Legendary record man and music producer Jerry Wexler died on August 15, at the age of 91. His keen insight, and his deep love and appreciation for the artists he worked with resulted in an extraordinary enriching of American music.
posted on Aug 17, 2008 - View this thread

Master of the 'didge' - after veins burst in his throat some years ago while he was playing the didgeridoo, doctors warned that continued playing would threaten his life. Admitted to hospital last week with bleeding on the brain, he died on Sunday from a brain haemorrhage. He was 40.
posted on Feb 28, 2008 - View this thread

Turandot will never be the same. Washington Post is reporting that Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti has died at his home in Modena.
posted on Sep 5, 2007 - View this thread

Hilly Kristal has died at age 75. First the club, now the man.
posted on Aug 29, 2007 - View this thread

Ahmet Ertegun, 1923-2006. Co-founder of Atlantic Records, 83 year-old Ertegun had been in a coma since he fell backstage at a concert by The Rolling Stones at Beacon Theatre, NYC, in October. Very comprehensive obit -- more complete than either the one in Variety or New York Times -- to be found in UK's Guardian
posted on Dec 15, 2006 - View this thread

The Rhythm & Blues Review is a one+ hour Google video clip of a 1955 Apollo show featuring Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughn, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Cab Calloway -- and at 1.05, Miss Rhythm herself, blues diva Ruth Brown singing her signature song, Teardrops From My Eyes. Ruth Brown sadly passed away on Friday. [More on Ruth Brown]
posted on Nov 19, 2006 - View this thread

Composer and arranger Rogério Duprat passed away on Thursday. Duprat had a substantial career in music for films and commercials, but he is best known for shaping the sound of Tropicalia, the revolutionary stew of Brazilian folk styles, bossa nova, MPB, rock, jazz, blues and psychedelica. Some youtube clips: Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil , Os Mutantes, and Gal Costa.
posted on Oct 31, 2006 - View this thread

Syd Barrett passes on. Pink Floyd founder (paid tribute to by his former bandmates in "Shine On You Crazy Diamond) who had succumbed to mental illness passes away due to complications of diabetes. RIP.
posted on Jul 11, 2006 - View this thread

Rap Producer J-Dilla Dies; Kidney Failure Suspected J-Dilla, born James Yancy, was a member of Slum Village and worked with various Hip-Hop artists including Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest and Common's Grammy-nominated album, BE.
posted on Feb 10, 2006 - View this thread

Mana "China" Nishiura, drummer for Shonen Knife & DMBQ, died on Friday afternoon. "It is with a deep sadness in my heart, that I must announce the passing of Mana "China" Nishiura. She was tragically killed in a three-vehicle accident near the Delaware Memorial Bridge yesterday (November 4) shortly before 1 p.m., after the Econoline van carrying her band, DMBQ, had crossed the bridge from New Jersey near Carneys Point in Salem County. A Mitsubishi Eclipse clipped the van's left rear fender. The van spun out of control, and careened over a barrier on the ramp to Route 40. Mana was ejected from the van and she died at the scene." A bit more about Shonen Knife.
posted on Nov 6, 2005 - View this thread

Paul Pena has died. Recognizable mostly as the subject of Genghis Blues, his incredible success teaching himself Tuvan throat singing will hopefully not be completely overshadowed by having written Steve Miller's hit "Big Old Jet Airliner." His early recordings, which never caught on (or necessarily came out), earned him favorable comparisons to Hendrix, and are available at his website.
posted on Oct 4, 2005 - View this thread

Luther Vandross is gone. The great R&B balladeer died today, apparently due to complications from a stroke he suffered two years ago. Believers in an afterlife can hope he's enjoying a dance with his father. After all, he did believe in the "Power of Love". RIP.
posted on Jul 1, 2005 - View this thread

RIP Oscar Brown Jr. Truly one of the greats, a legendary singer, songwriter, playwright, poet and civil rights activist, the world of jazz has lost a major member of the family.
posted on May 30, 2005 - View this thread

Martin Denny: 1911-2005. Martin Denny mixed his classical music background with an interest in tiki culture to popularize exotica, what we associate with lounge music but with animal sounds instead of vocals and wild instruments like bongos and vibraphones. Through dozens of albums from the 1950s to the Moog sounds of the 1970s (featuring striking women on his album covers), Martin Denny brought the Hawaii life to the bachelor pad. R.I.P. [via BoingBoing]
posted on Mar 4, 2005 - View this thread

Jimmy Smith (wikipedia) passed away last night. [ mi ]
posted on Feb 9, 2005 - View this thread

Artie Shaw has died at age 94. An era continues to fade away into memory.
posted on Dec 31, 2004 - View this thread

Legendary radio DJ John Peel dies of heart attack at 65. Peel's contribution to modern music and culture was "immeasurable".
posted on Oct 26, 2004 - View this thread

Film composer Jerry Goldsmith died on Wednesday. At Deconstructing Goldsmith, you can find short and occasionally contentious commentaries on just about all of Goldsmith's scores, including rejected ones.
posted on Jul 22, 2004 - View this thread

BATHORY mastermind Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg has passed away. A fine day to die? Mayhaps but maybe also too soon at a young 39. One might think that those interested in the black stuff would already know of this passing, but like Elton John said, "...then again, no" because I just found out tonight. So there it is, if any of you are listening to "Blood, Fire, Death" while at a grim and blasphemous desk job like me but have missed the news. Reviews are here of the "band" that took off in a grim way from Slayer and Venom and spawned a grip of younger Scandanavian agents like these and them. (mild warning: when reading about black metal you will no doubt read about some people with anti-social ideas.)
posted on Jun 23, 2004 - View this thread

Musician Elliott Smith is confirmed to have committed suicide this evening at the age of 34.
posted on Oct 21, 2003 - View this thread

The man in black is no more. Johnny Cash passes away from diabetes complications early this morning.
posted on Sep 12, 2003 - View this thread

Wesley Willis: Rock and roll star, artist, poet, movie star and friend to all he met passed away last night from Leukemia at the age of 40. The six foot five, 320 pound Chicago area musician who cut his teeth on the streets selling city landscape drawings and playing music on his tiny Casio keyboard was infamous for his raw insightful songs and ability to draw his audiences into a schizophrenic's take on reality.
posted on Aug 22, 2003 - View this thread

Jazz and protest singer Nina Simone is dead at age 70.
posted on Apr 21, 2003 - View this thread

A soul legend is dead. Edwin Starr, 70s soul singer, who wrote the seminal "War" has died of a heart attack aged 61.

There is one more star in heaven.
posted on Apr 3, 2003 - View this thread

Take this life and shove it: So goodbye then, Johnny PayCheck. Even the very British and conservative Daily Telegraph honoured you today with an affectionate obituary [Reg. required: full text inside.] I wonder how many unrepentant rebel-singin', cocaine-sniffin', bar-brawlin', hard-drinkin', good-lovin', corn-munchin' musicians there are left. And whether any of the young 'uns today will be able to keep up, livin' the life, as long as you did. Even though you too eventually succumbed to preaching against drink and drugs. I suspect most of the new generation will become health freaks by the time they hit forty and that you, Sir, were one of a dying breed.
posted on Feb 21, 2003 - View this thread

Even though it was tricky to rock around, he wore his Adidas proudly. RIP Jam Master J of groundbreaking rap group Run DMC was shot and killed today. Remember where you were when these forerunners of rap came on the scene?
posted on Oct 30, 2002 - View this thread

John B Spencer died in March. He was 57 though the first time I saw him in about 1986 he looked about 86 so his early demise isn't that much of a surprise. No one will have heard of him but he was brilliant. Truly brilliant, in that he lit up all around him and inspired the pathetic likes of me. Read his lyrics, hear his albums and just sit and wonder at the genius of the public to ignore such talent. Sorry, my blog doesn't appear to be publishing and I didn't want his death to go unremarked. Google doesn't offer much but this is good enough.
posted on Jul 12, 2002 - View this thread

The King of the Jukebox who disturbed the status quo They called rock music jump blues during the World War II era, and this amazingly talented clown was its master, with over fifty Top 10 R&B hits -- eighteen reached #1 -- between 1942 and 1951. Chuck Berry identified with him "more than any other artist." James Brown said, "He was everything" and considered him one of the earliest rappers. A pioneer of music video, the first black artist to cross over from the "race" market to a white audience and a central link between big bands and rock, he was a primary influence on Bill Haley, Ray Charles and B.B. King, who once said, "I wanted to be like him." Rest in peace, Louis Jordan. [Dozens of one-minute song clips here]
posted on Jul 10, 2002 - View this thread

A great music editor passes on. Timothy White, editor-in-chief of Billboard Magazine, died suddenly of a heart attack today. He was a fixture of music journalism. He and his bow-tie will be missed.
posted on Jun 27, 2002 - View this thread

John Entwistle, The Who bassist, dies in Las Vegas on the verge of a U.S. tour.
posted on Jun 27, 2002 - View this thread

Harlan Howard is dead. The greatest American country songwriter outside of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard wrote more than four thousand songs, including Patsy Cline's "I Fall To Pieces" and Buck Owens' "Tiger By The tail", but "God May Forgive You (But I Won't)", performed by Rosie Flores and Iris Dement, is the one that turned me on. Known as the Dean of Nashville songwriters, Harlan had a permanently reserved barstool, and plenty of tips for aspiring songwriters, one of which was "country music is three chords and the truth". Old stool.
posted on Mar 23, 2002 - View this thread

Country Great Waylon Jennings Dead Well, there aren't too many outlaws left.
posted on Feb 13, 2002 - View this thread

Is That All There Is? Goodbye Peggy Lee.
posted on Jan 22, 2002 - View this thread

¡Esquivel! is gone. Juan Garcia Esquivel, Godfather of Space-Age Bachelor Pad Music, Avatar of Wildly Panning Hi-Fi Stereo Effects, and Owner of the World's Geekiest Pair of Glasses, died last Thursday, due to complications from a stroke, at his home in Juitepec, Morelos, Mexico. He was 83 years old. (more inside)
posted on Jan 8, 2002 - View this thread

Big Country singer/guitarist Stuart Adamson found dead in hotel room in Hawaii. The Big Country singer had been missing for over a month. Big Country was one of my favorite bands in the 80s, though they continued making music together until just a few years ago. Adamson was a big influence on U2's Edge, among others. R.I.P. Stuart.
posted on Dec 17, 2001 - View this thread

George Harrison is gone. It's not totally unforseen, but is still a little sad. Here comes the sun has always been one of my favorites. It has a gentle way of making me smile. That's a nice legacy to leave people .
posted on Nov 30, 2001 - View this thread

Grammy winning saxophonist Joe Henderson Dies Truely a one of a kind player, Joe Henderson died Saturday at the age of 64. Having had the honor to play with Joe Henderson a couple times while in college, he was truely gifted. He could say something profound in two notes, and you'd go "yeah, that's it". You'll be missed Joe.
posted on Jul 1, 2001 - View this thread

This is the Joey Ramone obituary that moved me the most. Even National Review must recognize his passing! Rest in peace, great man.
posted on Apr 21, 2001 - View this thread

There's nothing sadder than a dead midget (rapper).
posted on Nov 17, 2000 - View this thread

But why would I shoot Mister Burns when I can set his soul afire with a slanderous mambo? Alas, poor Tito, I knew him not well at all, but a lot of my friends swore up and down that he was a talented musician, and he was in the running to have shot Mister Burns. Sad that that is what I know him from.
posted on Jun 1, 2000 - View this thread