Some more early Rock and Roll figures pass on

Some Rockers;

Sean Bonniwell ~ Singer/keyboards w/1960's garage punk group The Music Machine. Did the classic "Talk Talk" ~ 71

The Music Machine ~ "Talk talk";



Gene Kurtz ~ 1960's Bassist/songwriter with Roy Head on "Treat her right" ~ 69

Roy Head & The Traits ~ "Treat her right";



Kim Brown ~ Singer/guitarist for 1960's English/Finnish garage bands The Renegades and The Cadillacs ~ 61

The Renegades ~ "Brand new Cadillac";



Lee Pockriss ~ Songwriter from the 1950's to the 1970's. With Paul Vance he co-wrote Perry Como's "Catch a Falling Star", Brian Hyland's "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini", The Cuff Links' "Tracy" and Shelley Fabares' "Johnny Angel". Later wrote for movies and Sesame Street

Shelley Fabares ~ "Johnny Angel";






Bob Brunning ~ English Rock and Blues bassist w/ John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown ~ 68

Keef Hartley ~ British drummer for The Keef Hartley band who played Woodstock, also played in The Artwoods and Rory Storm & The Hurricanes ~ 67

Some early R&B figures;

Hubert Sumlin ~ blues Guitarist on many of Howlin Wolf's 1950's hits on Chess Records ~ 80

Howlin Wolf w/Hubert Sumlin & Willie Dixon~ "Smokestack Lightning";



Jimmy Norman ~ American R&B singer/songwriter/producer. Worked with Irma Thomas, Jimi Hendrix, The Coasters, Bob Marley. Co-wrote "Time is on my side" ~ 74

Jimmy Norman ~ "Here comes the night";



Freddie Ferrara ~ 1950's Doo Wop singer w/The Del-Satins, The Brooklyn Bridge

The Del Satins ~ "Remember";



Marv Tarplin ~ American guitarist and songwriter with Motown R&B group The Miracles. Although Tarplin stayed in the background, Robinson referred to him as his "secret weapon". He also worked on Smokey Robinson's solo records as well as Marvin Gaye and the Supremes ~ 70

The Miracles ~ "The tracks of my tears";



J. Blackfoot ~ Souls singer from late 1960's to 1980's w/The Bar Kays, The Soul Children and solo ~ 65

Wardell Quezergue ~ New Orleans 1950's & 60's R&B songwriter/producer w/ hits with Professor Longhair, “Iko Iko” by the Dixie Cups, “Barefootin’ ” by Robert Parker, “Groove Me” by King Floyd, “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight. ~ 81

Dixie Cups ~ "Iko Iko";



Sylvia Robinson ~ American 1950's R&B singer with Mikey Baker in Mickey & Sylvia. Later a record producer and record company co-founder of Sugar Hill Records ~ 75

Mickey and Sylvia ~ "No good lover";



George "Mojo" Buford ~ Blues harmonica player with Muddy Waters ~ 81

Muddy Waters & Mojo Buford ~ "Got my Mojo workin";



Jessy Dixon ~ American gospel singer ~ 73

Leonard Dillon ~ Singer with 1960's and 70's Jamaican ska and rocksteady group The Ethiopians ~ 68

The Ethiopians ~ "Train to Skaville";



Barry Llewellyn ~ Jamaican musician, founding member of The Heptones ~ 63

Some folk and country figures;

Country Johnny Mathis ~ Not be confused with the pop singer, this Mathis was a country singer songwriter from the early 1950's to the 1960's recording for a number of labels as well as writing hit songs for Johnny Paycheck, Web Pierce and George Jones. ~ 77

Liz Anderson ~ 1950's Country singer and mother of singer Lynn Anderson ~ 81

Johnnie Wright ~ Country singer from the 1950's and 60's as part of Johnny And Jack with Jack Anglin until Anglin's death in a car accident in 1963. It was a benefit for Anglin's widow that Patsy Cline was returning from when her plane crashed killing her as well as Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. Wright married Kitty Wells and was a songwriter with hits into the 1970's including "Seasons in the sun. ~ 97

Johnny & Jack ~ "I get so lonely" (w/ Ray Price and an intro by Roy Acuff);



Paul Yandell ~ Country guitarist with Chet Atkins, played w/Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton, Steve Wariner, Hank Thompson, Perry Como, Roger Whitaker, Kitty Wells, The Louvin Bros, Les Paul, Woody Herman, The Everly Bros. and Mary Chapin Carpenter ~ 76

Bob Burnett ~ American musician with 1960's folk group The Highwaymen ~ 71

Herbert "Bert" Jansch ~ Scottish folk rock guitarist both solo and with UK group Pentangle from 1968 to 1972 and then continuing on as a solo artist. He also played Banjo, Dulcimer, Concertina and Recorder. His guitar work is highly influential on British guitarists from Jimmy Page to Niel Young, Donovan, Nick Drake and later Johnny Marr. ~ 67

Pentangle ~ "Traveling song" & "Let no man steal your thyme";



Some jazzbos;

Sam Rivers ~ Bebop and Free Jazz sax, clarinet and flute player solo and w/Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams, Anthony Braxton ~ 86

Al Vega ~ Boston based Jazz pianist w/Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Billy Holiday ~ 90

Billy Bang ~ Violinist with Sun Ra 63

Sun Ra Arkrestra in Egypt;



Paul Motian ~ Jazz drummer w/Bill Evans, also played with Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, Joe Castro, Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Don Cherry, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz and even Arlo Guthrie (Motian performed briefly with Guthrie in 1968-69, and performed with the singer at Woodstock) ~ 80

Bob Brookmeyer ~ American jazz valve trombonist w/Gerry Mulligan ~ 81

Dan Terry ~ American Big Band trumpet player, w/Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan & Yma Sumac. Also played on soundtracks for "The Hustler" and "The Manchurian Candidate" ~ 87

RIP to Jerry Leiber

Exhibit A;
"Hound Dog" ~ Big Mama Thorton w/ Buddy Guy;




Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were the greatest songwriters of the early rock & Roll/R&B era bar none. Their catalog reads like a how-to list for everything Rock & Roll, was, is and always should be. Which it is.

Exhibit B;
"Jail House Rock" ~ Elvis Presley;



How it took a couple of nice Jewish kids from New York to figure out how to take the the raw sounds of blues and doo-wop and modernize them for an new audience of white kids is one of those great unanswerable questions of pop culture history but Leiber and Stoller were there even before Phil Spector, Alan Freed, Bill Haley or Elvis. If not Sam Phillips. But while Phillips was a producer with a fine ear, he was no songwriter Leiber and Stoller were.

Exhibit C;
"Love potion number 9" ~ The Searchers;



The list of songs in their catalog includes no less than a hundred chart hits for a bewildering array of artists including, but not limited to;
The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Walker Bros, Rolling Stones, Ben E King, Drifters, Coasters, Wilbert Harrison, Beach Boys, Dion, Billy Thorpe, Searchers, Little Richard, The Crystals, Drifters, Brenda Lee, Bad Company, Tony Sheridan, The Hollies, Diamonds, Cheers, Freddie Bell, Big Mama Thorton, Jimmy Witherspoon, The Kinks, Lords, Groupies, Ronnie Hawkins, Dr.Feelgood, Otis Redding, Mickey Gilley, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Burnett, Gene Vincent, Albert King, Koko Taylor,Dave Clark Five, Manfred Mann, Paramounts, Del Shannon, Animals, Merle Haggard, Link Wray, Frankie Lymon, Carl Perkins, Wayne Fontana, Ventures, Freddie & The Dreamers, Sha Na Na (of course) and ...ummm...Alvin and the Chipmunks, several times.

Exhibit D;
"Poison Ivy" ~ Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs;




The Duo started out in the 1950's as writers with hits for such blues and R&B figures as Big Mama Thorton, Wilbert Harrison and Jimmy Witherspoon before they were surprised to find one of those songs, "Hound Dog", become a hit for a young largely unknown white kid named Elvis. They would write a series of other hit song for him including "Love Me", "Loving You", "Don't", "Jailhouse Rock" and "King Creole". However most of their time would be writing numerous hits for black artists like the Coasters and Ben E King throughout the 1960's.

Exhibit E;
"I'm a hog for you" ~ The Lords;




They would also also branch out into owning record label Red Bird Records, which issued the Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack" and the Dixie Cups' "Chapel of Love" which they did not write however. As producers they also acted as mentors to the young Phil Spector. They also won a ton of awards.

Exhibit F;
"Kansas City" ~ The Beatles;



As time went on their tastes went to more elaborate pop songs that would lead to hits for Edith Piaf and Peggy Lee. They would continue into the 1970's with hits for Stealer's Wheel, Earth Wind and Fire, Elkie Brooks, George Benson, Steely Dan and Mezzo-soprano Joan Morris and her pianist-composer husband William Bolcom, which had little to do with rock and roll.

Exhibit G;
"Ruby Baby" ~ Dion;



However they also lived to see their early Rock and R&B hots are still covered down to the punk era by the likes of Dr.Feelgood, The Lambrettas, Los Straitjackets, Mink DeVille, El Vez, Queen, Mötley Crüe, Brownsville Station, Patti Smith, ZZ Top, Twisted Sister, The Cramps, AC/DC, MDC, White Stripes, Flotsam & Jetsam, Motorhead, Pennywise and The Blues Brothers (This version was the ending song of the movie, performed with other musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Cab Calloway), even Negativeland and John Oswald. They were usually good sports about that, if somewhat bemused.

Exhibit H;
"Searchin'" ~ The Coasters;




Jerry Leiber died at the age of 78 on August 22, 2011, from cardio-pulmonary failure.

Exhibit I;
"Stand by me" ~ Ben E. King;



Exhibit J;
"There goes my baby" ~ The Walker Bros.;



Exhibit K;
"Stand by me" ~ John Lennon;

Some early rock and roll figure pass on

Bobby Robinson ~ 94 ~ Record producer and owner of the first black owned rock and roll labels Fire, Red Robin, Enjoy and Fury Records. Produced Elmore James, Big Boy Crudup, Gladys Knight, Buster Brown, Tarheel Slim, Lee Dorsey, The Shirelles. Unlike many figures from the early years of Rock and R & B such as Barry Gordy, Sam Phillips or the Chess Brothers, Robinson kept touch with changing trends and later produced Kool Mo Dee and Grandmaster Flash.

Randy Wood ~ Founder of Dot Records; 1950's & 60's label for rock, pop, jazz and country artists like Roy Head, Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs, Tiny Hill & The Hilltoppers, Jimmy Rodgers, Louis Prima, Pat Boone, The Surfaris, The Chantays, Gary Usher, Mac Wiseman, Nervous Norvus, Roy Clark, Sanford Clark, Mac Curtis, Lonnie Donnegan, Jimmy Dorsey, Jack Kerouac, Count Basie, The Mills Bros, Robin Luke, The Four Lads ~94

Bobby Poe ~ 77 ~ A 1950's rockabilly singer who had a couple of minor hits like "Rock and Roll record girl" and an early version of "The Fool" which are much sought after by collectors. However he had a bigger impact when he discovered a talented black singer and pianist named Big Al Dowling to his band the Poe Kats making them one of the first bi-racial bands. Poe encouraged Dowling's obvious talents even sharing singing duties, a remarkably generous gesture for a band leader. Dowling would go on to a respected solo career with Stax Records. The Poe Kats would then go on to back up Wanda Jackson on some of her early singles. As tastes changed Poe would go on to a successful career as a music publisher and record label scout in Nashville.

Bobby Poe & The PoeCats (with Big Al Dowling) ~ :Rock and Roll record girl";



Jet Harris ~ 71 ~ Bassist with The Shadows. Easily the most important British group in the late 1950's and early 60's both as an instrumental group with numerous hit singles such as "Apache" and as backing band for the equally successful singer Cliff Richard. The Shadows have been cited as a major influence on literally every figure in British rock and roll from the Beatles and Stones to Dr.Feelgood and the Jam and their importance simply can not be over estimated. They would also be a major influence internationally on the surf and instrumental scene through such groups as The Ventures.

The Shadows ~ "Apache";




George Louvin ~ 83 ~ Along with his brother Ira, one half The Louvin Brothers, a popular country singing duo of the 1950's and early 60's. George was the shorter guitar playing one while Ira was taller mandolin playing tenor. One of such singing brother duos such as the Delmore Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Lilly Brothers, Whitstine Brothers and Bailey Brothers who provided a link between the older sounds of bluegrass and the newer more modern honky tonk and rockabilly and would reach it's peak with the Everly Brothers. The Louvins would score several hits into the the 60's ranging from secular and gospel and including the concept album "Satan is real" which is now a valuable collector's item. Changing tastes and the drinking problems of brother Ira and his combative personality led to The Louvin's breakup followed by Ira's death in a car crash in 1965. The quieter George kept a lower profile after that but would still occasionally record and appear at the Opry well into his 70's.

The Louvin Brothers ~ "I don't believe you've met my baby";




Johnny Preston ~ 77 ~ A country and rockabilly singer who was discovered by J.P. Richardson (AKA The Big Bopper) who wrote and produced the song "Running Bear" which would become a massive hit in 1959, almost surpassing The Bopper's own hit "Chantilly Lace". The Bopper and his friend George Jones also provided the back up war whoops on the single. Unfortunately The Bopper then died in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly and Richie Valens and while Preston would go on to have more hits none would come close to the same success.

Johnny Preston ~ "Billy Boy";



Mack Self ~ 81 ~ 1950's rockabilly singer who recorded for Sun Records without scoring any real hits although is records would later become popular with rockabilly collectors and he had a career after the rockabilly revival in the 1970's. He also recorded a number of country records.



Ferlin Husky ~ 85 ~ A country singer from the 1960's who had a huge crossover hit in the mid 1950's with "The wings of a dove" a rousing gospel ballad with a catchy finger snapping chorus. Husky would score country hits into the 1960's but his rather older straight laced image, sporting conservative string ties and jackets with short hair and pencil mustache were dangerously out of step with the changing tastes of rock and roll and he retreated back to Nashville and the Opry where he continued to perform into his 70's.

Ferlin Husky ~ "The wings of a dove";



Billy Grammer ~ Honky Tonk singer who recorded the original versions of "Detroit City" (by Mel Tillis) and "Gotta travel on" which became a crossover hit in 1959, later covered by Buddy Holly, Boxcar Willie, Kingston Trio, Chet Atkins, Seekers, Skeets MacDonald, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Lennon Sisters among others. ~ 85

Billy Grammer ~ "Gotta travel on";




Jerry Mayo ~ Trumpet player for Freddie and the Bellboys, one of the earliest non rockabilly white rock groups from the 1950's. Had a hit with a version of "Hound dog" and "Giddy up a Ding Dong", appeared in Alan Freed tours and movies. Freddie Bell died in 2008 ~ 76

Freddie Bell and the Bellboys ~ "We're gonna teach you to rock";




Carl Gardner ~ Vocalist w/ The Coasters, the greatest of all R&B vocal groups between the Doo Wop and Motowm eras with hits like "Charlie Brown", "Yakkety Yak", "Poison Ivy", "Along came Jones", "Searchin'", "I'm a hog for you" later covered by the likes of The Hollies, Monkees, Dr. Feelgood, Deja Voodoo, The Sadies, Leon Russell, Bad Company, Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Commander Cody, The Count Bishops and more ~ 83

The Coasters and Del Shannon ~ Searchin';




Gladys Horton ~ 65 ~ Lead singer with the Marvelettes, one of the early Motown girl groups who had a number of hits in the 1960's starting with "Please Mr. Postman" and following it up with a string of others including the much covered "I'll keep on holding on". Unfortunately for them while Horton was a better singer than Diana Ross she lacked Ross' sense of style, not to mention her all consuming ambition and when Motown boss Barry Gordy decided to focus all his efforts on promoting Ross and the Supremes the Marvelettes were pushed aside and faded away eventually breaking up.

The Marvelettes ~ "Don't mess with Bill";



Nicholas Ashford ~ R&B singer and songwiter with his wife Valerie Simpson for Motown in the 1960's to the 1980's with hits for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, The Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Marvelettes, Fifth Dimension, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Shirelles, Rufus, Chaka Kahn, Brothers Johnson, Teddy Pendergrass and even Ronnie Milsap as well as scoring hits as a singing duo ~ 70

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell ~ "Ain't no mountain high enough";



Kathy Kirby ~ British 1960's pop singer and blonde sex symbol with hit version of "Secret Love" (real name Kathleen O'Rourke) ~ 72

Kathy Kirby ~ "Secret Love";




John Walker ~ Bassist and singer with 1960's melodramatic pop group The Walker Brothers, who were not actually brothers and none of whom, were actually named Walker. Originally from the Los Angeles rock scene, they moved to London and recorded a series of increasingly melodramatic singles the biggest of which was "The sun ain't gonna shine anymore". By that time John had been largely supplanted as lead singer by the deeper voiced crooner Scott Walker.

The Walker Brothers ~ "The sun ain't gonna shine anymore";



Jerry Ragovoy ~ 80 ~ R&B Songwriter under the name Norman Meade; "Time is on my side" (by the Rolling Stones), "Take another piece of my heart","Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" and "Cry Baby" (all by Janis Joplin)

The Rolling Stones ~ "Time is on my side";



Hume Paton ~ Lead guitar for the underrated 1960's Scottish Mod group The Poets. No big hits but "That's the way it's gonna be" has turned up on many Nuggets comps and in the film "Factory Girl". Drummer Alan Weir died in 2010.

The Poets ~ "That's the way it's gonna be";



Mark Tulin ~ 62 ~ Bassist with the 1960's psychedelic garage band The Electric Prunes whose double shot 1967 hits "I had too much to dream last night" and "Get me to the world on time" became acknowledged classics of the era when they were included in the "Nuggets" collection and covered by Stiv Bators on his solo album. However the Prunes had trouble adjusting to changing tastes in rock like Folk Rock, Prog Rock, Southern Rock, Power Trios and their attempt at an early rock opera with a strange album of classical/rock fusion was a disaster. The band broke up thereafter but a generation later Tulin would get a second career when Prunes fan Billy Corrigan would invite him join a later version of The Smashing Pumpkins.

The Electric Prunes ~ "I Had too much to dream last night";



Robert Rozelle ~ Bassist with the Classic Los Angeles 1960's garage psychedelic garage band Love who had a few classic singles with "My little red book" and "7 and 7 is" and an album considered one of the all time greats in "Forever changes". Unfortunately the usual problems got in the way; drugs, conflicts, mental instability and the refusal of band leader Arthur Lee to tour led to the band's lost momentum and inevitable breakup.

Love ~ "My little red book";



Steve Serrato ~ 65 ~Drummer with Question mark and the Mysterions, the all Hispanic group from Michigan who's hit "96 Tears" became one of the instantly recognized classics of the era, later covered by The Music Machine and The Stranglers among many others.

Question Mark & The Mysterions ~ "96 Tears";



Rob Grill and Rick Coonce ~ Singer (Grill) and Drummer w/ 1960's garage band The Grass Roots who did the classic hit "Let's live for today". There were a few minor followups as well. Grill died in July at 67, Coonce died months earlier.

The Grass Roots ~ "Let's live for today";




Pinetop Perkins ~ Blues pianist and one of the last of the great Chicago bluesmen of the classic postwar era. Besides recording solo for Chess and Cobra Records he also played with the likes of Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Sonnyboy Williamson and BB King. He was still active at the time of his death and in fact in 2010 he became the oldest person to win a Grammy award.

Muddy Waters with Pinetop Perkins ~ Long distance phone call;



Eddie Kirkland ~ 88 ~ Blues and R & B guitarist who started out playing with Otis Redding and John Lee Hooker before going on a solo career and playing with Foghat which would not slow down until he died this year at the age of 88 on the road while on his way home from yet another gig. Known as the "Gypsy of the Blues" for his non stop touring.

Eddie Kirkland with Foghat;



Cato Walker ~ 61 ~ Saxophonist with Lou Rawls, The Bar-Kays and B.B. King. Later ran the record label, Strick 9.

Lloyd Knibb ~ Drummer with The Skatalites, widely noted as the founders of Jamaican Ska in the 1960's ~ 80

The Skatalites ~ "Ringo";



Don Kirshner ~ 75 ~ Although not a musician The Man With the Golden Ear was a Songwriter, Producer and promoter who wrote jingles for and with Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond and Connie Francis and Co-founded the Aldon music publishing company. In gthe 60's he branched out into television where he created The Monkees and after being fired in a dispute with his Frankenstein monster he then came up with the Archies. In the 70's he produced and hosted TV's, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

Huey P. Meaux ~ AKA "The Crazy Cajun", 1960's Louisiana record producer for Freddy Fender (Til the last teardrop falls"), The Sir Douglass Quintet (She's about a mover", Gene Summers ~ 82

David Honeyboy Edwards ~ Last of the old delta blues singers from the 1930's. Played with Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, Son House, Tommy Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Otis Spann, Walter Shakey Horton, also recorded two albums with the original Peter Green version of Fleetwood Mac through the folk blues revival of the 1960's until this year. He was just in town last year in fact. ~ 96

Honeyboy Edwards ~ "Lay my burden down";



Charles Kaman ~ Inventor who founded Ovation Instruments that became the Ovation Guitar Company which introduced one of the first production solid body electric guitars. He later founded Kaman Aircraft Company ~ 92


DeLois Barrett Campbell ~ American gospel singer w/The Barrett Sisters starting in the 1930's but did not start recording until the 1960's. Did versions of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful", "I'll Fly Away" and sang with Roberta Martin on "I Hear God", later appeared in the documentary "Say Amen somebody ~ 85

The Barrett Sisters (with Roberta Martin on piano) ~ "From out of nowhere";



Gene McDaniels ~ American 1960's R&B singer and songwriter w/hits "Tower of Strength", "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" by himself and "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Roberta Flack ~ 76

Esther Gordy Edwards ~ Sister of Barry Gordy and one of the founders of Motown Records ~ 91


Jean Dinning ~ 86 ~ Singer with 1950's pop vocal group The Dinning Sisters, a typical Andrews Sisters type pre-rock and roll schmaltz group. Her biggest hit however would come when she co-wrote her younger brother Mark Dinning's, hit "Teen Angel" a classic example of early rock and roll schmaltz and a massive hit. The song's ultra morbid theme about a guy dragging his love from a fiery car wreck was one of a trend that would include the likes of "The leader of the pack" and "DOA" from Bloodrock..

Dinning Sisters ~ "Clancy";



Mark Dinning ~ "Teen Angel";



Carl Bunch ~ Drummer with Buddy Holly & The Cricketts and later for Hank Williams jr and Roy Orbison ~ 71

John Pickett ~ Singer with vocal group The Picks who sang backups with Buddy Holly on most of his hits like "Oh Boy" ~ 77

Terry Clements ~ Drummer w/ Gordon Lightfoot on many of his hits including "The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" ~ 64

Loy Clingman ~ Arizona Rockabilly Singer later ran VIV Records ~ 88

Suze Rotolo ~ 67 ~ 1960's political activist and author, girlfriend of Bob Dylan, became famous as the cover model on "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" walking arm in arm with Dylan. Later became a writer

A few country music pickers from the 50's and earlier;

Buddy Charleton ~ Bassist and pedal steel player w/ Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn ~ 82

Buddy Jones ~ Drummer w/Patsy Cline, Faron Young, Leon Young, Red Sovine ~ 83

Buster Magness ~ Steel guitar player w/ western swing band of Johnny Lee Wills ~ 87

Doc Williams ~ 1930's and 40's Old time country singer who scored hits in the 1940's with Chickie Williams, founder of Wheeling Records ~ 94

Hazel Dickens ~ 1960's folk and bluegrass singer/guitarist/bassist with Alice Gerrard (nee Foster). Recorded for Folkways Records as one of the first female duos. Union activist and IWW supporter who later appeared in pro-union films like "Harlan County USA" and "Matewan" ~ 75

Hazel Dickens ~ (bio pic);



A few Doo Wop singers;

Grady Chapman ~ 81 ~ Singer with 1950's Doo Wop group The Robins who would later evolve into The Coasters albeit without Chapman.

Carl Rainge ~ 74 ~ Singer with The Spaniels who's classic "Goodnight sweetheart goodnight" would later be used as a closing theme by Sha Na Na on their 1970's TV show.

The Spaniels ~ "Good night Sweetheart";



Bobby Phillips ~ Singer with Doo Wop group The Cadillacs who's classic hit was "Speedo"

The Cadillacs ~ "Speedo";



Monte Owens ~ Singer with Doo Wop groups The Mello Moods and The Solitaires

The Mello Moods ~ "Tonight tonight";



Oscar Lawson ~ Singer with Texas Chicano Doo Wop group The Royal Jesters, known for their smooth sound. Their hit "Lonely Guy" was later covered by Big Sandy on his Doo Wop album ~ 74

The Royal Jesters ~ "Love me";



A few jazzbos and avant garde figures from the 50's, 60's and earlier;

Bob Flanigan ~ American singer and bassist/trombonist with 1950's pre-rock pop and jazz vocal group The Four Freshmen with numerous hits like in the mid 1950's and highly influential on later white doo-wop groups like The Crewcuts, The Diamonds and the Four Seasons as well as Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys and the Byrds. Unlike most other vocal groups the Freshmen were also excellent musicians. ~ 84

Ross Barbour ~ Singer with 1950's pop and jazz vocal group The Four Freshmen ~ 82

The Four Freshmen ~ "Ain't seen nothing like you";



Margaret Whiting ~ Big Band jazz and pop singer from the 1940's and 50's both solo and with her sister Barbara with hits like "One for my baby", "Ain't we got fun", "It might as well be spring". As rock and roll took over she became co-host of a TV sitcom with her sister.

Margaret Whiting ~ "It's just the gypsy in my soul";



Joe Morello ~ Jazz drummer w/Dave Brubeck, Stan Kenton, Art Pepper, Hank Garland ~ 82

Allen Smith ~ Big Band jazz trumpet player w/The Hellcats Navy Band in World War 2, also later with Benny Goodman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. ~ 85

Frank Foster ~ American jazz saxophonist and flautist with Count Basie ~ 82

Sir George Shearing ~ The great blind British jazz pianist and band leader who had a number of hit albums in the UK and USA from the 1950's on. Ranging from solo work to quintets and as a duo, also recorded with Steffane Grapelli and Mel Torme. Retired in 2004 after a fall in his home, Knighted in 2007 ~ 91

Eric Delaney ~ British jazz drummer w/ Sir George Shearing ~ 87

Sir George Shearing ~ "Move";



Jiri Traxer ~ Czech/Canadian jazz pianist and composers from the 1930's on, considered one of the founders of jazz and swing in eastern Europe. Stayed in Czechoslovakia during the war but fled to the west in 1951 and moved to Canada. ~ 99

Jiri Traxler ~ Piano piece;



Conrad Schnitzler ~ Keyboard player with highly influential German electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream starting in 1969. Later w/Kluster, Eruption, Berlin Express ~ 74

Tangerine Dream ~ "Cyclone";



Milton Babbit ~ 96 ~ While not normally thought of as a rock and roll figure Babbitt was trail blazer in the development of the Moog. Milton Babbit was a avant garde composer of piano and electronic works starting in the late 1940's. His piano works were considered so advanced and difficult that it would take over 40 years before they would be recognized and awarded. However it is his electronic work that would have the most impact as he was one of the designers of the original Moog Synthesizer and among the first to treat it as a serious instrument, composing works for it. At the time the Moog was a massive computer that took up an entire room and required a bewildering array of vacuum tubes, patch cords, tape reels and punch cards, but twenty years later the Moog would be discovered by progressive rock groups like Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Yes and even the Monkees. Much later smaller and more compact and practical synths would evolve.

Milton Babbit ~ "Occasional variations";



Reinhold Marxhausen ~ American sound artist and sculpter inventor, teacher, author and painter from the 1960's on ~ 89

Reinhold Marxhausen ~ "Throne Dome" sound sculpture ;

"The Rodeo song" writer dies

If you are a (probably) white Canadian over the age of 30 you probably remember "The Rodeo Song". The infamously filthy non-hit that could never, ever. get played on the radio anywhere. And yet we all knew it, and used to sing it idiotically in high school to show how bad ass we were. Yeah sure there's gangsta rap and death metal but really, who could listen to that crap? Besides it wasn't nearly as funny. And juvenile. And filthy. It actually came as a bit of a surprise to discover that it was actually a legitimate song recorded in 1980 by a band from Alberta called The Showmen, who actually recorded a full album, which is more low key.

The Showmen ~ "The Rodeo Song" (note whoever posted this on youtube obviously thought it was by the late American country singer Chris LeDoux, in spite of the fact that he sounds nothing like this. He did have a song with that name though, as did David Allen Coe)



That does mean that there was an actual songwriter for this. It was in fact Gaye Delorme, a usually respectable and successful song writer and session guitarist who also worked with a number of thoroughly respectable people including Jann Arden, the Powder Blues Band, Lenny Breau, David Foster and even the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. He also produced KD Lang's first album. He did have another comedy hit though as he also wrote the Cheech and Chong semi-hit "Earache my eye". This was another hit with the easily stoned back in the day. It's since been covered by the likes of Metallica and Korn. I'm not sure this is the legacy a respected producer was looking for but on the other hand most musicians slave away their entire lives without anybody noticing so what the Hell. Delorme died June 23 aged 64 of a heart attack.

CHEECH & CHONG ~ "EARACHE MY EYE":



As for The Showmen, they never lived down their notoriety and broke up some time in the 1980's after recording another album which included a straight forward cover of the classic song (by another Canadian band named A Foot In Cold Water) "Make me do anything you want" failed to break through.

RIP to New Wave producer Martin Rushent

PETE SHELLEY ~ HOMOSAPIEN;



UK record producer Martin Rushent died June 4 aged 62. Producer for the classic New Wave hit albums of the 1980's by The Buzzcocks, Stranglers, Human League and Soft Cell.
The Buzzcocks and Stranglers albums made his name but he really hit the big time with the classic and massively successful series of hit albums with The Human League and Soft Cell. Besides selling tons of copies these records (that's right kids, actual records!) were also hugely influential to a new generation of electro music artist and dj's for better or worse. This is in spite of the fact that the technology then used will probably never be used again and would be considered by today's electronic musicians as being as hopelessly out of date as the player piano.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE ~ DON'T YOU WANT ME;



Today's electro musicians do can do everything from a single computer program using premade samples, drum tacks and auto-tuning which removes any actual human fingerprints. Rushent's records with The Human League and Soft Cell were done with analog technology (ask your parents) and required not only that each sample clip be separately edited in but also that the entire mix be programed in step by step lest it go out of time. Then you add in flourishes like a horn section which also had to be programed in step by laborious step and you have days and days of work for something that could be dashed off in a day now.

SOFT CELL ~ TAINTED LOVE;



At the time many music writers and musicians didn't see these records as being legitimate in the way that guitar oriented New Wavers like say, The Pretenders, Blondie, Police, Talking Heads or even avowedly keyboard heavy bands like Ultravox. Now, in retrospect we can see them as much a part of pop (if not exactly Rock and Roll) as the heavily orchestrated girl groups of the 1960's.

THE STRANGLERS ~ NO MORE HEROES;



And if that weren't enough remember Rushent also produced the classic albums by The Buzzcocks Generation X, 999, Dr. Feelgood, the dB's and the Stranglers, and nobody could deny those. He had actually been around since the early 1970's and had worked with T Rex, Fleetwood Mac, Gentle Giant and even Shirley Bassey.

999 ~ HOMICIDE;



Partial Martin Rushent discography;

1971;
T-Rex ~ Electric Warrior
Gentle Giant ~ Acquiring the Taste
Fleetwood Mac ~ Future Games
1972;
Gentle Giant ~ Three Friends
Gentle Giant ~ Octopus
Shirley Bassey ~ I Capricorn
1975;
Shirley Bassey ~ Good, Bad but Beautiful
1977;
The Stranglers ~ Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers ~ No More Heroes
1978;
The Stranglers ~ Black and White
The Buzzcocks ~ Another Music in a Different Kitchen
Generation X ~ Generation X
The Buzzcocks ~ Love Bites
999 ~ Separates
Dr Feelgood ~ Private Practice
1979;
The Stranglers ~ Live (X Cert)
The Buzzcocks ~ A Different Kind of Tension
J-J Burnel ~ Euroman Cometh
1981;
The Human League ~ Dare
Pete Shelley ~ Homosapien
The Raybeats ~ Guitar Beat
Altered Images ~ Happy Birthday
The dB's ~ Stands for Decibels
1982;
The Human League ~ Love and Dancing
Altered Images ~ Pinky Blue
1983;
The Human League ~ Fascination!
Pete Shelley ~ XL1
1984;
The Human League ~ Hysteria
The Go-Go's ~ Talk show


GENERATION X ~ KISS ME DEADLY;

Oh Cancer Up Yours!!

This is sad. Poly Styrene, one of the quirkiest and most beloved figures of the original 1976-78 London punk scene has died of cancer at 53.

As singer and lyricist for the legendary X Ray Spex, Poly was a striking presence as much for the playful and insightful lyrics as for the uninhibited wailing yelp she sang them with. She also set a visual style of her own combining a trash punk aesthetic with a Raggety Anne sensibility and a love of the gaudiest dayglo colours imaginable which gave her a look that was far removed from the angry goth bondage look sported by most of her contemporaries. Awkward and geeky and certainly not a conventional beauty with braces and sometimes a little chubby she could also appeal to girls who might be a little intimidated by Siouxsie The Ice Queen, Debbie Harry and Annabella Lwin The Pinups or Gaye Advert and Chrissie Hynde The Biker Chicks. Poly, whose real name was Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, was a mulatto of mixed Scots/English and Somali parents and she would so also become the first non-white figure in the punk scene.

X RAY SPEX ~ IDENTITY;



X Ray Spex put out one classic single in "Oh Bondage Up Yours", and appeared on the "Live at the Roxy" album, before releasing the brilliant "Germ Free Adolescents". In their book about the early days of punk, "The Boy looked at Johnny", writers Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill called Poly the one true poetess of punk.

X RAY SPEX ~ THE WORLD DAYGLO;



Unfortunately in spite of being a positive role model for many, Poly was also a fragile figure who was began to crack under the pressure first firing her female sax player, Laura Logic, then reporting seeing hallucinations which she claimed were alien UFOs who were communicating with her. She was hospitalized and misdiagnosed with schizophrenia then later as bi-polar. When released she later joined the Hare Krishnas. By then X Ray Spex had obviously broken up. She would resurface in years to come and occasionally even record an ep or two. But was essentially in retirement until the legacy of X Ray Spex was rediscovered and the band made a couple of reunion gigs in 2007 and 2008 minus guitarist Jak Airport who died of cancer in 2004. She announced her own solo album, produced by Youth from Killing Joke, to be released this year. Unfortunately she also announced in February that she had breast cancer which had spread to her spine. Actually I had a sort-of close encounter with Poly a few months back when I posted a response on Twitter to a statement made by Sammy Hagar in a vain attempt to appear interesting that he had made claiming to have seen a UFO. I pointed out that Poly had already done that years ago. Within a day or so she had added me on Twitter. That was pretty cool.

X RAY SPEX ~ GERM FREE ADOLESCENTS;



I am also going to take a moment to pay belated tribute to Mick Karn, (born Andonis Michaelides in Cyprus) bassist for early New Wave band Japan and later Dali's Car. Japan were actually contemporaries of the first wave of punks in the mid seventies with a look and sound like a European version of the New York Dolls that seemed dangerously out of step with the leather clad punk hordes but they kept slogging along and developing a more smooth Roxy Music meets Chic style that would become highly influential to the later New Romantics and Goths although Japan would always hold themselves aloof. As a bassist Karn, who was originally a bassoon player, developed a totally unique style involving extremely fluid runs on a fretless bass that was miles away from everyone else at the time, and since for that matter. He also played sax. Japan developed a rabid cult fan base and scored a few mid size hits before breaking up in 1982. After that Karn was briefly in an abortive project called Dali's Car with former Bauhaus singer Peter Murphy who recorded one album before also breaking up. Karn continued to do occasional solo work and there were announced plans to reform Dali's Car with in the summer of 2010 with Murphy when Karn suddenly announced that he also had cancer. He died in January of 2011 aged 52.

JAPAN ~ "LIFE IN TOKYO";



JAPAN ~ "CANTONESE BOY";

The People Who Died - 2011 edition

Liz Anderson ~ American country music singer-songwriter, mother of Lynn Anderson ~ 81

Nicholas Ashford ~ R&B singer and songwiter with his wife Valerie Simpson for Motown in the 1960's to the 1980's with hits for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, The Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Marvelettes, Fifth Dimension, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Shirelles, Rufus, Chaka Kahn, Brothers Johnson, Teddy Pendergrass and even Ronnie Milsap as well as scoring hits as a singing duo ~ 70

Milton Babbitt ~ Avant garde composer, pianist and Moog synth pioneer ~ 96

Billy Bang ~ Jazz violinist with Sun Ra ~ 63

Ross Barbour ~ Singer with 1950's pop and jazz vocal group The Four Freshmen ~ 82

DeLois Barrett Campbell ~ American gospel singer w/The Barrett Sisters, starting in the 1930's but did not start recording until the 1960's w/ version of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful", later appeared in documentary "Say Amen somebody" ~ 85

John Barry ~ Film composer for James Bond movies, "Born Free","Out of Africa","Dances with Wolves" ~ 77

Aaron Beamish ~ A.K.A. Aaron Arsenic, drummer with Toronto punk bands Slow Motion Victory, Five Minutes to Glory, Sweet Lips and The Famous Monsters ~ 26

Graham Bean ~ Bermuda born jazz guitarist with Dizzy Gillespie ~ 81

Gordon Beck ~ English jazz pianist w/ Nucleus, Alan Holdsworth, Phill Woods ~ 75

John Bishop ~ American soul and jazz guitarist, heart attack ~ 65

J. Blackfoot ~ Soul singer from late 1960's to 1980's w/The Bar Kays, The Soul Children and solo ~ 65

Sean Bonniwell ~ Singer/keyboards w/1960's garage punk group The Music Machine. Did the classic "Talk Talk" ~ 71

John Bottomley ~ Canadian singer-songwriter ~ 50

Doyle Bramhall ~ Texas blues drummer and songwriter. Worked with Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmie Vaughn and the Fabulous Thunderbirds ~ 61

Theron Brison ~ A.K.A. Thee Ram, Funk bassist and teacher ~ 48

Bob Brookmeyer ~ American jazz valve trombonist w/Gerry Mulligan ~ 81

Joe Brooks ~ Songwriter ("You light up my life")and film score composer ("The Lords of Flatbush", "Eddie & the Cruisers") ~ 73

Kim Brown ~ Singer/guitarist w/ Finnish 1960's garage bands The Renegades and The Cadillacs ~ 61

Pearl Thurston Brown ~ Jazz and blues singer ~ 84

Bob Brunning ~ English Rock and Blues bassist w/ John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown ~ 68

Ray Bryant ~ Jazz pianist w/Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Melba Liston, and Coleman Hawkins, Carmen McRae and Aretha Franklin ~ 79

Slam Buckra ~ Blues guitarist w/ The Groove Palookas backing Albert King and Albert Collins ~ 64

George "Mojo" Buford ~ Blues harmonica player with Muddy Waters ~ 81

Carl Bunch ~ Drummer with Buddy Holly & The Cricketts and later for Hank Williams jr and Roy Orbison ~ 71

Bob Burnett ~ American musician with 1960's folk group The Highwaymen ~ 71

Philip "Fatis" Burrell ~ Jamaican reggae producer and record label head for XTerinator Records, Vena Records and Kings & Lions Records ~ 59

Roy Burris ~ Drummer country singer Merle Haggard ~ 79

Don Butler ~ American gospel singer, founder of Gospel Music Association ~ 80

Ron Byrd ~ Drummer for 1970's & 80's American roots rock band the Iron City Rockers ~ 61

Frankie Campagna Jr. ~ Guitarist with Neo-Rockabilly group Spector 45 ~ 24

John Du Cann ~ Singer/guitarist w/ British progressive rock band Atomic Rooster ~ 65

Jeanne Carroll ~ American blues singer ~ 80

Tod Cerney ~ Country/Blues and Pop Songwriter and session musician w/Etta James, Bread and Reastless Heart ~ 57

Grady Chapman ~ Singer w/Doo Wop group The Robins and The Coasters ~

Buddy Charleton ~ Bassist and pedal steel player w/ Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn ~ 82

Clarence Clemons ~ Sax player with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band on all their hits, also recorded with Jackson Browne, Aretha Franklin ("Freeway of love") and Lady Ga Ga as well as solo ~ 69

Terry Clements ~ Drummer w/ Gordon Lightfoot on many of his hits ~ 64

Loy Clingman ~ Arizona Rockabilly Singer later ran VIV Records ~ 88

James Graham Collier ~ British jazz bassist/composer and writer ~ 74

Scott Columbus ~ Drummer w/ Heavy Metal band Manowar ~ 54

Rick Coonce ~ Drummer w/ 1960's garage band The Grass Roots

Wilma Lee Cooper ~ Country singer from 1938 to the 1960's with husband Stony Cooper who died in 1977. Wilma continued to perform on occasion until last year. ~ 90

Tommy Crain ~ Guitarist w/Charlie Daniels Band ~ 59

Smiley Culture ~ Jamaican reggae singer and DJ ~ 48

Beryl Davis ~ English big band singer w/Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra and The Four Girls singing group, with Jane Russell, Rhonda Fleming, and Connie Haines ~ 87

Danny DeGennaro ~ Guitarist for American 1970's country rock band Kingfish ~ 56

Eric Delaney ~ British Jazz drummer w/ Sir George Shearing ~ 87

Gaye Delorme ~ Canadian guitarist/composer, did the music for Cheech & Chong's "Earache my eye", worked with Powder Blues Band, Lenny Breau, David Foster ~ 64

Clem DeRossa ~ American jazz drummer, director of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) ~ 86

Joel DiGregorio ~ American keyboardist (The Charlie Daniels Band) ~ 67

Hazel Dickens ~ 1960's Bluegrass and Folk singer/bassist w/ Alice Gerrard ~ 75

Jean Dinning ~ Singer with 1950's pop vocal group The Dinning Sisters. She also co-wrote her brother Mark Dinning's, hit "Teen Angel" ~ 86

Frank Driggs ~ Jazz record producer and archivist/historian worked on re-issued recordings by Fletcher Henderson, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Gene Krupa and Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings (for which he received a Grammy in 1991) ~ 90

Harry Drukous ~ Singer/keyboardist w/ 1970's power pop group Earthquake

Derek Dugger ~ Rockabilly drummer w/Wanda Jackson, Big Al Dowling, Mack Stevens ~ 47

Cornell Dupree ~ Jazz bassist w/Archie Shepp, Grover Washington Jr., Snooky Young, Miles Davis, Lena Horne, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis ~ 69

David Honeyboy Edwards ~ Last of the old delta blues singers from the 1930's. Played with Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, Son House, Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev Gary Davis through the folk blues revival of the 1960's until this year. He was just in town last year in fact. ~ 96

Esther Gordy Edwards ~ Sister of Barry Gordy and one of the founders of Motown Records ~ 91

Charles Fambrough ~ Jazz Double bassist w/Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Art Blakey, Grover Washington Jr., McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis and Freddie Hubbard. ~ 51

Freddie Ferrara ~ 1950's Doo Wop singer w/The Del-Satins, The Brooklyn Bridge

Fraser Finlayson ~ Toronto blues harmonica player with The Cameo Blues Band and others ~ 61

Wild Man Fischer ~ Real name Larry, Infamous schizophrenic street person busker recorded by Frank Zappa in 1969 which are considered by some to be classics of "outsider art". A later album was the first release on Rhino Records ~ 66

Bob Flanigan ~ Vocalist and bassist/trombonist with 1950's jazz and pop vocal group group The Four Feshmen ~ 84

Frank Foster ~ American jazz saxophonist and flautist with Count Basie ~ 82

Dolores Fuller ~ Actress wife of Ed Wood Jr. also songwriter "Rock a Hula Baby" recorded by Elvis Presley and Jr. Brown ~ 88

Garcia ~ Half of duo Buckner & Garcia who had novelty hits in the 1980's with "Pac Man fever" and the "WKRP Theme" ~ 63

Carl Gardner ~ Vocalist w/ The Coasters (Charlie Brown", "Yakkety Yak", "Poison Ivy", "Along came Jones", "Searchin'", I'm a hog for you") ~ 83

Michael Garrick ~ English jazz pianist and composer and poet ~ 78

Buddy Gask ~ British rock and roll singer (Showaddywaddy) ~ 64

Earl Gilliam ~ Texas blues pianist w/Sam Lightin’ Hopkins, Albert Collins, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Little Joe Washington, T-Bone Walker, Albert King, Gatemouth Brown & solo ~ 81

Johnny Giosa ~ Drummer for 1980's hair metal band The Bullet Boys ~ 42

Andrew Gold ~ American singer-songwriter ("Lonely Boy", "Thank You for Being a Friend") ~ 59

David Gold ~ Canadian singer/guitarist/bassist for death metal band The Woods of Ypres ~ 31

Billy Grammer ~ Honky Tonk singer who recorded the original versions of "Detroit City" (by Mel Tillis) and "Gotta travel on" which became a crossover hit in 1959. ~ 85

Dobie Gray ~ 1960's Soul singer ~ 71

Robert Grill ~ Singer for 1960's American Garage band The Grass Roots, ("Live for today") ~ 67

Freddie Gruber ~ Jazz drummer w/ Charlie Parker, later teacher for Niel Peart (of Rush), Frank Zappa's Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Smith of Journey and Chick Corea drummer Dave Weckl. ~ 84

Barry Lee Hall jr. ~ Trumpet player w/ Duke Ellington ~ 61

Charles Hamm ~ American musicologist and historian ~ 86

Ronnie Hammond ~ Singer w/The Atlanta Rhythm Section ~ 60

Jack Hardy ~ Folk singer/guitarist and founder of Fast Folk Magazine ~ 63

Jet Harris ~ Bassist for The Shadows 1950's and 60's instrumental group and backing band w/Cliff Richard ~ 71

Keef Hartley ~ British drummer for The Keef Hartley band who played Woodstock, also played in The Artwoods and Rory Storm & The Hurricanes ~ 67

Warren Hellman ~ American investor, founder of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festivals ~ 77

Mean Steve Hocura ~ AKA Mean Steve Piano, Toronto Rockabilly pianist with The Razorbacks, Handsome Ned, Jack DeKeyser and solo, also radio host

Carl Hodges ~ R & B singer and guitarist ("Meet me in the bottoms")~ 80

Loleatta Holloway ~ 1970's disco singer ~ 64

Gladys Horton ~ Singer with the Motown group Marvelettes ("Please Mister Postman", "I'll keep on holding on")~ 65

Ferlin Husky ~ 1950's and 60's country singer ("Wings of a dove") ~ 85

Harvey James ~ English/Australian Guitarist w/Sherbert,Mississippi,Ariel ~ 58

Big Jack Johnson ~ Blues singer/guitarist ~ 70

Buddy Jones ~ Drummer w/Patsy Cline, Faron Young, Leon Young, Red Sovine ~ 83

Charles Kaman ~ Inventor who founded Ovation Instruments that became the Ovation Guitar Company which introduced one of the first production solid body electric guitars. He later founded Kaman Aircraft Company ~ 92

Laura Kennedy ~ Bassist with New York 1980's punk-funk band The Bush Tetras

Phil Kennemore ~ Bassist with 1980's metal band Y & T ~ 58

Kathy Kirby ~ British 1960's pop vocalist w/hits like "Secret Love" ~ 72

Eddie Kirkland ~ Blues singer/guitarist w/John Lee Hooker and Otis Redding ~ 88

Don Kirshner ~ Pop producer,songwriter and impresario w/The Monkees and TV host ~ 77

Alex Kirst ~ Drummer w/Iggy Pop and The Nymphs ~ 47

Moogy Klingman ~ Keyboardist w/Tod Rundgren and progrock band Utopia ~ 61

Lloyd Knibb ~ Drummer for 1960's Jamaican ska founders The Skatalites ~ 80

Rick Kulwicki ~ Guitarist for Denver Grunge band The Fluid and garage band The Buckingham Squares ~ 49

Gene Kurtz ~ 1960's Bassist/songwriter with Roy Head on "Treat her right" ~ 69

Jani Lane ~ Singer for 1980's hair metal band Warrant w/hit "Cheery Pie" ~ 47

Oscar Lawson ~ Singer with Doo Wop group The Royal Jesters ~ 74

Barbra Lea ~ Jazz singer ~ 82

Richard Leacock ~ Documentary film maker, made "Monterrey Pop" ~ 89

St. Clair Lee ~ Vocalist with 1970's pop/disco group The Hues Corporation ("Rock the boat") ~ 66

Christiane Legrand ~ French jazz singer from the 1950's & 60's. Also on 1973 Procol Harum album Grand Hotel ~ 81

Jerry Leiber ~ R& B and Rock & Roll songwriter with Mike Stoller from the 1950's to 1970's with dozens and dozens of hits for Elvis Presley, The Coasters, Drifters, Ben E King, Big Mama Thorton, Jimmy Witherspoon, Searchers, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five and others too numerous to list here ~ 78

Aimee Leonard ~ Ottawa folkrock singer ~ 27

Jackie Leven ~ Scottish guitarist with 1980's new wave band Doll By Doll as well as folk rock solo albums under names like "John St Field" and "Sir Vincent Lone" and worked with John Foxx ~ 61

Tony Levin ~ British jazz drummer ~ 71

Eddie Joe Lewis (aka Eddie Joe Guess) - R&B singer and songwriter (wrote, "Son Of A Twister" for Jack Harris And The Arabians ) also worked with Ike And Tina Turner, The Jackson 5, Double Exposure, The Five Stairsteps, Bobby Taylor And The Vancouvers and The Chi-Lites. ~ 69

Barry Llewellyn ~ Jamaican musician, founding member of The Heptones ~ 63

George Louvin ~ Singer/guitarist w/ 1950's country duo The Louvin Brothers ~ 83

Ross MacManus ~ English trumpet player and singer/song writer. Father of Elvis Costello ~ 84

Mel McDaniel ~ American country singer 1980's & 90's ~ 68

Gene McDaniels ~ American 1960's R&B singer and songwriter w/hits "Tower of Strength", "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" by himself and "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Roberta Flack ~ 76

Andrew McDermott ~ Singer for British Prog Metal band Threshold ~ 45

Buster Magness ~ Steel guitar player w/ western swing band of Johnny Lee Wills ~ 87

Eddie Marshall ~ American Jazz/Fusion/Soul drummer w/Stan Getz, Jon Hendricks, The Pointer Sisters, Dionne Warwick and his own fusion bands The Fourth Way & Bebop & Beyond ~ 73

Hugh Martin ~ American composer (Have yourself a merry little Christmas) ~ 96

Reinhold Marxhausen ~ American sound artist and sculpter inventor, teacher, author and painter ~ 89

Huey P. Meaux ~ AKA "The Crazy Cajun", 1960's Louisiana record producer for Freddy Fender, The Sir Douglass Quintet, Gene Summers ~ 82

Liz Meyer ~ American singer songwriter ~ 59

Alphonse (Fonce) Mizell ~ 1970's R&B and Jazz Record producer along with his brother Larry with Motown and Blue Note Records. Had hits with the Jackson 5, A Taste of Honey, Mary Wells, Donald Byrd, Johnny Hammond Smith ~ 68

Garry Moore ~ Irish Guitarist w/Thin Lizzy later solo artist ~ 58

Joe Morello ~ Jazz drummer w/Dave Brubeck, Stan Kenton, Art Pepper, Hank Garland ~ 82

Greg Morris ~ Singer for 1980's Toronto punk band Johnny Onslaught

Bill Morrissey ~ American singer-songwriter, worked with Dave Alvin and Morphine ~ 59

Paul Motian ~ Jazz drummer w/Bill Evans, also played with Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, Joe Castro, Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Don Cherry, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz and even Arlo Guthrie (Motian performed briefly with Guthrie in 1968-69, and performed with the singer at Woodstock) ~ 80

Alex Napier ~ Bassist w/Rockabilly/blues band The LeRoi Bros also played with Charlie Sexton, Stevie Ray Vaughn ~ 60

Zim Ngqawana ~ South African jazz saxophonist w/Hugh Masekela & Archie Shepp ~ 51

Jimmy Norman ~ American R&B singer/songwriter/producer. Worked with Irma Thomas, Jimi Hendrix, The Coasters, Bob Marley. Co-wrote "Time is on my side" ~ 74

Walter Norris ~ American jazz pianist w/Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Mose Allison ~ 79

Henrik Ostergaard ~ Singer for Glam Metal band Dirty Looks ~ 47

Monte Owens ~ Singer with Doo Wop groups The Mello Moods and The Solitaires

Hume Paton ~ Lead guitar for the underrated 1960's Scottish Mod group The Poets. No big hits but "That's the way it's gonna be" has turned up on many Nuggets comps and in the film "Factory Girl". Drummer Alan Weir died in 2010.

Dan Peek ~ Singer/songwriter w/1970's pop group America ("Horse with no name") ~ 60

Bobby Phillips ~ Singer with Doo Wop group The Cadillacs ("Speedo")

James Phillips ~ Sax player w/ swing revivalists The Cherry Poppin Daddies ~ 49

John Pickett ~ Singer with vocal group The Picks, sang backups with Buddy Holly ~ 77

Richie Pickett ~ New Zealand country rock singer ~ 56

Pinetop Perkins ~ Chigago Blues pianist and singer w/Muddy Waters, Sonnyboy Williams, BB King and solo ~ 97

Bobby Poe ~ 1950's rock and roll singer and band leader ~ 77

Steve Popovich ~ Head of American 1970's record label Cleavland International Records (Meatloaf, BJ Thomas) ~ 68

Johnny Preston ~ 1950's and 60's pop rock singer "Running Bear" ~ 77

Seth Putnam ~ Vocalist w/American metal band Anal Cunt ~ 43

Wardell Quezergue ~ New Orleans 1950's & 60's R&B songwriter/producer w/ hits with Professor Longhair, “Iko Iko” by the Dixie Cups, “Barefootin’ ” by Robert Parker, “Groove Me” by King Floyd, “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight. ~ 81

Gerry Rafferty ~ Scottish 1970's pop star w/Stealers Wheel, duo with Billy Connally ~ 63

Carl Rainge ~ Singer with Doo Wop group The Spaniels ("Goodnight Sweetheart", "If I don't have you") ~ 74

Mike Reaves ~ Guitarist w/ American metal band Full Devil Jacket ~ 52

Jack Richardson ~ Canadian record producer for The Guess Who, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, The Staccatos, Badfinger, Moxy, Poco, Max Webster. A Juno Award winner and Member of the Order of Canada. Father of music producer Garth Richardson ~ 81

Zoogz Rift ~ Prog-Punk guitarist and painter ~ 57

Sam Rivers ~ Bebop and Free Jazz sax, clarinet and flute player solo and w/Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams, Anthony Braxton ~ 86

Thomas Roady ~ Drummer for country/bluegrass singer Ricky Scaggs ~ 62

Gil Robbins ~ American folk singer (The Highwaymen) and actor, father of Tim Robbins ~ 80

Alys Robi ~ Canadian Jazz singer ~ 88

Bobby Robinson ~ Record producer and owner of the first black owned rock and roll labels Fire, Red Robin, Enjoy and Fury Records. Produced Elmore James, Big Boy Crudup, Gladys Knight, Buster Brown, Tarheel Slim, Lee Dorsey, The Shirelles later Kool Mo Dee and Grandmaster Flash ~ 94

Coco Robicheaux ~ New Orleans blues musician and singer ~ 64

Johnny Roselli ~ 1950's Italian-American pop singer ~ 85

Suze Rotolo ~ 1960's political activist and author, girlfriend of Bob Dylan, cover model on "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan ~ 67

Robert Rozelle ~ Bassist w/ classic 1960's psyche/garage band Love ~

Alan Rubin ~ A.K.A Mr Fabulous Trumpter with the Blues Brothers. Also with Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Duke Ellington, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Sting, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Ray Charles ~ 68

Chuck Ruff ~ American rock drummer (Edgar Winter, Sammy Hagar) ~ 60

Martin Rushent ~ UK record producer w/The Human League, Soft Cell, Buzzcocks, Stranglers, 999, Pete Shelley, Dr Feelgood, Altered Images, Generation X, The dBs, Raybeats, The Go-Gos, T Rex, Fleetwood Mac, Gentle Giant, Shirley Bassey ~ 62

Calvin Russel ~ American Folk singer/guitarist known for protest songs ~ 62

Mark Ryan ~ British guitarist w/ Adam & the Ants and Steve Strange ~ 51

Taiji Sawata ~ Bassist with Japanese metal bands X Japan and Loudness ~ 49

Marvin Sease ~ American Blues and Gospel singer ~ 64

Mack Self ~ 1950's rockabilly singer for Sun Records, later recorded country ~ 81

Eddie Serrato ~ Drummer for 1960's Garage band Question Mark & the Mysterions ~ 65

Sir George Shearing ~ British jazz pianist ~ 91

Allen Smith ~ Big Band jazz tumpet player w/The Hellcats Navy Band, also with Benny Goodman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. ~ 85

Gerard Smith ~ Bassist w/ TV On the Radio ~ 36

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith ~ American blues drummer & harmonica player w/Muddy Waters, later moved to Canada and became a singer & bandleader with several award winning albums. Also appeared (with John Lee Hooker) in the movie "The Blues Brothers" ~ 75

Cory Smoot ~ Guitarist with Gonzo Metal band Gwar ~ 34

Phoebe Snow ~ 1960's folk singer/songwriter ~ 60

Frankie Sparcello ~ American thrash metal bassist w/Exhorder

Melvin Sparks ~ Jazz and R&B guitarist w/Sonny Stitt ~ 64

Billie Jo Spears ~ American country music singer ~ 74

Benny Spellman, 79, American R&B singer recorded (but did not write) the original version of "Fortune Teller" since covered by the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant & Alison Krause and The Chains~ 79

Mike Starr ~ Bassist for 1990's grunge band Alice in Chains and Sun Red Sun ~ 44

Kaye Stevens ~ 1950's & 60's pop and big band singer, sang with the Rat Pack and in Bob Hope's USO shows. Became a soap opera actress and later a Christian singer ~ 76

Dag Stokke ~ Keyboardist for Norwegian glam metal band TNT ~ 44

B.Jeff Stone ~ 1950's & 60's Rockabilly singer songwriter who worked with The Newsboys and later w/ Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, ~ 75

Dirk Strahlmeier ~ Guitarist w/ Metal band Sodom

Poly Styrene ~ Singer for 1970's punk band X Ray Spex (real name Marianne Joan Elliott-Said) w/hits; "Oh Bondage Up Yours!", "Identity" and "Germ Free Adolescents" ~ 53

Hubert Sumlin ~ Blues guitarist on many of Howlin Wolf's hits on Chess Records ~ 80

Bill Tapia ~ Hawaiian ukelele player believed to be the worlds oldest active professional musician ~ 109

Dan Terry ~ American Big Band trumpet player, w/Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan & Yma Sumac. Also played on soundtracks for "The Hustler" and "The Manchurian Candidate" ~ 87

Betty Thatcher ~ 67 ~ Poet and lyricist w/ early 1970's UK Prog Rock band Renaissance

Andy Tielman ~ Dutch/Indonesian guitarist from 1960's ~ 75

Bob Thurman ~ Guitarist w/1980's St Louis hardcore band White Suburban Youth and zine writer

Dutch Tilders ~ Dutch born blues guitarist/harmonica w/ John Mayal, Taj Mahal, Johnny O'Keefe, BB king, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee ~ 69

Frankie Toler ~ Rock drummer (The Allman Brothers Band, Gregg Allman Band, Marshall Tucker Band) ~ 59

Mark Tulin ~ Bassist for The Electric Prunes and The Smashing Pumpkins ~ 62

Myra Tyler ~ Jazz singer from 1930's on ~ 94

Phil Vane ~ Vocalist for metal band Extreme Noise Terror ~ 46

Al Vega ~ Boston based Jazz pianist w/Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Billy Holiday ~ 90

Cato Walker (Cato T. Walker III) ~ Saxophonist, manager and promoter. Worked with Lou Rawls, The Bar-Kays and B.B. King, Ran the record label, Strick 9. ~ 61

John Walker ~ (John Maus) ~ Singer and bassist for 1960's melodramatic pop group The Walker Brothers ("The Sun ain't gonna shine anymore") ~ 67

Mike Waterson ~ British 1960's folk singer w/The Watersons and Blue Murder ~ 70

Don Wayne ~ American country music songwriter w/hits like "Saginaw Michigan" for Lefty Frizzell, also songs for Conway Twitty, Lorretta Lynn and Carl Smith ~ 78

Mikey Welsh ~ Bassist for 1990's alt rock group Weezer ~ 40

Margaret Whiting ~ 1940's and 50's pop singer ("That Old Black Magic","Moonlight in Vermont" and duets "Baby, It's Cold Outside" w/Johnny Mercer and Silver Bells w/Jimmy Wakely) also TV host and sitcom star ~ 86

Doc Williams ~ 1930's and 40's Old time country singer, founder of Wheeling Records ~ 96

Pat Williams ~ Jazz and R & B trumpet player w/Lionel Hampton, Nancy Wilson, The Temptations and B.B. King. ~ 68

Vesta Williams ~ American 1980's R&B singer ~ 50

Amy Winehouse ~ Multi Grammy Award winning British R&B singer ~ 27

Randy Wood ~ Founder of Dot Records 1950's & 60's label for Roy Head, Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs, Tiny Hill & The Hilltoppers, Jimmy Rodgers, Louis Prima, Pat Boone, The Surfaris, The Chantays, Gary Usher, Mac Wiseman, Nervous Norvus, Roy Clark, Sanford Clark, Mac Curtis, Lonnie Donnegan, Jimmy Dorsey, Jack Keruac, Count Basie, The Mills Bros, Robin Luke, The Four Lads ~94

Paul Yandell ~ Country guitarist with Chet Atkins, played w/Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton, Steve Wariner, Hank Thompson, Perry Como, Roger Whitaker, Kitty Wells, The Louvin Bros, Les Paul, Woody Herman, The Everly Bros. and Mary Chapin Carpenter ~ 76

Piotr Żyżlewicz ~ Drummer for Polish Prog Rock band (Voo Voo) ~ 46