ROCK, POP & COUNTRY STAR PASSINGS IN 2016
The first four months of this year have seen a terribly large number of singers and musicians die. Included are three that I loved and respected above few others (they’re the top 3 below).
1. GEORGE MARTIN – Genius Producer of THE BEATLES, PAUL McCARTNEY, GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS,BILLY J. KRAMER & THE DAKOTAS, CILLA BLACK, JEFF BECK, CHEAP TRICK, ELTON JOHN, THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA & others.
2. KEITH EMERSON – ELP & THE NICE
3. PAUL KANTNER – THE JEFFERSON AIRPLANE & JEFFERSON STARSHIP
SIGNE TOLY ANDERSON – THE JEFFERSON AIRPLANE
DAVID BOWIE
DENNIS DAVIS – Bowie’s longtime drummer
MAURICE WHITE – EARTH, WIND & FIRE
MIC GILETTE – Brass horn player for EARTH, WIND & FIRE, and COLD BLOOD and THE SONS OF CHAMPLIN
GLENN FREY – THE EAGLES
MERLE HAGGARD
NATALIE COLE (New Year’s Eve)
STEVIE WRIGHT (Dec 27) – Singer for Aussie Brit Invasion band THE EASYBEATS (“Friday on My Mind”)
GATO BARBIERI – Jazz saxman/composer (“Last Tango in Paris”)
FRANK SINATRA JR.
LEMMY KILMISTER (Dec 28) – HAWKWIND & MOTORHEAD
GARY LIOZZO – Singer for THE AMERICAN BREED (“Bend Me, Shape Me”)
KITTY KALLEN – Popular Big Band singer with tons of hits
DALE “BUFFIN” GRIFFIN – MOTT THE HOOPLE
SONNY JAMES – Pop & country singer (“Young Love”)
DAN HICKS – Led THE HOT LICKS
LENNIE BAKER – Singer/sax with SHA NA NA & DANNY & THE JUNIORS
ANDY “THUNDERCLAP” NEWMAN – Pianist/bandleader (“Something in the Air”)
GOGI GRANT – Singer (The Wayward Wind”)
GAYLE McCORMICK – Singer for the 70s band SMITH (“Baby, It’s You”)
OTIS CLAY – Blues & soul singer, Blues Hall of Famer
LEON HAYWOOD – 70s R&B singer
PAUL BLEY – Jazz pianist
NICK CALDWELL – Singer with THE WHISPERS
JIMMIE HASKELL – Film & TV score composer
JAMES TERY JOHNSON – drummer/pianist for Stax Records house band THE MAR-KEYS
CARLO MASTRANGELO – Bass singer with DION & THE BELMONTS, then lead singer with THE BELMONTS
GIL GILBEAU – string instruments with THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS
VANITY (Prince protege)
PRINCE
and LONNIE MACK.
Story by: Steve Smith
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