rip 2013

patti page (85, jan 1) singer; best selling singer of the 50s; hits like tennessee waltz & how much is that doggie in the window were two of 15 singles that sold over a million copies each.

sammy johns (66, jan 4) folk/country/rock singer from northa carolina; wrote & recorded the oft covered chevy van on his debut album in 1973

burry stander (25, jan 6) South African mountain biker; 2008, 2012 olympian; accident with taxibus while training
myron stolaroff (90, jan 6) born in roswell; masters in engineering from stanford; important researcher of LSD & mescaline in 60s

kent abbott (32, jan 7) guitarist; grade & somehow hollow

tandyn almer (jan 9) singer/songwriter :: wrote "along comes mary"

fitzroy newsome  member of tuskogee airmen

claude nobs (76, jan 10) founder of montreaux jazz festival; “funky claude” in deep purple’s song smoke on the water

precious bryant (73, jan 12) folk, blues musician; released debut album fool me good at the age of 60.

pauline phillips (92, jan 16) started “dear abby” in 1956

nic potter (62, jan 17) bassist; van der graaf generator

claudio leo (40, jan 17) original guitarist for lacuna coil (1994-1998)

steve knight (77, jan 18) keyboardist; mountain

stan musial (92, jan 19) st. louis cardinals hall of fame outfielder, tied for major league record of 24 all-star games (other was willie mays)

earl weaver (82, jan 19) baltimore orioles hall of fame manager; won 1970 world series

hank taylor (77, jan 24) pitcher for the kansas city a's, apparently. a case for wikipedia ridiculousness.

leroy “sugarfoot” bonner (70, jan 26) lead singer, guitarist for the ohio players

sally starr (90, jan 27) radio, stage & film actress
george higgs (82, jan 29) north carolina-piedmont bluesman :: released debut album in 2001, taboro blues (living magazine's album of the year)
ann rabson (67, jan 30) blues singer 

patty andrews (94, january 30) last surviving member of the andrews sisters, an oft-imitated vocal group of the 1940s

ed koch (88, feb 1) three term mayor of nyc 1978-1989; lost a fourth-term election to nyc's first black mayor david dinkins following the controversial death of yusef hawkins

chris kyle (38, feb 2) navy seal; most lethal sniper in military history; killed at a gun range in texas

pepper paire (88, feb 2) catcher, infielder in all american girls professional baseball league; fourth all time in runs batted in
b.h. born (80, feb 3) center for kansas jayhawks 1951-54; jersey #23 retired in 1992; 1953 NCAA tournament most outstanding player; 22nd overall draft pick by fort wayne pistons in 1954; helped jayhawks recruit wilt chamberlain
james muri (94, feb 3) american fighter pilot at midway in wwii
reg pressley (74, feb 4) singer for the troggs; "wild thing", "love is all around"

donald byrd (80, feb 4) jazz trumpet legend; started as a sideman for art blakey & the jazz messengers in the 1950s, going on to work with every major player like coltrane, monk, mobley, silver, hancock and then forming his own blackbyrds. he merged jazz with hip hop with a tribe called quest and others, including a major role on guru's jazzmatazz volume one and two.






paul tanner (95, feb 5) went from playing in a strip joint to glenn miller's orchestra :: invented electric-thermin, which he played on the beach boys "good vibrations"
john cook (40, feb 9) key developer of louisville’s 90s punk scene :: bassist for post-hardcore band crain
w. watts biggers (85, feb 10) novelist; creator of underdog
kevin peek (66, feb 11) guitarist for australian prog rock band sky
rick huxley (72, feb 11) bassist for the dave clark five
yuko tojo (73, feb 13) japanese nationalist activist; granddaughter of hideki tojo
kazuo tsunoda (94, feb 14) ace fighter pilot for japanese imperial navy at guadalcanal & solomon islands
tim dog (46, feb 14) rapper with krs-one & ultramagnetics; recorded "fuck compton"
mark kamins (57, feb 14) producer, dj; brought then-girlfriend madonna to the attention of sire records
shadow morton (72, feb 14) record producer, songwriter; wrote "(remember) walking in the sand", "leader of the pack", produced janis ian's society's child

mary brave bird (58, feb 14) a.i.m. member present at wounded knee 1973; writer of lakota woman, later made into a film










tony sheridan (72, feb 16) early member of the beatles, sang on "my bonnie" (only non-beatle to appear as lead singer on a beatles chart single)
mike westhues (64, feb 17) american/finnish singer songwriter; new 2013 album "alder hill"
mindy mccready (37, feb 17) country singer; nearly murdered by ex-husband; had long-term affair with roger clemens
cleotha staples (78, feb 17) the eldest of the staples singers
damon harris (62, feb 18) at age 20, took over for eddie kendricks in the temptations in 1972

kevin ayers (68, feb 18) founder of 1960s psych band soft machine










sophie kurys (87, feb 17) aka the flint flash; second baseman for the racine belles; she was the all time leader in stolen bases until rickey henderson broke her record; still the single season record holder with 201 in 203 attempts









magic slim (75, feb 21) blues singer, guitarist
dangerous dan toler (65, feb 25) guitarist for allman brothers on enlightened rogues, reach for the sky & brothers of the road albums & the dickey betts albums dickey betts & great southern & atlanta's burning down.
c everett koop (96, feb 25) former us surgeon general
richard street (feb 27) singer with the distants, the monitors & finally the temptations :: remained with the motown group for 20 years
mido macia (27, feb 27) south african taxi driver, dragged to death by police

moon mullen (96, feb 28) reserve guard for the first ncaa champion university of oregon webfoots in 1939; second baseman for philadephia blue jays/phillies in 1944; in the minors for portland beavers, seattle rainers, boise pilots; manager for boise pilots in 1950; baseball coach and teachers at olympia high school; minor leagues stats






mr. magic (44, mar 1) 90s rapper on master p's no limit record label
jewel akens (79, mar 1) vocalist "the birds & the bees"
bobby rogers (73, mar 3) born on same day in same hospital as smokey robinson :: met smokey at age 15, becoming a singer in the miracles (first group signed to motown) :: choreographed miracles stage shows


alvin lee (68, mar 6) singer/guitarist for ten years after; lee's performance at woodstock with ten years after made him an international star; formed later supergroup with myron lefevre that released on the road to freedom featuring george harrison, ron wood, steve winwood & others







 






stompin' tom connors (77, mar 6) canadian folk singer; "the hockey song"
peter banks (65, mar 7) prog rock pioneer :: original guitarist for syn & yes
claude king (90, mar 7) 1960s country singer, part of lousiana hayride; wrote "wolverton mountain"

clive burr (56, mar 12) first drummer for iron maiden, appeared on "iron maiden" "killers" "maiden japan" & "number of the beast" :: so the iconic drumbeats heard on "running free", "the prisoner", "run to the hills" & others are the expertise of mr. burr; cowrote "gangland" & "total eclipse"; drummer for trust on "trust iv"  & "man's trap"; part of supergroup called gogmanog released one e.p. "i will be there"









jack greene (83, mar 15) 1960s country singer, gained fame as member of ernest tubb's band
hardrock gunter (88, march 15) rockabilly singer/songwriter; wrote "rocket 88" - the first rnr song?? - "birmingham bounce" & "sixty minute man"

bobby smith (76, march 16) lead singer of the spinners

jason molina (39, march 16) singer/songwriter, founder of magnolia electric co.

harry reems (65, march 19) star of deep throat

david parland (42, march 19) founding guitarist for dark funeral

floyd mcrae (80, march 19) singer & last surviving member of doo-wop group the chords :: famous for “sh-boom”

chinua achebe (82, march 21) nigerian poet & author :: “things fall apart”

larry robinson (64, march 23) 1960s americana singer/songwriter with dorados and things to come :: died from injuries in a music store mugging http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/the-death-of-larry-robinson-tragedy-in-temecula

deke richards (68, march 24) songwriter/producer in the clan and the corporation with berry gordy :: wrote lots of motown classics
paul williams (64, march 27) founder of crawdaddy, first rnr magazine

gordon stoker (88, march 27) primary member of the vocal group the jordanaires, backing singers for elvis presley 1956-1972 :: also backed up patsy cline, johnny cash, ween, dolly parton…

hugh mccracken (71, march 28) session guitarist, arranger, producer :: performed on many legendary recordings, including some rabble rouser staples like paul simon’s “still crazy…(see phil ramone below)” :: also john & yoko’s last two albums, eugene mcdaniel’s outlaw, paul mccartney’s ram & other stuff by steely dan, roberta flack, marlena shaw…

art malone (76, march 28) drag racer :: AHRA hall of famer & 1963 top fuel champion :: first person to top 180 mph at daytona :: died from injuries in a 2010 air-boat collision

robert ziljian (89, march 28) the founder of Sabian Cymbal Company, one of music's most popular brands.  Born into the family that began making cymbals in Istanbul in 1633, Zildian went into the family business at a very young age.  At almost 400 years old, the Avedis Zildjian Company is one of the oldest companies in the world.  In 1929, the business moved to America, and in 1981 - after a family dispute - Robert broke away and formed the Sabian Cymbal Company.  The two cymbal makers have coexisted yet remained rivals ever since.  Sabian Cymbals have been used by many of the greatest drummers in rock history.  Robert Zildian died of cancer on March 28, 2013.  He was 89.   - from themusicsover

phil ramone (72, march 30) classically trained violinist at julliard :: opened a recording studio in new york when he was still a teenager :: business grew into the A&R record label, with him becoming a legendary producer :: won 14 of the 33 grammy awards he was nominated for, most importantly on the rabble rouser staple, “still crazy after all these years” :: recorded marilyn’s happy birthday mr. president :: produced the first album ever to be released on a compact disc, when & what do you guess it was?

bob turley (82, march 30) won the 1958 cy young, world series mvp and hickock belt awards

jack pardee (76, april 1) ncaa hall of fame coach of the houston cougars & houston oilers
roy cox (64, april 2) bassist for bubble puppy ("hot smoke & sassafrass"), blues knights, nyc outlaws
chris bailey (62, april 3) late 70s, early 80s bassist for the angels
harry j (67, april 3) jamaican reggae producer

roger ebert (70, april 4) film critic for chicago sun-times, first film critic to win pulitzer prize for criticism

andy johns (61, april 7) an English record producer and engineer whose resume reads like an encyclopedia of rock. Still in his teens, Johns hit the ground running working as Eddie Kramer's second engineer on recordings by the likes of Jimi Hendrix. Over the next four decades, Johns left his mark on such iconic albums as Led Zeppelin's IV, Physical Graffiti, and Houses Of The Holy;  the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main St., and Goat's Head Soup; Free's Highway; and  Television's Marquee Moon.  He also produced or engineered albums for Van Halen, Humble Pie, Ron Wood, L.A. Guns, Cinderella, Chickenfoot, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Miller, Mott The Hoople, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, and many more.  Albums on which he worked have reportedly sold more than 160 million copies in all.  He was the younger brother of the equally impressive producer and engineer, Glyn Johns.  - from themusicsover.com


neil smith (60, april 7) short term bassist for ac/dc & rose tattoo 
annette funicello (70, april 8) mousketeer on mickey mouse club; 60s teen pop singer
margaret thatcher (87, april 8) former primer minister of great britain; as kid yoshida's fav female british band the smears say, "margaret thatcher is NOT a feminist icon. don't care what anybody says."

jimmy dawkins (76, april 10) chicago blues great; writer for living blues magazine

chi cheng (43, april 13) original bassist for nu metla band deftones; struggled to stay healthy after 2008 automobile crash
vincent montana jr. (85, april 13) percussionist, bandleader; former mfsb member;  founder of salsoul orchestra, "tangerine" "salsoul hustle" "Nine N Nasty"; worked also with harold melvin & the bluenotes, o'jays, johnny mathis, jackson 5 & others...
george jackson (68, april 14) soul singer; wrote "one bad apple" (#1 for the osmonds) & "old time rock & rol" classic rock staple by bob seger & others by ike & tina, james brown, zz hill ...
scott miller (53, april 15) founder & singer of game theory ("lolita nation" 1987)
rita macneil (68, april 16) canadian folk/country singer; spied on by rcmp for communist ties because of her protest singing for women's rights; host of rita & friends CBC tv show
jim mccandless (68, april 16) chicago singer/songwriter; "kareem & me"
pat summerall (82, april 16) former nfl placekicker; hall of fame super bowl announcer
george beverly shaw (104, april 16) "america's beloved gospel singer"; his performances on the billy graham show helped skyrocket billy graham to stardom
situ chan (25, april 17) hong kong pop singer; car crash
yngve moe (55, april 18) bassist dance with a stranger; drowning

storm thorgerson (69, april 18) graphic designer; designed "dark side of the moon" album cover & most of  the pink floyd catalog, black sabbath, the cult, megadeth, cranberries, phish & others.

cordell mosson (60, april 18) bassist, took over for bootsy in parliament-funkadelic; teenage band was united soul featuring garry shider, produced by george clinton















alicia gladden (27, april 19) former florida state seminole basketball player; car crash

allan arbus (95, april 19) dr. sidney freeman on m*a*s*h*
danny kriveli (april 24) drummer for krokus on "heart attack"

chrissy amphlett (53, april 21) australian new wave singer the divinyls; "i touch myself"

margaret groening (94, april 22) mother of matt groening; inspiration for marge simpson

richie havens (72, april 22) folk singer/guitarist; opening performer at woodstock; “freedom” “high flying bird”
james "creeper" vasquez (58, april 23) drummer

george jones (81, april 26) the possum; george was country when country wasn't cool, and still country after country wasn't cool again. he was one time married to tammy wynette.  he was mentioned in 3 of the songs on hank III's 2006 album "straight to hell". waylon jennings once said that "if we could all sound like we wanted to, we'd all sound like george jones."

brad lesley (54, april 27) "the animal" played for cincinnati & milwaukee in the early 80s, and a couple successful seasons in baseball & television in japan

chris “mack daddy” kelly (34, may 1) the kid sensation mack daddy made ya jump, jump while wearing his clothes backwards; drug overdose

jeff hanneman (48, may 2)  a lot of times this endeavor becomes a list of names, some of which affect us more than others.  hanneman is one of the bigger losses. jeff was the unheralded backbone of the most notorious band of the rabble rouser's youth. his punk influence combined with kerry king to make the fiercest cross over to thrash metal ever.  jeff's fascination with war memorabilia inspired some of the more intense war songs ever written. hanneman was solely responsible for about half of slayer's songs, including "angel of death" "raining blood" "die by the sword" "behind the crooked cross" "the antichrist" "praise of death" & more... with dave lombardo also not drumming for the band due to contract disputes, slayer chugs on with kerry king & tom araya still fronting the band, but one of the ten best bands of all time is a shell of the past now.  r.i.p to jeff hanneman!

sid selvidge (69, may 2)  guitarist, vocalist; mud boy & the neutrons

cedric brooks (70, may 3) jazz saxophonist; member of the 2000s era skatalites, mystic revolution of rastafari, the light of saba

malcolm shabazz (28, may 9)  grandson of malcolm x; beaten to death in mexico

grayson minney (28, may 11) lead singer columbia fields; car crash

joyce brothers (85, may 13)
dick trickle (71, may 16) nascar driver
alan o'day (72, may 17) singer "undercover angel"
dave mcmillan (31, may 18) former defensive end for cleveland browns
curley myers (93, may 19) guitar & banjo for captain stubby & the buccaneers; "roto rooter" song
phil buerstatte (46, may 19) drummer for white zombie
ray manzarek (74, may 20) keybordist for the doors
trevor bolder (52, may 21) drummer for uriah heep & david bowie
john "mule" miles (90, may 24) original member of tuskogee arimen; third baseman for chicago american giants; according to wikipedia, he hit a home run in 11 straight games  
marshall lytle (79, may 25) bassist for bill haley & his comets
clarence burke, jr. (62, may 26) singer for the five stairsteps; "o-o-o child"
marvin junior (77, may 29) lead singer of the dells; "oh what a night"
mulgrew miller (57, may 29) jazz pianist
jean stapleton (90, may 31)  played edith bunker on archie bunker

joey covington (67, june 4) drummer for hot tuna, jefferson airplane (69-72), fat fandango; car crash
arturo vega (65, june 8) graphic designer; created the hey ho, let's go seal and logo for the ramones; later becamce the ramones historian
darondo (67, june 9) sf funk & soul singer of the 70s; 1973 hit "didn't i"
jason leffler (37, june 12) nascar & indycar driver; injuries sustained in a racing collision
johnny smith (90, june 12) cool jazz guitarist of 1950s & 1960s; recorded the album "moonlight in vermont" feat. chet atkins; wrote the song "walk, don't run"
alastair donaldson: aka william mysterious (58, june 18) bassist for the rezillos



slim whitman (90, june 19) country guitarist, singer, songwriter; famous for his yodeling; george harrison & mischael jackson were huge whitman fans; played on the radio while he was stationed in the navy during wwII, whitman was heard by col. tom parker (manager of elvis); in 1948, whitman was given an RCA recording contract; hit UK #1 with "rose marie" in 1955, song stayed #1 for 11 weeks which was a record until bryan adams "cuts like a knife" in 1991. whitman's 1979 infomercial was considered the most successful ever.



lil snupe (18, june 20) rapper; shot
genaro garcia (35, june 21) mexican boxer; shot
allan simonsen (34, june 22) danish car racer; crash in 24 hours of le mans
kevin mcdade (june 22) bassist for behold! the monlith


bobby blue bland (83, june 23) "the lion of the blues"; "the frank sinatra of the blues"; #44 on the rolling stone list of best singers of all time; at a young age in memphis, joined the beale streetes along with bb king, johnny ace & others; here is a youtube video of bobby bland & bb king playing "the thrill is gone"




alan meyers (45, june 24) devo drummer from 1976-1986; brain tumor
mark fischer (66, june 25) british architect developed tour stages for pink floyd (the wall), rolling stones (steel wheels & voodoo lounge), u2 (360) and more for tina turner, madonna, peter gabriel, lady gag, etc.

kimberly mccarthy (52, june 26) 500th person executed by the state of texas since 1976
justin miller (35, june 26) former major league pitcher that was the cause of the "miller rule" in which MLB made him wear long sleeves due to hitters complaining of the distraction from his sleeve tattoos.

jim kelly (67, june 29) martial artist & actor; "enter the dragon" and some more 70s action films