Being an account of some things I'm interested in, what I'm doing, and reflections on my past, especially music.
SHIRLEY EIHARD, 67
** Died 15 December 2022
Singer / songwriter
RICK ANDERSON, 75
** Died 16 December 2022
Bass player with the Tubes. "She's a Beauty" (#10-1983)
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CHARLIE GRACIE, 86
** Died 17 December 2022
Singer / guitar player (rock and roll) "Butterfly" (#1-1957). If you're old enough, you will remember this song.
HARVEY JETT, 73
** Died 21 December 2022
Guitarist and founding member of Black Oak Arkansas. "Jim Dandy" (#25-1974)
--RoadDog
** GENE CIPRIANO, 94
Died 12 November 2022
Saxophone player, prolific session musician with the Wrecking Crew.
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** IRENE CARA, 63
Died 25 November 2022
Singer / actress, known for hit songs "Flashdance, What a Feeling" and "Fame."
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** J. J. BARNES, 89
Died 10 December 2022
Singer (rhythm & blues / soul).
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** KIM SIMMONDS, 75
Died 13 December 2022
Vocalist / guitar player with blues rock band Savoy Brown
** ROBERT GORDON, 76
Died 18 October 2022
Singer (rockabilly)
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** DAN CAFFERTY, 76
Died 8 November 2022
Singer with rock band Nazareth. Had the big hit "Love Hurts" (#8-1976)
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** KEITH LEVINE, 65
Died 11 November 2022
Guitar player, founding member of The Clash and Public Image Ltd.
"Rock the Casbah" (#8-1983)
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** DANNY KALB, 80
Died 19 November 2022
Guitarist / vocalist with the Blues Project.
** MONTY NORMAN, 94
Died 11 July 2022 Composer / singer, best known for writing the James Bond Theme.
** WILLIAM "POOGIE" HART, 77
Died 14 July 2022 Singer with vocal group Delfonics. Sang on group's big hits "La-La Means I Love You" (#4-1968) and "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" (#10-1970)
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** SAM GOODEN, 87
Died 4 August 2022 Singer (soul), original member of the Impressions. Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield were members of this group. Had 17 Top 40 songs 1958 to 1974, including "It's Alright" (#4-1963) and "Amen" (#7-1965).
** JUDITH DURHAM, 79
Died 5 August 2022 Lead singer with folk group The Seekers. "I'll Never Find Another You" (#4-1965), "A World of Our Own" (#19-1965) and "Georgy Girl" (#2-1967).
** BRETT TUGGLE, 70
Died 19 June 2022 Keyboardist, played with David Lee Roth and Fleetwood Mac.
** TOMMY MORGAN, 89
Died 23 June 2022 Harmonica player / prolific session musician (popular music / film / television) Played harmonica on "Good Vibrations"-- Beach Boys, "Rainy Days and Mondays"-- Carpenters and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by Hollies.
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** MANNY CHARLTON, 80
Died 5 July 22 Guitarist with rock band Nazareth. Played on big hits like "Love Hurts."
** ADAM WADE, 87
Died 7 July 2022 Singer / actor "Take Good Care of Her" (#7-1961), ""The Writing on the Wall" (#5-1961) and "As If I Didn't Know" (#10-1961)
JIM SEALS, 80
Died 6 June 2022
Singer / guitar player with soft rock duo Seals & Crofts who wrote the song "Summer Breeze."
."Summer Breeze" (#6-1972)
"Hummmingbird" (#20-1973)
"Diamond Girl" (#6-1973)
"We May Never Pass This Way Again" (#21-1973)
"I'll Play For You" (#18-1975)
"Get Closer" (#6-1976)
I am running way behind of music deaths from last year, so will be listing many of these with very little extra information.
STEVE BROUGHTON, 72
Died 29 May 1922. Drummer with the Edgar Broughton Band.
RONNIE HAWKINS, 87
Died 29 May 2022. Singer (rock and roll). Had the big hit "Mary Lou." Assembled the group later known as "The Band."
ALEC JOHN SUCH, 70
Died 5 June 1922. Bass player 1983-194 with Bon Jovi. This was the period of time the band had most of their big hits.
JULEE CRUISE, 65
Died 9 June 2022. Singer.
BOB NEUWIRTH, 82
Died 18 May 2022
Folk singer/ songwriter. Was road manager and associate of Bob Dylan and co-wrote Janis Joplins hit "Mercedes Benz."
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ANDY FLETCHER, 60
Died 26 May 2022
Keyboard player and founding member of Depeche Mode. "Enjoy the Silence" (#8-1990) and "Personal Jesus" (#28-1990)
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ALAN WHITE , 72
Died 26 May 2022
Drummer with Yes and former member of the Plastic Ono Band. Played drums on "Instant Karma" and "Imagine." Joined Yes in 1972 and remained with them until his death. Drummer on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (#1-1984).
MICKEY GILLEY, 86
Died 7 May 2022
Singer (country/pop) Became very popular after the movie "Urban Cowboy" was released. Had pop hit with "Stand By Me" (#22-1980). he also had 16 #1s in country music, including "Room Full of Roses" (1974), "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time" (1976), "Stand By Me" (1980) and "Talk To Me" (1983)
I had my boots, cowboy hat and western shirt, but never rode no bull.
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VANGELIS, 79
Died 17 May 2022
Keyboard player/ composer (electronic / ambient / film scores). Had a #1 song "Chariots of Fire" in 1982 from the movie of the same name.
NAOMI JUDD, 76
Died 30 April 2022
Singer with the mother-daughter country group Judds.
Between 1983 and 1991 had an amazing run of success in country music, releasing six albums, winning five Grammy Awards and nine Country Music Association awards.
From 1984 to 1989 they had fourteen #1s including:
"Mama He's Crazy"
"Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)"
CHARLES McCORMICK, 75
Died 12 April 2022
Bass player and vocalist with Bloodstone.
They had a #10 song on the pop charts in 1973 with "Natural High."
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SUSAN JACKS, 73
Died 25 April 2022
Singer, performed with the Poppy Family.
They had a #2 song in 1970 with "Which Way You Goin' Billy."
CHARLES McCORMICK, 75
Died 12 April 2022
Bass player and lead vocalist of Bloodstone.
The group had a #10 song with "Natural High" in 1973 and a #34 song with "Outside Woman" in 1974 on the pop charts.
Formed in Kansas City, Missouri. The group starred in the 1975 movie "Train Ride to Hollywood."
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ANDREW WOOLFORK, 71
Died 25 April 2022
Saxophonist and member of Earth, Wind & Fire.
Membeof the group from 1973 to 1985. This was when the group was at its peak with 16 songs on the pop charts ranking at #16 to #1, including:
"Shining Star" (#1-1975)
"Sing a Song" (#5-1976)
"Got to get You Into My Life" (#9-1978)
"September" (#8-1978)
BOBBY RYDELL, 79
Died April 5, 2022
Singer (rock and roll / pop)
Born Robert Ridarelli in Philadelphia. Teen pop idol. Appeared in movies "Bye, Bye Birdie" and "That Lady from Peking."
"We Got Love" (#6-1959)
"Wild One" #2-1960)
"Swingin' School" (#5-1960)
"Forget Him" (#4-1964)
Was Rydell High School in "Grease" named after him?
JOE MESSINA, 93
Died April 4, 2022
Guitarist, played with Motown's in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers.
Dubbed the "White Brother with Soul." He was one of the most prolific guitarists ever. In 1959, Motown founder Berry Gordy recruited Messina for his Hitsville USA studio musicians group known as The Funk Brothers. He was one of three guitarists.
These were the guys you heard on most every Motown hit in the 1960s and early 1970s. So, if you have any favorite Motown songs from that era, most like it was Messina playing guitar.
Just some of the songs he played on:
"Dancing in the Street"- Martha & the Vandellas
"Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)"-- Four Tops
"Someday We'll Be Together"-- Diana Ross & the Supremes
"Your Precious Love"-- Marvin Gaye and TammiTerrell
"Ain't Too Proud"-- Temptations
C.W. McCALL, 93
Died April 1, 2022
Country singer known for his 1976 hit song "Convoy."
Also was an advertising executive. Real name was William Dale Fries, Jr.
His song "Convoy" took advantage of the current CB radio craze going on in the United States in 1976 and was a country crossover hit that went to #1 on the Pop Charts.
He also had six Top 20s in Country Music.
His "Roses for Mama" really hithome for me when I heard it on his greatest hits CD as I drove back to North Caroilina for my mom's funeral.
TAYLOR HAWKINS, 50
Died 25 March 2022
Drummer with the Foo Fighters.
Drummer with them for twenty years. He was previously the drummer with the Alanis Morrissette Band.
BARRY BAILEY, 73
Died 12 March 2022
Guitar player with Atlanta Rhythm Section.
The band formed in 1970 and were originally the house band of Studio One recording studio in Doraville, Georgia. Barry was the group's founding guitarist and played on every song until he retired in 2006.
They had five straight Top 20s from 1977 to 1979.
"So Into You" (#7-1977)
"Imaginary Lover" (#7-1978)
"I'm Not Going to Let It Bother Me Tonight" (#14-1978)
"Do It or Die" (#19-1979)
"Spooky" (#17-1979)
TIMMY THOMAS, 77
Died 11 March 2022
Singer who had the 1972 song "Why Can't We Live Together." Anti-war song. Keyboardist.
Reached #1 on Billboard's R&B chart and #3 on the Pop charts in 1972.
Born in Evansville, Indiana.
WARNER MACK, 86
Died 1 March 2022
Country singer.
Born Warner MacPherson in 1938 in Nashville, raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi. From 1957 to 1977 had 23 Country Top 100s. From 1964 to 1969, had ten Top Tens.
His biggest hit was "The Bridge Washed Out" (#1 in 1965)
Also
"Sittin' On a Rock (Crying in a Creek" (#3- 1965)
"Talkin' to the Wall" (#3- 1966)
