Music Deaths in 2015: Natalie Cole

NATALIE COLE, 65.

Died December 31, 2015.

Daughter of Nat King Cole.

Big hits:

This Will Be  #6 1975
I've Got Love On My Mind  #5 in 1977
Our Love  #10 in 1978
Pink Cadillac  #5 1988
Miss You Like Crazy  #7 in 1989

Her best-known song was the "duet" with her father on "Unforgettable"  #14 in 1991.

Gone But Not Forgotten 2015-- Part 5: Allen Toussaint

ALLEN TOUSSAINT--  Died Nov. 10.  Mr. New Orleans in my book.  Wrote "Mother-in-Law," "Ride Your Pony,"  "Southern Nights" and  "Working in the Coal Mine."  He also produced "Right Place, Wrong Time" and "Lady Marmalade."

P.F. SLOAN--    Died Nov. 15.  Songwriter.  Wrote "Eve of Destruction," "Secret Agent Man," "Let Me Be," "A Must to Avoid" and "You Babe."  Cowrote "Things I Should Have said" and :"Let's Live for Today."

EDDIE HOH--  Died Nov. 7 at age 71.  "Fast Eddie"    Primarily a studio and touring drummer.  Worked with Donovan, Mamas and Papas, Poco and Flying Burrito Brothers.

STEVE WRIGHT--  Died Dec.27.  Lead singer of Australian group Easybeats who had the song "Friday On My Mind."

SNUFF GARRETT--  Died Dec. 16.  Producer.  Worked with Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Gene McDaniels, Bobby Vee and Buddy Knox.

WILLIAM GUEST--  Died Dec. 24.  One of Gladys Knight & the Pips.

CARSON VAN AUSTIN--   Died Dec. 22.  Bassist with Nazz.

JIMMY GREENSPOON--  Died March 11.  Keyboardist with Three Dog Night.  Also had played with Linda Ronstadt, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

CORY WELLS--  Died Oct. 20.  One of the three lead vocalists for Three Dog Night.

Quite a show, Mr. Stroud.  Thanks.

Gone, But Definitely Not Forgotten.

Gone But Not Forgotten 2015-- Part 4: Billy Joe Royal

MITCH ALIOTTA--    Died July 21, age 71.  Of Aliotta, Haynes & Jeremiah.  The classic song "Lake Shore Drive."  If you're from Chicago, you'll know how big it was and is.

WAYNE CARSON--  Died July 20.  Songwriter.  Wrote many Box Top songs including "The Letter" and "Neon Rainbow."  Cowrote "Always On My Mind."

BOB JOHNSTON--  Died August 14.  Producer noted for his work with Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.

GARY RICHRATH--  Died  Sept. 13.    Lead guitarist and songwriter for REO Speedwagon.  Wrote "Ridin' the Storm Out" and "Take It On the Run."

BILL WOODS--  Died September 29.  Played sax on Steely Dan's "Doctor Wu" and Paul Simon's "Have a Good Time."

BILLY JOE ROYAL--  Died Oct. 16.  His "Down in the Boondocks" immediately takes me back to 1965.  Then there were all those other hits and his country and Beach Music songs.

RAUL REKOW--  Bassist for Santana, 61.  Almost continuously from 1976 to 2013.

Gone But Not Forgotten-- Part 3: B.B. King

PERCY SLEDGE--    Died April 14.  "When a Man Loves a Woman."  The ultimate slow dancing song, but definitely not a good one for first dance at a wedding.

ANDY WHITE--  Died Nov. 9.  Replaced Ringo on drums on "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" recordings.

JACK ELY--  Died April 28.  Lead vocalist of Kingsmen on "Louie, Louie."  Kicked out of group shortly afterward.

BEN E. KING--  Died April 30  How do you get better than "Stand By Me?"

B.B. KING--  Died May 14.  "Blues Boy"  His song "The Thrill Is Gone" was my introduction to the Blues.

CHRIS SQUIRE--  Died June 28.  Member of Yes.  Only member to appear ion every album.

BUDDY BUIE  Died July 18.  Co-wrote most all of the Classic IV hits.

Gone But Not Forgotten 2015-- Part 2: Lou Soloff

Lou Soloff  Died March 8.  Trumpeter with Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Brian Carman, 69.  Guitarist for Chantays.  Co-wrote surf classic "Pipeline."

Bruce Crump, Died March 16.  Drummer with Molly Hatchet on "Flirtin' With Disaster."

Andy Fraser  Died March 16.  Bassist with Free on "All Right Now."

Michael Brown, 65.  Keyboardist for Left Banke.  "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina."

Preston Ritter, 65.  Drummer with Electric Prunes.  Died March 30.

Bob Burns, 64.  Died April 3.  Original drummer with Lynyrd Skynyrd.  Played on first two albums.

Gone But Not Forgotten 2015-- Part 1: Music Deaths Don Covay

Yesterday Bob Stroud did his annual look back at rock era deaths that took place last year ion his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM "The Drive."  He gives some information about each person as well as playing one or two of their songs.

Dallas Taylor, drummer with Crosby, Stills and Nash and their first two albums.  Also with Steve Stlls' Manassas.  Age 66, Jan. 18.

Don Covay, songwriter and performer.  Wrote "Chain of Fools" and "See Saw" for Aretha Franklin.  "Sookie Sookie" for Steppenwolf.

Sam Andrews, guitarist with Big Brother & the Holding Company and Janis Joplin.  Wrote "Call on Me."  Died Feb. 12.

Ron Edgar, drummer with Music Machine on "Talk, Talk."

Joe B. Mauldin, 74, Feb. 7.  Bass player with the Crickets/Buddy Holly.

Lesley Gore, 68  Died Feb. 16.

Music Deaths: "Little Stevie" Wright of the Easybeats

STEVEN "LITTLE STEVIE" WRIGHT, 68

Died Dec. 27, 2015.

Lead singer of the Australian group Easybeats whose one U.S. hit was "Friday On My Mind" (#16-1967).  Born in Leeds, England and family moved to Australia.  Wright helped form the band in 1964 in Sydney.  Cowrote "Friday On My Mind."  Had five other top five songs in Australia.  The band broke up in 1969.

Formed two self-named bands after that and had a #1 hit in Australia in 1974 with "Evie."

In 2001, "Friday On My Mind" voted best Australian song of all time.  The band also did an early version of "Good Times" which INXS covered.

Regarded as the best Australian pop band of the 1960s (even with the Bee Gees).

Some other Australian hits for the band:

"She's So Fine" #3 and "Wedding Ring" #7  in 1965.

"Women (Make Me Feel Alright)"  #4,  "Come and See Her" #3,  "I'll Always make You happy" #1, "Sorry" #1 and "Friday On My Mind" #1 in 1966.

All of these songs are on You Tube.

Deaths: William Guest, Member of the Pips

WILLIAM GUEST, 74

Died December 24, 2015.

Cousin of Gladys Knight and member of her backing singers, the Pips.  With the group throughout its career 1953-1989 when they stopped singing with her.  He was on on all her great hits.

Gladys Knight & the Pips were indicted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Music Deaths: Thomas "Snuff" Garrett, Producer

THOMAS "SNUFF" GARRETT, 76

Died Dec. 17, 2015.

Producer.  Produced with Liberty records

Take Good Care of My Baby--  Bobby Vee
This Diamond Ring--  Gary Lewis & Playboys
You're Sixteen--  Johnny Burnette
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia--  Vickie Lawrence
A Hundred Pounds of Clay and Tower of Strength--  Gene McDaniels
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves,  Dark Lady and Half Breed for Cher
Run to Him and The Night has a Thousand Eyes for Bobby Vee
Produced seven straight Gary Lewis & the Playboys Top Ten hits.

Music Deaths: Luigi Creatore, Producer

LUIGI CREATORE, 93

Died Dec. 13, 2015.

Along with his cousin, Hogo Peretti, produced hits for  Sam Cooke, Perry Como, Stylistics, "Little" Peggy March, Isley Brothers and Jimmie Rodgers.

The two co-wrote Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" and were co-owners of Roulette Records before founding Avco records.

Wrote the English lyrics for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and produced the hit for the Tokens.

Known as Hugo and Luigi.

They also worked with George Weiss Davis.

Some of their hits:

"I Will Follow Him--  Little Peggy March
Chain Gang, Twistin; the Night Away and Wonderful World for Sam Cooke
Honeycomb for Jimmie Rodgers
The Hustle for Van McCoy

He was at Pearl harbor as a pharmacist's mate.

Music Deaths: Mary Kath (Bonnie Lou) Early Rock and Roller and Country Star

MARY KATH, 91

Died December 8, 2015  Recorded as Bonnie Lou and had a hit on the pop charts with "Daddy-O" (#14-1955).  Charted twice on country charts with "Seven Lonely days" (#7-1953) and "Tennessee Wig Walk" (#6-1953)

Appeared on radio in Cincinnati and Kansas City.

Born in Towanda, Illinois, October 27, 1924.

One of the first female rock and roll singers and one of the first artists to gain crossover success from country music to rock and roll.  She was the "top name" in the first regularly scheduled country music on a national TV network.

A prime mover in the first days of Rockabilly.

Born in Towanda, Illinois, but moved to Carlock, Illinois, also in McLean Count6y, after their homeburned down.

--RoadDog

Music Deaths: Ronnie Bright "Mr. Bass Man"

RONNIE BRIGHT, 77

Died November 26, 2015.  Best-known for being "Mr. Bass Man" on Johnny Cymbal's 1963 #16 hit of the same name.  This is a big Beach Music Song.

he also sang backup on Barry Mann's "Who Put the Bomp" (#7-1961) and Jackie Wilson's "Baby Workout" (#5-1963).

Music Deaths: Winfield Scott and Cynthia Robinson

WINFIELD SCOTT, 95

Died Oct. 26, 2015.

Co-wrote "Return to Sender" and "One Broken Heart."    "Return to Sender is one of  my favorite Elvis songs.  Also wrote "LaVern Baker's hit "Tweedle Dee," Connie Francis' "Many Tears Ago" and Bill Haley's "Burn That Candle."

CYNTHIA ROBINSON, 69

Died Nov. 23, 2015

Vocalist and horn player with Sly & the Family Stone.  Also played with Graham Central Station.  Inducted into Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 1993 with Sly & the Family Stone who charted ten times including #1 hits "Everyday People"-1969, "Thank You Falletin Me BeMice Elf Agin"-1970 and "Family Affair"-1971.

Sly & the Family Stone's Greatest Hits was one of four albums we played at my fraternity parties (Delta Sigma Phi at Northern Illinois University) back in the college years.  The other three: Temptations Greatest Hits, Four Tops Greatest Hits and CCR's Green River.

Music Deaths: Cory Wells of Three Dog Night

CORY WELLS, 74. 

Died October 20, 2015.  One of the three original lead singers of Three Dog Night.  His group, the Enemys, became the house band of Hollywood's Whiskey-A-Go-Go where he met Danny Hutton.  They were asked to tour with Sonny and Cher and later were joined by Chuck negron.  brian Wilson of the Beach Boys produced their early efforts.

From 1969 to 1975 they had 21 straight Top 40 Hits including "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (#1-1970) with Cory on lead vocal, "Joy to the World" )#1-1971) and "Black and White" (#1-1972).

Other songs featuring Cory on lead vocals were "Shambala" (#3-1973) and "Eli's Coming" (#10-1969).

The group disbanded in 1975, reformed in 1981 and continued to perform.  Cory was with them until a month ago when he was sidelined with sever back pain.

Definitely one of my favorite groups.

Music Deaths: Frankie Ford and William Felder

FRANKIE FORD, 76

Died Sept. 28, 2015.  Known as "The New Orleans Dynamo" of Swamp Rock.  His biggest hit was "Sea Cruise" (#14-1959).  Inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

WILTON FELDER, 75

Died Sept. 27, 2015.  Bass and saxophone player who was an original member of the Crusaders and performed with hundreds of artists including Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Steely Dan.

Music Deaths: Playmates and Bar-Kays

I get these deaths from the Music Oldies site.

DENNY "CLAPS" CONN, 86

Died September 2, 2015.  Drummer and vocalist for the Playmates.  So-founded the group while at the University of Connecticut.  Had hits with "Jo-Ann (#19-1958), "Don't Go Home (#22-1958) "What Is Love" (#15-1959) and their biggest hit, that great "Beep Beep" (#4-1958).  You know, the great "race" between the little Nash Rambler and the Cadillac.

The group charted four times for Roulette Records before breaking up in 1965.  He was married to his first wife, Joanne for 58 years.  For whom the first single was named.

BEN CAULEY, 67

Died Sept. 21, 2015,   Founding member and trumpet player with the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 Wisconsin plane crash that killed Otis Redding and most of the group.  "Soul Finger" (#17-1967).

Music Deaths: Sha-Na-Na and REO Speedwagon

FREDERICK "DENNY" GREENE, 66

Died September 5, 2015.  Member of Sha-Na-Na when group formed and with them for their performance at Woodstock.  Sang lead on "Tears on My Pillow" and was in the movie "Grease."  Was with the group 15 years before leaving to go to law school.

GARY RICHRATH, 65

Died Sept. 13, 2015.  Guitarist for REO Speedwagon 1970-1989.  Wrote many of their hits, including "Riding the Storm Out" (#94-1974) and "Take It On the Run" (#5-1981)

Music Deaths: Billy Sherrill and Bob Johnston

BILLY SHERRILL, 78

Died August 4, 2015.  Country music producer behind hits such as "Stand By Your Man" (#19-1969) for Tammy Wynette and "Behind Closed Doors" (#15-1973) and "The Most Beautiful Girl In the World (#1-1973) by Charlie Rich.


DONALD "BOB" JOHNSTON, 83.

Died August 14, 2015.  Producer with Columbia Records.  Worked on Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" and  "Highway 61 Revisited" albums.

Also produced:

Sounds of Silence" and "Parsley Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" albums for Simon and Garfunkel.

"Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" album.  Also Patti Page's "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" (#8-1963).

Music Deaths: Cilla Black and Lynn Anderson

CILLA BLACK, 72.  Died August 1, 2015.  Signed by the Beatles manager Brian Epstein.  Born 1943.  had a string of hits with "Anyone Who had a Heart" written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.  Also "You're My World."  Both hit #1 in Britain.

LYNN ANDERSON, 67.  Died July 30, 2015.  Had the huge cross-over hit  "Rose Garden" (#3-1971)

Music Deaths: Buddy Blue and Buddy Emmons

BUDDY BLUE  Died July 18, 2015. Born in Dothan, Alabama.  Best known for writing hits for the Classics IV like "Spooky" (#3-1968), "Traces" (#2-1969) and "Everyday With You Girl" (#19-1969).

Also wrote Atlanta Rhythm section's "So In to You" (#7-1977) and "Imagary Lover" (#7-1978).

BUDDY EMMONS, 78--  Died July 29, 2015.  from Mishawauka, Indiana.  Played with Little Jimmy Dickens, Ernest Tubb and Roger Miller.  Called "The World's Foremost Steel Guitarist."