Allen Toussaint, 1938-2015
Have you ever noticed southern skies?
Its precious beauty lies just beyond the eye
It goes running through your soul
Like the stories told of old
RIP: Allen Toussaint
Category Archives: Obituary
RIP: Michael Brown
Michael Brown, 1949-2015
Your name and mine inside a heart upon a wall
Still finds a way to haunt me, though they’re so small
RIP Rod Mckuen
Hey… let’s do something bizarre, like walk into Vesuvius in our underwear smoking black cigarettes. Crazy. And we’ll throw pennies at the tourists… I’d like to meet the rich lady with the wart. She looks like she could use a friend. So could I, I’m a tourist too. What do ya say for kicks we hop in your Volkswagen and tear off for Watsonville? I mean, can you imagine a more out place for two in people? I’ve got eyes for a little fresh air anyway. Like it’s Bartok time and this party’s had it. -Rod McKuen, Beatsville
Hypercast #4: In Memoriam 2014
A collection of music from some of the artists who passed away in 2014.
Arthur Smith Guitar Boogie
The Everly Brothers (Phil Everly) Made to Love
Lois Johnson Come on in and Let Me Love You
Weldon Myrick Once a Day
Johnny Winter Dallas
Little Jimmy Scott Everybody Needs Somebody
Jimmy Ruffin What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
Jay and the Americans (Jay Traynor) She Cried
Bob Crewe Music to Watch Girls By
The Orlons (Rosetta Hightower) The Wah-Watusi
Cream (Jack Bruce) I Feel Free
Joe Cocker Feelin’ Alright
Jerry Vale You Don’t Know Me
Deon Jackson Love Makes the World Go ‘Round
Acker Bilk Stranger on the Shore
Jeanne Black He’ll Have to Stay
George Hamilton IV Abilene
Sadina (Priscilla Mitchell) It Comes and Goes
Velva Darnell Not Me
The Bobbettes (Reather Dixon Turner) Mr. Lee
Jimmy C. Newman Artificial Rose
Jesse Winchester Do It
Bobby Womack What You Gonna Do (When Your Love is Gone)
In Memoriam: 2014
January
Jay Traynor, vocalist (Jay & The Americans)
Phil Everly, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter
Saul Zaentz, record company and film executive
Reather Dixon Turner, vocalist (The Bobbettes)
Dave Madden, actor and manager (Partridge Family)
Steven Fromholz, vocalist and songwriter
Pete Seeger, vocalist, songwriter and banjo player
Anna Gordy Gaye, record company executive and songwriter
February
Shirley Temple, vocalist, actress, dancer and diplomat
Sid Caesar, comedian, saxophonist and clarinetist
Bob Casale, guitarist and keyboardist (Devo)
Maria Franziska von Trapp, vocalist (Trapp Family Singers)
Chip Damiani, drummer (The Remains)
Franny Beecher, guitarist (Bill Haley and His Comets)
Peter Callander, songwriter and producer
March
Scott Asheton, drummer (The Stooges)
Joe Lala, percussionist and actor
Frankie Knuckles, DJ and producer
April
Arthur “Guitar Boogie†Smith, string player and songwriter
Wayne Henderson, trombonist (The Jazz Crusaders)
Mickey Rooney, actor, singer and entertainer
Leee Black Childers, photographer, writer and manager
Jesse Winchester, singer, guitarist and songwriter
Deon Jackson, vocalist
Kevin Sharp, vocalist
May
Bobby Gregg, drummer (Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel)
Dave Diamond, disk jockey
Andre Popp, composer and keyboardist
Cubie Burke, vocalist (The Five Stairsteps) and dancer
Jerry Vale, vocalist
June
Weldon Myrick, steel guitarist
Little Jimmy Scott, vocalist
Casey Kasem, disc jockey
Horace Silver, pianist and composer
Johnny Mann, arranger, composer and vocalist
Gerry Goffin, songwriter
Jimmy C. Newman, vocalist
Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, guitarist and songwriter
Bobby Womack, vocalist and guitarist
Paul Horn, flautist
July
Lois Johnson, vocalist
Tommy Ramone, drummer and producer
Charlie Haden, bassist
Johnny Winter, guitarist and vocalist
Elaine Stritch, vocalist and actress
Don Lanier, songwriter, guitarist and A&R executive
George Riddle, guitarist and songwriter
Idris Muhammad, drummer
Dick Wagner, guitarist
Velma Smith, guitarist
August
Rod de’Ath, drummer (Rory Gallagher)
Rosetta Hightower, vocalist (The Orlons)
Velva Darnell, vocalist
September
Bob Crewe, producer and songwriter
Cosimo Matassa, studio owner (J&M Recording) and engineer
Joe Sample, keyboardist
Tom Skeeter, studio owner (Sound City)
George Hamilton IV, vocalist and guitarist
Priscilla Mitchell, vocalist (a.k.a. Sadina)
Mark Loomis, guitarist (The Chocolate Watchband)
October
Paul Revere, band leader and keyboardist (Paul Revere and the Raiders)
Jan Hooks, comedienne and vocalist (The Sweeney Sisters)
Lou Whitney, bassist, producer and engineer
Tim Hauser, vocalist (The Manhattan Transfer)
Paul Craft, songwriter
Raphael Ravenscroft, saxophonist
Jeanne Black, vocalist
Jack Bruce, bassist, vocalist and songwriter (Cream)
November
Acker Bilk, clarinetist
Rick Rosas, bassist (Joe Walsh, Neil Young)
Jimmy Ruffin, vocalist
Dave Appell, band leader, arranger, producer and songwriter
Clive Palmer, banjoist (Incredible String Band)
December
Bobby Keys, saxophonist
Ian McLagan, keyboardist
Graeme Goodall, engineer and record company executive
Bob Montgomery, songwriter and vocalist
Dawn Sears, vocalist
Rock Scully, band manager (Grateful Dead)
John Fry, producer, engineer, record label and studio executive (Ardent)
Larry Henley, songwriter and vocalist
Chip Young, guitarist and producer
Joe Cocker, vocalist
Buddy DeFranco, clarinetist
RIP Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce, legendary bassist, singer and songwriter, passed away Saturday, October 25 at the age of 71.
Bobby Womack Remembered
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Bobby Womack, who passed away in June, was not only a superb soul singer, songwriter and guitarist, he was an engaging and incredibly funny personality. Terry Gross’ interview from 1999 shows off the many sides of Bobby Womack. Stream or download it here.
Hypercast #2: In Memoriam 2013
A collection of music from some of the artists who passed away in 2013.
Tompall Glaser Drinking Them Beers
Richie Havens High Flyin’ Bird
The Standells (Dick Dodd) Dirty Water
Game Theory (Scott Miller) Jimmy Still Comes Around
Ten Years After (Alvin Lee) I’d Love to Change the World
Sammy Johns Chevy Van
Junior Murvin Police and Thieves
Bobby “Blue” Bland Cry Cry Cry
Jewel Akins The Birds and the Bees
Eydie Gormé Blame it on the Bossa Nova
Bob Brozman Stack O Lee Aloha
Bob Thompson Mmm Nice!
Divinyls (Chrissy Amphlett) I Touch Myself
Annette Funicello California Sun
The Doors (Ray Manzarek) Light My Fire
Slim Whitman I Remember You
Noel Harrison Suzanne
The Velvet Underground (Lou Reed) Pale Blue Eyes
George Jones I’ve Aged Twenty Years in Five
Patti Page Tennessee Waltz
Cowboy Jack Clement I Guess Things Happen That Way
JJ Cale After Midnight
Ray Price For the Good Times
In Memoriam: 2013
January
Patti Page, vocalist
Sammy Johns, singer-songwriter
Tandyn Almer, songwriter
Raymond Franklin “Frank” Page, broadcaster
John Wilkinson, guitarist (Elvis Presley’s TCB Band)
Jimmy O’Neill, DJ, owner of Pandora’s Box and host of Shindig!
Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner, guitarist and vocalist (Ohio Players)
Patty Andrews, vocalist (The Andrews Sisters)
February
Donald Byrd, trumpeter
Reg Presley, vocalist and songwriter (The Troggs)
Darlene McCrea, vocalist (The Cookies, The Raelettes)
Shadow Morton, producer and songwriter
Tony Sheridan, vocalist and guitarist
Mindy McCready, vocalist
Kevin Ayers, vocalist, guitarist and bassist (The Soft Machine)
Magic Slim, vocalist and guitarist
Cleotha Staples, vocalist
Larry Marks, producer and vocalist
Van Cliburn, pianist
March
Jewel Akins, vocalist
Alvin Lee, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter
Claude King, vocalist and guitarist
Peter Banks, guitarist (Yes)
Bobby Smith, vocalist (The Spinners)
Deke Richards, producer and songwriter
Gordon Stoker, vocalist (The Jordanaires)
Paul Williams, critic and author (Crawdaddy!)
Robert Zildjian, cymbal maker (Zildjian, Sabian)
Phil Ramone, producer and engineer
April
Andy Johns, producer and engineer
Annette Funicello, mouseketeer, vocalist and actress
Vincent Montana, Jr., bandleader (The Salsoul Orchestra)
Scott Miller, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist (Game Theory, The Loud Family)
Storm Thorgerson, graphic artist (Hipgnosis)
Chrissy Amphlett, vocalist and songwriter (The Divinyls)
Richie Havens, vocalist and guitarist
Bob Brozman, vocalist and guitarist
George Jones, vocalist
May
Alan O’Day, vocalist
Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and songwriter
Bob Thompson, composer, arranger and orchestra leader
Ed Shaughnessy, drummer
Marshall Lytle, bassist (Bill Haley & His Comets)
Marvin Junior, vocalist and songwriter (The Dells)
Clarence Burke, Jr., vocalist (The Five Stairsteps)
June
Joey Covington, drummer (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)
Arturo Vega, graphic designer (The Ramones)
Chet Flippo, music journalist
Slim Whitman, vocalist and yodeler
Bobby Blue Bland, vocalist
Alan Myers, drummer (Devo)
July
Jim Foglesong, record producer and label executive
Cory Monteith, actor and vocalist
Curly Lewis, fiddler
T-Model Ford, vocalist and guitarist
Faye Hunter, bassist and vocalist (Let’s Active)
JJ Cale, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist
Mike Shipley, producer and recording engineer
Mick Farren, vocalist and author
August
George Duke, keyboardist
Marilyn King, vocalist
Cowboy Jack Clement, producer and songwriter
Jody Payne, guitarist (Willie Nelson’s Family)
Karen Black, actress and vocalist
Eydie Gorme, vocalist
Tompall Glaser, vocalist and songwriter
Marian McPartland, pianist and songwriter
Sid Bernstein, concert promoter
September
Fred Katz, cellist
Ray Dolby, sound pioneer
Jackie Lomax, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist
Marvin Rainwater, vocalist and songwriter
Billy Mure, guitarist
October
Larry Verne, vocalist
Noel Harrison, actor and vocalist
Lou Reed, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist
November
Chico Hamilton, drummer
Dick Dodd, mouseketeer, vocalist and drummer (The Standells)
December
Junior Murvin, vocalist
Larry McKinley, label founder (Minit), DJ and producer
Jim Hall, guitarist
Ray Price, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader
Larry Lujack, DJ
Yusef Lateef, multi-instrumentalist
Ricky Lawson, drummer
RIP Phil Ramone
Phil Ramone, 1941-2013
It’s hard to imagine one person so diverse in his musical talents as to have successfully recorded key sessions with:
- Stan Getz & João Gilberto (Getz/Gilberto)
- Wes Montgomery (Far Wes)
- Burt Bacharach (Casino Royale)
- Dionne Warwick (Valley of the Dolls)
- The Free Design (Kites Are Fun)
- Elton John (11-17-70)
- The Band (Rock of Ages and Before the Flood)
- Paul Simon (Paul Simon, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, Still Crazy After All These Years and The Rhythm of the Saints)
- Art Garfunkel (Breakaway)
- Simon & Garfunkel (The Concert in Central Park)
- Liza Minnelli (Liza with a “Z”)
- Phoebe Snow (Phoebe Snow)
- Alice Cooper (Welcome to My Nightmare)
- Barbra Streisand (A Star is Born)
- Billy Joel (The Stranger, 52nd Street and Glass Houses)
- Ray Charles (Genius Loves Company)
And many dozens more.
But such was the music industry giant Phil Ramone, who engineered and produced records – both legendary and obscure – for more than fifty years, and who passed away March 30, 2013 at the age of 72.