIECE";


AMOS WILBURN ~ "BAD BAD WHISKEY";


Sam Dockery, 86, American jazz pianist w/Art Blakey, Clifford Brown and Betty Carter

CLIFFORD BROWN ~ "OH LADY BE GOOD";


ART BLAKEY & JAZZ MESSENGERS ~ "A NIGHT IN TUNISIA";