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LOST THIS MONTH

February 1st
1971: Harry Roy/Harry Lipman (71) British singer, swing clarinetist, bandleader; best remembered for having led a popular swing band in England and throughout portions of the British Empire during the 1930s. He and his brother Syd formed a band which they called The Darnswells. When the Original Dixieland Jazz Band left the Hammersmith Palais, they were replaced by the Roy Brothers Original Lyrical Five. They again changed name, becoming the Original Crichton Lyricals. At times, the band recorded as "The Lyricals", "Sid Roy's Crichton Lyricals", and "The Crichton Lyricals". Harry's band was very popular in London where they played all the better spots including the Alhambra; the London Coliseum; Rector's Club; Oddenino's; and the Cavour Restaurant. Harry and his band appeared in the film Everything Is Rhythm and again in the 1936 film Rhythm Racketeer, they also toured South America, the Middle East and other parts of the world. (?) b. January 12nd 1900
1981: Geirr Tveitt (72) One of Norway's most prolific composers. A talented pianist, Tveitt won considerable acclaim in continental Europe and elsewhere performing his own compositions. ()
1986: Dick James/Reginald Leon Isaac Vapnick (65) UK music publisher and the founder of the DJM record label and recording studios, as well as (with Brian Epstein) The Beatles' publisher Northern Songs. In his early days he was a part-time singer with The Stargazers (heart attack).
1989: Paul Robi (57) American vocalist, lead singer of The Platters (pancreatic cancer)
2002: Hildegard Knef (76) German actress, singer, writer, born in the city of Ulm; she enjoyed much success as a singer of German chansons, which she often co-wrote. In America she appeared on Broadway as “Ninotchka” in the Cole Porter musical, Silk Stockings. Hildergard is fondly remembered for the song "Für mich soll's rote Rosen regnen"/"It shall rain red roses for me", she is also well known for her version of the song "Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin" /"I've got a suitcase left in Berlin"), of which she sold more than three million records in total. (breast cancer) b. December 28th 1925.
2003: Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría () Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist born in Havana, Cuba. He is most famous for being the composer of the jazz standard "Afro Blue," recorded by John Coltrane among others. In 1950 he moved to New York where he played with Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Fania All Stars, and others. He was an integral figure in the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with R&B and soul, paving the way for the boogaloo era of the late 1960s. His 1963 hit rendition of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 () b. April 7th 1917.
2007: Gian Carlo Menotti (95) Italian-American composer and librettist; he often referred to himself as an American composer, but kept his Italian citizenship. He wrote the classic Christmas opera Amahl and the Night Visitors among about two dozen other operas intended to appeal to popular taste. He won the Pulitzer Prize for two of them, The Consul in 1950 and The Saint of Bleecker Street in 1955 . He founded the noted Festival dei Due Mondi / Festival of the Two Worlds in 1958 and its American counterpart, Spoleto Festival USA, in 1977. In 1986 Gian commenced a Melbourne Spoleto Festival in Australia, which has now become the Melbourne International Arts Festival. In 1984 he was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor for achievement in the arts, and in 1991 he was chosen Musical America's "Musician of the Year" (He died in a hospital in Monte Carlo, where he had a home) b. July 7th 1911

February 2
1594: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (67) Italian composer, organist; the most famous sixteenth-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition. He had a vast influence on the development of Roman Catholic church music, and his work can be seen as a summation of Renaissance polyphony.(died in Rome of pleurisy).
1979: Sid Vicious/John Simon Ritchie (21) English bass player with the Sex Pistols. He had been partying in a New York flat to celebrate his release on $50,000 (£29,412) bail pending his trial for the murder of his former girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, the previous October. Guests said that Sid had taken heroin at midnight. (heroin overdose, possible suicide).
1999: David Richard McComb () Australian rock musician. He was the singer-songwriter of a prominent Australian post-punk band, The Triffids () b. February 17th 1962.
1995: Thomas Hayward/Thomas Albert Tibbett (77) US operatic tenor born in Kansas City, Thomas made his debut with the New York City Opera in 1945, as Edmondo in Manon Lescaut, opposite Dorothy Kirsten in the title role. In 1945 and 1946, he was also seen there as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana and in The Gypsy Baron. Soon after Thomas made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, as Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette. His more notable roles at the Met included the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, the name part in Faust, and the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. His final opera at that theatre was Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, in 1957. In 1959, he returned to the City Opera, for Die Fledermaus, conducted by Julius Rudel. Through the first half of the 1960s Thomas appeared with companies throughout the United States, and was often heard on the radio and seen on television. He re-located to Dallas, where he began a successful second career as a pedagogue at Southern Methodist University. Among his students were Fernando del Valle, Clifton Forbis, Timothy Jenkins and Gary Lakes. (died in Las Vegas) b. December 1st 1917.
2002: Paul Baloff (41) Frontman and founder of the thrash metal band Exodus, also sang in several other ands such as Heathen, Hirax and Piranha.(stroke).
2007: Joe Hunter (79) American pianist, keyboard player; Motown's first Funk Brother and first band leader, 3 time Grammy winner (died at his Detroit apartment, cause of death is not yet known, it is thought to be related to longtime diabetes, it seems he was trying to take some medicine when he died)
2007: Billy Henderson (67) Singer with the Spinners (complications from diabetes)
2007: Eric von Schmidt (75) American folk/blues singer-songwriter; In 1997, he won a Grammy Award for his work on a compilation album entitled Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 1-3. (suffered a stroke in August 2006, and died seven months later)
2009: Sunny Skylar/Selig Shaftel (95) American composer, singer, lyricist, and music publisher; as a singer, he appeared with a number of big bands, including those led by Ben Bernie, Paul Whiteman, Abe Lyman, and Vincent Lopez. After the end of the big band era, he continued to sing in nightclubs and theaters until 1952. As a composer and lyricist, Sunny was the last of the great Tin Pan Alley authors, with over 300 songs to his credit, songs he wrote the lyrics and/or music to include 'Amor', 'Besame Mucho', 'And So to Sleep Again', 'Gotta Be This or That', 'Hair of Gold', 'Eyes of Blue', 'There's Fire', 'Love Me with All Your Heart', 'Where There's Smoke', and 'You're Breaking My Heart' just to mention a few (?) b. October 11th 1913.
2010: Nelli Shkolnikova (82) Ukrainian-born Australian violinist and teacher; born in the Ukrainian village of Zolotonosha, at the age of three, she moved with her family to Moscow, at five she entered the Moscow Conservatory, where she studied with Lillia Kossodo and Yuri Yankelevich. Nelli played her first concerto at age eight and won the 1953 Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris when she was 25. She then embarked on an international performing career, as well as teaching. She appeared in concert in the then Soviet Union, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and USA and became a faculty member at the Gnessin Institute of Music in Moscow. Between 1970 to 1982, she was barred from leaving the Soviet Union. Nelli finally defected to the West in Berlin on 26 November 1982, before settling in Melbourne, Australia, where she continurd to play, record and taught at the Victorian College of the Arts (cancer) b. 1927.

February 3
1959: Buddy Holly/Charles Hardin Holley (22) American singer, guitarist, songwriter; born in Lubbock, Texas, into a musical family, he learned to play piano, guitar and fiddle as a young boy. During the fall of 1949 he met Bob Montgomery at Hutchinson Junior High School, they teamed up as "Buddy and Bob". Initially influenced by bluegrass music, they sang harmony duets at local clubs and high school talent shows. Buddy turned to rock music after seeing Elvis Presley sing live in Lubbock in early 1955. Later that year, Buddy opened on the same bill with Presley... read more (Along with The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, he died in a plane crash shortly after take-off from Clear Lake, Iowa. The plane a single-engined Beechcraft Bonanza was hired after his tour bus developed heating problems while travelling to Fargo, North Dakota, for the next show on their Winter Dance Party Tour which Holly had set - covering 24 cities in three weeks, to make money after the break-up of his band, The Crickets, and waiting for money due him from ex-manager Norman Petty) b. September 7th 1936
1959: The Big Bopper/Jiles Perry (28) American singer, DJ, songwriter (As above... he died in a plane crash while on tour with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens)
1959: Ritchie Valens/Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes (17) American singer, songwriter and guitarist, born in Pacoima, California. Of Mexican decent he was brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar, R&B and jump blues, he expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of 5. Ritchie became a rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement. Sadly his recording career lasted only eight months, but during this time, he scored several hits, most notably his 1958 "La Bamba", which was originally a Mexican folk song that he transformed with a rock rhythm and beat, making him a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. He influenced the likes of Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys and Carlos Santana among countless others at a time when there were very few Latinos in American rock and pop music. He is considered the first Latino to ever successfully cross over into Rock mainstream (As above... he died in a plane crash while on tour with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper) b. May 13th 1941.
1960: Ferdinando "Fred" Buscaglione (39) Italian singer and actor who became very popular in the late 1950s. When he was 11, his parents enrolled him at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Turin. During his teen years, he performed at night clubs in Turin singing jazz and playing double bass and violin.After the war, he resumed working as a musician for various bands. He then formed his own group, the Asternovas. He was gradually creating his public character, inspired by Clark Gable and Mickey Spillane's gangsters. He and his friend Leo Chiosso, wrote the hits that brought nation-wide fame to Fred: Che bambola /Whatta babe!, Teresa non sparare /Theresa, don't shoot!, Eri piccola così /You were this, this little, Guarda che luna /Look, What A beautiful Moon, Love in Portofino, Porfirio Villarosa, Whisky facile/Easy Whiskey. After perfectioning his routine in night clubs and theatres he started recording his songs in 1955; the first single 'Che bambola' and 'Giacomino' sold 1,000,000 copies. By the end of 1950s, Fred was one of Italy's most wanted entertainers. He appeared on advertising campaigns, television and in movies (car crash) b. 23 November 1921
1967: Joe Meek (37) English record producer born in Newent, Gloucestershire; a pioneering record producer and songwriter acknowledged as one of the world's first and most imaginative independent producers. He also became infamous for his eccentric behaviour and experimentation with instruments. His most famous work was The Tornados' hit "Telstar" in 1962, which became the first record by a British group to hit No.1 in the US Hot 100. It also spent five weeks at the top the UK singles chart, with Joe receiving an Ivor Novello Award for this production as the "Best-Selling A-Side" of 1962. His other notable hit productions include "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" and "Cumberland Gap" by Lonnie Donegan, "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton, "Just Like Eddie" by Heinz, "Angela Jones" by Michael Cox, "Have I the Right?" by The Honeycombs, and "Tribute to Buddy Holly" by Mike Berry. Joe's concept album I Hear a New World is regarded as a watershed in modern music for its innovative use of electronic sounds. He was also producing music for films, most notably Live It Up! (US title Sing and Swing), a 1963 pop music film starring Heinz Burt, David Hemmings and Steve Marriott, also featuring Gene Vincent, Jenny Moss, The Outlaws, Kim Roberts, Kenny Ball, Patsy Ann Noble and others. Joe wrote most of the songs and incidental music, much of which was recorded by The Saints and produced by himself. "Have I the Right?" would be Joe's last big hit. Joe had gained a reputation as being difficult to work with, he was very controlling and would often become angry and violent if musicians didn't do as he told them to. Joe's fascination with the unknown took a darker turn when he would experiment with the occult. He would engage in séances and leave recording equipment in graveyards to try and contact his hero Buddy Holly (he shot his landlady Violet Shenton and then shot himself at his flat in London) b. April 5th 1929.
1973: Andy Razaf (77) African American composer, poet, and lyricist; at seventy-six years of age, Andy Razaf, the most prolific black lyricist of twentieth century popular music, was finally recognized by his Tin Pan Alley peers in the songwriters Hall of Fame (heart problems)
1975: Umm Kulthum (70) Egyptian singer, born in Tamay ez-Zahayra village in the Nile Delta, she is known as the Star of the East. More than three decades after her death, she is still recognized as one of Egypt's most famous and distinguished singers of the 20th century. Bob Dylan, Maria Callas, Jean-Paul Sartre, Marie Laforêt, Salvador Dalí, Nico, Bono, Farin Urlaub, and Led Zeppelin are known to be admirers of Umm's music. One of her best known songs, “Enta Omri,” has been the basis of many reinterpretations, including one 2005 collaborative project involving Israeli and Egyptian artists. (Her funeral was attended by over 4 million mourners, one of the largest gatherings in history and descended into pandemonium when the crowd seized control of her coffin and carried it to a mosque that they considered her favorite, before later releasing it for burial) b. December 31st 1904.
1989: Lionel Newman (73) American conductor, pianist, and film and television composer; he started formal training in New York, beforemoving to Hollywood, where at the age of 16, he began conducting for impresario Earl Carroll. He continued his studies in LA with Joseph Achron and Mario Castelnuevo-Tedesco. In the 1930s, Lionel conducted national tours and worked as the piano accompanist for Mae West. After serving an apprenticeship conducting and orchestrating live shows, Newman joined 20th Century Fox as a rehearsal pianist under the guidance of his brother, Alfred Newman, and by 1959, he had been promoted to Musical Director for Television there. This opened the doors to feature films. He was soon made vice president in charge of music for both television and features. This soon resulted in a promotion to senior vice president of all music for Twentieth Century Fox Films. He wrote several classic TV themes for Fox, including The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Adventures in Paradise, and Daniel Boone. He joined 20th Century Fox as a rehearsal pianist under the guidance of his brother, Alfred Newman, and by 1959, he had been promoted to Musical Director for Television there. This opened the doors to feature films. He was soon made vice president in charge of music for television and features. This resulted in a promotion to senior vice president of all music for Twentieth Century Fox Films. He wrote several TV themes for Fox, including The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Adventures in Paradise, and Daniel Boone. Lionel received 11 Academy Award nominations, and won an Oscar for Hello Dolly! in 1969. He conducted the scores for Cleopatra, The Sand Pebbles, The Agony and the Ecstasy, The Long Hot Summer, The Young Lions, Alien, and The Omen. He was the musical supervisor for Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Monsignor, and The Fury. Also as a songwriter, he received a certificate of merit from Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) for over one million network performances of his 1948 hit, "Again", a pop standard that lived on long after its introduction in the film Road House (cardiac arrest) b. January 4th 1916.
1992: Junior Cook/Herman Cook (57) tenor Sax; in addition to many appearances as a sideman, Junior Cook recorded as a leader for Jazzland, Catalyst, Muse, and SteepleChase ()
1998: Fat Pat/Patrick Lamont Hawkins (27) American rapper from Houston, Texas and an original member of DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click. He was most prolific in the mid-1990s alongside his late brother Big Hawk and longtime friend Lil' Keke. Fat Pat was signed to Wreckshop Records and had hits with the singles "Wanna Be a Baller" and "Tops Drop" (Tragically Fat Pat was shot dead after collecting an appearance fee from a promoter's apartment) b. December 4th 1970.
2009: Joven Deala () The half-brother of Black Eyed Peas star Allan Pineda aka apl.de.ap (pictured), was murdered outside of his girlfriend's apartment in the Philippines.
2009: Tom Brumley (73) American legendary steel guitarist who contributed to the "Bakersfield sound" of Buck Owens and the Buckaroos in the 1960s before spending 10 years performing with Rick Nelson; While with Buck, from 1963 to 1969, he traveled the world and played on landmark recordings such as “Together Again,” "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail" and “Act Naturally”. Tom left The Buckaroos in 1969, when Ricky Nelson invited him to play steel guitar with his band for his "Live at the Troubadour" album, staying with Rick for 10 years. He also performed or recorded with artists including Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard, Chris Isaak, Waylon Jennings, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Ray Price and Rod Stewart and he spent three years recording and touring with Chris Hillman and the Desert Rose Band. From 1989 to 2003, he performed with his sons, Todd and Tommy, in the Brumley Family Music Show. He has been inducted into both the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame (died at Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, eight days after suffering a heart attack) b. December 11th 1935.

February 4
1944: Yvette Guilbert (79) French music-hall singer and actress; She was a favorite subject of artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who made many portraits and caricatures of Guilbert and dedicated his second album of sketches to her. In 1932 she was awarded the Legion of Honor as the Ambassadress of French Song (?).
1975: Louis Jordan (66) American pioneering jazz, blues and rhythm & blues musician, songwriter and leader of his own band his Tympany Five, he enjoyed his greatest popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. In this period he scored eighteen No.1 singles and fifty-four Top Ten placings and he duetted with some of the biggest solo singing stars of his day, including Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", Louis was highly popular with both black and white audiences in the later years of the swing era. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him No.59 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (?) b. July 8th 1908.
1982: Alex Harvey (46) Scottish rock and roll singer, born in Glasgow. In 1959, he formed Alex Harvey's Soul Band, and recorded blues and rock and roll material. In 1966, he a member of the pit band in the London stage production of the musical Hair recording the live LP 'Hair Rave Up'. In 1972, Alex formed the Sensational Alex Harvey Band with guitarist Zal Cleminson, bassist Chris Glen, and cousins Ted and Hugh McKenna on drums and keyboards respectively, all previous members of progressive rock act "Tear Gas". He built a strong reputation as a live performer during the 1970s glam rock era. The band was renowned for its eclecticism and energetic live performance, Alex for his charismatic persona and daredevil stage antics. The band had hits with "Delilah" in 1975, and "The Boston Tea Party" in 1976, Alex left the band later that year. (Died of a heart attack while waiting for a ferry in Zeebrugen, Belgium, the day before his 47th birthday) b. February 5th 1935.
1983: Karen Carpenter (32) American singer and drummer; born in New Haven, Connecticut, Karen started on the drums in the school band while attending Downey High School. From 1965 to 1968, Karen, her brother Richard and his college friend Wes Jacobs, a bassist and tuba player, formed The Richard Carpenter Trio. The band played jazz at numerous nightclubs, and also appeared on a TV talent show called Your All American College Show. In April 1969 A&M Records signed Karen and Richard as the duo The Carpenters to a recording contract, with Karen as both the group's drummer and lead singer. She was later persuaded to stand at the microphone to sing the band's hits while another musician played the drums, although she still did some drumming. They released their debut album "Offering", later retitled Ticket to Ride, on October 9th 1969. Their 2nd album, 1970's Close to You, featured two massive hit singles: "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun". This has been followed by 14 more Carpenter albums and one Karen Carpenter solo album. Other of their many hit songs include "For All We Know (Theme from Lovers and Other Strangers), "Rainy Days and Mondays", "Superstar", "Hurting Each Other", "It's Going to Take Some Time", "Goodbye to Love", "Sing", "Yesterday Once More", "Top of the World", "Please Mr. Postman" and "Only Yesterday". Playboy's 1975 annual opinion poll, readers voted Karen Carpenter the Best Rock Drummer of the year, on October 12th 1983, the Carpenters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in 1999 VH1 ranked Karen Carpenter at No.29 on their list of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll and in 2008 Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Karen Carpenter No.94 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. The Carpenter's also won 3 awards and acheived 15 nominations (cardiac arrest due to the effects of anorexia nervosa) b. March 2nd 1950.
1984: Paul Gardiner (35) Bass, founding member of Gary Numan's Tubeway Army (heroin overdose)
1987: Liberace/Wladziu Valentino Liberace (67) US pianist, singer, TV presenter; he appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 16. He began giving concerts in flamboyant costumes with ornate pianos and candelabra, and though he occasionally performed with symphony orchestras, he built his career playing primarily popular music. (complications related to AIDS)
1989: Trevor Lucas (45) Australian guitarist, born in Melburne, he originally learned to play the guitar in order to help with his dyslexia and released his first two recordings in Australia before moving to England in 1965. In 1967 Trevor joined the band Eclection as the bass player and continued playing with them until their eventual breakup in 1969. At this time he was dating the lead singer of Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, and appeared on Fairport's album Unhalfbricking. Trevor and Sandy then formed the band Fotheringay with Trevor playing acoustic guitar, Fotheringay released only one album and the band broke up the following year. He joined Fairport Convention in 1973 when he was helping with their album Rosie, but in April 1978, tragically Sandy had a fatal fall down a flight of stairs, leaving Trevor to raise their newborn daughter, Georgia, by himself. Shortly after Sandy's death he moved back to Australia with Georgia. In the 1980s, he was producing more albums and later started working on scores from the film industry. In 1985 he returned to England to work on a tribute album to Sandy Denny. (died of a heart attack in his sleep) b. December 25th 1943.
1995: David Alexander () was a Welsh singer and entertainer (heart attack).
1999: Gwen Guthrie (48) American singer/songwriter, backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Madonna among others, who wrote songs made famous by Ben E. King and Roberta Flack. (cancer)
2000: Doris Coley (58) American singer, born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Doris was a founder member and occasional lead singer of the Shirelles. She initially left the group in 1968, but returned in 1975. The girl group formed in New Jersey in 1958, and went on to release a string of hits including "Baby It's You" , "Mama Said", "Foolish Little Girl", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Soldier Boy" and "Sha La La". Doris sang lead on "Dedicated to the One I Love", "Welcome Home Baby", "Blue Holiday" and a number of 'b' sides and album cuts. She was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame along with The Shirelles in 1996 (breast cancer) b. August 2nd 1941.
2000: Joachim-Ernst Berendt (77) German journalist, music critic, music producer ()
2001: Iannis Xenakis (78) Greek, naturalised French, composer, music theorist and architect, born in Braila, Romania. By 1979, he had devised a computer system called UPIC, which could translate graphical images into musical results. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers. Iannis pioneered the use of mathematical models such as applications of set theory, varied use of stochastic processes, game theory, etc., in music, and was also an important influence on the development of electronic music. Among his most important works are Metastaseis, 1953–4 for orchestra, which introduced independent parts for every musician of the orchestra; percussion works such as Psappha, 1975 and Pléïades 1979; compositions that introduced spatialization by dispersing musicians among the audience, such as Terretektorh, 1966; electronic works created using Xenakis's UPIC system; and the massive multimedia performances Xenakis called polytopes (?) b. May 29th 1922.
2001: J. J. Johnson/James Louis Johnson (77) American trombonist, composer and arranger born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jay Jay was maybe the finest jazz trombonist of all time, there is not a trombonist alive who has not been influenced by the J. J. Johnson sound, he did for the trombone what Charlie Parker did for the saxophone. In the 1940s he played and toured with Clarence Love, Snookum Russell, Benny Carter's big band, Count Basie's Orchestra, Charlie Parker, the Dizzy Gillespie big band, Illinois Jacquet (1947-1949), and the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool Nonet. His own recordings from the era included such sidemen as Bud Powell and a young Sonny Rollins. Johnson, Oscar Pettiford (1951) and Miles Davis (1952), .In August 1954, he formed a two-trombone quintet with Kai Winding that became known as Jay and Kai. In the early 70s J.J. moved from New York to California to compose for cinema and television, where he scored movies such as Across 110th Street, Cleopatra Jones, Top of the Heap and Willie Dynamite, as well as TV series such as Starsky & Hutch, Mike Hammer and The Six Million Dollar Man. This amazing legendary musician remained at the top of his field for nearly 6 decades playing, touring and recording with the best until 2000 when so sadly he fell ill with prostate cancer (tragically took his own life by shooting himself) b. January 22nd 1924
2007: Barbara McNair (72) African-American singer and actress; winning on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, led to bookings at The Purple Onion and the Cocoanut Grove and she soon became one of the country's most popular headliners and a guest on such television variety shows as The Steve Allen Show, Hullabaloo, The Bell Telephone Hour, and The Hollywood Palace, while recording for the Coral, Signature, and Motown labels. Among her hits were You're Gonna Love My Baby and Bobby. As well as appearing in many films, her Broadway credits include The Body Beautiful in 1958, No Strings in 1962, and a revival of The Pajama Game in 1973 (throat cancer) b. March 4th 1934
2009: Steve Dullaghan (45) British singer-songwriter, bassist and co-founder of the indie rock band The Primitives in 1985. They recorded 4 albums ''Lovely'', ''Lazy'', ''Pure'', and ''Galore'' and 10 singles, having hits in UK and the US including "Crash", which he co-wrote, "Way Behind Me", "Sick Of It", and "Secrets". After leaving the Primitives he continued to write, perform and record music, both solo and in collaboration with other local musicians, as well as rejoining the Nocturnal Babies the band he played with before The Primatives (found dead at his home in Cheylesmore) b. December 18th 1966.
2009: Lux Interior/Erick Purkhiser (62) American singer, songwriter and musician; a founding member and lead singer of the legendary garage punk band The Cramps from 1973 until his death. He took his name from an old car advert and he is described as one of rock ‘n’ roll’s wildest and most charismatic frontmen. The band moved from California to Ohio in 1973 and then to New York in 1975 where they became part of the flourishing punk scene. Their best known single was "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns"/"Jackyard Backoff" charted in both US and UK, and they recorded 15 studio albums, many appearing in the British charts (a pre-existing heart condition) b. October 21st 1946.

February 5
1968: Luckeyeth Roberts (80) US jazz/ragtime/blues composer and pianist; was playing piano and acting professionally with traveling African American minstrel shows in his childhood. He settled in New York City about 1910 and became one of the leading pianists in Harlem, and started publishing some of his original rags.
1976: Rudy Pompilli (51) saxophone, clarenet with Bill Haley & His Comets and freelanced; worked with the Ralph Marterie Orchestra prior to joining the Comets, scoring a hit with their version of "Crazy Man, Crazy" too (lung cancer)
1980: Donald "Chubby" Anthony (43) American fiddler; raised in Shelby, N.C., he began playing music at the age of seven, winning the North Carolina fiddling championship at 12, and got his biggest break in the early 1950s, when he became the fiddler for the legendary Stanley Brothers. He played fiddle for the Stanleys until 1961. In the early 1970s, Donald played, with Robert McDougal and Kiel Brown, in the popular Tall Timber Bluegrass. Later, the band's name was changed to Big Timber, and along with guitarist, Bill Pruett and Banjo picker, Jimmy Fee, it was the band with which he performed until illness intervened (acute renal failure) b. December 20th 1936.

February 6
1973: Nick Stabulas (43) US drummer; jazz man ()
1976: Vince Guaraldi (47) jazz pianist, composer, songwriter, bandleader (heart attack)
1981: Hugo Montenegro (55) American orchestra leader and composer of film soundtracks. His best known work is derived from interpretations of the music from Spaghetti Westerns, especially his 1968 rendition of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly which reached No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100, No.3 in the Canadian charts, and topping the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. Born in New York and after serving in the navy, he studied composition at Manhattan College while leading his own band for school dances. By the middle 1950s, he was directing, conducting, and arranging the orchestra for Eliot Glen and Irving Spice on their Dragon and Caprice labels. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s where he began working for RCA records, producing a series of albums and soundtracks for motion pictures and television themes, such as two volumes of Music From The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Following the success of his albums, he was contracted by Columbia Pictures where he did such films as Hurry Sundown and two Matt Helm pictures. Hugo was also contracted to Columbia's television production company Screen Gems where he is most famous for his theme from the second season of the television series I Dream of Jeannie, his theme song "Seattle" and music from Here Come the Brides and The Outcasts (emphysema) b. September 2nd 1925.
1989: King Tubby/Osbourne Ruddock (48) Jamaican Reggae producer, electronics and sound engineer, known for his influence on the development of dub in the 1960s and 1970s. His innovative studio work, which saw him elevate the role of record producer to a creative height previously only reserved for composers and musicians (shot and killed by unknown persons outside his home in Duhaney Park, upon returning from a session at his Waterhouse studio) b. January 28th 1941.
1998: Carl Wilson (51) singer and guitarist with the Beach Boys; took over as lead singer in 1965 and part running the band in 1966, fully in 1970and went solo in 1970. He is widely regarded to have had one of the finest voices in rock and his voice appears as a backing vocal on many recordings by groups and solo singers.(lung cancer)
1998: Falco/ Johann (Hans) Hölzel (40) Austrian rock singer, singer and rock bass player in Drahdiwaberl (Falco died of severe head injuries received following a collision with a bus in his Mitsubishi Pajero near the resort of Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic)
2005: Sonny Day (80) accordion player; an original member of Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain, a frequent performer on the Grand Ole Opry, also performed & recorded with Minnie Pearl, Patsy Cline, Tanya Tucker and Vince Gill. (bone cancer)
2005: Lazar Berman (74) Russian pianist, one of the last of the Romantic tradition of Russian pianism; born in Leningrad, he entered his first competition at the age of three, and recorded a Mozart fantasia and a mazurka that he had composed himself at the age of seven, before he could even read music. In the 1950s he began to make his mark both behind the Iron Curtain and in the West. By the middle of the decade he was already much admired, pianist Emil Gilels described him as “the phenomenon of the musical world”. He toured Europe many times, eventually settling in Italy. His memoirs "The Years of Peregrination: Reveries of a Pianist." have been published in German and in Russian (?) b. February 26th 1930
2005: Karl Haas (91) German-American classical music radio host, whose distinctively sonorous voice and humanistic approach to making music appreciation contagious made him well-received by many. He began his radio program Adventures in Good Music on WJR in Detroit, Michigan in 1959. Syndicated broadcasts of the show across the United States began in 1970 on WCLV, a Cleveland, Ohio radio station. Eventually syndicated to commercial and public radio stations around the world, the show became the world's most widely listened-to classical music radio program. He also published a book, Inside Music. In addition to being a musicologist, he was also an accomplished pianist and conductor. Karl received the Charles Frankel Award of the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1991. President George H. W. Bush personally presented the award to Haas at the White House. Haas also twice won the George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. In 1997 he became the first classical music broadcaster to be named to the Radio Hall of Fame (?) b. December 6th 1913.
2007: Frankie Laine/Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (93) Frankie Laine Americam singer born in Francesco Paolo LoVecchio in Chicago's "Little Italy" district, where his Sicilian father worked at one time as the personal barber for gangster Al Capone. Frankie was a member of the choir in the church of the Immaculate Conception's elementary school. He realized he wanted to be a singer when he wagged high school to see Al Jolson's talkie picture, "The Singing Fool." His early influences included Enrico Caruso, Carlo Buti, and Bessie Smith. (sadly died of heart failure after hip replacemnt surgery, at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego) b. March 30th 1913.. read more
2010: Sir John Dankworth (82) British jazz icon, composer, saxophonist, clarinetist and musical arranger, born in Woodford, Essex, was better known as Johnny Dankworth before he was knighted in 2006. He started his own jazz orchestra in the 1950s and went on to work with the likes of Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. He was also a prolific composer, writing the theme tune for TV shows The Avengers and Tomorrow's World, and films including Modesty Blaise, The Servant and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. After winning a place at the Royal Academy of Music aged 17, and following a short stint in the Army, he was voted British Musician of the Year in 1949 (died in King Edward VII Hospital, London after being ill for several months) b. September 20th 1927.. read more

February 7
1894: Adolphe Sax (79) Belgium inventor of the saxhorn, saxtrombas and the saxophone; the saxophones made his reputation, and secured him a job teaching at the Paris Conservatoire
1979: Herbert LeRoy "Peanuts" Holland (68) Jazz trumpeter, vocals, sessionist; he was aslo a member of Coleman Hawkins' orchestra, Fletcher Henderson's Big Band, Charlie Barnet Band, Don Redman's big band ()
1985: Matt Monro/ Terence Parsons (55) English ballad singer born in Shoreditch, London and attended Duncombe School in Islington. He got a break in 1956 when he became a featured vocalist in the BBC Show Band. In 1959 he recorded a country pastiche song, "Bound for Texas", for The Chaplin Revue, a feature-length compilation of Charlie Chaplin shorts. It would be the first of many Monro soundtrack themes. His second single, in 1960, "Portrait of My Love," reached No.3 in the UK Singles Chart. Matt achieved fame in the United States when "My Kind of Girl" 1961 and "Walk Away" in 1964 hit the Top 40 and in 1961 he was named Top International Act by Billboard magazine. At the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, singing "I Love the Little Things," Matt finished second behind Italy's 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti, despite an "excellent performance of the only English language song of the night". Other hits included "Softly as I Leave You"; and the song from the James Bond film "From Russia with Love". (liver cancer) b. December 1st 1930.
1999: Bobby Troup (70) US jazz, swing blues pianist, singer, composer, actor ()
1999: Robert Williams (81) US songwriter ()
2000: Big Punisher/Christopher Rios (28) Rapper; he was a huge man, his weight reportedly varying between 450 and 700 pounds.(heart attack)
2000: Robin Scott (79) launched the UK BBC Radio 1 station in 1967.
2000: Dave Peverett (56) English guitarist and singer born in Dulwich, South East London. After a brief tour with Swiss blues band, Les Questions, he joined Savoy Brown as a rhythm guitarist, eventually also taking over as lead singer. After five albums with Savoy Brown, he decided to pursue his own vision, taking drummer Roger Earl and bassist Tony Stevens with him. He decided to call his new band Foghat, a word he had made up as a child while playing Scrabble with his brother. With the success of an early single, a cover version of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You", their debut release soon went gold. In 1974, Foghat released two gold albums, Energized and Rock & Roll Outlaws. Their first platinum album, Fool for the City, was released in 1975, producing three hit singles: the title track, "My Babe", and "Slow Ride". Followed by another gold album, Night Shift, before their 1977 Foghat Live album which reached multi-platinum. 1978's Stone Blue was yet another gold. Dave was the talented songwriter behind Foghats hits and tracks (pneumonia and complications from kidney cancer) b. April 16th 1943.
2001: Dale Evans/Frances Octavia Smith (88) singer, songwriter, actress and wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers ()
2003: Malcolm Roberts (58) actor, solo and stage musicals singer (heart attack)
2009: Molly Bee/Molly Munchy/Mollie Gene Beachboard (69) American country singer; she became a popular teenage star on the 1950s TV show Hometown Jamboree. She was only 13 when she had her first major recording success with "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". This was followed by at least three more hit singles, and a brief film acting career. In the '50s and early '60s she was a television staple on variety programs hosted by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Steve Allen nationally, as well as making local station appearances.(complications from a stroke) b. August 18th 1939.
2009: Blossom Margrete Dearie (84) American jazz singer and pianist;classically trained, switched to jazz after joining a high school band. Moving to New York City in the mid-1940s, she sang with the Blue Flames, a vocal group attached to the Woody Herman band, and with Alvino Rey’s band before embarking on a solo career. 1952 sees her in Paris where she joined the Blue Stars, a vocal octet that recorded a hit version of “Lullaby of Birdland”. In '56 Verve Records signed her to a 6-album contract “Blossom Dearie”, “Give Him the Ooh-La-La”, “Once Upon a Summertime”, “Sings Comden and Green”, “My Gentleman Friend” and “Soubrette Sings Broadway Hit Songs”, all are today regarded as cult classics. From 1966 she traveled regularly to London to play Ronnie Scott’s, a popular nightclub, and while in England recorded four albums for the Fontana label. Back in the United States she established her own label, Daffodil Records, in 1974. Her first album, “Blossom Dearie Sings,” included “Hey John,” a tribute to John Lennon. Her last recording was a single, “It’s All Right to Be Afraid,” dedicated to the victims and survivors of 9/11.(died in her sleep of natural causes) b.April 28th 1924

February 8
1972: Markos Vamvakaris (66) Greek rebetiko musician-songwriter; while working in the Athens he learned bouzouki, becoming an innovative virtuoso player. He also began to compose music and write songs. At first he played in hashish establishments known as Tekes, later he and his band, which included Giorgos Batis, Anestis Delias and Stratos Pagioumtzis played in more legitimate clubs. They became extremely popular, and Markos recordrd his first rebetiko disc, Na 'Rchosouna Re Magka Mou in 1932. Among other songs in that period, he wrote the classic love song "Frangkosyriani" He later suffered badly with arthritis in his hands, but in the early 1960s, many of his old songs were revived, sung by modern singers including Grigoris Bithikotsis, and Stratos Dionysiou. (?) b. May 10th 1905.
1973: Max Yasgur (53) American music lover, the owner of a dairy farm in Bethel, New York on which the Woodstock Festival was held between August 15th and August 18th 1969. By the late 1960s, he was the largest milk producer in Sullivan County, New York. His farm had 650 cows, mostly Guernseys. Many of his neighbors turned against him after the festival, and he was no longer welcome at the town general store, but he never regretted his decision to allow the concert on his farm. On January 7th 1970, he was sued by his neighbors for area property damage caused by the attendance of the "flower children". However, the damage to his own property was far more extensive and, over a year later, he received a $50,000 settlement to pay for the near-destruction of his dairy farm and in 1971, Max sold the 600-acre farm (died in Florida of a heart attack) b. December 15th 1919.
1980: Nikos Xylouris (43) Greek composer and singer born in the village of Anogeia in Crete and also the older brother of two other great musicians of Cretan music, Antonis and Yiannis. He was part of the movement that brought down the Greek military Junta of 1967. His songs and music captured and described the Greek psyche and demeanor, gaining himself the title the archangel of Crete. He first performed outside Greece in 1966 and won the first prize in the San Remo folk music festival. In 1971, Nikos was awarded by the Academy Charles Cross of France for his performance in the Cretan Rizitika songs album with G. Markopoulos (brain tumor) b. July 7th 1936.
1990: Del Shannon/Charles Weedon Westover (55) American singer and guitarist, one of the early greats in rock 'n' Roll and born in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he learned ukulele and guitar. In 1954, he was drafted into the Army, while in Germany he played guitar in a band called the Cool Flames. In 1958, he took over a band as leader and singer, with the name Charlie Johnson, and renaming his band the Big Little Show Band. He soon renamed himself Del Shannon and on January 21st 1961, recorded "Runaway", which reached No.1 in the Billboard chart in April. This was followed with "Hats Off to Larry", which peaked at No.5 on the Billboard and No.1 on Cashbox in 1961. Other hits included "So Long, Baby," and "Little Town Flirt",. He continued his success in England, where he had always been more popular. In 1963, he became the first American to record a cover version of a Beatles song, "From Me to You" which charted in the US before the Beatles. In 1988, Del sang on "The World We Know" with The Smithereens on their album Green Thoughts. Shortly after, in 1990, he recorded with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra and there were rumors he would join The Traveling Wilburys after Roy Orbison's death. Previously, in 1975, he had recorded tracks with Lynne, along with In My Arms Again, a self-penned country song (while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug, Prozac) b. December 30th 1934.
1992: Denys "Denny" Justin Wright (67) English jazz and skiffle guitarist, pianist, club owner, who performed with Stephane Grappelli, Lonnie Donegan, the bluegrass musician Johnny Duncan, Digby Fairweather, Humphrey Lyttelton, Marie Bryant and many other musicians. Throughout his career and many projects from 1940 until the 1980s, Denny was a regular in the recording studios as one of Britain's best session musicians and frequently acted as arranger and fixer for recording sessions. Denny was also a prolific composer for jazz and orchestra. Denny led many bands in his career, ranging from small jazz ensembles through night club bands to full size orchestras. In addition to jazz and skiffle, Denny worked with Latin American and Jamaican bands. Although he was best known as a guitarist, his favourite instrument was actually the piano. After the war, in 1945, he set up London's first bebop club, the Fullado in New Compton Street, where he played both piano and guitar. In the late 1940s he toured Italy and the Middle East with the Francisco Cavez orchestra before ending up playing in King Farouk's palace. He was part of Lonnie Donegan's group who first took skiffle to the Soviet Union in 1957. In 1978, he formed Velvet with Ike Isaacs, Len Skeat and Digby Fairweather and in 1981, Denny was voted BBC Jazz Society Musician of the Year. Denny occasionally taught young guitarists and guest lectured at the Royal College of Music on the life of a session musician. His last gig, was at The Grapes in Shepherd Market, Mayfair in late 1991 (Sadly died after a brave nine year battle with bladder cancer) b. May 6th 1924.
1994: Raymond Scott/Harry Warnow (85) American composer, band leader, pianist, engineer, recording studio maverick, and electronic instrument inventor. He was born in Brooklyn, NY,
assembled his first audio laboratory at 12, got his first professional job as pianist and composed his first song "Portrait of a Cow" at 15, and was a 1931 graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied piano, theory and composition. He worked as a pianist for the CBS Radio house band, before forming his own band, calling it the "Raymond Scott Quintette". His first hit single came in 1934, "Christmas Night in Harlem", which was later recorded by Louis Armstrong. In 1936 he signed a recording contract with Irving Mills, Columbia Records and in 1937-38 he appeared and performed in several Hollywood films with his Quintette. Ray believed strongly in composing and playing by ear, his music is familiar to millions because of its adaptation by Carl Stalling in over 120 classic Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and other Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated features. Ray's melodies have also been heard in twelve Ren & Stimpy episodes (which used the original of Raymond's recordings), while making cameos in The Simpsons, Duckman, Animaniacs, The Oblongs, and Batfink. The only music Raymond actually composed purposely to accompany animation were three 20-second electronic commercial jingles for County Fair Bread in 1962. He was also a pioneer and inventor of electronic music. In 1954 he met and began to collaborate with synthesizer inventor Bob Moog an association which lasted 15 years. In 1956 he patented 'The Clavivox' (Keyboard Operated Electrical Musical Instrument) In 1959 he build his 1st version 'The Electronium' a keyboard-less, automatic composition and performance machine. A more perfected version of this invention caught the eye of Berry Gordy, who in 1970, bought an Electronim and hired Raymond as Motown's Director of Electronic Research and Development in his L.A. studios, where he based himself for 9 years. Other of his many electronic music inventions include 'The Fascination', 'The Participator', 'Pitch Sequencer', 'Rhythm Synthesizer', 'Bassline Generator', 'Synthesized Gong', 'Juxtaposition Matrix', 'Melody Maker', 'Rhythm Guitar Simulator', and the drum machine 'Bandito the Bongo Artist' just to mention a few. Still composing, recording and inventing at the age of 81, in 1988 Raymond suffered from series of heart attacks & strokes leaving him, so very sadly, unable to work, speak, or communicate. (he died 4 years later) b. September 10th 1908.
2002: Bob Wooler (76) resident DJ and booker at Liverpool's Cavern Club
2002: Nick Brignola (65) Jazz saxophonist; he occasionally doubled on other instruments. Woody Herman's orchestra/solo/guest/bandleader, owner of the Priam Label (cancer)
2003: Malcolm Roberts (57) singer songwriter (heart attack)
2005: Jimmy Smith (77) Hammond jazz organist; he ruled the Hammond organ in the '50s and '60s, revolutionizing the instrument, showing it could be creatively used in a jazz context and popularized in the process.()
2005: Keith Knudson (56) Drummer, Doobie Brothers (pneumonia)
2006: Elton Dean (60) UK saxophone player with Long John Baldry's band Bluesology; the bands pianist Reg Dwight, took Dean and Baldrey's first names for his stage name, Elton John. Elton Dean next established his reputation as a member of the Keith Tippett Sextet from 1968 to 1970, and in the band Soft Machine from 1969 to 1972. Shortly before leaving Soft Machine he started his own group, Just Us. From 1975 to 1978 he led a nine-piece band called Ninesense. In 2002, Elton and three other former Soft Machine members; Hugh Hopper, drummer John Marshall, and guitarist Allan Holdsworth toured and recorded under the name Soft Works. His last musical collaborations also included those with Soft Bounds, a quartet comprised of himself, Hugh Hopper, Sophia Domancich and Simon Goubert; Alex Maguire's project Psychic Warrior; and Belgian rock-jazz band The Wrong Object (heart and liver disease) b. Oct 28th 1945

February 9
1966: Sophie Tucker/Sonia Kalish (82) Czarist Russian singer, pianist, comedian; one of the most popular entertainers in America during the first third of the 20th century. Her comic style is credited with influencing later female entertainers, including Mae West, Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and most notably Bette Midler who has included "Soph" as one of her many stage characters. She made several popular recordings including "Some of These Days" and "My Yiddish Momme", had her own radio program, Sophie Tucker and Her Show, in 1938-39, broadcasting for 15 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and she made numerous film appearances, including Broadway Melody of 1938 as the mother of Judy Garland's character (lung cancer) b. January 13th 1884.
1976: Percy Faith (67) Canadian band-leader and conductor born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. He was one of the most popular easy listening recording artists of the '50s and '60s. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and continued well into the 1960s. His most famous and remembered recordings are "Delicado" in 1952, "The Song from Moulin Rouge" in 1953 and "Theme from A Summer Place" in 1960, which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1961. Percy remains the only artist to have the best selling single of the year during both the pop singer era ("Song from Moulin Rouge") and the rock era ("Theme from a Summer Place"). The B-side of "Song from the Moulin Rouge" was "Swedish Rhapsody" by Hugo Alfvén. In the 70's he continued to release albums as diverse and contemporary as Jesus Christ Superstar and "Black Magic Woman." He released one album of country music and two albums of disco-oriented arrangements toward the end of his forty year career. (Percy sadly died after battling cancer) b. April 7th 1918.
1980: Charlie Fowlkes (63) American baritone saxophonist, best known for his time with Count Basie, which lasted for more than twenty-five years. born in New York, and studied alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet, and violin before settling on the baritone sax (he also played occasional flute). He spent most of his early career in New York, playing with Tiny Bradshaw: 1938-1944, Lionel Hampton: 1944-1948, and Arnett Cobb: 1948-1951, before joining Count Basie, who he stayed with until his death (?) b. February 16th 1916.
1981: Bill Haley (55) American singer, Bill Haley and his Comets; he was there before Presley, Holly and Berry, playing rock & roll before it even had a name, and is credited by many for being the first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock". He was born Highland Park, Michigan, because of the Great Depression on the Detroit area, his father moved the family to Boothwyn, Pennsylvania. For six years Bill was a musical director of Radio Station WPWA in Chester, Pennsylvania, leading his own band The Saddlemen all through this period and in 1951 they made their first recordings. They renamed themselves Bill Haley with Haley's Comets on Labour Day 1952. After his massive world hits of the 50s he continued recording and touring. He performed for Queen Elizabeth II at a command performance in 1979, and Bill made his final performances in South Africa in May and June 1980. Prior to the South African tour, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and a planned tour of Germany in the fall of 1980 was canceled. Bill was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (sadly died from a heart attack) b. July 6th 1925.
1993: Bill Grundy (69) TV broadcaster, He presented the famous Sex Pistols 'filth & fury' interview when the band swore on live UK TV (heart attack)
1997: Jack Owens/L.F. Nelson (92) Delta blues singer and guitarist from Bentonia, Mississippi, he was never a professional recording artist, but he farmed, bootlegged and ran a weekend juke joint in Bentonia for most of his life. He was not recorded until the blues revival of the 1960s, when he was rediscovered by David Evans in 1966. David recorded Jack's first album Goin' Up the Country that same year and It Must Have Been the Devil, with Bud Spires in 1970. He made other recordings, some by Alan Lomax, in the 1960s and 1970s, and performed at several music festivals in the United States and Europe until his death (died in Yazoo City, Mississippi) b. November 17th 1904.
1997: Brian Connolly (52) English singer, frontman; Sweet, New Sweet, solo. The face of glam rock, Brian was one of rock’s great performers and despite numerous health problems, including fourteen heart attacks in one day, continued to play right up to his death. (kidney and liver failure).
2002: Vicente Sardinero (65) Spanish operatic baritone born in Barcelona, he made his debut at the Gran Theatre del Liceu in his native city in the 1964-65 season, as Escamillo in Carmen. He first appearance at the Teatro alla Scala was in 1967, as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor. He also sang at London's Covent Garden as Marcello in La bohème in 1976 and was often heard in zarzuela. Vicente appeared in many others around the world including in 1968, at the New York City Opera, in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Pagliacci and in 1977, at the Metropolitan Opera, as Marcello in La bohème (he died in the village of Villafranca del Castillo, near Madrid) b. January 12th 1937.
2005: Tyrone Davis (66) American soul singer born near Greenville, Mississippi; while he was working as a valet and chaffeur for blues singer Freddie King, Tyrone started singing in local clubs where he was discovered by record executive/musician Harold Burrage. He went to be one of the great fathers of "Chicago Soul", with a career spanning more than four decades, selling over 25 million records. His major hits included "Give It Up", "This I Swear", "In The Mood" "Are You Serious" and "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (Tyrone suffered a stroke in Sept 2004, which left him in a coma from which tragically he did not recover) b. May 4th 1928.
2009: Orlando "Cachaito" López (76) Cuban bassist; legend has it that there are over 30 bassists in the Lopez lineage, so Orlando learnt double bass at first on a cello and by the age of eleven he was involved with an orchestra with his aunt. By the time he was 17 he replaced his uncle as the bassist with Arcana y sus Maravillas. In the 1950s, he helped create the descarga style of music, a mix between jazz-styled improvisation with Afro-Cuban rhythms, and by 1957 he was playing with the hugely popular Havana dance band, Orquesta Riverside. In the 1960s, he became a bassist with the National Symphony, and was also a key member of Irakere, a Cuban experimental band that combined pop, classical, Cuban folk, African and jazz influences. He was also a member of the Buena Vista Social Club and was the only member to appear in all of the band's recordings (complications from prostate surgery) b. February 2nd 1933.
2009: Vic Lewis (89) British jazz guitarist and bandleader; as a teenager he played in George Shearing's band, and first toured America in 1938, where he did recording sessions with a band that had Bobby Hackett, Eddie Condon, and Pee Wee Russell among its members. Between 1941-44 he served in the Royal Air Force at this time he recorded with Buddy Featherstonhaugh. He worked with Stephane Grappelli during 1944-45 and with Ted Heath. Highly influenced by Stan Kenton and other West Coast jazz artists he formed one of Britain's most admired American-sounding jazz orchestras from 1946 and through 1950s. They recorded extensively for Parlophone, Esquire, Decca, and Philips. By 1960 Vic was semi-retired, he occasionally recorded, but he continued to write about jazz and went into artist management, and oversaw the careers of photographer Robert Whitaker and the UK singer Cilla Black among many others (?) b. July 29th 1919.
2010: Pena Branca (70) Brazilian folk singer; Pena and his brother Xavantinho were one of the most artistic and original duos of the contemporary "caipira". They were also innovative by including in their repertory pieces by urban composers like Djavan, Caetano Veloso, and Milton Nascimento. The two brothers started to sing together in 1961 on Rádio Educadora (Uberlândia, Minas Gerais). Six years later, they moved to São Paulo. In 1980, they were heard by Renato Teixeira, who arranged for them to record their first LP, Velha Morada, that same year. Still in 1980, they qualified Xavantinho's "Que Terreiro É Esse?" on TV Globo's MPB Shell Festival. Their original interpretation of Milton Nascimento/ Chico Buarque's "O Cio da Terra" made national success in 1981 on Rolando Boldrin's TV show Som Brasil. In 1987, their LP O Cio da Terra had the participation of Nascimento, Tavinho Moura, and Marcus Viana, selling 300,000 copies. In 1991, they were awarded with three Prêmios Sharp - Best Duo - Best Song for "Casa de Barro" by Xavantinho/Moniz - Best Album for Cantadô de Mundo Afora. The next year, Renato Teixeira & Pena Branca e Xavantinho were awarded with a Prêmio Sharp and by the Association of Art Critics of São Paulo (APCA) in 1999 reaching the cipher of 100,000 copies sold. . In 1993, their success took them to international performances in the U.S. In 1999 Pena pursued a solo career after his brother retired. (heart attack) b. 1939

February 10
1961: Andy Gibson (47) US trumpet player / arranger (died in Cincinnati, OH, USA) b.
1961: Velma Middleton (43) vocals (died in Freetown,Sierra Leone) b.
1966. Billy Rose (66) songwriter/showman, (died in Montego Bay, Jamica)
1975: Dave Alexander (27) US bass player, a founder member of Iggy Pop & The Stooges. Although he was a total novice on his instrument, he was a quick learner and subsequently had a hand in arranging, composing and performing all of the songs that appeared on the band's first two albums, The Stooges and Fun House. He is often credited by vocalist Iggy Pop and guitarist Ron Asheton in interviews with being the primary composer of the music for the Stooges songs "We Will Fall", "Little Doll", both on The Stooges, "1970" and "Dirt" on Fun House (died of pulmonary edema in Ann Arbor after being admitted to a hospital for pancreatitis) b. June 3rd 1947.
1986. Arthur Edward "Uncle Art" Satherley (96) A&R/producer; born in Bristol, UK he was a pioneer of Country music record production, "Uncle" Art was one of the most important people in the history of Country music. (died in Fountain Valley, CA, USA) b. October 17th 1889
1988: Don Patterson (51) American jazz organist; he played piano from childhood, heavily influenced by Erroll Garner in his youth. In 1956, he switched to organ after hearing Jimmy Smith. In the early 1960s, he began playing regularly with Sonny Stitt, and he began releasing material as a leader on Prestige Records from 1964 with Pat Martino and Billy James as sidemen. His most commercially successful album was 1964's Holiday Soul, in 1967 (liver failure) b. July 22nd 1936.
1992. Jim Pepper (50) tenor sax, died in Portland, OR, USA.
1995. Kendall Hayes (59) composer who wrote "Walk On By", died. Age: 59
2001: George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (87) US jazz saxophonist; player with Terence "T" Holder, Andy Kirk, and Nat Towles, before joining Count Basie Orchestra in 1939, after which played with Lucky Millinder; Milt Buckner Hot Lips Page; ex-Basie singer Jimmy Rushing; led a group with Bobby Rosengarden at the Rainbow Room; co-led a band with saxophonist Paul Quinichette at New York’s West End Cafe; was house bandleader at Celebrity Club, New York City, as well as having his own quintet (cancer) b. Feb 22nd 1913.
2002: Dave Van Ronk (65) American folk singer nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street", best known as an important figure in New York City during the acoustic folk revival of the 1960s, but his work ranged from old English ballads to Bertolt Brecht, rock, New Orleans jazz, and swing. He is often associated with blues but he pointed out at concerts that he actually had only a limited number in his repertoire. He became known for performing instrumental ragtime guitar music, and he was an early friend and supporter of Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Patrick Sky, Phil Ochs and Joni Mitchell, among many others. Sadly Dave died before completing work on his memoirs, which were finished by Elijah Wald, his collaborator, and published in 2005 as The Mayor Of MacDougal Street. In 2004 a section of Sheridan Square, where Barrow Street meets Washington Place, was renamed Dave Van Ronk Street in his memory (died of cardio-pulmonary failure while undergoing post-operative treatment for colon cancer) b. June 30th 1936
2006: J Dilla/James Dewitt Yancey (32) American Grammy Nominated record producer who emerged from the mid 1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. His career began slowly, but he has now become highly regarded, most notably for the production of critically acclaimed albums by Common, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Pharcyde. He was a member of Slum Village for their acclaimed debut album Fantastic, Vol. 2. In the early 2000s, his career as a solo artist began to improve; A solo album Welcome 2 Detroit was followed by a collaborative album with California producer Madlib, Champion Sound, which catalyzed the careers of both artists. (sadly died of the blood disease TTP) b. February 7th 1974

February 11
2009: Estelle Bennett (67) US singer and member of the girl group The Ronettes, along with her sister Ronnie Spector and cousin Nedra Talley. The Ronettes first began performing as the Darling Sisters and later worked as dancers at New York's Peppermint Lounge, the epicentre of the 60s dance craze, the Twist. They first signed with Colpix, before being signed by Phil Spector. Their recording of "Be My Baby" reached hit No. 2 on Billboard in 1963 and was followed by a string of hits including "Walkin' in the Rain" and "Baby I Love You". Their rendition of "Sleigh Ride" that appeared on Spector's "A Christmas Gift for You" album. Their last Philles single was "I Can Hear Music" in 1966. After the Ronettes break-up, she recorded a single for Laurie Records, "The Year 2000/The Naked Boy". She then quit the music business and has rarely been seen since. In 2007, when the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she refused to perform with them, and spoke only a brief two sentences during her acceptance speech, "I would just like to say, thank you very much for giving us this award. I'm Estelle of the Ronettes, thank you." (She died in New Jersey) b. July 22nd 1941.
2010: Irina Arkhipova (85) Russian mezzo-soprano, and later contralto, opera singer. She sang leading roles first in Russia at the Sverdlovsk Opera and the Bolshoi Theater, and then throughout Europe and in the United States. At the height of her career in the 1960s and 1970s, during which time she was an international star, interpreting both Russian and Italian repertoire. Her technique was irreproachable, and she had great expressive power. She has been compared with Christa Ludwig. One of her most celebrated roles is as Marfa in Khovanshchina by Modest Mussorgsky, as recorded with Boris Khaikin in 1972 (?) b. January 2nd 1925.

February 12
1976: Sal Mineo (37) American actor and singer born in the Bronx, New York; he first became a teenage idol as a film star, best known for his performance opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause. Among his many film rolls he also played a Mexican boy in Giant in 1956. In 1957, Sal made a brief break into music recording a few songs including "Start Movin' (In My Direction)", "Lasting Love." "You Shouldn't Do That," "Little Pigeon," "Love Affair," and "Party Time." He also starred as drummer Gene Krupa in the movie The Gene Krupa Story, co-starring Susan Kohner. After which he continued with his film and TV acting career. (Tragically he was brutally stabbed to death on the streets of West Hollywood) b. January 10th 1939.
1992: Andy Blakeney (94) American jazz trumpeter, born in Quitman, Mississippi and was a fixture of the Dixieland jazz scene for decades. He played briefly for King Oliver and Doc Cook in Chicago in 1925, before moving to California in 1926, where he played with Sonny Clay and Reb Spikes, including on record. He worked in Los Angeles in the 1930s with Les Hite and Lionel Hampton, then played in Monk McFay's band in Hawaii in 1935-39 and led his own band for a time thereafter. In 1941 he returned to the US, playing with Ceele Burke in 1942-46, Horace Henderson in1946 and Kid Ory in 1947. Andy led his own Dixieland outfits in California through the 1950s, but didn't record with any of them. In the 1960s he played with the Young Men of New Orleans, in the 1970s with the Legends of Jazz, and in the 1980s with the Eagle Brass Band. He was still active almost up until the time of his death (?) b. June 10th 1898.
1995: Philip Taylor Kramer (42) American bass guitarist for Iron Butterfly during the 70s. After which he got a night school degree in aerospace engineering, he worked on the MX missile guidance system for a contractor of the US Department of Defense and later in the computer industry on fractal compression, facial recognition systems, and advanced communications. In 1990 he co-founded Total Multimedia Inc. with Randy Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson, to develop data compression techniques for CD-ROMs. His disappearance caused a mystery lasting four years. On February 12th 1995 he drove to LA International Airport to pick up an investor. He spent forty-five minutes at the airport but failed to meet the investor. Phil did make a flurry of cell phone calls, including one to the police during which Phil said, "I’m going to kill myself. And I want everyone to know O.J. Simpson is innocent. They did it." He was never heard from again. (On May 29th 1999, Phil's Ford Aerostar minivan and skeletal remains were found by photographers looking for old car wrecks at the bottom of Decker Canyon near Malibu, California. Based on forensic evidence and his emergency call to the police his death was ruled as a probable suicide committed on the day on which he was last heard) b. July 12th 1952
2000: John London/John Carl Kuehne (58) American bass player and sessionist; childhood friend of Michael Nesmith's from Texas, who had played with him in several working bands, he accompanied Nesmith and then-wife Phyllis Barbour to California, to try their luck in the Los Angeles-area music scene. When Nesmith was cast in The Monkees, John was his stand-in on the set, and in the studios when the originally-fictitious band began playing on their own recordings, it is John's bass lines we hear. In late 1969, he and Nesmith, left the Monkees, to form a new group with pedal steel guitar ace Red Rhodes and drummer John Ware. Calling themselves the First National Band, the group signed with RCA Records. Years after the Monkees and the First National Band, John served as key grip on several different productions, including 48 Hrs., Who Will Love My Children?, The Karate Kid, Long Time Gone, and Hudson Hawk. (He died in Rockport, Texas) b. February 6th 1942
2000: Screamin Jay Hawkins (70) American rock-blues singer, boxing champion at 16, married nine times, spent 2 years in jail, was temporary blinded by one of his flaming props on stage in 1976, and he fathered over 75 children. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Jay is famed chiefly for his powerful, operatic vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances of songs such as "I Put a Spell on You", "Feast of the Mau Mau" and "Constipation Blues". He sometimes used macabre props onstage, making him the one of the original shock rockers. He opened for Fats Domino, Tiny Grimes and the Rolling Stones. This exposure in turn influenced rock groups such as Screaming Lord Sutch, Black Sabbath, Arthur Brown, Dread Zeppelin, The Horrors, Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper.(He died following surgery to treat an aneurysm while in Paris, France) b. July 18th 1929.
2000: Oliver/William Oliver Swofford (54) American singer; his soaring baritone was the perfect vehicle for his hit "Good Morning Starshine", from the pop-rock musical Hair and his #2 hit "Jean", the theme from the Oscar-winning film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. (cancer). b. Feb 22nd 1945
2005: Jewel "Sammi" Smith (61) American country singer (died at home in Oklahoma City after a long illness)
2007: Jimmy Campbell (63) English singer and songwriter; born in Liverpool he started in a school band he named The Panthers supporting The Beatles in January 1962 and performed at The Cavern on numerous occasions, and one show, broadcast on Radio Luxembourg, saw them introduced as The Kirkbys, the presenter confused their name with their home town. The name stuck, and the group released a single, "It's A Crime", in 1966. He next formed the psychedelic band The 23rd Turnoff, before forming the band 'With Rockin' Horse' and launching a solo career, recording 3 albums between 1969 to 1971. Jimmy also wrote a number of songs recorded by other artists. Cliff Richard, Billy Fury, The Swinging Blue Jeans and Rolf Harris all covered songs of Campbell's (?) b. January 5th 1944.
2009: Coleman Mellett (34) American jazz guitarist with Chuck Mangione's Grammy award winning jazz band, he joined the band in 1999. In 2007 he released his first solo album "Natural High" (He had been scheduled to play with Mangione and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on February, Friday 13th but was killed the night before in the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 together with fellow band member, Gerry Niewood) b. May 27th 1974
2009: Gerry Niewood (65) American jazz saxophonist; he first joined Chuck Mangione's band in 1968. He was with Chuck through to 1976 and appeared on most of his famous records, adding a strong jazz flavor to the music. He had a post-bop quartet with Dave Samuels from 1976-77, led the Sunday Morning Jazz Band in the early '80s and played with Joe Beck a few years later. He also played with Simon and Garfunkel in their 1981 Concert in Central Park. But he mostly worked in the studios and freelanced until rejoining Chuck in the mid-1990s (He had been scheduled to play with Mangione and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on February, Friday 13th but was killed the night before in the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 together with fellow band member, Coleman Mellet) b. April 6th 1943.
2009: Mat Mathews/Mathieu Schwartz (84) Dutch jazz accordionist; learned to play music during the Nazi occupation, he was inspired to play jazz when he heard a radio broadcast of Joe Mooney and played with The Millers in Holland from 1947 before moving to New York City in 1952 where formed a quartet which included Herbie Mann. He also played with Art Farmer, Julius Watkins, Joe Puma, Oscar Pettiford, Gigi Gryce, Dick Katz, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. He also played with Carmen McRae in 1954-55. In 1956 he played in the group The 4 Most with Al Cohn, Gene Quill, Hank Jones and Mundell Lowe as well as making appearances on television variety shows such as Garry Moore's, Jack Paar's, and Arthur Godfrey's. In the very late 50s and into the 1960s he worked mainly as a studio musician, until 1964 when he moved back to the Netherlands. There he continued his work in studios as an arranger and producer, and recorded less as a player (?) b. June 18th 1924.

February 13
1993: Patrick Waite (23) bass, founder member of Musical Youth (hereditary heart condition)
1997: Michael Menson (30) rebel MC (brain haemorrhage sustained in a racist attack, torched by three men)
2001: David "Panama" Francis (82) US drummer, jazz, rock n roll, freelance/sessions. Played with all the jazz greats. As R&B and rock n roll went mainstream he became even more sought after, playing on a vast amount of chart hits ().
2002: Waylon Jennings (64) country singer / songwriter, played bass with Buddy Holly. (died in his sleep of diabetic complications)
2008: Henri Salvador (90) French singer andguitar player, born in Cayenne, French Guiana. He taught himself the guitar by imitating Django Reinhardt's recordings, and was to work alongside him in the 1940s. He recorded several songs written by Boris Vian with Quincy Jones as arranger. He played many years with Ray Ventura et Ses Collégiens where he used to sing, dance and even play comedy on stage. He also appearances in movies such as "Nous irons à Monte-Carlo", "Nous irons à Paris" and "Mademoiselle s'amuse". In 2005, Henri was awarded the Brazilian Order of Cultural Merit. was also a commander of the French Légion d'honneur and of the National Order of Merit. In 2007 he released "Reverence" on V2 Records which features Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. He then went on to perform the track La Vie C'est La Vie from the album Reverence on the BBC program Later … With Jools Holland, which aired on May 4th 2007 (?) b. July 18th 1917.

February 14
1943: Dora Gerson (43) Jewish German cabaret singer and motion picture actress of the silent film era. Born in Berlin she began her career as a touring singer and actress in the Holtorf Tournee Truppe alongside actor Mathias Wieman in Germany. In 1920, Dora was cast to appear in the successful film adaptation of the Karl May penned novel Auf den Trümmern des Paradieses/On the Brink of Paradise and later followed that same year in another May adaptation entitled Die Todeskarawane/Caravan of Death. In 1933 when the Nazi Party came to power in Germany, she was stripped of rights and blacklisted from performing in "Aryan" films. Dora began recording music for a small Jewish record company and also began recording in the Yiddish language during this time, and the 1936 song "Der Rebe Hot Geheysn Freylekh Zayn" became highly regarded by the Jews of Europe in the 1930s. Her best remembered recordings from this era were the songs "Backbord und Steuerbord" and "Vorbei" /Beyond Recall, which was an emotional ballad, subtlely memorializing a Germany before the rise of the Nazi Party. In 1936, Dora relocated with relatives to the Netherlands, fleeing Nazi persecution. Germany invaded the Netherlands, Dora and her family were seized trying to flee to Switzerland, a neutral nation in World War II Europe (Cruelly killed with her family at Auschwitz concentration camp, Poland) b. March 23rd 1899
1959: Baby Dodds/Warren Dodds (60) American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana gained his reputation as a top young drummer in New Orleans, then worked on Mississippi River steamship bands with a young Louis Armstrong. True or not, it is said that Baby Dodds revolutionized the drum kit by inventing the floor bass or "kick drum". He moved to California in 1921 to work with Joe "King" Oliver there, and followed Oliver to Chicago, which became his base of operations. He recorded with Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Art Hodes, and his brother Johnny Dodds. In the late 1940s he worked at Jimmy Ryan's in New York City. On some of his trips back to New Orleans, he recorded with Bunk Johnson (?) b. December 24th 1898.
1989: Vincent Crane/Vincent Rodney Cheesman (45) English keyboardist born in Reading, Berkshire, influenced by Graham Bond, in 1967 he teamed up with Arthur Brown in The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. Their self-titled album in 1968 contained the song "Fire", a chart-topping hit single in the UK, Canada, and the US, with Vincent's organ on the leads. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown practically dissolved on tour in the U.S.A., when Crane and drummer Carl Palmer left to form Atomic Rooster in late 1969. They enjoyed success in 1971 with two hit singles, "Tomorrow Night", and "Devil's Answer". He collaborated with other musicians on a number of albums, including Rory Gallagher in 1971, Arthur Brown's Faster Than The Speed Of Lightin in 1979, Peter Green, Richard Wahnfried and Dexys Midnight Runners in 1985. In 1983 he was part of the one-off blues outfit, Katmandu, with Ray Dorset and Green, who recorded the album A Case For The Blues (died of an overdose of painkillers after a brave fight against manic-depression) b. May 21st 1943.
1990: Tony Holiday/Rolf Peter Knigge (39) German singer-songwriter born in Hamburg, he had his first chart hit in 1977 with "Tanze Samba mit Mir" ("Dance the Samba With Me"). The song became a hit in both Germany and Austria, peaking at No.4 on the German music charts. In 1979 he participated with the title "Zuviel Tequila, zuviel schöne Mädchen" ("Too Much Tequila, Too Many Beautiful Girls") in the German finals for the Eurovision Song Contest and the song finished in 9th place. Between 1975 and 1984, he performed 11 times on the popular German music TV program ZDF-Hitparade. In 2000, his single "Tanze Samba mit Mir" was prominently featured in the Teddy Award-winning François Ozon directed film Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes (AIDS) b. February 24th 1951.
1996: Taiguara/Taiguara Chalar da Silva (50) Brazilian singer, guitarist and pianist, born in Montevideo, Uruguay when his father toured the country as a musician. In 1964, he joined the Sambalanço Trio and later in 1965, he recorded his first of several albums, and in the following years won many awards. Due to his political views in the 70s, he left Brazil settling in London UK, then Tanzania and other countries in Africa before returning to his home country in the 80s. Taiguara was one of the most censored Brazilian artists to date, having close to 100 songs vetoed throughout his career. Some of his biggest hits were "Universo No Teu Corpo", "Teu Sonho Não Acabou", "Viagem", "Berço de Marcela", "Que as Crianças Cantem Livres", "Hoje", "Amanda", "Carne e Osso", "Geração 70" and "Mudou" (bladder cancer) b. February 14th 1945
1999: Buddy Knox (65) American singer, guitarist; the first artist of the rock & roll era to write and record his own number one hit, 1957's million-selling classic "Party Doll", a pioneer of the Lone Star State rockabilly sound that would later earn the name "Tex-Mex". "Gypsy Man" hit the Nashville charts in 1968, it proved his final chart hit. Buddy ultimately relocalated to Vancouver, opening a nightclub called the Purple Steer and toured extensively throughout the 1970s and 1980s (lung cancer) b. July 20th 1933.
2002: Mick Tucker (54) English drummer, born in Harlseden, London; In 1965, Mick and vocalist Ian Gillan formed a soul band Wainwright's Gentlemen; Brian Connolly replaced Ian. Mick and Brian left Wainwright's Gentlemen in 1968 to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop before changing the name to Sweet, which became one of the main glam rock acts in the 1970s. During the early years of 1971 and 1972, Sweet's musical style followed a marked progression from the bubblegum style of the first hit, "Funny Funny", to a Who influenced heavy rock style supplemented by a striking use of high-pitched backing vocals. The band achieved notable success in the UK charts, with thirteen Top 20 hits during the 1970s alone, with "Block Buster" in 1973 topping the chart, followed by three consecutive number two hits in "Hell Raiser" and "The Ballroom Blitz" both in 1973 and "Teenage Rampage" in 1974. Their first self-written and produced single "Fox on the Run" in 1975 also reached number two on the UK charts. Sweet extensively toured the US and had a strong following in America (passed away after a long and brave battle with leukaemia) b. July 17th 1947.
2007: Gareth Morris (86) British flautist born in Clevedon, Somerset, began to play the flute when he was 12, and studied privately with Robert Murchie. At 18 he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. During World War II he joined the Royal Air Force and was principal flute in the RAF Symphony Orchestra. Gareth was the principal flautist of a number of London orchestras including the Boyd Neel Orchestra before joining the Philharmonia Orchestra, where he was the principal flautist for 24 years and Professor of the Flute at the Royal Academy of Music from 1945 to 1985. He was known for using wooden flutes, at a time when most other players had switched to using metal flutes (?) b. May 13th 1920.
2009: Louie Bellson/Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni (84) Italian-American jazz drummer; at the age of 15, he pioneered the double-bass drum set-up, at 17, he triumphed over 40,000 drummers to win the Slingerland National Gene Krupa contest. He performed and/or recorded around 200 albums as a leader, co-leader or sideman with such renowned musicians and leaders such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman, Norman Granz' J.A.T.P., Benny Carter, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Hank Jones, Zoot Sims, Sonny Stitt, Milt Jackson, Clark Terry, Louie Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Shelly Manne, Billy Cobham, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Pearl Bailey, Mel Tormé, Joe Williams, Wayne Newton, and film composer John Williams. Louie has performed in virtually every capital city around the world, and among his numerous accolades, he had been voted into the Halls of Fame for both Modern Drummer magazine and the Percussive Arts Society, Yale University named him a Duke Ellington Fellow in 1977, he received an honorary Doctorate from Northern Illinois University in 1985 and in January 1994, he received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, a U.S. federal agency (died unexpectedly while convalescing after breaking a hip) b. July 6th 1924.
2010: Doug Fieger (57) American singer-songwriter and guitarist Doug Fieger were born and raised in the 9 Mile/Coolidge area of Oak Park, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit, and attended Oak Park High School. While still at school he sang lead and played bass in the group Sky, eventually recording two albums in 1970 and 1971. Doug also played bass guitar in the German progressive rock band Triumvirat for a short period in 1974. After which he founded the New Wave rock quartet The Knack based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international No.1 hit. In addition to performing, Fieger also produced the Rubber City Rebels debut album for Capitol Records and another album for the Los Angeles-based band, Mystery Pop (cancer) b. August 20th 1952.

February 15
1946: Louis "Putney" Dandridge (44) American bandleader, jazz pianist, vocalist born in Richmond, Virginia. He began his career in 1918 performing as a pianist in the revue The Drake and Walker Show. From 1935 to 1936, he recorded numerous tracks under his own name, many of which highlighted some major jazz talents of the period, including Roy Eldridge, Teddy Wilson, Henry "Red" Allen, Buster Bailey, John Kirby, Chu Berry, Cozy Cole and more. He seemed to vanish from the music scene in the late thirties, it is speculated that he may have retired due to ill health (?) b. January 13th 1902.
1965: Nat King Cole (45) American singer born in Montgomery, Alabama,; his rich, husky voice and careful enunciation, and the warmth, intimacy, and good humor of his approach to singing, allowed him to succeed with both ballads and novelties such that he scored over 100 pop chart singles and more than two dozen chart albums over a period of 20 years, enough to rank him behind only Sinatra as the most successful pop singer of his generation. His hits included "Nature Boy", "Mona Lisa", "Too Young", "Some Enchanted Evening", "Ramblin' Rose" and his signature tune "Unforgettable". He first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres. He was one of the first black Americans to host a television variety show, and has maintained worldwide popularity since his death; he is widely considered one of the most important musical personalities in United States history. An official United States postage stamp featuring Nat's likeness was issued in 1994 and in 2000 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the major influences for early Rock and Roll (sadly lost his battle with lung cancer) b. March 17th 1919.
1968: Little Walter/ Marion Walter Jacobs (37) US blues singer & harmonica player; said to be the first harmonica player to amplify his harp giving it a distorted echoing sound. His revolutionary harmonica technique has earned comparisons to Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix in its impact, his virtuosity and musical innovations reached heights of expression never previously imagined on blues harmonica. He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10th 2008, making him the only artist ever to be inducted specifically for his work as a harmonica player. In 1952 his debut session "Juke", spent eight weeks at No.1 on the Billboard magazine R&B charts, it was the only harmonica instrumental ever to become a No.1 hit on the R&B charts. He had three more harmonica instrumentals which reached the Billboard R&B top 10: "Off the Wall", "Roller Coaster", and "Sad Hours" (died from injuries incurred in a street fight) b. May 1st 1930.
1969: Pee Wee Russell/Charles Ellsworth Russell (62) American jazz clarinet and saxophones born in Maplewood, Missouri and grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma. As a young boy he first studied violin, then piano, and for a while settled on drums, including all the associated special effects. When he saw New Orleans jazz clarinetist Alcide "Yellow" Nunez. Russell was so amazed he took up () b. March 27th 1906.
1981: Mike Bloomfield (37) guitarist, composer; Electric Flag / session player / guest (accidental drug overdose)
1988: Al Cohn (62) American jazz tenor sax player; In the '40s he worked with Joe Marsala, Georgie Auld, Boyd Raeburn, Alvino Rey, and Buddy Rich before becoming one of the "Four Brothers" in Woody Herman's Second Herd where he gained his a reputation as a lyrical flowing soloist. Al went on to play with many other musicians but his best-known association was his partnership with tenor player Zoot Sims, beginning in 1956. They continued to play together sporadically until the death of Zoot in March of 1985. In addition to his work as a jazz saxophonist he was a noted arranger, his work included the Broadway productions of "Raisin" and "Sophisticated Ladies" (?) b. November 24th 1925.
1995: Bob Stinson (36) founding member and lead guitarist with The Replacements and Static Taxi (he did not die of a drug overdose, as is frequently reported, but rather his body simply wore out after years of alcohol and drug abuse)
1996: Lucio Agostini (82) Italian-born composer and conductor who established his career in Canada. At 16, he was playing with the Montreal Philharmonic Orchestra as a cellist and was a part-time band player in a nightclub band playing saxophone and clarinet. It is at 18 years of age that he began his professional music career working first with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio and later with television. Lucio began a long career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto from 1943, beginning with radio work, and subsequently the broadcaster's US-based television programs through the 1950s. He took part in the production of Front Page Challenge, The Tommy Ambrose Show and World of Music. He won the John Drainie Award from ACTRA in 1983 in recognition of his contributions to broadcasting in Canada (?) b. December 30th 1913.
1999: Big L/Lamont Coleman (24) American rapper who made significant contributions to the New York City music scene in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective D.I.T.C. In 1993 Big L was signed to Columbia Records and released his first single "Devil's Son". His debut solo album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, was released in March 1995. The album featured guest appearances from a number of artists, notably Kid Capri, Lord Finesse, and then-unknown Cam'ron and Jay-Z. Two singles, "M.V.P" and "Put It On", were released from the album, both of which reached the top twenty-five of Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks. (possibility in retaliation for something his brother did, Big L was shot and killed just before releasing his second album The Big Picture) b. May 30th 1974.
2005: Pierre Bachelet (60) French singer-songwriter; he spent part of his childhood in Calais, which inspired his signature tune "Les corons" in 1982, it is also used as the supporter's anthem for the Lens football club. His other hit songs include "Elle est d'ailleurs", "Écris-moi" and "Marionnettiste" in 1985. He also composed music for movies, including Emmanuelle, Les Bronzés font du ski and the British-made Sex with the Stars. His songs from the film Emmanuelle called Emmanuelle In The Mirror and Theme From Emmanuelle, which sold over 4,000,000 copies, have been sampled in the Lily Allen single Littlest Things, released in December of 2006 (sadly died of lung cancer) b. 25 May 1944.
2009: Joe Cuba (78) Puerto Rican musician who was considered to be the "Father of Latin Boogaloo"; learnt to play conga as a child. He formed his own band. In 1954, he change the band's name from the Jose Calderon Sextet to the Joe Cuba Sextet, making their debut at the Stardust Ballroom. The band became popular in the New York Latin community. The lyrics to his music used a mixture of Spanish and English, becoming an important part of the Nuyorican Movement. In 1965, the Sextet got their first crossover hit with the Latin and soul fusion of "El Pito (I Never Go Back To Georgia)". April 1999, Joe Cuba was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame, 2004, he was named Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican Day Parade celebrated in Yonkers, New Yor and he was also the director of the Museum of La Salsa, located in Spanish Harlem, Manhattan, New York (died in New York City, after being removed from life support. He had been hospitalized for a persistent bacterial infection) b. 1931.
2010: Art Van Damme (89) American jazz singer and accordionist, in Norway, Michigan he bagan playing the accordion at age nine and started classical study when his family moved to Chicago in 1934. In 1941 he joined Ben Bernie's band as an accordionist. He adapted Benny Goodman's music to the accordion. From 1945 to 1960 he worked for NBC, performing on The Dinah Shore Show, Tonight, The Dave Garroway Show and other radio and TV shows with Garroway. He recorded 130 episodes of the 15-minute The Art Van Damme Show for NBC Radio. Art toured Europe and was also popular with jazz listeners in Japan and regularly won the domestic Downbeat reader's poll for his instrument in the same period.(sadly died from pneumonia) b. April 9th 1920.

February 16
1957: Josef Hofmann (81) Polish-American virtuoso pianist, composer; especially popular in Russia where he gave 21 consecutive concerts in St. Petersburg, not repeating a single piece. In all, he played 255 different works during that marathon. He made some of the earliest recordings in history of classical music for Thomas Edison. These have been lost, but some cylinders he made in Russia a few years later have recently been discovered. Off the subject but his invention of pneumatic shock absorbers for cars and planes earned him a fortune in the early twentieth century (?).
1967: Smiley Burnette/Lester Alvin Burnett (55) American country music performer and a comedic actor in Western films, playing sidekick to Gene Autry and other B-movie cowboys, and on radio and TV. He was also a prolific singer-songwriter who could play as many as 100 musical instruments, some simultaneously. His career beginning in 1934 spanned four decades, including a regular role on CBS-TV's Petticoat Junction in the 1960s. Smiley wrote more than 400 songs and sang a significant number of them on screen. His Western classic, "Ridin’ Down the Canyon (To Watch the Sun Go Down)", was later recorded by Willie Nelson, Riders in the Sky and Johnnie Lee Wills. Others included "On the Strings of My Lonesome Guitar" (Jimmy Wakely's theme song in the 1940s), "Fetch Me Down My Trusty .45", "Ridin' All Day", "It's Indian Summer", as well as "The Wind Sings a Cowboy Song", "The Old Covered Wagon" and "Western Lullaby". He also composed musical scores for such films as The Painted Stallion and Waterfront Lady. His songs were recorded by a diverse range of singers, including Bing Crosby, Ferlin Husky and Leon Russell. His performance of "Steamboat Bill" appeared on Billboard's country chart in 1939. (sadly passed away from leukemia) b. March 18th 1911
1975: Norman Treigle/Adanelle Wilfred Treigle (47) American bass-baritone born in New Orleans, between 1949 and 1951, he attended Loyola University of the South's College of Music, while performing various roles with the local opera company. In 1953, Treigle made his New York City Opera debut, as Colline in La bohème. Three years later, the bass-baritone scored his first significant success, as the tormented Reverend Olin Blitch, in the New York premiere of Floyd's Susannah. He made his European debut in this same opera, at the Brussels World's Fair, in 1958. He became one of the top bass-baritones in North America, and was acclaimed as one of the world's foremost singing-actors, specializing in roles that evoked villainy and terror. He sang in many experimental productions and participated in several important premieres, in operas by Einem, Copland, Moore, Floyd, Orff, Dallapiccola and Ward (The Crucible). Perhaps his greatest roles were in Faust (as Méphistophélès), Carmen (as Escamillo), Susannah, Il prigioniero, Les contes d'Hoffmann (the four Villains), Boris Godunov and, especially, Mefistofele (?) b. March 6th 1927.
1988: Jean Carignan (71) French Canadian fiddler born in Lévis; he was a well-known fiddler from Quebec. Joseph Allard, Michael Coleman, and J. Scott Skinner are all brilliant traditional fiddlers whose music Jean studied. He was a friend of famous violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin. In 1974, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada as "the greatest fiddler in North America" (He died in Montreal) b. December 7th 1916
1996: Brownie McGhee (80) blues artist; vocals, kazoo, piano, guitar; well known for his collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry. He gave a memorable performance as ill-fated blues-singer Toots Sweet in the supernatural thriller 'Angel Heart' ()
2004: Doris Troy/ Doris Higginsen (67) US soul, R&B singer, solo, backup, songwriter, musicals; born in The Bronx, she was working as an usherette at the Apollo where she was discovered by James Brown the 'Godfather of Soul'. She worked with Solomon Burke, The Drifters, Cissy Houston, and Dionne Warwick before she co-wrote and recorded "Just One Look", which hit No.10 in 1963. Doris worked in the UK throughout the 1970s, appearing frequently at Ronnie Scott's Club. "Mama, I Want To Sing" is a stage musical based on her life, co-written with her sister, Vy. It ran for 1,500 performances at the Heckscher Theatre in Harlem, Troy played her own mother. As well as her solo career she also sang back up for many bands over the years including the Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Kevin Ayers, Pink Floyd (on their seminal album The Dark Side of the Moon), George Harrison, Dusty Springfield, Nick Drake, Junior Campbell and Carly Simon (emphysema) b. January 6th 1937.

February 17
1982: Thelonious Monk (64) US jazz pianist; considered one of the most important & eccentric jazz composers of the century. One of the early practitioners of bebop during the 1940s and '50s, his complex compositions featured irregular rhythms, dissonant sounds and a quirky sense of humor.(died of a stroke)
1998: Bob Merrill (77) Songwriter (committed suicide)
2006: William "Bill" Cowsill Jr. (58) singer, guitarist; The Cowsills (emphysema)
2006: Ray Barretto (76) Puerto Rican percussion & conga session player and member of the Fania All-Stars. 1990 he won a Grammy for the album "Ritmo en el Corazon" (multiple health complications)
2010: Kathryn Grayson (88) American actress and operatic soprano singer born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kathryn trained as an opera singer from the age of twelve. She was under contract to MGM by the early 1940s, soon establishing a career principally through her work in musicals. After several supporting roles, she was a lead performer in such films as Anchors Aweigh in 1945 with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, Show Boat in 1951, Kiss Me Kate in 1953 with Howard Keel, and appeared in two films with tenor Mario Lanza, That Midnight Kiss in 1949 and The Toast of New Orleans in 1950. When film musical production declined, she worked in theatre, appearing in Camelot from 1962-1964. Later, she performed in several operas, including La bohème, Orpheus in the Underworld, Madama Butterfly, and La Traviata (Kathryn died in her sleep at her home in L.A) b. February 9th 1922.
2010: Ruby Hunter (55) Australian folk-blues-roots singer, songwriter and guitarist, Ruby was of the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal nationality. She often performed with her partner, Archie Roach, whom she met at the age of 16, while both were homeless teenagers. She recieved two ARIA Award nominations for Best Indigenous Release for 'Thoughts Within' in 1995 and Best Blues & Roots Album for 'Feeling Good' in 2000. Ruby also won Deadlys in 2000 for Female Artist of the Year, 2003 for Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music and in 2004 for Excellence in Film & Theatrical Score. She made her acting debut in One Night the Moon. With Archie Roach and Paul Grabowsky she wrote and performed the concert Ruby's Story which tells the story of her life through song and spoken word. (heart attack) b. 1955

February 18
1993: Patrick Waite (24) Jamaican-English reggae artist, bassist and singer in Musical Youth. The group originally formed in 1979 at Duddeston Manor School in Birmingham, England. They are best remembered for their successful 1982 Grammy-nominated single, "Pass the Dutchie". The group featured two sets of brothers, Kelvin and Michael Grant, plus Junior and Patrick Waite, who's father, Frederick Waite, was a former member of Jamaican group The Techniques, and sang lead with Junior at the start of the group's career. They received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards of 1984. Their follow-up to "Pass the Dutchie", "Youth Of Today", reached number 13 in the UK Singles Chart, and early in 1983, "Never Gonna Give You Up", climbed to UK number 6. Minor successes with "Heartbreaker" and "Tell Me Why", were succeeded by a collaboration with Donna Summer on the UK Top 20 hit, "Unconditional Love". Eventually in 1985 the band split. In 1993 the band had planned a reunion but due to Patrick's untimely death this didn't happen. (sadly died of a hereditary heart condition) b. June 16th 1968.
1987: Dmitri Borisovich Kabalevsky (82) Russian Soviet composer, born in Saint Petersburg, he is regarded as one of the great modern composers of children's music. He helped to set up the Union of Soviet Composers in Moscow and remained one of its leading figures. He was also a prolific composer of piano music and chamber music, many of his piano works have been performed by the likes of Vladimir Horowitz, and are regarded as highly innovative, suffusing influences from jazz structure like that of the latter Nikolai Kapustin and symbolic minimalism along the lines of Alemdar Karamanov's concerto n.3 per pianoforte e orchestra. Kabalevsky's Piano Sonata n°1 op.6 is a prime example of his style. He was awarded a number of state honors for his musical works, including at least two Stalin Prizes. He was elected the head of the Commission of Musical Esthetic Education of Children in 1962 as well as being elected president of the Scientific Council of Educational Esthetics in the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the USSR in 1969. (Died in Moscow) b. December 30th 1904.
1995: Bob Stinson (35) lead guitarist, Replacements (body gave out after years of abuse)
1995: Eddie Williams (79) American bass player for for the ground breaking group Johnny Moore's Three Blazers during the mid and late forties. He was part of the trio when vocalist Charles Brown recorded "Drifting Blues". He left in 1949 and formed his own group which he called Eddie Williams & His Brown Buddies. He had many hits such as "Blues In Cuba" , "Houston Jump", "Cuba", "Red Head 'n Cadillac", "Broken Hearted", "Mississippi", "Saturday Night Fish Fry", "Prairie Dog Hole", "You Need Me Now", "I Saw Stars", "Worries", "The Umbrella Song" and "Johnny Katherine". In 1951, Eddie broke up his small group and joined Floyd Dixon as part of Dixon's combo. Eddie was an important artist of the post war years inventing and formulating the music we now call rock & roll (?) b. June 12th 1915.
2003: Johnny Paycheck/Donny Young/Donald Lytle (64) country singer, guitarist (emphysema)
2009: Snooks Eaglin/Fird Eaglin Jr (73) US blind blues guitarist and singer; at aged 11, he won a talent contest organized by radio station WNOE by playing "Twelfth Street Rag". Three years later, he dropped out of school to become a professional musician. In 1952, he joined a local 7-piece band the Flamingoes. The Flamingoes didn't have a bass player, and according to Snooks, he played both the guitar and the bass parts at the same time on his guitar. He stayed with The Flamingoes until their dissolution in the mid-50s. As a solo artist, his recording and touring were inconsistent, his first recording was in 1953, playing guitar at a recording session for James "Sugar Boy" Crawford. Snooks claimed in interviews that his musical repertoire included some 2,500 songs, at live shows he did not usually prepare set lists, he played songs that came to his head, and he also took requests from the audience. He joined Black Top Records in the 1980s, these years had been the most consistent years of his recording career. Between 1987 and 1999, he recorded 4 studio albums and a live album, and appeared as a guest on a number of recordings by other Black Top artists, including Henry Butler, Earl King, and Tommy Ridgley. (In 2008 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he died of a heart attack in Ochsner Medical Centre, New Orleans while undergoing treatment) b. January 21st 1936.
2010: Ines Paulke (51) German rock 'n' roll singer and songwriter, born in Gräfenthal. Ines took classical vocal studies at the music school in Gera and in 1983 was awarded a grant from the Committee for Entertainment Arts. Until 1986, she played in the band Datzu, but left to start her solo career. She received awards at Workers' Festivals and other competitions. Along with Anke Schenker and Angelika Weiz, she performed as the Swing Sisters, and founded the United Voices Gospel Project. In 2003 she wrote and sang with US artist Brady Swenson the song for the City of Leipzig's Olympic bid (Sadly Ines commited suicide) b. September 20th 1958
2010: Richard Proulx (72) American choral conductor, composer and editor of church music born in St. Paul, Minnesota and began piano studies at age six. Richard was a widely published composer of more than 300 works, including anthems, service music, hymn concertatos, organ music and music for a handbell choir, currently based in Chicago. He served as a consultant on several important hymnals, including The Hymnal 1982 and the United Methodist Hymnal. He had a long association with Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, and has made several recordings with The Cathedral Singers, a professional chorus which he founded in 1991 (?) b. April ?th 1937.
2010: Ariel Ramírez (88) Argentine composer and pianist, born in Santa Fe, Argentina, Ariel is considered "a chief exponent of Argentine folk music" and noted for his iconic musical compositions. He initially followed tango before switching to Argentine folklore. He began his piano studies and soon became fascinated with the music of the gauchos and creoles. Misa Criolla in 1964, marked the beginning of his international career, it allowed him to travel around Europe and Latin America to build his reputation. He had more than 300 compositions during his career and sold millions of albums and his work was globally renowned. His works included Navidad Nuestra; La Peregrinación; Los caudillos; Mujeres Argentinas; and Alfonsina y el Mar. Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Mercedes Sosa are some of the artists to have recorded his work. He was also associated with Miguel Brascó and Felix Luna (pneumonia) b. September 4th 1921.

February 19
1998: Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones (74) US country & gospel singer, banjo player; he became part of the Grand Ole Opry and was a regular cast member on the popular TV show, Hee Haw. He is listed along with Uncle Dave Macon, David "Stringbean" Akeman and Ralph Stanley, as among the great old-time style banjo players (stroke) b. October 20th 1913.
1972: Lee Morgan (33) American hard bop trumpeter. (shot to death by Helen Moore following an argument between sets at Slug's, a popular New York City jazz club.)
1980: Bon Scott (33) Scottish born singer, frontman and co-lyricist of AC/DC. He started his career as drummer and occasional lead singer with an Australian band, The Spektors.(found dead in the passenger seat of a friend's parked car. Although there are many conspiracy theories surrounding his death, the coroner's report stated that he had "Drunk himself to death." suffocating on his own vomit. The official cause was listed as "acute alcohol poisoning" and "death by misadventure").
2009: Miika Tenkula (34) Finnish lead guitarist and the main songwriter for the band Sentenced until it disbanded in 2005. He was recognised as one of the greatest metal guitarist to come out of Finland. He was a founder member of Sentenced in 1989, which started of as a fast, melodic death metal band. He was also the band's original vocalist from 1989 to late 1992. The band released one double cd live album "Buried Alive" and 6 studio albums, their last-ever studio CD, was entitled "The Funeral Album", which entered the Finnish national chart at position No. 1 in June 2005 (Found dead in his home, his cause of death has not yet been revealed, but he had a serious drinking problem which had escalated after Sentenced disbanded) b. March 6th 1974
2009: Kelly Groucutt/Michael William Groucutt (63) British bass guitar player; best known for being the bass player for the band Electric Light Orchestra /ELO.was a member of a band called "Sight and Sound" before being recruited in 1974 for ELO's Eldorado tour. He became a fan favourite and took over lead vocals on a few songs as well as gaining a great rapport with live audiences. His distinctive voice can also be best heard on later ELO songs such as "Nightrider", "Poker", "Above the Clouds", "Sweet Is the Night", and "The Diary of Horace Wimp". ELO accumulated 26 UK Top 40 hit singles and 20 US Top 40 hit singles. The group also scored 20 Top 20 UK hit singles, as well as 15 Top 20 hits in theUS Billboard charts; they collected 21 RIAA awards, 38 BPI awards and sold over 100 million albums worldwide, 50 million of those being sold between 1971 and 1982. Kelly left ELO in 1983. Since then he has taken part in some of the many ELO spin-off groups: Orkestra, ELO Part 2, and The Orchestra. He toured worldwide with The Orchestra till his death and also tokk part in tours as part of a local, little known band called Session 60 (heart attack) b. September 8th 1945.
2009: Harrison Ridley Jr (70) American jazz presenter; host of a Sunday night 4 hour radio show on WRTI (90.1FM) entitled, "The Historical Approach to the Positive Music." when he would focus in on one artist through his entire program to give the listener a sense of that artist's contribution to the tradition. He did not use the term "jazz," he used phrases such as "this music referred to as jazz," or "the positive music." was also a record collector and archivist, and nicknamed "the walking encyclopedia of jazz," having collected over 8,500 LPs; 3,000 78s; 200 45s; 300 CDs, and 6,000 books on African American history and music. He received more than 80 awards throughout his long career (died some weeks after a major stroke) b. 1938

February 20
1941: Madame Bolduc/Mary Rose-Anna Travers (46) French Canadian singer; during the peak of her popularity in the 1930s, she was known as the Queen of Canadian Folk singers. As a child in Quebec, her father taught her how to play the instruments that were traditional in Quebec culture of the era: the fiddle, accordion, harmonica, spoons and Jew's harp. When Conrad Gauthier's troupe was missing a folk violinist for a performance, Mary filled in for the absent performer.ans soon she became a regular player with Gauthier's troupe by 1928, playing the violin or Jew's harp. Her work with them expanded to include other instrumental work and even some comic acting. She was recommended by folk singer Ovila Légaré to musical producer Roméo Beaudry of the Compo Company who signed her to a recording contract to make four 78 rpm records, paying her $25 per side. She made her first recording in April 1929, the French folk song Y'a longtemps que je couche par terre on side A, and an instrumental reel on side B. By the end of 1930, she had recorded more than 30 songs. During this time, she collaborated on not less than fifty-six recordings of other artists. Most of these recordings did not credit her. She would sing accompaniments or play instruments for recordings by Juliette Béliveau, Eugène Daignault, Ovila Légaré, Alfred Montmarquette, Adélard St. Jean and others. Mary formed her own touring troupe in 1932, named La Troupe du bon vieux temps, the performances contained elements of both vaudeville and traditional folk music. She was seriously injured in June of 1937 in Rivière-du-Loup when her tour company's car was in a head-on collision. She suffered a broken leg, a broken nose and a concussion, but sadly they discovered too, that she had cancer. Mary began limited touring again in the summer of 1938, made a radio broadcast in January 1939, and made two recordings in February 1939. On August 12, 1994, a stamp was released that honoured her with her portrait on a Canadian postage stamp. The same year, a park was created in her hometown of Newport named Mary Travers Park, and in 2002, Mary Bolduc was made a MasterWorks honouree by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada (cancer) b. June 4th 1894.
2001: Ronnie Hilton/Adrian Hill (75) UK singer and radio presenter (stroke)
2003: Ty Longley (32) American guitarist and vocalist; born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Brookfield High School in Ohio. He was lead guitarist with 'Samantha 7' playing at Woodstock '99 and releasing a self titled album in 2000, after which he joined the band Great White. Ty also worked with drummer Nick Menza on "Menza: Life After Deth". The album was due to have a 2002 release date and tour to follow, but before hand, Ty hit the road on his fatal last tour with his other band, Jack Russell's Great White. The "Life After Deth" album was never released and a tour was never announced (Ty was tragically killed in The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island. He was the only member of Great White to die in The Station nightclub fire, which claimed 99 other lives) b. September 4th 1971.
2008: Bobby Lee Trammell (74) American rockabilly singer, former Arkansas Representative. Wrote and recorded the song Shirley Lee, later covered by Ricky Nelson (?).
2009: "Fats" Sadi Lallemand (81) Belgian jazz multi-musician, playing piano, clarinet, marimba and percussion, he was also a composer, arranger and singer, but the vibraphone, together with the bongos was his main instrument throughout his professional life. He was the first European jazz artist to play the vibes as his main instrument. His career started with Sadi’s Hot Five, a combo playing mainly for the American troops during the occupation. After World War II, he performed with Jacques Pelzer in The Bob Shots. In 1952 he moved to Paris, were he played with Django Reinhardt, Kenny Clarke, Stéphane Grappelli, Don Byas, was co-leader of a quartet with pianist Martial Solal and a member of The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band. On his return to Belgium in 1961, he worked for RTBF, the Belgian national TV channel having his own programmes, he world toured with artists such as Caterina Valente, and recorded solo and as a sideman with jazz legends like Sahib Shihab. Sadly in January of 1995 he became seriously ill after which he rarely appeared on stage (he passed away from the consequences of a virus) b. October 23rd 1927.

February 21
1976: Florence Ballard (32) US singer; one of the co-founders of the Hall of Fame Motown group The Supremes. During their early years, members of The Supremes, originally called The Primette, enjoyed a generally democratic distribution of leads on songs. However, by 1966, Florence and Mary Wilson had begun to feel ignored in the group as Motown President Berry Gordy, Jr. spotlighted Diana Ross's individual career. Discontent led her to depression and alcoholism, factors that weighed heavily in Gordy's decision to permanently dismiss her from The Supremes. Her final performance with the Supremes was their first appearance at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. Flo went solo releasing the singles "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" and "Love Ain't Love" on ABC Records, but they failed to chart. In 1974 former Supreme Mary Wilson flew her to Los Angeles for a comback career, but she continued to drown her sorrows with pills and alcholic beverages and Flo was living on welfare when she died at such a young age (cardiac arrest) b. June 30th 1943.
1980: Janet Vogel (37) American singer and co-founder of the 50's vocal group the Skyliners; The Skyliners created a new style of music by combining the streetwise harmonies of rhythm and blues with the modern sophisticated harmony style. They had 4 chart hits "Cashbox", "This I Swear", "Pennies from Heaven", and their popular and frequently covered 1960 hit song "Since I Don't Have You". Guns 'N' Roses 80's rendition of this song bought them back into the media attention. In 2002 The Skyliners were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame. (suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning) b. October 6th 1941
1982: Murray "the K" Kaufman (60) US DJ, said to be the first DJ to play a Beatles record on US radio. Professionally known as Murray the K, was a famous and influential rock and roll impresario and disc jockey of the 1950s, '60s and '70s. During the early days of Beatlemania, he frequently referred to himself as "the Fifth Beatle". (cancer) b. February 14th 1922
1996: Morton Gould (82) American composer born in Richmond Hill, New York, Morton was a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition, his first composition was published at age six. During the Depression, as a teenager, he worked in New York playing piano in movie theatres, and with vaudeville acts. By 1935, he was conducting and arranging orchestral programs for New York's WOR radio station; in the 1940s, he appeared on the Cresta Blanca Carnival program as well as The Chrysler Hour on CBS reaching an audience of millions. Morton went on to compose Broadway scores such as Billion Dollar Baby and Arms and the Girl; film music such as Delightfully Dangerous, Cinerama Holiday, and Windjammer; music for television series such as World War One; and ballet scores including Interplay, Fall River Legend, and I'm Old Fashioned. Morton's music, commissioned by symphony orchestras all over the United States, was also commissioned by the Library of Congress, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the American Ballet Theatre, and the New York City Ballet and Gould received three commissions for the United States Bicentennial. As a conductor, Gould led all of the major American orchestras as well as those of Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, and Australia. He won a Grammy Award in 1966 for his recording of Charles Ives' first symphony, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In 1983, he received the American Symphony Orchestra League's Gold Baton Award and in 1986, he was president of ASCAP, also in 1986 he was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters In 2005, he was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. (he died in Orlando, Florida) b. December 10th 1913.
2004: Les Gray (57) UK singer, Mud (throat cancer)
2003: Tom Glazer (88) American folk singer-songwriter known primarily as a composer of ballads, including: "Because All Men Are Brothers", recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, "Talking Inflation Blues", recorded by Bob Dylan, and "A Dollar Ain't A Dollar Anymore". He wrote the lyrics to the songs "Melody of Love" 1954, and "Skokian" in 1954. He also wrote the musical score to the 1957 film A Face in the Crowd and wrote and sang the eco-conscious title song in the 1966 movie Namu the Killer Whale. Along with Dottie Evans, Tom recorded three children's records in 1959 and 1960 that were part of a six-album set known as the Singing Science Records. His greatest commercial success came with his original recording of the song "On Top of Spaghetti" (?) b. September 2nd 1914.
2007: Alfred Viola (87) American jazz guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years and also played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film The Godfather. Born in Brooklyn, he enlisted in the Army during World War II from 1942 to 1945 and played in an Army jazz band. In 1946, Alfred and Page Cavanaugh, joined bassist Lloyd Pratt, formed a trio. The ensemble appeared in several films, including the Doris Day's Romance On The High Seas and A Song Is Born, and played a few dates in 1946 and 1947 with Frank Sinatra. Alfred continued to work with Sinatra regularly, accompanying him on several hundred studio recordings and concert dates between 1956 and 1980. He continued playing jazz , with Bobby Troup, Ray Anthony, Harry James, Buddy Collette, Stan Kenton, Gerald Wilson and Terry Gibbs. He also worked as a session musician on over 500 albums, including releases by Jimmy Witherspoon, Helen Humes, June Christy, Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Steve Lawrence, Julie London, Anita O'Day, and Linda Ronstadt Joe Williams. (Sadly Alfred lost his brave battle with cancer) b. June 16th 1919.

February 22
1987: Andy Warhol (58) American pop artist, producer, manager of The Velvet Underground (death caused by complications after a routine gallbladder operation)
2002: Ronnie Verrell (77) drummer, Tom Jones, The Strawbs, and Phil Everly, the drum licks for Animal in The Muppet Show.

February 23
1897: Woldemar Bargiel (69) German composer, pianist; besides teaching and composing, Bargiel served with Brahms as co-editor of the complete editions of Schumann’s and Chopin’s works ()
1966: Billy Kyle (51) pianist; John Kirby Sextet / Louis Armstrong's All-Stars ()
1995: Melvin Franklin/David Melvin English (53) American bass singer with the Temptations from 1961 till he fell ill in 1994. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, the son of a preacher, moved to Detroit, Michigan at the age of nine. A young Otis Williams befriended 16 year old Melvin, and invited him to become the bass singer in his group called The Distants. Melvin remained with Otis and Elbridge Bryant when they, Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks formed The Elgins in late 1960. In March 1961, the Elgins signed with Motown records under a new name,The Temptations. He had a fondness for the color blue, and so he was nicknamed "Blue" by his friends and fellow singers. Best friends for over thirty years, Melvin and Otis were the only two Temptations to never leave the group. He was one of the most famous bass singers in black music, over his long career, his deep vocals became one of the group's signature trademarks. Melvin sang some featured leads with the group as well, including the songs "I Truly, Truly Believe", "The Prophet" and Paul Robeson's "Ol' Man River" (Melvin lapsed into a diabeteic coma and died 6 days later from a brain seizure) b. October 12th 1942
1996: Alan Dawson (67) jazz drummer with The Dave Brubeck Quartet /sessions / drum teacher in Boston (leukemia)
1997: Tony Williams (51) American jazz drummer, born in Chicago and growing up in Boston, regarded as one of the most important and influential jazz drummers to come to prominence in the 1960s, he first gained fame in the band of trumpeter Miles Davis, and was a pioneer of jazz fusion. Tony began studies with drummer Alan Dawson and began playing professionally at the age of 13 with saxophonist Sam Rivers and Jackie McLean hired him at 16. At 17, he found considerable fame with Miles Davis, joining a group that was later dubbed Davis's "Second Great Quintet". In 1969, he formed a trio, a pioneering band of the fusion movement, "The Tony Williams Lifetime," with John McLaughlin on guitar, and Larry Young on organ. Jack Bruce on bass was added later. Over the years he played on many projects and sessions including playing the drums for the band Public Image Limited fronted by former Sex Pistols singer John Lydon on their 1986 (a heart attack after routine gall bladder surgery) b. December 12th 1945.
2003: Howie Epstein (47) American highly noted rock bass player, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, well known for his work with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he played in a number of both rock and roll and country Milwaukee bands that were regionally popular, like MHG Experience, Egz, Winks, Forearm Smash, and The Craze, after which he moved to the west coast. He played in bands with John Hiatt and backed Del Shannon, before joining Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Howie also played bass on recordings by Eric Andersen, Bob Dylan, Carlene Carter, Johnny Cash, John Hiatt, Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, John Prine, Linda Ronstadt, Del Shannon, The Textones, The Village People, and Warren Zevon. He earned acclaim as a songwriter and a producer. He produced two albums for John Prine, including 1991’s The Missing Years, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording, and Eric Andersen’s Memory Of The Future in 1998 (Howie was suffering from serious depression, he sadly overdosed of black tar heroin while in New Mexico) b. July 21st 1955.
2004: Carl Anderson (58) American singer, film and theatre actor born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He moved to Washington D.C. in 1969, where he and friends formed the group "The Second Eagle", with himself as lead singer. Second Eagle covered jazz/rock tunes and some from the album Jesus Christ Superstar. This led him getting the role of understudy for Ben Vereen as Judas in the pre-Broadway touring company's production of Jesus Christ Superstar. When Ben fell ill, Carl took over the role, this catupulted his career, while performing the show in LA, Carl was flown to London for a screen test for the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar. Two weeks later, he left the production to begin filming in Israel. The film, released in 1973 gave Carl 2 Golden Globe nominations as "Most Promising Newcomer" and "Best Musical Actor". As a recording artist, he signed with Motown Records in 1972, he worked with Stevie Wonder on his 1976 double album Songs in the Key of Life; he released four albums on the Epic label beginning in 1983. In total, Carl released nine jazz and soul albums as a solo artist, including hits "How Deep Does It Go," "Pieces Of A Heart," "Hot Coffee," and the mega-hit from his self-titled 1986 album, "Friends and Lovers" (a duet with Gloria Loring) which reached No.2 in the charts. Among many other hi-lights in his career, in 1997, Carl performed on Broadway playing The Duke in an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night called Play On! featuring the music of Duke Ellington, and in 2002, he again took the part of Judas in a national tour of Superstar with ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach playing Jesus. The Leonard Cohen / Anjani song "Nightingale" from 2004 was made in his memory (sadly he lost his life to leukemia) b. February 27th 1945
2004: Don Cornell/Luigi Varlaro (84) American singer of the 1940s and 1950s; born in The Bronx, New York, he started out with trumpeter Red Nichols and bandleader Sammy Kaye before going solo. His hits included "It Isn't Fair," "I'm Yours," "I'll Walk Alone," and "Hold My Hand." His version of "Hold My Hand" sold over one million copies, and topped the UK Singles Chart in 1954. he appeared many times on the highy-popular Ruth Lyons noon television program and became a favorite with viewers. In 1993, he was inducted into the Big Band Hall of Fame. He was also a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity (passed away from emphysema and diabetes) April 21st 1919.
2010: Wyn Morris (81) Welsh conductor born in Trellech, Monmouthshire; he was especially known for his interpretations of Gustav Mahler's works, which he recorded almost complete during the '60s and '70s. He was the first to record Deryck Cooke's 2nd performing version of Mahler's Symphony No.10 in 1972, only the third time a recording of the work had been made. He also conducted the first recording of Barry Cooper's realisation of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 10 in 1988. Wyn was music director of the Royal National Eisteddfod from '60-'62, and the Huddersfield Choral Society from '69-'74 (?) b. February 14th 1929
2010: Chilly B/Robert Crafton (47) American electro rapper from in Brooklyn, New York; Chilly sang, rapped, played keyboards and bass, and was a founder member of the influential 80's electro and old school hip hop group Newcleus, best-known for the massive 1984 vocoder opus "Jam on It", as well as similarly spacey joints "Jam on Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song)" and "Computer Age" (Tragically Chilly suffered a massive stroke that has left him brain dead and in a coma. The decision was made to remove him from life support and he passed on not long after) b.????

February 24
1990: Johnnie Ray (63) American singer born in Hopewell, Origan; considered by many people to be the forerunner of what would become rock 'n' roll and has been cited as the historical link between Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley in the development of popular music. He became deaf in his right ear at age 13 after an accident during a Boy Scout event. After moving to Detroit he was spotted Bernie Lang, a song plugger, who was taken to the Flame Showbar nightclub. His first record, the self-penned R&B number "Whiskey and Gin", was a minor hit in 1951. The follow up was the double-sided hit single of "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried", selling over two million copies of the 45 single, and he quickly became a teen idol. More hits followed, including "Please Mr. Sun", "Such a Night", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home", "A Sinner Am I", and "Yes Tonight Josephine", "Just Walkin' in the Rain" and "You Don't Owe Me a Thing". He was popular in the UK, and performed at the London Palladium. In the early 1970s, he appearanced on The Andy Williams Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson three times during 1972 and 1973. In later years, he retained a loyal fan base overseas, in the UK, and particularly in Australia (liver failure) b. January 10th 1927.
1994: Jean Sablon (87) French singer and actor, born in Nogent-sur-Marne, Jean Sablon studied piano at the Lyceé Charlemagne in Paris, left to concentrate on a vocal career. He started in the cabarets of Paris at the age of 17and later, he partnered the popular Mistinguett at the Casino de Paris which boosted his career considerably. He was the first cabaret singer to use a microphone in his stage act. In the 1920s he spent time in Brazil where his recordings remain extremely popular today. In 1937 he won the Grand Prix du Disque for the song "Vous qui passez sans me voir". That same year, he went to America, where he sang on live radio broadcasts for CBS and made several records in the English language. On Broadway, he worked with luminaries such as Cole Porter and George Gershwin. He returned to Paris but with the German occupation of France in World War II, he went back to America for the duration. During his career, Jean's records sold in the millions around the world amd he recorded with some of the world's top musicians, including Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Jean is credited with arranging Reinhardt's debut in a fashionable cabaret in 1933. He also appeared in a number of motion pictures and TV films performing as a vocalist or pianist, his last was in 1984 when he sang "April in Paris" in Mistral's Daughter, the popular American TV miniseries filmed in France. (Jean passed away in Cannes-La-Bocca, and was interred in the Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris) b. March 25th 1906
1994: Dinah Shore (77) American singer/actress; first became famous as a "girl singer" during the Big Band era, then went on to become a movie star. She was then the host of a long-running series of popular TV variety programs (cancer)
1994: Papa John Creech (76) violinist, fiddle; Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Dinosaur/Hot Tuna; this veteran of jazz and blues added a new psychedelic edge to the Airplane with his electrified violin (heart failure)
2004: Estelle Axton (85) Creator of the legendary US soul music label Stax
2007: Leroy Jenkins (74) American composer and free jazz violinist and violist. He was involved in the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) while a school teacher in Chicago. He co-founded the Creative Construction Company with Anthony Braxton and others. He also led the Revolutionary Ensemble and formed a trio with Anthony Davis and Andrew Cyrille. During 1987 he toured Europe as part of Cecil Taylor's group. He gained recognition for music-theatre works such as The Mother of Three Sons, Fresh Faust and The Negros Burial Ground, and "The Three Willies" in collaboration with Homer Jackson (?) b. March 11th 1932.
2008: Larry David Norman (60) American musician, singer, songwriter and producer, his recordings are noted for their Christian and social subject matter, and he is often described as the "father of Christian rock music" (heart disease).

February 25
1682: Alessandro Stradella (42) Italian composer of the middle Baroque; he was an extremely influential composer, and a ladies man (He was involved in an affair with a poorly-chosen woman, and a hired killer caught up with him at the Piazza Bianchi, Genoa, and stabbed him to death)
1936: Sam Morgan (48) US trumpeter; Sam Morgan Jazz Band ()
1993: Toy Caldwell (45) American guitar player born in Spartanburg, SC and was the brother of former Marshall Tucker bass guitarist Tommy Caldwell. He was veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served in Vietnam and injured in 1967, Toy was a founding member and lead guitarist of the 1970s Southern Rock group The Marshall Tucker Band from Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was a member of the band from 1973 to 1983 and wrote almost all of their songs. He later formed the Toy Caldwell Band and released an eponymous CD in 1992; the record was later renamed "Son of the South" by Southern rock luminary, Toy's personal friend, Charlie Daniels. (died of heart disease) b. November 13th 1947.
2005: Edward Patten (65) US R&B/soul vocalist; born in Atlanta, Georgia, he was best known as a member of Gladys Knight & the Pips. He was lead singer Gladys Knight's cousin. The Pips scored their first hit in 1961 with "Every Beat of My Heart" followed by a second hit "Letter Full of Tears" in 1962. They signed to Motown in 1964 where they had success with hits such as "Everybody Needs Love", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", which won the 1973 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus. But it was recording for Buddah in the 1970s, the group hit its highest peak with No.1 R&B hits such as "I've Got to Use My Imagination", and "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" and most notable hit of their career was the No.1 hit, "Midnight Train to Georgia", which won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals of 1973 (stroke) b. August 2nd 1939.
2007: Mark Warren Spoelstra () American singer-songwriter and folk and blues guitarist, born and raised in Kansas City. He began his musical career in LA in his teens and migrated around to wind up in New York City in time to take part in the folk music revival of the early 1960s. He is best remembered for his activity in the Greenwich Village area. He performed with Bob Dylan soon after Dylan's arrival in New York City, was a contributor to Broadside Magazine and recorded a number of albums for Folkways Records and other labels (sadly died from complications of pancreatic cancer) b. June 30th 1940

2008: Static Major/Stephen Ellis Garrett (33) US R&B singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer and was also a member of the R&B trio Playa. He gained posthumous fame for appearing in Lil Wayne's 2008 hit "Lollipop" (cause of death was originally stated as being due to complications from a medical procedure performed at Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky) b. November 11th 2008.
2009: Randall "Randy" Bewley (53) American innovative guitarist and founder member of the rock band Pylon from Athens, Georgia, USA. Their most important work done between 1979 and 1983 was highly influential among new wave bands. The band R.E.M. is an especially notable example of a group influenced by Pylon, and covered the song "Crazy" as the b-side of their single, "Wendell Gee". Pylon recorded three albums, three singles and one EP and opened for U2, R.E.M., the B-52's, the Talking Heads and Gang of Four. They broke up twice, but reunited and has been playing occasional shows. Randy also taught art and played with two other Athens projects: Sound Houses, formerly The New Sound of Numbers and Supercluster (In the evening of Feb 23 '09, he suffered a heart attack while driving his van on Barber Street in Athens, his van drifted off the road, tipping over. He was admitted to Athens Regional Medical Center and lapsed into a coma; he died two days later when he was removed from life support) b. July 25th 1955
2009: Ian Carr (75) Scottish musician, composer and writer; a self taught trumpet player, he joined his elder brother in the Newcastle band, the EmCee Five in 1960 before moving to London in 1962, where he became co-leader of the Rendell–Carr quintet. Over six years, the group made five albums for EMI and performed internationally. After leaving the quintet, in 1969, he went on to form the pioneering and ground-breaking jazz-rock band Nucleus. This led to the release of twelve albums, some under the band's name, some under Ian's, and a successful international career. In their first year they won first prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival, released their first album "Elastic Rock", and performed at both the Newport Jazz Festival and the Village Gate jazz club. He also played with the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble since 1975, as well as working a session musician in non-jazz contexts, with Nico, No-Man, Faultline, and others. He also doubled up on flugelhorn. As a writer, he had a regular column for the BBC Music Magazine, he wrote biographies of the jazz musicians Keith Jarrett and Miles Davis, and was also the co-author of the reference work "The Rough Guide to Jazz". Ian was also a broadcaster and amongst other projects he narrated a six-part series for BBC Radio 3's 'Jazz File' on the life of Miles Davis, broadcast to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Miles' birth in 2006 (Alzheimer’s Disease) b. April 21st 1933.
2010: David Soyer (87) American cellist born in Philadelphia, he began playing the piano at 9, and at 11, he started the cello. He debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy in 1942, playing Ernest Bloch's Schelomo. David along with violinists Arnold Steinhardt and John Dalley and the violist Michael Tree formed a quartet at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont in 1964. For the next 37 years they played together as the Guarneri Quartet, a remarkable record of longevity for a string quartet, the Guarneri became one of the world’s best-known quartets, setting a standard in quartetistry with seamless, warm and impassioned playing and a unanimity that did not efface individual personalities. They collaborated with many of the world's most famous classical musicians, including Leonard Rose, the Budapest String Quartet, Pinchas Zukerman, and Arthur Rubinstein (?) b. February 24th 1923.

February 26
1913: Felix Draeseke (77) German composer of the "New German School". He wrote compositions in most forms including eight operas and stage works, four symphonies, and much vocal and chamber music. (He died from a stroke) b. October 7th 1835.
1977: Sherman Garnes (36) US bassman with Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers; an American integrated doo wop group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, is also noted for being rock's first all-teenaged act.They had their origins in The Earth Angels, a group founded at Edward W. Stitt Junior High School in the Washington Heights section by second tenor Jimmy Merchant and bassman Ian Sherman. Eventually, they added lead singer Herman Santiago and baritone Joe Negroni and evolved into The Coupe De Villes. In 1955, twelve-year-old Frankie Lymon joined the Coupe De Villes, who changed their name to first the Ermines and later The Premiers, before finally becoming The Teenagers. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" was The Teenagers first and biggest hit. followed by hits "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" and "The ABCs of Love" (died during open-heart surgery) b. June 8th 1940.
1981: Howard Harold Hanson (84) American composer, conductor, educator, music theorist, and was one of the first composers to reach international recognition with education solely in America. Director for 40 years of the Eastman School of Music, he built a top quality school and provided unparalleled opportunities for commissioning and performing American music. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1944, for Symphony No.4, subtitled Requiem; in 1945, he became the first recipient of the Ditson Conductor's Award for his commitment to American music; in 1946, Hanson was awarded the George Foster Peabody Award "for outstanding entertainment programming" for a series he presented on the Rochester, New York radio station WHAM in 1945 and in 1953, Howard helped to establish the Edward B. Benjamin Prize "for calming and uplifting music" written by Eastman students. Excerpts from his Symphony No.2 were used to accompany several exterior sequences and the end credits in the original 1979 release of the movie Alien. (?) b. October 28th 1896.
1982: Gábor Szabó (44) Hungarian jazz guitarist, born in Budapest famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music. He began playing guitar at the age of 14, inspired by jazz music on the Voice of America broadcasts. He escaped Hungary and moved to the United States in 1956 and attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston and in 1958, he was invited to perform at the Newport Jazz Festival. Gabor then performed with the Chico Hamilton quintet from 1961-1965. He recorded with Lena Horne in October and November of 1969 and was part of Lena's backup band when she performed at The Nugget in Nevada in November 1966 and when she performed with Harry Belafonte at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas in September 1969. His playing incorporated elements of folk music from his native Hungary and rock music's use of feedback. His composition "Gypsy Queen" became a hit for Santana in 1970 (Black Magic Woman). During his solo career, he performed with artists such as Ron Carter, Paul Desmond, Lena Horne and Bobby Womack. (Gábor passed away from liver and kidney disease while on a visit to his homeland) b. March 8th 1936
1989: Reunald Jones (78) American swing-style trumpeter who in the '30s and '40s worked with musicians such as Charlie Johnson, the Savoy Bearcats, Fess Williams, Chick Webb, Sam Wooding, Claude Hopkins, Willie Bryant, Teddy Hill, Sy Oliver, Don Redman, Erskine Hawkins, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Lucky Millinder. From 1952 till 1957 he played lead trumpet with the Count Basie Orchestra, and featured as a member of the Quincy Jones group, "The Jones Boys" 1956 till 1958. From the '40s he did extensive work as a studio musician. He toured with Woody Herman, George Shearing's big band and with an orchestra accompanying Nat King Cole (?) b. December 22nd 1910.
1989: Roy David Eldridge (78) American jazz trumpet player nicknamed "Little Jazz", Roy was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and originally played drums, trumpet and tuba. He led bands from his early years, moving to St. Louis, and then to New York. He became one of the most exciting musicians of the swing era and a precursor of bebop. In 1941 he joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra, and was featured with rookie singer Anita O'Day on a series of recordings including the novelty hit "Let Me Off Uptown". He became part of the group which toured under the Jazz at the Philharmonic banner and became one of the stalwarts of the group. Roy moved to Paris for a time, before returning to New York, where he worked with Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald and Earl "Fatha" Hines among others. In 1971, he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. After a stroke in 1980, he continued performing on other instruments for the remainder of his life. (?) b.January 30th 1911.
1990: Cornell Gunter (53) American singer born in Coffeyville, Kansas, he was an original member of the Platters in 1953. He also was a member of The Flairs and The Coasters. The title song from the 1957 Susan Oliver movie, The Green Eyed Blonde, was sung by Cornell. After he left the Coasters, he toured with Dinah Washington. In 1963, he formed his own Coasters group; they were usually billed as "The Fabulous Coasters". He also made over a dozen solo singles in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including a cover version of Sam Cooke's "You Send Me", "True Love", and "If We Should Meet Again". Cornell was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame along with the rest of The Coasters in 1987. (died in Las Vegas, Nevada, after being shot to death in his car) b. November 14th 1936.
1997: Ben Raleigh (86) US lyricist; he helped create many popular songs, notably the Ray Peterson hit "Tell Laura I Love Her" and the Johnny Mathis hit "Wonderful, Wonderful." Ben's "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing" won a Grammy for Lou Rawls. He also co-wrote 'Scooby Doo Where Are You.' (died at his LA home in a kitchen fire after setting light to his bath robe while cooking) b. ????
2008: George "Buddy" Miles (60) American rock and funk drummer, most known as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 until Hendrix's death in 1970. As a teenager blues-rock drummer George aka Buddy Miles played in his father's band The Bebops, Ruby & the Romantics, the Ink Spots, the Delfonics and others. At this time he met and struck up a friendship with Jimi Hendrix when they were both sidemen. In 1967 Buddy formed Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield, they... (heart failure) b. September 5th 1947 ... read more

February 27
1833: Alexander Borodin (54) Russian composer, vocalist, composer of opera, chamber and symphonic. He was also a member of the group of composers called The Five aka "The Mighty Handful", who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music. He is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, and his opera Prince Igor. Music from Prince Igor and his string quartets was later adapted for the musical Kismet. (He died while attending a ball in St. Petersburg) b. November 12th 1833.
1981: Ike Isaacs (57) American jazz bassist; he started out on trumpet and tuba as a child before settling on bass. He served in the Army during World War II, where he took lessons from Wendell Marshall. Following this he played with Tiny Grimes, Earl Bostic, Paul Quinichette, and Benny Green. He led a band locally in Ohio in 1956, then played for two years in the trio of Carmen McRae. He also worked with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, after which he worked with Count Basie, Gloria Lynne, and Erroll Garner, as well as with his own small groups, but recorded only once as a leader, in 1967. On this recording he plays in a trio with Jack Wilson on piano and Jimmie Smith on drums. He was no relation to the British guitarist of the same name (?) b. March 28th 1923.
2008: Ivan Rebroff/Hans-Rolf Rippert (76) German singer famous for singing Russian folk songs, but also performed opera, light classics and folk ; he had an extraordinary vocal range of four and a half octaves, ranging from the soprano to impressive bass registers. He performed over 6,000 concerts in his career, including a two-year run, beginning in 1968, singing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Paris' Théâtre Marigny. Being well into his seventies in a recent Australian tour, he still performed 12 shows in 14 days.(died after a long illness) b. July 31st 1931.
2010: Walter Alfaiate (79) Brazilian samba composer and vocalist born in Rio de Janeiro; from an early age he wrote sambas for the local small groups such as Foliões de Botafogo and São Clemente. In the '60s, he participated in samba get-togethers at the Opinião theatre and in the groups Reais do Samba and Os Autênticos. He went on to become a major figure in the samba milieu, and wrote more than 200 sambas in his 50-year career, but didn't actually record his own debut solo album, Olha Aí until 1998, when he was 68. In 2000, he promoted the tribute show Roda de Bamba at the Image and Sound Museum of Rio de Janeiro to Paulinho da Viola, Manacéia, and Duarte. In the same year, he commemorated his 70th birthday at the Niterói municipal theatre with Aldir Blanc and other important samba artists (?) June 7th 1930
2010: Larry Cassidy (56) British bass guitarist, lead singer and founder member of the band Section 25. They released their debut single, "Girls Don't Count" in 1980. The band went on to release four LPs through the 80s, changing their musical direction from post-punk to proto-techno for their third album, 1984's 'From The Hip', produced by New Order's Bernard Sumner, which produced the underground hit "Looking From a Hilltop". Before his death, Larry was working on an album of Section 25 remixes called 'Retrofit', which was due to be released in summer 2010. (sadly passed away at his home in Blackpool, a cause of death is not yet confirmed, at present there appear to be no suspicious circumstances) b. April ?th 1953

February 28
1968: Franklin "Frankie" Lymon (25) America singer and frontman of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. While at Junior High School he helped to form a singing group called The Premiers. A talent scout for Gee records, heard them singing on the stairs of a tenement on 165th Street in Manhattan and brought them to George Goldner at Gee. They were renamed The Teenagers and in 1955 they recorded "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" it was released as a record by The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon. It made the top ten in the USA and it reached No.1 in the UK. The group appeared in the movies "Rock, Rock, Rock" and "Mister Rock and Roll", and had 2 more hits with "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" and "The ABCs of Love". But by 1957, the group was being billed as "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers". This caused in-fighting, and by September, Goldner had pulled Frankie out of the group to record solo. He released some songs of his own including the top twenty song Goody, Goody and eventually he signed with Roulette Records. By the 60's he had a serious drug problem. In 1961 he was forced into a drug rehabilitation program at Manhattan General Hospital. He attempted a comeback, but sadly could not kick his addiction and was convicted on a narcotics charge in 1964. The group was inducted into the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and a film based on the life of Frankie Lymon titled Why Do Fools Fall In Love? was released in 1998. (found dead from a drug overdose on the bathroom floor of his grandmother's apartment) b. September 30th 1942.
1974: Bobby Bloom (28) American singer songwriter; he is known best for being a one-hit wonder with the 1970 song "Montego Bay," which was co-written and produced by Jeff Barry, who was surprised to find out after Bobby's death that he was the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy. In the early '60s, he had been a member of the doo wop group the Imaginations, and sang lead on "Wait A Little Longer, Son." and in 1969 when he was awarded a contract to write and record a jingle for Pepsi, paving the way for his success with "Montego Bay", which reached the US Top 10 and UK Top 3 (he was accidentally shot in a scuffle with a man who was never identified) b. 1946
1985: Ray Ellington/Harry Pitts Brown (68) English singer, drummer and bandleader born in London. He is best known for his appearances on The Goon Show from 1951 to 1960. The Ray Ellington Quartet had a regular musical segment on the show, and he also had a small speaking role in many episodes, often as a parodic African, Native American or Arab chieftain. His band was one of the first groups in Britain to prominently feature the electric guitar. They were also reputedly the very first jazz band in the UK to use an amplified guitar, which was produced and introduced by their guitar player, Lauderic Rex Caton (?) b. March 17th 1916
1985: David Byron/David Garrick (38) English singer gifted with a phenomenal vocal range, paired with an unparalleled sense of dynamics & charismatic stage presence. He was the original lead vocalist for Spice from 1967 through 1969, but is more famous for singing in the legendary English rock band Uriah Heep between 1969 to1976, recording 10 albums with the band. He was asked to leave the band because of his increasingly erratic behaviour due to alcohol abuse. He unsuccessfully attempted to revive his career with Rough Diamond, a band featuring former members of Humble Pie and Wings, releasing a self titled album; a solo album "Baby Faced Killer" and in the early 80's with The Byron Band recording 3 albums, 2 of which were not released till the 2000s, " Lost And Found" released 2003 and "One Minute More" released 2008. In 1980 Uriah Heep invited him back in the band, but he refused. (alcohol-related complications) b. January 29th 1947.
1990: Russell Jacquet (72) American big band trumpeter; the elder brother of well-known tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, who he worked with through the years. He had stints with Floyd Ray and Milt Larkin before he began studying music at Wiley College and Texas Southern University. He moved west and played with his brother's band for a time, later forming his own group which became the house band at the Cotton Club from 1945 to 1949. He then rejoined his brother's group. He later played with several small groups in Oakland, California, and in Houston with Arnett Cobb, and on a few dates in New York with his brother (?) b. December 4th 1917.
2002: Helmut Zacharias (82) German violinist. He started having lessons at the age of 4. At 6 he played at the cabaret Faun in Berlin and had his first radio broadcast five years later. In the 1950s he was considered to be one of the best jazz violinists of Europe. He played together with many other famous artists, including Yehudi Menuhin and had his own TV show from 1968 to 1973. (He died in Tessin, Switzerland) b. January 27th 1920.
2005: Chris Curtis (63) UK drummer and singer with the 1960s pop band, The Searchers. He also originated the concept behind Deep Purple forming the band in its original incarnation of 'Roundabout'. For six years from 1960, he an essential part of the Searchers’ sound, he contributed to the band's characteristic vocal harmonies with his distinctive high voice and as well as playing drums he introduced all manner of percussion including tom-toms, castanets, cowbells, bongos and Spanish bells. After leaving the Searchers he recorded his only solo single, the top 20 hit, "Aggravation" in 1966, he was backed by Jimmy Page, Joe Moretti, John Paul Jones and Vic Flick. In 1968 Chris was planning to assemble his new band. At a party speaking to his new friend Ian Lord of his plans, his concept was a band with a core of three members: Curtis, Lord and Robbie Hewlett. The other musicians would be engaged whenever the core felt like it. Ian Lord was eager for this .. "They would jump on and off the roundabout. But I left that party in a new band, Roundabout." said Lord. Chris arranged for Ritchie Blackmore to come over from Germany to play lead guitar for Roundabout. The band went ahead, unfortunately without Chris, due to his LSD drug addiction, Roundabout changed it's name to Deep Purple and their first single was Joe South’s "Hush", which Chris had been playing in Ian Lord’s flat for months.In 1998 he gave his first interview in thirty years; to Spencer Leigh for BBC Radio Merseyside. In the early 2000's he started appearing weekly with live musicians for the Merseycats charity at the Marconi club in Huyton, but he never revisited the old Searchers’ songs (died at his home) b. August 26th 1941
2007: Billy Thorpe (60) English-born Australian lead singer, guitarist of Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs; As a teenager he performed under the name of 'Little Rock Allen'. After he was heard singing and playing guitar by a television producer, he made regular musical appearances on Queensland TV, by the time he was 17 was an experienced singer and musician. He moved to Sydney in 1963 where he joined The Aztecs, it was their second single Leiber and Stoller's "Poison Ivy" which gave them their brake. In November 1973 the Aztecs became the first rock band to play the Sydney Opera House. They had huge hits such as "Love Letters", "I Told The Brook", "Twilight Time" and were a massive influence on AC/DC and many other rock bands. After many line up changes the band split in 1976, and Billy moved to LA in America where in 1979, he released a solo album titled 'Children of the Sun'. He released 3 more albums, all of which had some chart success. By 1986, he owned a recording and production studio in Los Angeles, where he worked on musical scoring for television series, including: War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth. He also collaborated with Mick Fleetwood and Bekka Bramlett in Fleetwood's side project, a band called The Zoo. Returning to Australia in 1996 he wrote two autobiographies: "Sex and Thugs and Rock 'n' Roll" and "Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)" He was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2007 for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer (heart attack) b. March 29th 1946.
2008: Mike Smith (64) British singer and keyboardist with The Dave Clark Five; he and Dave were both members on the same football team for the St. George Boys Club. At age 17, Dave asked him to join his band, his debut recording with the band was "I Knew It All the Time" flip side "That's What I Said" in 1963. The band had 19 UK Top 40 hits, including 'Bits and Pieces' and the No.1 single 'Glad All Over'. They had US hits with 'Because', 'I Like it Like That' and 'Glad All Over', and set a record among British acts after appearing on the Ed Sullivan show 13 times. he co-wrote the majority of all their material with Dave. They sold more than 100 million records, sold out five consecutive world tours and six in the U.S. including 12 consecutive shows at Carnegie Hall, and were immortalised in the 1965 feature film "Catch Us If You Can". They disbanded in 1970, Mike continued a while with Dave and in 1976 recorded with former Manfred Mann's Michael d'Abo, after which he was record producer for such artists as Shirley Bassey and Michael Ball, for whom he recorded 4 gold albums; and he worked as a writer and singer of advertising jingles; his clients ranged from British Airways to McDonald's to Volvo. He also sang on the original recording of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Evita. In the late 90's he moved to Spain and did many charity gigs until an accident in September 2003, leaving him permanently paralysed from the waist down and in his right arm, with very little movement in his left arm. The man with the magnificent ”growl”, tragically died , just 11 days before he was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Dave Clark Five. (died from complication of the accident in 2003) b. December 6th 1943

February 29
1996: Wes Farrell (56) American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s. He was responsible for over 300 million record sales, including 70 million sales with The Partridge Family, during his career. He was also the owner of Bell Records, which was a merger of three earlier labels - Amy, Mala, and Bell Records. The company was later bought out by Screen Gems, and eventually became Arista Records, while Wes went on to found Chelsea Records.
(died of cancer) b. December 21st 1939.

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