The People Who Died ~ 2018 Edition

Alfredo Ábalos ~ 80 ~ Argentine folk singer

Jewel Ackah ~ 72 ~ Ghanaian singer

Mikhail Alperin ~ 61 ~ Ukrainian-born Norwegian jazz pianist

Sammy Allred ~ 1950's and 60's Austin mandolinist with the Geezinslaw Bros

Casey Anderson ~ Nashville songwriter with Merle Haggard, husband to singer Liz Anderson and father of singer Lynne Anderson

Olav Angell ~ 86 ~ Norwegian poet and jazz musician

Roberto Angleró ~ 88 ~ Puerto Rican music composer and singer

Rayburn Anthony – Rockabilly singer for Sun Records, ("Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet", "Hambone") Rockabilly Hall of Fame member

Khaira Arby ~ 59 ~ Malian singer

Ryan Arcand ~ 46 ~ Edmonton street pianist & busker

Kat Arthur ~ 50's ~ Singer with 1980's Californa Pun band Legal Weapon

Avicii (Tim Bergling) ~ 28 ~ Swedish electronic musician ("Wake Me Up", "Hey Brother", "Levels") and disc jockey

Charles Aznavour ~ 94 ~ French pop singer from the 1950's onward

Lill-Babs ~ 80 ~ Swedish 1960's & 70's pop singer

Ayub Bachchu ~ 56 ~ Singer/guitarist with 1990's Bangladeshi rock group Love Runs Blind

Marty Balin ~ 76 ~ Singer w/Jefferson Airplane ("Plastic Fantastic Love","3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "She Has Funny Cars" "Volunteers" "Wooden Ships"), Jefferson Airplane ("Miracles"), The Town Criers

Tommy Banks ~ 81 ~ Canadian Juno Award winning jazz pianist, composer and politician, Senator (2000–2011)

Guto Barros ~ 61 ~ Brazilian guitarist with rock group Blitz

Stu Basore – Steel guitarist for Tex Ritter, Kitty Wells, and others

Richard Bateman ~ 50 ~ Bassist with American Thrash band Nasty Savage

Delia Bell ~ Bluegrass singer and guitarist

Turgut Berkes ~ 65 ~ Turkish rock musician and artist

Max Berrú ~ 74 ~ Ecuadorian-Chilean musician with Folk group Inti Illimani

Babs Beverly ~ 91 ~ UK singer with pop and Big Band vocal group the Beverly Sisters

David Bianco ~ 64 ~ American record producer, engineer and mixer (Tom Petty, Teenage Fanclub, Bob Dylan)

Asmund Bjørken ~ 84 ~ Norwegian jazz sax and accordianist

Santos Blanco ~ 48 ~ Singer w/1990's Spanish pop group Locomía

Hamlet Bluiett ~ 78 ~ American Jazz Saxophonist w/World Saxophone Quartet, Charles Mingus, Anthony Braxton, Gil Evans,

Greg Bonham ~ 69 ~ Australian born lounge-pop and big band singer

Sergey Bondarenko ~ 31 ~ Ukrainian singer, frontman of pop band Nensi

Ponty Bone ~ 78 ~ Texas accordionist with the Squeezetones, Joe Ely, The Clash, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, King Flaco Jiménez, Linda Ronstadt and Ronnie Lane

Brian Browne ~ 81 ~ Canadian jazz pianist

François Budet ~ 78 ~ French singer-songwriter, novelist, and poet

Christian Burchard ~ 71 ~ Drummer & percussionist w/1970's German Jazz band

Gary Burden ~ 84 ~ Grammy winning American rock album cover artist (After the Gold Rush, Morrison Hotel, Déjà Vu)

Bill Burkette ~ 75 ~ Singer w/1960's Doo Wop group The Vogues

Warren Butland ~ 39 ~ New Brunswick bassist w/The Kenny James Band

Henry Butler ~ 68 ~ New Orleans jazz pianist

Jim Caine ~ 91 ~ Manx jazz pianist and radio host

Tony Calder ~ 74 ~ English music promoter and executive (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones).

Tim Calvert ~ 52 ~ American guitarist w/Metal bands Nevermore, Forbidden

George Cameron ~ Drummer with 1960's US pop group the Left Banke ("Walk Away Renee")

Ace Cannon ~ 1950's & 60's rock sax player ("Yakkety Sax")

Roy Carr ~ 73 ~ British music journalist (NME, Vox)

Bernadette Carroll ~ 74 ~ Singer with 1950's American Pop vocal group The angels,("My Boyfriend's Back", "Louie Louie")

) Paul Ott Carruth ~ 83 ~ American folk singer-songwriter and activist

Marcello Cassettari ~ 51 ~ Brazilian musician

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler ~ 65 ~ American jazz/pop drummer w/Micheal Jackson, George Benson, Stanley Clarke, The Crusaders, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, John Lee Hooker, Dazz Band, Thelonious Monk, Jean-Luc Ponty, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Patrice Rushen, Santana, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer, The Temptations, Tina Turner, and Weather Report.

Tim Chandler ~ 5 ~, American bassist with Christian Rock bands Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies, The Choir

Kak Channthy ~ 38 ~ Cambodian space rock singer

Jerry Chesnut ~ Nashville songwriter from the 1960's onward; “A Dime at a Time” (Del Reeves), “Good Year for the Roses” (George Jones and Alan Jackson), "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" (Elvis Presley and Travis Tritt and Waylon Jennings, Bill Anderson, Tammy Wynette, and others

Siva Choy ~ 70 ~ Singaporean blues musician

Enrico Ciacci ~ 75 ~ Italian guitarist and bandleader

Roger Clark – Muscle Shoals studios session drummer

Roy Clark ~ 85 ~ US country guitarist & banjo player from the 1950's onward, co-host of Hee Haw

Eddie Clarke ~ 67 ~ British guitarist w/Motörhead and Fastway

Randy Clay ~ Country singer/songwriter with Ashley McBryde cut the songs “American Scandal,” “Tired of Being Happy,” and “El Dorado” and others

Eddy Clearwater ~ 83 ~ American blues singer and guitarist from the 1950's on

Lawrence Cleary ~ 60 ~ Bassist w/1980's Irish New Wave band The Blades ("Hot For You" & "Ghost of a Chance")

Buzz Clifford ~ 76 ~ American singer ("Baby Sittin' Boogie") and songwriter

Brain Cober ~ 60 ~ Toronto rock & blues guitarist w/The Nationals,

Deborah Coleman ~ 61 ~ American Blues guitarist & singer

Paul Colilli ~ 64 ~ Guitarist in the original line-up of Hamilton 1970's Art Punk band Simply Saucer

Charlie Collins ~ 81 ~ 1960's & 70's Jamaican born, London based Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae producer, label head and owner of the Four Aces Club

Lorrie Collins ~ 76 ~ American Rockabilly singer with the Collins Kids

Stuart Colman ~ 73 ~ English record producer and bassist w/Shakin Stevens, Billy Fury, The Blasters, Cliff Richard, Phil Everly, Alvin Stardust, The Jets, The Inmates, Little Richard, The Crickets, Faith Hill, Jeff Beck

Gene Coon ~ Drummer with Toronto 1980's metal band Steel Lilly

François Corbier ~ 73 ~ French singer/songwriter

Jack Costanzo ~ 98 ~ American Latin Jazz percussionist,bongos and conga player, w/Stan Kenton, Desi Arnez, Billy May Orchestra, Peggy Lee, Charlie Barnet, Harry James, Judy Garland, Patti Page, Ray Anthony, Martin & Lewis, Dinah Shore, Xavier Cugat, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and Eddie Fisher.

Peter "Mars" Cowling ~ 72 ~ British bassist w/The Pat Travers Band

Steve Coy ~ 56 ~ Drummer with 1980's UK Pop band Dead or Alive ("You Spin Me Round")

Anthony Cruz ~ Puerto Rican-American salsa singer

Scott Cushnie ~ Toronto keyboardist w/The Rockin Deltoids, Canadian Aces, Ronnie Hawkins, Robbie Robertson, Duane Allman, Aerosmith

Vic Damone ~ 89 ~ American pop singer ("On the Street Where You Live", "You're Breaking My Heart")

Nathan Davis ~ 81 ~ American jazz sax player from the 1960's onward w/Eric Dolphy, Art Blakey, Nat Adderly. Ray Charles and solo

Theryl DeClouet ~ 66 ~ American singer with jazz-funk band Galactic

Del Delker ~ 93 ~ American gospel singer (Voice of Prophecy)

Stefan Demert ~ 78 ~ Swedish folk-pop singer

Tom Diaz ~ 32 ~ Venezuelan singer

Wayne Dockery ~ 76 ~ American Jazz double bassist w/George Benson, Sonny Fortune

Kim Dong-Yoon ~ 20 ~ South Korean pop singer w/Mix Nine

Bob Dorough ~ 94 ~ American jazz pianist, singer and composer for the "Schoolhouse Rock!" cartoons, also worked with Miles Davis, Mel Torme, Blossom Derrie and Spanky & Our Gang

Micheal Keys Dowson ~ 69 ~ Toronto Jazz/Blues pianist, w/Robbie Lane & The Disciples, Paul James

Patrick Doyle ~ 32 ~ Drummer w/Scottish Indie Pop band Veronica Falls

William Duggan ~ Musician in Newfoundland bands One Night Stand and Live Wire Express

Ron Dunbar ~ 77 ~ American R&B songwriter ("Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen Of The Board, "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne and "Patches" by Clarence Carter)

Teddy Edelmann ~ 76 ~ Danish 1970's pop singer

Norman Edge ~ 84 ~ American jazz double-bassist w/Gene Ammons, Clark Terry & Nelson Riddle

Nokie Edwards ~ 82 ~ Guitarist w/Washington Surf Guitar band The Ventures ("Walk Don't Run", "Twilight Zone", "Out Of Limits", "Apache", "Hawaii 5-O")

Shawn Elliot ~ 79 ~ American 1960's pop singer ("Shame And Scandal In The Family", later covered by Peter Tosh

Terry Evans ~ 80 ~ American blues and soul musician.

Efrén Echeverría ~ 86 ~ Paraguayan musician, composer, and record collector

Jimmy Farrer ~ 67 ~ Singe4r/guitarist with 1970's American Southern Rock band Molly Hatchett

Josh Fauver ~ 38 ~ Bassist with American Alt-Country group Deerhunter

Grant Fell ~ 56 ~ Bassist w/New Zealand alternative band the Headless Chickens

Alec Finn ~ Bazouki player with Irish folk group De Dannen

Stephen Fitzpatrick ~ Singer/Guitarist with Liverpool indie band Her's

Claudia Fontaine ~ 57 ~ English singer (Afrodiziak) and backing vocalist (Pink Floyd, Elvis Costell

DJ Fontana ~ 87 ~ Drummer with Elvis Presley & the Blue Moon Boys, later with Paul McCartney, house band drummer on the Louisiana Hayride in the 1950's

Sonny Fortune ~ 79 ~ American Sax player

Mark Fosson ~ 68 ~ Toronto drummer with 1970's Pop/Disco bands

Clarence Fountain ~ 88 ~ Singer with American gospel group the Blind Boys Of Alabama from the 1950's onward

Hardy Fox ~ 73 ~ Musician with the San Francisco Dadist music group the Residents

Aretha Franklin ~ 76 ~ Classic Soul diva from the 1960's onward w/hits; "Respect", "Chain Of Fools", "Do Right Woman", "Natural Woman", "Freeway Of Love"

Rennie Frattura (AKA Reno Jack) ~ 64 ~ Toronto Rockabilly & Country standup bassist

Valters Frīdenbergs ~ 30 ~ Latvian musician with pop duo (Valters and Kaža)

Mikio Fujioka ~ 36 ~ Guitarist w/Japanese Nu-Metal band Babymetal

Christine Gaidies ~ Toronto singer/songwriter

Rene Garcia ~ 66 ~ Guitarist with 1970's & 80's Filipino pop band Hotdog

Don Gardner ~ American 1960's R&R singer w/Don & Dee Dee

Kenneth Gärdestad ~ 69 ~ 1970's Swedish songwriter

Al Garner ~ 88 ~ British Dixieland Jazz trumpet player and band leader

Lucho Gatica ~ 90 ~ Chilean bolero singer

Lorraine Gordon ~ 95 ~ New York jazz club owner (Village Vanguard)

Andy Goessling ~ American multi-instrumentalist with Aklt-Country band Railroad Earth

Jerry Gonzalez ~ 69 ~ US Latin Jazz band leader

Ben Graves ~ 46 ~ Drummer with American Glam Metal bands the Murderdolls and Pretty Boy Floyd

Paul Gray ~ 54 ~ Singer & keyboardist with Australian funk band Wa Wa Nee

Roman Grinev ~ Russian Jazz pianist

Mario Guccio ~ 64 ~ Singer w/1970's Belgium Prog Rock band Machiavel

Peter Guidi ~ 68 ~ Scottish born Italian jazz saxophonist and flutist

Marc Guinot ~ 73 ~ Portuguese singer

Dean Hall (AKA Limo Dean) ~ Singer/guitarist w/UK Punk band the Limozines

Rick Hall ~ 85 ~ 1960's & 70's R&B, R&R, Gospel and Country Producer w/Fame Studio at Muscle Shoals w/Wilson Pickett, James and Bobby Purify, Aretha Franklin, Clarence Carter, Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, George Jones, Brenda Lee, Paul Anka

Billy Hancock, 71, American Rockabilly singer/guitarist

Roy Hargrove ~ 49 ~ American Jazz trumpet player with Prog Jazz group RH Factor and w/Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride and Branford Marsalis.

Neil Harris ~ 63 ~ Guitarist w/1970's UK Punk band Sham 69

Mike Harrison ~ 72 ~ British singer w/1970's band Spooky Tooth

Freddie Hart ~ 91 ~ US coiuntry singer from the 1950's onward

Edwin Hawkins ~ 74, American gospel musician ("Oh Happy Day", "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)"

Victor Hayden ~ Artist & clarinetist with Capt Beefheart & The Magic band ("Trout Mask Replica")

Oli Herbert ~ 44 ~ American heavy metal guitarist (All That Remains)

John Heward ~ Toronto jazz drummer and artist

Theresa Hightower ~ 64 ~ American jazz singer

Algia Mae Hinton ~ 88 ~ American blues singer and guitarist

John Hiseman ~ Drummer with late 1960's - 1970's UK Prog Rock band Coliseum

Bret Hoffmann ~ 51 ~ American death metal singer w/Malevolent Creation

Dave Holland ~ 69 ~ English drummer w/Judas Priest

Richard Hoʻopiʻi ~ 76 ~ American Hawaiian musician

Brian Henry Hooper ~ 55 ~ Australian bassist (Beasts of Bourbon, Rowland S. Howard, Kim Salmon & The Surrealists)

Sid Hudson – Country electric and steel guitarist

Ron Huff – Arranger and conductor for "Nashville Sound" recordings

Scott Hutchison ~ 36 ~ Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist w/indie bands Frightened Rabbit, Mastersystem, The Fruit Tree Foundation

Jeremy Inkel - 35 - Electronics and production with Canadian Industrial bands Noise Unit, Malhavok, Frontline Assembly and Mechviruses and solo

Takayuki Inoue ~ 77 ~ Singer/guitarist with Japanese 1960's rock band The Spiders

Navid Izadi, 32, American DJ and hip hop artist

Gilbert Izquierdo ~ American rapper (Brownside)

Olga Jackowska ~ 67 ~ Singer with Polish Post Punk band Maanam

Jill Janus ~ 42 ~ American rock singer with Metal band Huntress

Irvin Jarrett ~ 69 ~ Jamaican reggae percussionist w/Inner Circle, Third World

Boyd Jarvis ~ 59 - American music producer (Herbie Hancock, La Toya Jackson, Johnny Kemp)

Nathan Jatcko ~ 31 ~ American keyboardist w/Prog-Rock band Pavlov's Dog

Brandon Jenkins ~ 48 ~ American Alt-Country singer-songwriter

Billy Johnson ~ Drummer w/American punk and noise rock bands Reggie and the Full Effect, Rocket Fuel Is The Key

Mickey Jones ~ 76 ~ American drummer (Bob Dylan, Trini Lopez, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition) and actor

Spencer P. Jones ~ 62 ~ New Zealand singer and guitarist (The Johnnys, Beasts of Bourbon, Sacred Cowboys)

Michael Wayne Jones – Steel guitarist for Barbara Mandrell

Gérard Jouannest ~ 85 ~ French pianist and composer w/Jacques Brel

Joseph Kamaru ~ 79 ~ Kenyan benga musician and political activist

Deivison Kellrs ~ 30 ~ Brazilian singer

Kato Khandwala ~ 47 ~ American record producer (My Chemical Romance, Breaking Benjamin, Papa Roach)

Lindsay Kemp ~ 80 ~ English dancer, choreographer (w/David Bowie on the Ziggy Stardust tour)

Mike Kennedy ~ 59 ~ American drummer with Country singer George Strait, Ricky Scaggs, Bill Anderson

Ras Kimono ~ 60 ~ Nigerian reggae musician

Ed King ~ 68 ~ American guitarist w/The Strawberry Alarm Clock and Lynyd Skynyrd

Morgana King ~ 87 ~ Jazz and R&B singer from the 1940's to the 1980's, she also sang opera and appeared in "The Godfather"

Stu Boy King ~ 64 ~ American drummer with 1970's punk band The Dictators

Tony Kinman ~ 62 ~ American rock singer and bass guitarist w/1970's Punks The Dils ("Class War") and 1980's Cowpunks Rank and File ("Conductor Wore Black")

Danny Kirwin ~ Guitarist w/the 1960's lineup of Fleetwood Mac ("Black Magic Woman", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Albatross")

Erich Kleinschuster ~ 88 ~ Austrian trombonist and bandleader w/Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto, Stanley Clarke, Gerry Mulligan, and Toots Thielemans.

Nick Knox ~ 60 ~ Drummer with The Cramps and the Electric Eels

Sonny Knowles ~ 86 ~ Irish singer, sax and clarinet player

Jarosław Kozidrak ~ 63 ~ Polish guitarist, keyboardist and composer w/1970's band Bajm

Jan Kirsznik ~ 84 ~ Polish rock saxophonist w/1960's Pop group Rhythm & Blues

Leah LaBelle ~ 31 ~ Canadian-born American singer (American Idol)

Gary Lambert ~ 1950's Rockabilly guitarist w/Glen Glenn, Rose Maddox & Eddie Cochran

Guilherme Lamounier ~ 67 ~ Brazilian singer-songwriter, composer and actor

Jake Landers – Bluegrass songwriter

Billy Ray Lantham – Banjoist for The Kentucky Colonels and The Dillards.

Honey Lantree ~ 75 ~ Drummer with 1960's UK rock group The Honeycombs ("Walk Right Back")

Kim Larsen ~ 72 ~ Singer, songwriter and guitarist with Danish 1970's rock group Gasolin

Denise LaSalle ~ 78 ~ American blues singer ("Trapped by a Thing Called Love")

Audun Laading ~ Singer/Guitarist with Liverpool indie band Her's

Lazy Lester ~ American Blues singer & harpist from the 1950's onward

Polly Lewis ~ Bluegrass singer

Luke Liang ~ 28 ~ Guitarist with Australian indie rock band Papa vs Pretty

Maurice Micheal Libby (AKA Whiteboy Slim) ~ Toronto/Sask blues singer guitarist w/Automatic Slim & Dirty Movies as well as solo

Didier Lockwood ~ 62 ~ French jazz violinist

Alan Longmuir ~ 70 ~ Scottish bass guitarist w/Bay City Rollers

Ellen Joyce Loo ~ 32 ~ Canadian-born Hong Kong singer with Pop group at17

Bonnie Lou ~ 1960's Rockabilly and Honky Tonk singer ("Seven Lonely Days", "Daddy O")

DJ Loutka ~ 51 ~ Czech DJ

Fraser Loveman - 70's - Singer with 1960's Toronto band the British Modbeats

Gary Lowe ~ 65 ~ Bassist with Toronto blues rock band Big Sugar and 1970's reggae band Isham Band, Jackie Mittoo, Culture Shock

Ángel Medardo Luzuriaga ~ 82 ~ Ecuadorian Andean cumbia musician

Alfred Lynn ~ 62 ~ American Hip-Hop singer Wu-Tang Clan

Beverly McClennan ~ 49 ~ singer

George McCormick – Grand Ole Opry musician and vocalist

Hugh McDowell ~ 65 ~ Cellist with UK prog rock bands ELO and Wizzard

Craig MacGregor ~ 68 ~ American bassist w/1970's rock band Foghat ("Slow ride")

Jon McMurray ~ 34 ~ Canadian rapper and freeskier

Big Tom McBride ~ 81 ~ Irish country music singer

Andy McQueen ~ Singer with 1970's New Zealand New Wave band Exploding White Mice

Donald McGuire ~ 86 ~ American singer with 1950's pop vocal group The Hilltoppers

Craig Mack ~ 47 ~ American rapper ("Flava in Ya Ear")

Steve Mandell – Guitarist, most famously played on “Dueling Banjos.”

Tito Madi ~ 89 ~ Brazilian singer and composer

C. K. Mann ~ 82 Ghanaian highlife musician

Ellie Mannette ~ 90 ~ Trinidadian/American steel drum pioneer

Robbee Mariano ~ 47 ~ German bassist w/R&B band Söhne Mannheims

Luke Martin ~ Singer with 1990's Toronto band Minque

Vince Martin ~ 1950's & 60's folk singer

Hugh Masekela ~ 78 ~ South African jazz trumpeter ("Grazing in the Grass", "Bring Him Back Home") and composer ("Soweto Blues") also played on the Byrds "So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star"

Peter Mathieson ~ Toronto 1970's Folk singer

Tommy Matley ~ 36 Singer with Irish vocal group The Overtones

Maurane ~ 57 ~ Belgian Pop singer and actress

Joseph Maus ~ 30, American art rock musician w/John Maus, Angel Pink

Mayra Mayra ~ 54 ~ Puerto Rican singer

Sam Mehran ~ 31 ~ Singer/guitarist with American Pop Punk band Test Icicles

Floyd Miles, 74, American blues musician and singer

Jerzy Milian ~ 82 ~ Polish jazz vibraphonist

Mac Miller ~ 26 ~ American rapper

James Milne ~ Bassist w/1970's & 80's Toronto band The Downchild Blues Band

Seo Min-woo ~ 33 ~ South Korean singer w/Boy Band 100%

Andrej Mita ~ Polish performance artist and singer

Miucha ~ 81 ~ Brazilian singer

Linda Mkhize ~ 37 ~ South African rapper and DJ

Millie Moriak ~ 78 ~ Toronto 1950's model, radio personality and record librarian with 1950 CHUM, AKA "Miss CHUM"

Sergei Mosin ~ 59 ~ Russian jazz musician

Thom Moore ~ 74 ~ American singer and songwriter

Wilson Moreira ~ 81 ~ Brazilian sambista, singer and songwriter

Alfred Morris III ~ 60 ~ Guitarist w/American metal band Iron Man

Johnny Mosby – West coast country recording artist.

Matt Guitar Murphy ~ 88 ~ Guitarist w/Howlin Wolf, Ike Turner, Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Etta James, Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Chuck Berry, Joe Louis Walker, Memphis Slim, Aretha Franklin and The Blues Brothers as well as solo

Mike Murphy ~ 58 ~ Toronto rock & blues singer/guitarist w/The Repairmen and solo

Ken Narita ~ 73 ~ Japanese pop and animae singer

Queeneth Ndaba ~ 82 ~ South African jazz singer and manager (Dorkay House, African Jazz Pioneers)

Buell Neidlinger ~ 80 ~ American jazz bassist w/Cecil Taylor, Jon-Luc Ponty, Frank Zappa, Van Dyke Parks, David Grisman, Stewart Copeland, Duane Eddy, Ry Cooder, Anthony Braxton, Leo Kottke, Ringo Star, Harry Nilson, Reuben Blades, Sam Phillips, The Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison, Bob Segar, Natalie Cole, Pops Staples, Frank Siantra, Barbara Streisand,and Earth Wind & Fire

Charles Neville ~ 79 ~ American saxophonist w/The Neville Brothers ("Tell It Like It Is")

Steve Nisbett ~ 69 ~ Nevisian-born British reggae drummer (Steel Pulse)

Mike Northcott - 60's - Hamilton, Ontario guitarist with 1980's & 90's bands Instant Gothic, The London Underground, The Squad, The Believers, Tasmaniacs, Saddletramps

Kenny O'Dell ~ 73 ~ American Grammy winning country singer-songwriter for Charlie Rich ("Behind Closed Door"),Tom Jones, Sammi Smith, Charley Pride, Tanya Tucker, Kenny Rogers and the Judds

Liam O'Flynn ~ 72 ~ Uilleann piper w/Isrish Folk band Planxty

Dolores O'Riordan ~ 46 ~ Irish singer and musician (The Cranberries, D.A.R.K.)

Micheal O'Suilleabhain ~ 67 ~ Irish folk composer

Abi Ofarim ~ 80 ~ Israeli 1960's singer/guitarist w/Pop duo Esther & Abi ("Cinderella Rockefella")

John Von Ohlen ~ 77 ~ American jazz drummer w/Woody Herman, Stan Kenton and the Blue Wisp Big Band)

Joe Osborne ~ Bassist with classic 1960's session band the Wrecking Crew (The Monkees, Byrds, Beach Boys)

Carlos Almenar Otero ~ 92 ~ Venezuelan singer and songwriter

Hip Hop Pantsula ~ 38 ~ South African rapper

Rebecca Parris ~ 66 ~ American jazz singer

Micheal Parton ~ Country songwriter w/George Jones, Ricky Van Shelton and sister Dolly Parton

Lara Saint Paul ~ 73 ~ Eritrean-born Italian R&B and Jazz singer from the 1960's & 70's

Kyle Pavone ~ 28 ~ American rock vocalist with Metal band We Came as Romans

Tommy Peoples ~ 70 ~ Irish fiddler with folk band The Bothy Band

Danny Pearson ~ 61 ~ American 1970's R&B singer, worked with Issac Hayes

Carl Perkins ~ 59 ~ Singer & producer with New Zealand Reggae band House of Shem

Craig Peterman ~ Toronto singer

Pijuan ~ 75 ~ Puerto Rican pianist

Eugene Pitt ~ Lead singer with 1960's Doo-Woppers the Jive Five

Billy Poe ~ Steel guitarist with Charley Pride

Royce Porter – Country songwriter of “Ocean Front Property,” “Miami My Amy”

Dan "Hack" Preszator (AKA Fingers) ~ Bassist for Ontario 1980's Garage Punks UIC and The Chickens

Tony Pringle ~ 81 ~ English-born American jazz coronet player with Dixieland band the New Black Eagle Jazz Band

Ronnie Prophet ~ Canadian Country singer, guitarist and TV host from the 1960's to the 80's

Felton Pruett ~ Steel guitarist with Hank Williams

Franchesca La Profeta ~ 25 ~ Dominican rapper

Frank Pucci (AKA Killjoy) ~ 48, American singer w/Death Metal bands Necrophagia, Cabal, Viking Crown and solo

Rico Puno ~ 65 ~ Philippino pop singer

Charlie Quintana, 56, American rock drummer (Social Distortion, The Plugz, Cracker)

Raúl Marrero Quiles ~ 92 ~ Puerto Rican singer, composer and conductor

Bansi Quinteros ~ 41 ~ Spanish/Dutch keyboardist with dance-pop band GMS

Mowzey Radio ~ 33 ~ Ugandan singer with Afro-Pop band Goodlyfe Crew

Randy Rampage ~ 58 ~ Canadian thrash metal singer and bassist (D.O.A., Annihilator, Stress Factor 9)

James Randolph – Guitarist for The Bluegrass Tarheels

Tom Rapp ~ 70 ~ American singer-songwriter w/1960's Psyche band Pearls Before Swine

Brian Rasike ~ 62 ~ Zimbabwean singer

David Ratt ~ Drummer or 1980's New York Noise Punk band Rat At Rat

Raivo Rätte ~ 48 ~ Estonian bassits with alternative band Kosmikud

DJ Ready Red ~ 53 ~ American hip hop producer (Geto Boys) and DJ

Tama Renata ~ Singer/guitarist with New Zealand reggae band the Herbs

Stan Reynolds ~ 92 ~ British jazz trumpeter w/Buddy Rich, Vic Lewis and the Beatles

Charlie Rice ~ 98 ~ American big band jazz drummer w/Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Oscar Pettiford, Jimmy Heath

Betty Richardson ~ Singer with 1960's Toronto R&R Girl Group the Tiaras

Jerry Riopelle ~ 77 ~ American rock singer/songwriter/producer and drummer w/The Hollywood Argyles, Phil Specter, Nino Tempo, Herb Alpert, Brewer & Shipley, Kenny Logins, Meatloaf, Rita Coolidge

Jim Rodford ~ 76 ~ English bassist (Argent, The Kinks, The Zombies)

Celeste Rodrigues ~ 95 ~ Portuguese fado singer

Norm Rogers ~ 61 ~ American drummer w/alt-country band The Jayhawks

Zeno Roth ~ 61 ~ German guitarist and songwriter w/the Scorpions

Dave Rowland ~ 74 ~ US country singer with Dave & Sugar

Otis Rush ~ 84 ~ Chicago Blues singer & guitarist from the 1950's onward with Chess, Cobra, Atlantic ("I Can't Quit You Baby", "I'm Satisfied", "Double Trouble")

Ted Rusk ~ 61 ~ Toronto/Owen Sound rock singer/guitarist and radio DJ

Leif Rygg ~ 77 ~ Norwegian fiddler

Hideki Saijo ~ 63 ~ Japanese 1970's Pop singer

Jeff St John ~ 71 ~ Australian 1970's Pop singer/songwriter

Sinan Sakić ~ 61 ~ Serbian turbo-folk singer

Saleem ~ 57 ~ Singer w/1980's Malaysian rock band Iklim

Mark Salling ~ 35 ~ American singer and actor (Glee)

Ronnie Samoset ~ Country songwriter Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt, Ricky Van Shelton, Randy Travis

Don Sanders ~ 73 ~ American Country singer-songwriter

Ralph Santolla ~ 51 ~ American metal guitarist (Deicide, Obituary, Iced Earth)

Leo Sarkisian ~ 97 ~ American musicologist (African music) and broadcaster

Conway Savage ~ 58 ~ Australian rock keyboardist with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Sax Man ~ 65 ~ American street busker

Mashahiro Sayama ~ 64 ~ Japanese jazz pianist

Scepaz ~ 30 ~ Australian hip-hop artist

Glenn Schwartz ~ 78 ~ Guitarist with 1970's American rock bands Pacific Gas & Electric and the James Gang

Coco Schumann ~ 93 ~ German jazz guitarist

Randy Scruggs ~ Nashville guitarist and producer from the 1970's onward w/ Waylon Jennings, Dwight Yoakam, Loretta Lynn, Alison Krauss, Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris, Nitty Dirt Band, John Denver, Toby Keith, New Grass Revival

David Sebring – Guitarist for The Nashville Jog Band, The Gypsy Hombres, others, and salesman at Gruhn’s Guitars.

Wayne Secrest ~ Bassist with 1980's Country Rock band Confederate Railroad

George Semkiw ~ 74 ~ Toronto bassist with 1960's R&R Garage band Richie Knight & the Midnights, later became a record producer and engineer w/Lou Reed, Diodes, Streetheart, Trooper, BTO, Goddo, Triumph, Mandala, Thor, Funkadelic, Ian Thomas, Haygood Hardy

Elisa Serna ~ 75 ~ Spanish protest singer-songwriter from the 1970's

Mighty Shadow ~ 77 ~ Trinidadian Calypso singer

Preston Shannon ~ 70 ~ American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Shavey - Kenyan dancehall singer

Pete Shelly ~ Singer/guitarist with UK Punk band The Buzzcocks ("Boredom", "Ever Fallen In Love", "What Do I Get", "Orgasm Addict") and solo ("Homosapien")

Scott Shelson ~ Bassist with 1970's Toronto Rock bands Hott Roxx, Morniton Drive

Mark Shelton ~ 60 ~ Guitarist with American 1980's Heavy Metal band Manilla Road

Gayle Shepherd ~ 81 ~ American singer 1950's Pop and R&R singer with the Shepherd Sisters

Art Simmons ~ 92 ~ American jazz pianist w/Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Quincy Jones, Art Taylor, Kenny Clarke

Lowrell Simon ~ 75 ~ American soul singer-songwriter

Daryle Singletary ~ 46 ~ American country music singer ("I Let Her Lie", "The Note", "Amen Kind of Love")

Jahvante Smart (AKA Smokedawg) ~ Toronto Rapper

Hazel Smith ~ 83 - US Country songwriter (Willie Nelson and Dr Hook) and music journalist and promoter, coined the term "Outlaws" for the 1970's country movement

Mark E. Smith ~ 60 ~ English singer and songwriter w/1970's & 80's Punk & Post-Punk band The Fall ("Victoria", "Mr Pharmacist", "Hit the North")

Glenn Snoddy ~ 1950's Nashville producer/engineer with Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” and Hank Williams Sr.’s “Your Cheatin’ Heart", inventer of the Maestro Fuzz-Tone effect box

Russell Solomon ~ 92 ~ American retail executive, founder of Tower Records.

Steve Soto ~ 54 ~ Bassist with LA Punk bands Agent Orange and the Adoloescents

Donald Sowards – Mandolinist and tenor singer who played with Bill Monroe & others

Frank Lee Sprague ~ Singer/guitarist with American Rockabilly duo the Sprague Brothers

Tomasz Stańko ~ 76 ~ Polish jazz trumpeter and composer w/Cecil Taylor, Jack DeJohnette, Lester Bowie

Yvonne Staples ~ 80 ~ American soul singer w/The Staple Singers

John "Jabo" Starks ~ 79 ~ American drummer w/James Brown & The J.B.'s

Buster Stiggs ~ 63 ~ British-born Drummer w/New Zealand 1980's New Wave bands Suburban Reptiles, The Swingers, The Models

Elda Stilletto (real name Elda Gentile) ~ Singer with 1970's NYC Punk band the Stilettos

Steve Stone – Songwriter for Eddy Arnold, Roy Rogers, and more

Mary Strazzeri - 30's - Bassist with Toronto Riot Grrl band Sista Fista

Neil Stretcher ~ Keyboardist with the Grand Ole Opry house band

Johnny Strike ~ 70 ~ Singer/guitarist with 1970's & 80's San Francisco Punk band Crime

Mario Suarez ~ 92 ~ Venezuelan singer

Richard Swift ~ Bassist for the Black Keys "Lonely Boy"

Rachel Taha ~ 59 ~ Algerian/French singer with indie band Carte de Sejour and solo

Cecil Taylor ~ 89 ~ American Free Jazz pianist from the late 1950's on

Mike Taylor ~ Drummer with Toronto band Walk Off The Earth

Ernie Thacker – Lead guitarist and singer for Ralph Stanley

Ilse Themen ~ Toronto singer with R&B band Tamin Thunder

Ray Thomas ~ 76 ~ English singer-songwriter w/ 1960's & 70 Prog Rockers the Moody Blues ("Nights In White Satin", "Ride My See Saw", "Go Now")

Billy ThunderKloud ~ American country singer

Zang Tianshuo ~ 54 ~ Chinese rock musician,

Jaimie Torres ~ 80 ~ Argentine charango player

Pat Torpey ~ 64 ~ American drummer (Mr. Big)

Jim Tovey ~ 68 ~ Singer with 1970's Toronto bands Hott Roxx, Alpha String Band, Rockit 88, Tumbleweed,

William Márquez Uzcátegui ~ 50 ~ Singer with Venezuelan 1980's dance-pop group Los Chamos

Micki Varro ~ 75 ~ American actress and jazz singer

Bob Wakelin - singer/percussionist and artist from British post-punk band Modern Eon

Klaasje van der Wal ~ 69 ~ Bassist w/1960's Dutch rock band Shocking Blue ("Venus")

Gene Wardell ~ Country singer known as The Smokey Mountain Troubadour

Wah Wah Watson ~ 67 ~ American guitarist with the funk Bros, Herbie Hancock, Micheal Jackson

Dean Webb ~ Member of 1960's country band the Dillards

Stefan Weber ~ 71 ~ Austrian singer w/1970's Shock Rock band Drahdiwaberl

Randy Weston ~ 90 ~ American Avant Garde Jazz pianist from the 1950's onward with Charles Mingus and his own band

Lari White, 52, American country singer ("Now I Know", "That's My Baby")

Tony Joe White ~ 75 ~ American Southern 1970's rock singer/songwriter ("Rainy Night In Georgia", "Polk Salad Annie")

Jerry Wiggins ~ Country drummer for Buck Owens

Dick Williams ~ 91 ~ Singer with American 1940's & 50's Pop singers The Williams Brothers

Jerry Williams ~ 75 ~ 1960's Swedish Rock singer

Kevin Williams ~ Drummer with 1980's Vancouver punks AWOL, HOC and Tacklebox

Betty Willis ~ 76 ~ American soul singer

Eddie Willis ~ 82 ~ American studio guitarist w/Motown studio band The Funk Brothers played on most of the hits by The Four Tops, Temptations, Miracles, Supremes, Marvelettes

James Calvin Wilsey ~ 61 ~ American bassist with 1970's punk band The Avengers and guitarist with Chris Issak

Nancy Wilson ~ American 1960's Jazz singer

Olly Wilson - 80 - American composer, musicologist, and jazz musician

Elder Roma Wilson ~ 107 ~ American Gospel singer

Jimmy Wisner ~ 86 ~ American pianist, producer and songwriter w/Bobby Rydell, Freddy Cannon, Neil Sedaka, Bobby Vinton, Herbie Mann, Miriam Makeba, Judy Collins, Spanky & Our Gang, Tony Bennett, the Cowsills, Carly Simon, Al Kooper, Iggy Pop, Barbra Streisand, Tommy James, Brigitte Bardot, and Randy & the Rainbows.

Lester Woodie – Fiddler with The Stanley Brothers.

Jimmy Wopo ~ 21 ~ American rapper

Bill Watrous ~ 79 ~ American jazz trombonist w/Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Johnny Richards, Kai Winding, Ten Wheel Drive and solo ("A Time For Love")

Jimmy Work ~ 94 ~ American 1950's country singer/songwriter, did the original versions of "Tennessee Border" (later covered by Red Foley & Tennessee Ernie Ford) and "Making Believe" (covered by Kitty Wells, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Don Gibson, Roy Acuff, Lefty Frizzell, Wanda Jackson, Connie Francis, Ray Charles, Anita Carter, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb, Skeeter Davis and Social Distortion.)

Bobby Wotherspoon ~ Singer for Toronto Stones tribute band Hot Rocks from the 1990's onward

John Wicks ~ 65 ~ British singer and songwriter with 1980's Power Pop band The Records ("Starry Eyes")

Gary Wyoch ~ Drummer w/1970's Canadian disco bands Fellowship and Highspirit

XXXTentacion ~ 20 ~ American rapper

Young Greatness ~ 34 ~ American rapper

Roy Young ~ 81 ~ British singer and keyboardist, Solo and w/Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Tony Sheridan, Beatles, Long John Baldry

Todd Youth ~ Guitarist with American punk bands Danzig, Samhain, D-Generation, Murphy's Law, Cheap trick

Du Yuwei ~ 19 ~ Chinese singer w/Pop girl group GNZ48

Some More Rockers From The 50's & 60's

Fats Domino ~ 89 ~ Classic New Orleans R&B pianist with hits w/"Blueberry Hill", "I'm Walking", "The Fat Man". Fats was not the most famous black R&R figure of the 50's, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddly, Little Richard and Nat King Cole can fight over that title, but Fats actually had the most hit's starting in 1949.

FATS DOMINO ~ "VALLEY OF TEARS" & "I'M WALKING";


FATS DOMINO ~ "AIN'T THAT A SHAME";


Howard Carroll ~ 92 ~ American guitarist with 1950's & 60's Gospel group The Dixie Hummingbirds

THE DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS ~ "DIDN'T IT RAIN";


Warren "Pete" Moore ~ 78 ~ American Hall of Fame singer (The Miracles), songwriter ("The Tracks of My Tears", "Ain't That Peculiar", "Love Machine")

THE MIRACLES ~ "THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS";


THE MIRACLES ~ "TEARS OF A CLOWN";


JIMMY BEAUMONT ~ 76 ~ Singer with 1960's Doo-Wop group The Skyliners ("Since I Don't Have You";

THE SKYLINERS ~ "SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU";


Johnny Hallyday ~ 74 ~ French rock singer ("Requiem pour un fou", "Marie", "Tous ensemble")

JOHNNY HALLYDAY ~ "SOUVENIRS, SOUVENIRS";


George Young ~ Singer and guitarist from 1960's Australian band The Easybeats with hits like "Friday On My Mind" and "Sorry". He was also the older brother of Angus and Malcolm Young from AC/DC and he served as their manager in the early years.

THE EASYBEATS ~ "FRIDAY ON MY MIND";


THE EASYBEATS ~ "SORRY";


THE EASYBEATS ~ "SHE'S SO FINE";


Ray Thomas ~ 76 ~ English singer-songwriter w/ 1960's & 70 Prog Rockers the Moody Blues ("Nights In White Satin", "Ride My See Saw", "Go Now")

THE MOODY BLUES ~ "I'LL GO CRAZY";


THE MOODY BLUES ~ "RIDE MY SEE SAW";


Pentti Glan ~ 71 ~ Finnish-Canadian drummer (Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Mandala, Klaatu)

THE MANDALA ~ "LOVEITIS";


KLAATU ~ "A ROUTINE DAY";


WAYNE COCHRAN ~ 78 ~ American R&R singer ("Last Kiss")
WAYNE COCHRAN ~ "THE HARLEM SHUFFLE";


WAYNE COCHRAN & OTIS REDDING ~ "I CAN'T TURN YOU LOSE";


Mitch Margo ~ 70 ~ American singer w/1960's doo-wop group The Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight")

THE TOKENS ~ "THE LIONS SLEEP TONIGHT";


Riem de Wolff ~ 74 ~ Dutch-Indonesian singer w/1960's Dutch Pop Band The Blue Diamonds

THE BLUE DIAMONDS ~ "RAMONA";


Boris Lindqvist ~ 76 ~ Swedish 1960's rock singer


Della Reese ~ 86 ~ 1950's & 60's R&B singer and actress

DELLA REESE ~ "LONELYVILLE";


DELLA REESE ~ "SOMEDAY YOU'LL WANT ME TO WANT YOU";


Keely Smith ~ 89 ~ American singer ("That Old Black Magic", "I've Got You Under My Skin") and wife of Louis Prima

KEELY SMITH & LOUIS PRIMA ~ "THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC";


Mel Tillis, 85, American Hall of Fame country music singer-songwriter ("I Ain't Never", "Coca-Cola Cowboy" "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town")

MEL TILLIS ~ "RUBY DON'T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TWON";


Dick Noel ~ 90 ~ American big band band singer w/Ray Anthony's Orch ("Count Every Star")

RAY ANTHONY ORCH w/DICK NOEL:


Gert Timmerman ~ 82 ~ Dutch big band singer

Some More Figures From The Punk & New Wave Era

Grant Hart ~ 56 ~ Drummer/Singer/Songwriter w/classic 1980's Minnesota band Husker Du ("Don't Wanna Know If Yo Are Lonely", "Turn On The News", "Eight Miles High"

HUSKER DU ~ "DON'T WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE LONELY";


HUSKER DU ~ "COULD YOU BE THE ONE";


HUSKER DU ~ "EIGHT MILES HIGH";


Malcolm Young ~ 68 ~ Guitarist with AC/DC (I couldn't figure where else to put him);

AC/DC ~ "JAIL BREAK";


AC/DC ~ "IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP";


AC/DC ~ "LET THERE BE ROCK";


Iain Shedden ~ 60 ~ Scottish-Australian drummer w/1970's Punk band The Saints
THE SAINTS ~ "I'M STRANDED";


Pat DiNizio ~ 62 ~ American singer and musician w/Power-Pop band The Smithereens

THE SMITHEREENS ~ "A GIRL LIKE YOU";


THE SMITHEREENS ~ "ONLY A MEMORY";


Tommy Keene ~ 59 ~ Maryland 1980's Power-Pop singer/songwriter

TOMMY KEENE ~ "Places That Are Gone";


Mike Hudson ~ 61 ~ American guitarist with 1970's Ohio Punk band The Pagans

THE PAGANS ~ "HOPPED UP";


Fred Cole ~ 69 ~ Singer with California Garage bands Lollipop Shoppe and Dead Moon

DEAD MOON ~ "DOA";


Chuck Mosley ~ 57 ~ American singer w/Faith No More ("We Care a Lot") and Bad Brains

FAITH NO MORE ~ "WE CARE A LOT";


C'el Revuelta ~ Bassist with Los Angeles Hardcore band Black Flag

BLACK FLAG ~ "RISE ABOVE";


BLACK FLAG ~ "NERVOUS BREAKDOWN";


Eric Eycke ~ 62 ~ Former Singer with American thrash band Corrosion of Conformity (circa 1984)

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY;


Borislav Oslovčan ~ 56 ~ Serbian bassist w/Punk Band Pekinška Patka

Pekinska Patka - Biti ruzan, pametan i mlad;


Pekinška Patka - "Poderimo Rock";


Alvin DeGuzman ~ Guitarist with American Alternative Band The Icarus Line
THE ICARUS LINE ~ "UP AGAINST THE WALL";


THE ICARUS LINE ~ "PARTY THE BABY OFF";


Larry Ray ~ 63 ~ American rock guitarist w/Psyche-Rock Band Outrageous Cherry

OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY ~ "LOVE & OTHER ELECTRICAL STORMS";


OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY ~ "OUR LOVE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD";


Sir Christus ~ 39 ~ Guitarist w/Finnish Glam Rock Band Negative

Negative ~ "THE MOMENT OF OUR LOVE";

Tom Petty & Gord Downie

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS ~ "REFUGEE";


Tom Petty occupied an odd position in the 1980's. He could have been easily seen as a grizzled old vet like Bob Seger, both had been kicking around since the early seventies (earlier even, albeit not recorded) playing straight ahead three minute rock & roll songs in an era when such artists were being rudely pushed aside by the snarling hordes of Punk and the sneering artistes of New wave and Post-Punk. And yet Tom Petty became one of the few guys that everybody, even the most hardcore punk or pretentious Waver had to admit to a grudging liking for Tom Petty. It's partly his music which was stripped down enough to appeal to New Waver fans of the Pretenders, Police or Cars or punks like the Ramones, Jam or clash. His songs were exactly the sort of catchy, short and no-nonsense rock and roll songs that the original punks said they wanted when they tore into the dinosaurs of the 1970's; bloated Prog Rock, drippy sing-songwriters, drugged out Southern Rock, the wasted offspring of the sixties. Then there's the fact that while Petty was on a major label he Petty also had enough integrity to take on his own record company at considerable cost to himself. He also embraced other causes that some of his more red-necked fans might have objected to; the environment, peace, gun control. The Florida born Petty did use the Confederate flag during his "Southern Accents" album and tour but after seeing how this encouraged right-wing fans he had the integrity and guts to publicly back off which is more than you can say for Lynard Skynard or any number of Southern Rock, Rockabilly or Psychobilly bands.

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS ~ "YOU GOT LUCKY";


Also; unlike most of his no-frills rock Petty had just enough sense of visual style to toss off a few vaguely mod touches instead of the the beardo-trucker look of Bob Seger or Bryan Adams. Besides he was cool in a southern stoner way. Petty was cool enough to record with old fogies like Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Ringo Starr and Stevie Nicks.

THE TRAVELING WILBURYS ~ "HANDLE ME WITH CARE";


In retrospect he was the American equivalent to British Pub Rockers like Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Dr Feelgood, Ducks Deluxe and even Dire Straits in their early years. Except Petty turned out to be more successful than any of those worthies. The multi-platinum selling Dire Straits may have moved more product but in the end Petty's songs have had a longer life. Like Neil Young he would later be embraced by the next generation of Grunge and Alt-Country bands.

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS ~ "CHANGE OF HEART";


TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS ~ "DON'T COME AROUND ME";


It's a little hard to explain to Americans (or Brits for that matter) the Tragically Hip. Musically they were sort of in the tradition of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen of vaguely garagey straight ahead working class rawk & roll. But the Hip lacked the bombast of Springsteen and were more garagey then Petty. Also for all his old fashioned populist instincts Tom Petty saw himself as a polished songwriter, not a troubadour as Hip singer and songwriter Gord Downie clearly did. The Hip didn't start out that way. I saw them back in about 1988 and thought they were basically in the vein of what the Replacements, Soul Asylum and especially UIC were doing by that point. Downie even looked EXACTLY like UIC singer Dave Robinson with their plaid shirts and Darryl Sittler hair. (Later they would coincidentally both shave their heads, not sure who did it first).

THE TRAGICALLY HIP ~ "NEW ORLEANS IS SINKING";


I thought they were OK but I never predicted they would become they most beloved band in Canada. Then again neither did anybody else. It happened slowly as Downie warmed to his self-appointed role of Canada's rock and roll poet laureate, sort of a cross between Woody Guthrie, Dylan, Springsteen, Petty, John Cougar, Neil Young and Micheal Stipe. Both folksy and artsy in equal measure. His literate insertions of obscure Canadian locals and celebrities into numerous songs earned him a fanatical following that would never be able to translate to other countries. The Hip did have some American fans, tellingly mostly in border cities like Buffalo (where there is a giant mural in tribute) and a few astute critics. But while the rest of the Hip were sold enough everybody knew that without Downie they would have been the Georgia Satellites. A good party band with perhaps a few catchy hits but little more.

THE TRAGICALLY HIP ~ "MUSIC AT WORK";


Even as he cultivated an image as a sensitive, thoughtful man-of-the-people, Downie was not seen as an explicitly political figure (unlike Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett, another comparison) until fairly recently as he embraced environmentalism and indigenous people. It's a measure of how genuinely loved he had become with much of the country that while normally celebrities who take such stands, even popular Canadians like Neil Young, would immediately get viciously attacked by conservative politicians and media, nobody, literally nobody on the right, no matter how sleazy, dared to utter a peep in protest. The revelation that Downie had incurable brain cancer basically deified him and and their final tour became a national event which he deftly used to direct attention to his causes while still being seen as down-to-earth in ways that Bono, for example, never could. It should be said that the Hip's audiences where overwhelmingly white (and native), nobody ever called the Hip "funky". Still in the end Downie was seen as an avatar of how Canadians like to see themselves, friendly, decent, modest, down-to-earth, hard-working, smart without being snooty and proud of their country without resorting to the braggadocio and xenophobia they so dislike about Americans.

THE TRAGICALLY HIP ~ "COURAGE";

Hugh Hefner, Playboy And Rock & Roll

Hugh Hefner isn't normally thought of as a figure with a connection to R&R but part of his "Playboy" esthetic, or ideology even, included the idea that a Playboy Man should have god taste in literature (Hemingway, Capote, Mailer, Miller, Vidal and Baldwin all wrote for him), art (Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, Dali) and music. At a time when "swingers" were still listening to Mantovani or Jackie Gleason's "Songs For Lovers" albums Hefner promoted some fairly hip music. Starting with the obvious choices like Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan in the 1950's he moved into Cool Jazz and before embracing the Summer Of Love in the mid sixties. One of his projects in the late 1960's was a late night TV show called "Playboy After Dark which had on some of the coolest bands around, including a number of black musicians hosted by Hef in a somewhat incongruous tuxedo.

IKE & TINA TURNER;


STEPPENWOLF ~ "AMERICA";


PETER GREEN'S FLEETWOOD MAC ~ "RATTLESNAKE SHAKE";


THE BYRDS ~ "YOU AIN'T GOING NOWHERE" & "THIS WHEELS ON FIRE";


DEEP PURPLE ~ "HUSH;


IRON BUTTERFLY ~ "INNA-GADDA-DAVIDA";


CANNED HEAT ~ "ON THE ROAD AGAIN";


JAMES BROWN;


MARVIN GAYE ~ "CHAINED";


JAMES COTTON & LUTHER TUCKER;


BUDDY MILES;


BB KING ~ "THE THRILL IS GONE";


BUDDY RICH;


DAVE BRUBECK ~ "TAKE FIVE";

Steely Dan and Can

Pro-Rock gets a bad rap. And deservedly so. Most of it was laughably bloated, pompous, stoner-fart attempts to graft a middle-brow idea of high culture where it has no business being. That is on jazz-influenced hard rock. There was good reason why the not only the angry anarchists of Punk but also the reactionary revisionists of Neo-Rockabilly , Neo-Garage and Cow-Punk despised Prog-Rock so much. However not all of it was crap. Pink Floyd had some genuinely good, even great music. Then there were a few Prog-Rockers that even many punks had to agree were pretty cool. King Crimson for example, and FM. Then there were the German variety called Kraut Rock which was somehow less pretentious than the British version leading to bands like Can and Faust.

Holger Czukay, co-founder of Can with whom he played who played guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and horn, starting in 1968 died at age 79. He would alo record many solo albums and record with David Sylvian, The Edge, and PIL bassist Jah Wobble.

Jaki Liebezeit ~ 78 ~ Drummer w/1970's German Prog-Rock band Can also died earlier this year

CAN ~ "MOONSHAKE";


CAN ~ "PAPER HOUSE";


The term Prog Rock isn't usually used for American band Steely Dan, that tern normally being reserved for British and Canadian bands however it's hard to know what else to call Steely Dan with their slick Jazz influenced take on 1970's pop. Walter Becker, guitarist and bassist for Steely Dan also died this week aged 67.

STEELY DAN ~ "DO IT AGAIN";


STEELY DAN ~ "REELING IN THE YEARS";


After Steely Dan broke up in the early eighties Becker surprised some by returning to pkay with British New Wave band China Crisis.

CHINA CRISIS ~ "KING IN A CATHOLIC STYLE";


CHINA CRISIS ~ "BLACK MAN RAY";

A Few Canadian Rockers

Goldie McJohn ~ 72 ~ Keyboardist with 1960's Toronto bands Steppenwolf, The Sparrow & the Myna Birds

THE MYNA BIRDS ~ "IT'S MY TIME";


THE SPARROW ~ "GOING TO CALIFORNIA";


STEPPENWOLF ~ "BORN TO BE WILD";


STEPPENWOLF ~ "MAGIC CARPET RIDE";


Bobby Taylor ~ 83 ~ Singer w/1960's Canadian R&B group Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers

BOBBY TAYLOR & THE VANCOUVERS ~ "I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE";


BOBBY TAYLOR & THE VANCOUVERS ~ "TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS";


David Milliken ~ Guitarist with 1960's Ottawa Garage band the Townsmen

THE TOWNSMEN ~ "THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT";


THE TOWNSMEN ~ "TAKE A HEART";


Kenny Shields ~ 69 ~ Singer w/Canadian 1970's & 80's rock band Streetheart ("Under My Thumb", "Hollywood", "One More Time", "What Kind Of Love Is This")

STREETHEART ~ "HOLLYWOOD";


STREETHEART ~ "UNDER MY THUMB";



Steve Lang ~ 67 ~ Bassist with 1970's & 80's Montreal Hard Rock band April Wine

APRIL WINE ~ "I LIKE TO ROCK";


APRIL WINE ~ "ROLLER";


APRIL WINE ~ "SIGN OF THE GYPSY QUEEN";


APRIL WINE ~ "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH";


Skip Prokob; Toronto drummer with 1960's Garage-Psyche band The Paupers and 1970's Prog Rock band Lighthouse, later a DJ at CFMY and other stations.

THE PAUPERS ~ "THINK I CARE";


THE PAUPERS ~ "THE MAGIC PEOPLE";


Mark Keigan, drummer for the Oshawa Garage bands Purple Toads & El Speedo
THE PURPLE TOADS ~ "YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME";


Suzanne Richter ~ Guitarist w/1990's Hamilton all-girl garage band the Girl Bombz

THE GIRL BOMBZ ~ "FRUSTRATION";


Steve Clark ~ Guitarist w/Toronto indie band Vibralux

VIBRALUX ~ "RIDE ON";


Zach Harrison ~ 25 ~ Bassist w/Toronto band The Innocent Guns

THE INNOCENT GUNS ~ "REVIVE";