Died and Gone To Heaven 2023

1 January, Fred White, drummer with Earth, Wind & Fire, died age 67. Earth, Wind & Fire had the 1975 US No.1 single ‘Shining Star’, and the 1981 UK No.3 single ‘Let’s Groove’. The band received 20 Grammy nominations and were the first African-American act to sell out Madison Square Garden.

2 January,British musician Kingsize Taylor died age 83. His group Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes formed in Liverpool in the late 1950s and were one of the first beat groups in the Merseyside area, they were a locally popular and influential group who were contemporaries and rivals of The Beatles. In 1962 Ringo Starr had agreed to join Kingsize Taylor in Hamburg, as Taylor was offering £20 a week, but John Lennon and Paul McCartney offered £25 a week, which Starr accepted.

2 January, Scottish musician and record producer Alan Rankine died age 64. He was best known as keyboardist and guitarist for the Associates, which he co-founded with lead vocalist Billy Mackenzie in the late 1970s. The band released an unauthorised cover version of David Bowie‘s ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ as their debut single in 1979, which landed them a recording contract with Fiction Records. They achieved commercial success in 1982 with the UK Top 10 studio album Sulk and UK Top 20 singles ‘Party Fears Two’ and ‘Club Country’.

5 January, American singer Gordy Harmon died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 79. He was a founding member of the American vocal group The Whispers best known for their two No.1 R&B singles, ‘And the Beat Goes On’ in 1979 and ‘Rock Steady’ in 1987.

6 January, Singer and songwriter Jeff Blackburn died from undiagnosed ailments. He was 77. He was one half of Blackburn & Snow a folk rock duo popular early in the mid-1960s San Francisco music scene. He later joined Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks and joined Moby Grape in the mid-seventies.

10 January, American jazz and rock guitarist Dennis Budimir died at the age of 84. He was a member of The Wrecking Crew and worked with many artists including Joni Mitchell, Carpenters, Brian Wilson, Barbra Streisand, Frank Zappa, Linda Ronstadt and Dusty Springfield. He also played on more than 900 movie soundtracks from the early 1960s until the 2000s.

10 January, English guitarist Jeff Beck died age 78 from a bacterial meningitis infection at a hospital near Riverhall, England. He rose to prominence as a member of the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, he switched to an instrumental style with focus on an inNovemberative sound, and his releases spanned genres and styles ranging from blues rock, hard rock, jazz fusion and a blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Beck’s highest-charting album Blow by Blow (1975) and produced by George Martin was a hit in the US, reaching No.4 on the Billboard album charts, eventually selling a million copies.

11 January, Japanese musician, singer and record producer Yukihiro Takahashi died in Karuizawa, Nagano, from aspiration pneumonia, a complication of the brain tumor. He was 70. He was best known internationally as the drummer, lead vocalist and keyboardist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. They were pioneers in their use of synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers, and digital recording technology, and effectively anticipated the “electropop boom” of the 1980s.

12 January, American singer and songwriter Lisa Marie Presley died at the age of 54. The only daughter of Elvis Presley she married Michael Jackson in 1994. The couple separated on 10th December 1995. She was also married to actor Nicolas Cage. Lisa Marie had the UK No.16 single ‘Lights Out’. On her 25th birthday in 1993, she inherited the Presley estate, which had grown to an estimated $100 million. She later sold 85 per cent of her father’s estate in 2004.

12 January, Canadian drummer Robbie Bachman died aged 69. He was the youngest brother of guitarist, singer and songwriter Randy Bachman and with Bachman Turner Overdrive they had the 1974 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’. BTO enjoyed a period of peak popularity between 1973 and 1976, releasing five Top 40 albums, six US Top 40 singles, and eleven Top 40 singles in Canada.

15 January, British television director and producer Bruce Gowers died age 82. His music video for Queen‘s Bohemian Rhapsody brought him international recognition, leading to his relocation to the United States in the late 1970s. He also directed videos and musical specials for Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Prince, Britney Spears and John Cougar ‘Jack and Diane’ which spent four weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982.

16 January, American guitar player, singer, writer and producer Johnny Powers died in Michigan at the age of 84.He was best known for his 1957 rockabilly recording on the now-defunct Fox Records label entitled ‘Long Blond Hair’. In 1960, Powers met with Berry Gordy and signed with Motown Records, becoming the first white male musician to do so; he is also thought to be the only recording artist to have ever been under contract to both Sun and Motown Records.

17 January, American rock musician Van Conner died from pneumonia age 55. He was best known as the bassist for Screaming Trees and also joined a live lineup of Dinosaur Jr.

18 January, American singer-songwriter and guitarist David Crosby died age 81. He was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash. With CS&N he had the 1969 UK No.17 single ‘Marrakesh Express’, 1970 US No.11 single ‘Woodstock‘ with Crosby, Stills Nash & Young plus the 1970 US No.1 album Deja Vu and the 1975 US No. 6 solo album ‘Wind On The Water’.

23 January, English musician Top Topham died at the age of 75. He was best known as a blues guitarist and also for being the first lead guitarist of The Yardbirds. Topham left the band before they achieved mainstream popularity and was replaced by Eric Clapton.

27 January, Canadian drummer Floyd Sneed, died at the age of 80. He was a member of Three Dog Night, who had the 1970 UK No.3 & US No.1 single with a cover of the Randy Newman song ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’. The band scored 21 Billboard Top 40 hits (with three hitting No.1) between 1969 and 1975.

27 January, English pop musician Daniel Boone died age 80. He became a one-hit wonder in the United States with the single ‘Beautiful Sunday’ in 1972. The song was written by Boone and Rod McQueen and sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide. It peaked at No.15 on The Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at the end of the summer of 1972, having already reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1972, Boone was the recipient of the “Most Likeable Singer” award from Rolling Stone magazine.

28 January, American singer and songwriter Barrett Strong died at home in the La Jolla district of San Diego, California, aged 81. He was the first artist to record a hit for Motown Records and with Norman Whitfield wrote some of the most successful and critically acclaimed soul songs ever to be released by Motown, including, ‘Money’, ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine‘, ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)’, ‘War’, ‘Ball Of Confusion’, and ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone’.

28 January, American singer, songwriter and guitarist Tom Verlaine from Television died in New York City age of 73. The group’s debut album, Marquee Moon, is often considered one of the defining releases of the punk era. Verlaine was in discussion with Jeff Buckley to produce his second album before Buckley’s death by drowning in 1997.

31 January, Charlie Thomas died from liver cancer at the age of 85. He was a member of the American doo-wop and R&B vocal group The Drifters who had the 1960 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ and over 12 other chart hits.

2 February, American jazz drummer Butch Miles died in Austin, Texas, at the age of 78. He worked with many artists including the Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, and Tony Bennett.

5 February, English bass player Phil Spalding died at the age of 65. He played and appeared with artists such as Mike Oldfield, Mick Jagger, Toyah, Seal, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Randy Crawford. At an early age, he was a successful child model and appeared in a television advertisement for Smiths Crisps.

8 February, American composer, songwriter, record producer, pianist, and singer Burt Bacharach died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 94. With Hal David he wrote many classic songs including, ‘Close To You‘, ’24 Hours From Tulsa’, ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’, ‘Magic Moments’, ‘I Say A Little Prayer‘. He won two Oscars for the film score to Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, and for the song ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’. Bacharach’s songs have been recorded by more than 1,000 different artists and as of 2014, he had written 73 US and 52 UK Top 40 hits.

10 February, South African rapper, and record producer Kiernan Jarryd Forbes known professionally as AKA died when a gunman ran up to him outside a restaurant and fatally shot him in the head. Forbes gained recognition after releasing his single ‘Victory Lap’ from his debut studio album, Altar Ego (2011). Often regarded as one of the greatest South African musicians of all time, he was one of the most popular South African musicians of his era and the best-selling South African hip-hop artist of all-time.

12 February, Trugoy, also known as the Dove and Plug Two, (born David Jolicoeur), from American hip hop trio De La Soul died age 54. They had the 1990 UK No.7 single ‘The Magic Number’ and De La Soul and won a Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

13 February, American R&B pianist Huey ‘Piano’ Smith died at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, aged 89. In 1955, Smith became the piano player with Little Richard‘s first band. He later had the 1958 US No.9 single ‘Don’t You Just Know It’. Smith also played played on Frankie Ford’s hit ‘Sea Cruise’.

16 February, American R&B singer Chuck Jackson died age 85. He was a member of The Del-Vikings and later who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He performed with moderate success starting in 1961. His hits include ‘I Can’t Break Away’, ‘I Don’t Want to Cry’ and ‘Any Day Now’.

17 February, American country music songwriter Kyle Jacobs died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Nashville, Tennessee. Jacobs was the co-writer on Garth Brooks’ single, ‘More Than a Memory’, which became the first song to debut at No.1 on Billboard’s Country Singles chart. He was also a staff writer for Curb Music from 2003 until his death.

20 February, American musician, singer and songwriter Bruce Barthol died in hospice care in Sebastopol, California, at the age of 75. He was the original bass player for the psychedelic rock band Country Joe and the Fish, from its inception through November 1968.

21 February, American rock guitarist Jesse Gress died at his home in Woodstock, New York, at the age of 67. He toured and recorded with Todd Rundgren and the Tony Levin Band, and played on all four of John Ferenzik’s albums.

1 March, American singer Leon Hughes died at his home in Watts, Los Angeles, at the age of 92. He was the last surviving original member of The Coasters. The rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group scored the 1958 US No.1 single ‘Yakety Yak’, the 1959 US No.2 and UK No.6 single ‘Charlie Brown’, as well as ‘Young Blood’ and ‘Poison Ivy’.

2 March, English musician and record producer Stephen Mackey died age 56. He was best known as the bass guitarist for Pulp, which he joined in 1989. Their 1995 UK No.2 hit ‘Common People’ the lead single from their fifth studio album Different Class became a defining track of the Britpop movement as well as Pulp’s signature song. As a record producer, he produced songs and albums by M.I.A., Florence + the Machine, The Long Blondes and Arcade Fire.

2 March, American jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 89. Shorter worked with Miles Davis (Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet), and Weather Report who had the 1976 single ‘Birdland’ and the 1977 album Heavy Weather. Shorter has won 10 Grammy Awards and in 2017, he was awarded the Polar Music Prize.

3 March, American musician David Lindley died age 78. He founded the rock band El Rayo-X and worked with many other performers including Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, Curtis Mayfield and Dolly Parton. He mastered such a wide variety of instruments that Acoustic Guitar magazine referred to him as a “maxi-instrumentalist.” On stage, Lindley was known for wearing garishly colored polyester shirts with clashing pants, gaining the nickname the Prince of Polyester.

4 March, American bass player Michael Rhodes died of pancreatic cancer age 69. He was best known for his session work and touring in support of other artists including Steve Winwood, Larry Carlton, the Dixie Chicks, Reba McEntire, Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill, J.J. Cale, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, and Kenny Chesney. He was also an active sideman in recordings and touring of Joe Bonamassa.

5 March, American musician Gary Rossington died at his home in Milton, Georgia age 71. He is best known as a founder of southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd who had the 1974 US No. 8 single ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ the 1977 US No. 5 album Street Survivors and the 1982 UK No.21 single ‘Freebird’. He was also the longest-surviving founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and was also a founding member of the Rossington Collins Band, along with former bandmate Allen Collins.

9 March, British jazz fusion musician, keyboardist, and record producer Robin Lumley died from heart failure at the age of 75. He was a member of Brand X with drummer Phil Collins and also worked as a member of David Bowie‘s touring band.

10 March, American singer, songwriter, and record producer Jerrold Samuels died from complications of Parkinson’s disease dementia at the age of 84. Under the pseudonym Napoleon XIV, he achieved one-hit wonder status with the 1966 US No.3 and UK No.4 hit novelty song ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!’

13 March, American drummer Jim Gordon, died in prison at the age of 77. He was one of the most requested session drummers in the late 1960s and 1970s. Gordon co-wrote Layla with Eric Clapton, worked with The Everly Brothers, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, George Harrison, (All Things Must Pass), John Lennon (Imagine), The Carpenters, Glen Campbell, (Wichita Lineman), Frank Zappa and many others. A diagnosed schizophrenic, Gordon murdered his mother on June 3, 1983, by pounding her head with a hammer. He was sentenced to sixteen years-to-life in prison in 1984.

14 March, American singer, songwriter, and musician Bobby Caldwell died at the age of 71. He wrote many songs for other artists, including the Billboard No.1 single ‘The Next Time I Fall’ for Amy Grant and Peter Cetera.

16 March, American musician Fuzzy Haskins died from complications of diabetes in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, at the age of 81. He was the former singer with 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, The Parliaments. He was a founding member of the groundbreaking and influential 1970s funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic.

17 March, British guitarist Mick Slattery died age 77. He was a member of Hawkwind in 1969 and appeared on their debut album Hawkwind released in 1970.

22 March, American musician Tom Leadon died age 70. He was one of the founding members of (with Tom Petty‘s) original band, Mudcrutch, and remained its guitarist following its revival in 2007. Leadon also played bass in Linda Ronstadt‘s band. He was the brother of Bernie Leadon, the former banjoist and guitarist of The Eagles.

23 March, Keith Reid from Procol Harum, died aged 76 from colon cancer. They scored the 1967 UK No.1 & US No.5 single ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ (one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies) and the hits ‘Homburg’, ‘Conquistador’. Reid wrote all the band’s lyrics, but was not a performing member. As a songwriter, he also co-wrote ‘You’re the Voice’, a UK 1986 top-10 hit for Australian singer John Farnham.

26 March, American country music singer, music publisher, and artists and repertoire (A&R) representative Ray Pillow died. In his career, he had 18 singles on the Billboard Country Songs chart, with his highest-peaking song being No.9 single “I’ll Take the Dog”, a duet with Jean Shepard.

29 March, American bassist Sweet Charles Sherrell died at his home in The Netherlands age 80. Sherrell began his career playing drums with fellow Nashville residents Jimi Hendrix and Billy Cox. He learned to play the guitar by washing the car (a Jaguar) of Curtis Mayfield in exchange for guitar lessons. He was known for recording and performing with James Brown from 1973 to 1996.

30 March, British musician, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer Ray Shulman died in London at the age of 73. He was a member of Simon Dupree And The Big Sound, who had the 1967 UK No.9 single ‘Kites’. With his brothers Derek and Phil, he co-founded the progressive rock band Gentle Giant. Shulman also worked as a record producer in the late 1980s and early 1990s for alternative rock artists such as The Sundays and The Sugarcubes.

6 April, English singer and actor Paul Cattermole died age 46. He was best known for being a member of the pop group S Club 7 from 1998 until his departure in 2002. Cattermole returned to the band in 2014 for their reunion tour and was originally due to return in 2023 for a planned second reunion tour before his death.

7 April, Scottish musician Ian Bairnson died following a long battle with dementia. He was 69. He is best known for being one of the core members of the Alan Parsons Project. With Pilot he had the 1975 UK No.1 single ‘January’. Bairnson played on Kate Bush‘s first four albums and also worked with Bucks Fizz, Joe Cocker, Jon Anderson, Chris DeBurgh, Mick Fleetwood, Neil Diamond, Sting and Eric Clapton.

7 April, American musician, songwriter, producer, and bassist John Regan died at his home in Wappingers Falls, New York, at the age of 71. He is notable for having been a member of ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley’s band Frehley’s Comet from 1984 to 1990 and recorded and performed with Peter Frampton from 1979 to 2011. He also recorded with John Waite, Rolling Stones, Stephen Stills, Dave Edmunds, Robin Trower, Billy Idol, David Bowie and David Lee Roth.

7 April, Swedish guitarist Lasse Wellander died age 70. He worked with ABBA, first recording with the group’s backing band in 1974 and was featured on their self-titled album as well as on several subsequent hits.

14 April, Cliff Fish, bass, from Paper Lace died. The group scored the 1974 UK No.1 single ‘Billy Don’t Be A Hero’, and the 1974 US No.1 single ‘The Night Chicago Died’.

14 April, Irish musician Mark Sheehan Sheehan died in hospital at the age of 46 following a brief, undisclosed illness. From 1996 to 2001, he was a member of the boy band Mytown. In 2001, he co-founded the alternative rock band the Script.

17 April, American singer April Stevens died in Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 93. Born Carol LoTempio she was part of the Brother-sister act Nino Tempo and April Stevens. They had the 1963 US No.1 ‘Deep Purple, which was a No.17 hit in the UK and won that year’s Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Record. Stevens returned to the US charts in 1959 with the song ‘Teach Me Tiger’, which caused a minor uproar for its sexual suggestiveness and consequently did not receive airplay on many radio stations.

21 April, English singer Mark Stewart died at the age of 62. He was a founding member of the Pop Group. Their work in the late 1970s crossed diverse musical influences including punk, dub, funk, and free jazz with radical politics, helping to pioneer post-punk music.

23 April, American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer Keith Gattis died in a tractor accident age 52. He wrote songs for George Jones, Kid Rock, Randy Houser, Charlie Robison, Gary Allan, Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne, Sara Evans and the Eli Young Band.

25 April, American singer, actor, and civil rights activist, Harry Belafonte died from congestive heart failure at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City at the age of 96. He had the 1957 UK No.1 & US No.12 single with ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ and a 1957 UK No.2 & US No.5 with ‘Banana Boat Song’. He also scored over 15 US Top 40 albums, including the 1956 Calypso. Belafonte was also a close confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

25 April, American R&B and rock and roll singer and songwriter Billy “The Kid” Emerson died at a Tarpon Springs nursing home at the age of 97. Emerson began recording after joining Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm in the early 1950s. He is best known for his 1955 song ‘Red Hot’ and ‘When It Rains, It Really Pours’, recorded by Elvis Presley.

27 April, English rock and roll singer Wee Willie Harris died aged 90. He is best known for his energetic stage shows and TV performances starting in the 1950s when he was known as “Britain’s wild man of rock ‘n’ roll”. Paul McCartney and John Lennon reportedly queued for his autograph when he played in Liverpool in 1958. He resurfaced in the late 1970s as a nostalgia act, after Ian Dury mentioned him in the song ‘Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3’.

28 April, Canadian guitarist and vocalist Tim Bachman died age 71 after battling cancer. He was best known as a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO) and scored the 1974 US No.1 hit ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’. Bachman was one of the four founding members of BTO, a group that have sold nearly 30 million albums worldwide and also featured his brothers Randy (guitar/vocals) and Robbie (drums).

1 May, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Gordon Lightfoot died age 84. He had the 1971 UK No.30 single ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ and the 1974 US No.1 single ‘Sundown’. Several of Lightfoot’s albums achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally and his songs have been recorded by many notable artists. The Guess Who recorded a song called ‘Lightfoot’ on their 1968 album Wheatfield Soul; the lyrics contain many Lightfoot song titles.

3 May, English singer, songwriter and musician Linda Lewis died age 72. She is best known for the singles ‘Rock-a-Doodle-Doo’ (1973) and her version of Betty Everett’s ‘The Shoop Shoop Song’ (1975). Lewis also provided backing vocals for other artists, including David Bowie, Al Kooper, Cat Stevens, Rick Wakeman, Rod Stewart, Joan Armatrading and Jamiroquai.

9 May, English musician Jon Povey from The Pretty Things died age 80. The English rock band formed in September 1963 (taking their name from Bo Diddley‘s 1955 song ‘Pretty Thing’) released five studio albums and 15 UK singles, including the Top 20 UK singles ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ and ‘Rosalyn’ (both covered by David Bowie on his 1973 album Pin Ups) and ‘Honey I Need’.

12 May, English rock, classical and film score composer Francis Monkman died from cancer at the age of 73. With Curved Air he had the 1971 UK No.4 single ‘Back Street Luv’ and was later a member of the classical/rock fusion band Sky (with classical guitarist John Williams and bass player Herbie Flowers).

17 May, English punk rock and heavy metal bass guitarist and singer Algy Ward died age 63. He began his career in 1977, as a bassist for the Australian band the Saints. Afterwards, he joined The Damned, before founding Tank in 1980. Tank was part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.

19 May, English performance poet, lyricist, and singer Pete Brown died at the age of 82. Together with Jack Bruce he wrote many of Cream‘s songs, including the hits ‘I Feel Free’, ‘White Room’ and with Eric Clapton ‘Sunshine of Your Love’.

19 May, Andy Rourke, the bassist for indie legends The Smiths, died from pancreatic cancer aged 59. Rourke played on the Smiths’ classic back catalogue including hits such as ‘This Charming Man’ and ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’ as well as featuring on solo singles for singer Morrissey after the group broke up in 1987. Later in his career, Rourke played as part of a supergroup called Freebass with two other Mancunian bass players, Gary “Mani” Mounfield, from the Stone Roses, and Peter Hook, from New Order.

23 May, Sheldon Reynolds died at the age of 63. The American guitarist, singer, and songwriter was a former member of bands Sun, The Commodores and Earth, Wind & Fire. Reynolds was at one time married to Janie Hendrix, the adopted sister of Jimi Hendrix.

24 May, American jazz bassist and composer Bill Lee died age 94. He was known for his collaborations with Bob Dylan (‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’) and Aretha Franklin and his session work as a “first-call” musician and band leader to many of the twentieth-century’s most significant musical artists, including Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Harry Belafonte, Peter, Paul and Mary, Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Mamas & Papas, among many others.

24 May, Tina Turner whose soul classics and pop hits like ‘River Deep, Mountain High’, ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ and ‘The Best’ made her a superstar, died at the age of 83. Turner had suffered a number of health issues in recent years including cancer, a stroke and kidney failure. Dubbed the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, she rose to fame alongside husband Ike in the 1960s with songs including ‘Proud Mary’ and was famed for her raunchy and energetic stage performances and husky, powerful vocals. She won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 as a solo artist, having first been inducted alongside Ike in 1991.

31 May, American drummer Dickie Harrell died age 82. He was the original drummer with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps. From age 15-17 Dickie recorded and toured with Vincent and performed with them in the movie The Girl Can’t Help It’ in 1956. Their 1956 top ten hit ‘Be-Bop-a-Lula’, is considered a significant early example of rockabilly.

5 June, Brazilian samba and bossa Novembera singer Astrud Gilberto died at home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania aged 83. Her version of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. In 1996, she contributed to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization, performing the song ‘Desafinado’ (Portuguese for “slightly out of tune”, or “off-key”) along with George Michael at his invitation.

6 June, English blues guitarist, and founder of The Groundhogs Tony McPhee died from complications from a fall that occurred the previous year. He was 79. The Groundhogs (named after John Lee Hooker’s song “Ground Hog Blues”), had three UK Top 10 hits in the UK Albums Chart in the early 1970s.

13 June, Johnny “Blackie Onassis” Rowan died at the age of 57. He was a member of American alternative rock band, Urge Overkill. They are widely known for their song ‘Sister Havana’ and their cover of Neil Diamond’s ‘Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon’, which was used in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction.

18 June, American musician and actress Teresa Taylor died at the age of 60. She was best known as a drummer for the American experimental rock band Butthole Surfers. Emerging from the 1980s hardcore punk scene, Butthole Surfers quickly became known for their chaotic live shows, black comedy, and a sound that incorporated elements of psychedelia, noise rock, and punk.

20 June, English musician John Waddington died age 63. He is best known as the guitarist for the English electronic rock group The Pop Group. Their work in the late 1970s crossed diverse musical influences including punk, dub, funk, and free jazz with radical politics, helping to pioneer post-punk music.

27 June, American bluegrass musician Bobby Osborne died at a hospital in Gallatin, Tennessee, at the age of 91. He was the co-founder (with his brother Sonny) of the Osborne Brothers, a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

3 July, English multi-instrumentalist Mo Foster died from liver and bile duct cancer at the age of 78. As a session musician Foster played on over 350 recordings including artists as varied as: Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Meat Loaf and Ringo Starr.

5 July, American rock musician George Tickner died at the age of 76. He played rhythm guitar and co-wrote songs as a founding member of Journey. Before joining Journey, Tickner was a member of the San Francisco psychedelic rock band Frumious Bandersnatch.

6 July, American musician and record producer Caleb Southern died at the age of 53. He was referred to as the “fourth member” of Ben Folds Five.

11 July, Sam Cutler died from cancer at the age of 80. He was the English tour manager for TThe Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd and other acts. In 1969, he acted as master of ceremonies at The Rolling Stones concert in Hyde Park London.

16 July, English actress, singer, and songwriter Jane Birkin was found dead at her home in Paris age 76. She had the 1969 UK No.1 single with Serge Gainsbourg ‘Je t’aime…Moi non plus‘, the only French language UK chart-topper. She is also known as being the namesake of the popular Hermès Birkin bag.

21 July, American singer Tony Bennett died at his home in New York City just two weeks short of his 97th birthday, following seven years of Alzheimer’s disease. Bennett had the 1955 UK No.1 single ‘Stranger In Paradise’ and the 1965 UK No.25 single ‘I Left My Heart In San Francisco’. In 1998, Bennett made an unlikely but highly successful appearance on the final day of a mud-soaked Glastonbury Festival in the UK dressed in an immaculate suit and tie, his whole set on this occasion consisting of songs about the weather. Bennett and Amy Winehouse recorded the duet ‘Body and Soul’ in March 2011 – the final recording made by Winehouse before her death on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27. When the song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 it made Bennett, at age 85, the oldest living artist ever to chart on the Hot 100.

24 July, American bass guitar, baritone saxophone and bass clarinet player Brad Houser from Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians, died from a stroke at the age of 62. They had the 1989 UK No.31 single ‘What I Am’, which was also a 1999 hit for Spice Girl Emma Bunton.

26 July, American musician, singer, songwriter, and founding member of The Eagles Randy Meisner died due to complications associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Los Angeles at the age of 77. He was a member of Poco and was a founding member of the Eagles who had the 1977 US No.1 & UK No.8 single ‘Hotel California’. He co-wrote and sang lead vocal on the Eagles hit ‘Take It to the Limit.’ He quit The Eagles in 1977 and went on to release solo albums in 1978 (Randy Meisner) and 1980 (One More Song).

26 July, Irish singer and activist Sinéad O’Connor died age 56. She was best known for her single ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, released in 1990, which reached No.1 and brought her worldwide fame. O’Connor, who was outspoken in her social and political views, released 10 studio albums between 1987 and 2014. In 1991, she was was named artist of the year by Rolling Stone magazine and took home the Brit Award for international female solo artist. Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990), received glowing reviews upon release and became her biggest success, selling over seven million copies worldwide. On 7 January 2022, O’Connor’s son, Shane, committed suicide at the age of 17. She subsequently decided to cancel her 2022 tour and her album No Veteran Dies Alone was postponed indefinitely.

1 August, Annette Williams from the American girl group The Blossoms died. Although the group had a recording career in their own right, they were most famous for being the group to actually record the No. 1 hit ‘He’s a Rebel’ which producer Phil Spector credited to The Crystals.

4 August, British keyboardist, pianist and vocalist John Gosling died at the age of 75. He was best known for being a member of The Kinks from 1970 to 1978.

6 August, American singer and violinist David LaFlamme died in Santa Rosa, California age 82. He is best known for co-founding the San Francisco band It’s a Beautiful Day. The band’s debut album, It’s a Beautiful Day, (1969) features the song ‘Bombay Calling’ which was later used, at a slower tempo, by Deep Purple as the intro to ‘Child in Time’ on its Deep Purple in Rock album.

8 August, English visual artist Jamie Reid died age 76. His best-known works include the Sex Pistols album Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols, and the singles ‘Anarchy in the U.K.’, ‘God Save the Queen’ (based on a Cecil Beaton photograph of Queen Elizabeth II, with an added safety pin through her nose and swastikas in her eyes. The image from ‘God Save the Queen’ was named “the greatest record cover of all time” by Q magazine in 2011.

9 August, Canadian musician, songwriter, film composer, producer, actor, Robbie Robertson died at the age of 80, after a year-long battle with prostate cancer. He joined The Hawks in 1962 who became known as The Band. Bob Dylan and the Hawks toured the United States throughout 1965 and a world tour the following year. As a songwriter, Robertson is credited for writing ‘The Weight’, ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’, ‘Up on Cripple Creek’, ‘Broken Arrow’ and ‘Somewhere Down the Crazy River’.

11 August, Australian rock singer and songwriter Ron Peno died of cancer age 68. He fronted Died Pretty from 1983 to 2002. Before that, he was a member of the punk band The Hellcats (1976–77), followed by hard rock band The 31st (in Brisbane, 1979–81) and The Screaming Tribesmen (1981).

16 August, American recording executive Jerry Moss died at his Bel Air home at the age of 88. He is best known for being the co-founder of A&M Records, along with trumpet player and bandleader Herb Alpert. Moss began his music career by promoting ’16 Candles’, a 1958 hit for the Crests on Coed Records. In 1960, he moved to California, where he teamed up with Herb Alpert, forming Carnival Records in 1962 and running the company from an office in Alpert’s garage. Moss and Alpert agreed in 1989 to sell A&M to PolyGram Records for a reported $500 million.

17 August, Bobby Eli, American musician, arranger, composer and record producer died in Philadelphia at the age of 77. He was a founding member and lead guitarist of Philadelphia studio band MFSB. Eli’s contributions can be heard on many recordings including, The Jacksons, David Bowie, Hall and Oates, Elton John, The Temptations, The Stylistics and Curtis Mayfield.

17 August, American musician Gary Young died age 70. He is best known as the original drummer of the US indie rock band Pavement from its inception in 1989 until his departure in 1993.

18 August, American singer Ray Hildebrand died at the age of 82. He was one half of the American pop singing duo Paul & Paula, best known for their 1962 million-selling, US No.1 hit record, ‘Hey Paula’. In 1965, Hildebrand left the act to complete his college education, having decided that a future in show business was not for him.

23 August, American songwriter and record producer Bob Feldman died age 83. He wrote several hits with with fellow writers Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer including the 1963 hit ‘My Boyfriend’s Back’ by The Angels. In 1964, in response to the “British Invasion”, they formed their own group, The Strangeloves, who had a hit with ‘I Want Candy’. With Goldstein and Gottehrer, Feldman also co-wrote ‘Sorrow’, first recorded by The McCoys and later a hit for both The Merseys and David Bowie. The three also produced the McCoys 1965 hit ‘Hang On Sloopy’.

24 August, English rock and blues guitarist Bernie Marsden died from bacterial meningitis age 72. He is known for his work with Whitesnake, having written or co-written with David Coverdale many of the group’s hit songs, such as ‘Fool for Your Loving’, ‘Walking in the Shadow of the Blues’, ‘Ready an’ Willing’ and ‘Here I Go Again’. Marsden had also worked with UFO, Glenn Cornick’s Wild Turkey in 1973, Cozy Powell’s band Cozy Powell’s Hammer and Babe Ruth.

26 August, John Kezdy was killed in a crash while riding his bicycle on August 26, 2023. He was 64. He was the singer in the American punk rock band The Effigies. The band played its first show in 1980 and was active initially for approximately a decade.

30 August, American guitarist Jack Sonni best known as “the other guitarist” in Dire Straits during the band’s Brothers in Arms era died aged 68. He met founding Dire Straits members and guitarists David and Mark Knopfler in 1978 while working at Rudy’s Music Stop a guitar shop in Manhattan.

1 September, American musician and singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett died age 76 at his home in Sag Harbor, New York, due to complications from Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer. He had the 1977 US No.8 single ‘Margaritaville’ and the 2004 US No.1 album ‘License to Chill’ and the US Country No.1 ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere with Alan Jackson (2003). Buffett was one of the world’s richest musicians, with a net worth of $1 billion and was known for his tropical rock sound and persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as “island escapism” and promoted enjoying life and following passions.

4 September, American singer Steve Harwell died from liver failure at his home in Boise, Idaho age 56. He is best known as the lead vocalist for the band Smash Mouth. Throughout most of his life, Harwell struggled with alcoholism, which was exacerbated by the death of his son.

4 September, American singer and songwriter Gary Wright died age 80. He was a member of Spooky Tooth and later had the 1976 solo US No.2 single ‘Dream Weaver’. The song was inspired by Autobiography of a Yogi, which was given to him by George Harrison. Wright also played on Harrison’s 1970 All Things Must Pass triple album. Wright turned to film soundtrack work in the early 1980s, including re-recording his most popular song, ‘Dream Weaver’, for the 1992 comedy Wayne’s World.

5 September, American musician Larry Chance died age 82. He was the lead singer of the 1960s doo-wop group Larry Chance and the Earls, originally known as The Earls who had the 1962 US hit ‘Remember Then’.

5 September, Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Guthro died from cancer five days after his 62nd birthday. He recorded as a solo artist and was the lead vocalist for the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig from 1998 until the group retired in 2018.

6 September, American jazz bassist Richard Davis died age 93. Davis recorded with many rock musicians in the 1970s, appearing on Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks and Bruce Springsteen‘s Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. and Born to Run. He also recorded with Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis.

10 September, English musician Brendan Croker died due to complications from leukaemia at the age of 70. He recorded albums under his own name and with occasional backing band; The Five O’Clock Shadows. He was also a member of The Notting Hillbillies. He also recorded with Eric Clapton, Tanita Tikaram and Mark Knopfler.

13 September, Kenyan/British singer-songwriter and musician Roger Whittaker died at a hospital near Toulouse, France aged 87. He scored the 1969 UK No.12 single ‘Durham Town’, and the 1975 UK No.2 & US No.19 single The Last Farewell which went to No.1 in 11 countries including the US and is one of the Best Selling Singles of all time. He was best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability.

15 September, Paul Woseen bassist and co-founder of The Screaming Jets died at the age of 56. The Australian hard rock band had three albums that peaked in the top five on the Australian ARIA Charts during the 90s.

16 September, English drummer John Marshall died at the age of 82. He was a founding member of the jazz-rock band Nucleus and from 1972 to 1978, and the drummer for Soft Machine. He also worked with various jazz and rock artists including Allan Holdsworth, Alexis Korner, Jack Bruce and John McLaughlin.

19 September, Belgian singer and record producer Lou Deprijck died shortly after being admitted to a Brussels hospital. He was 77. He was a major figure in the Belgian pop scene of the 1970s and 1980s, with more than 20 million copies of his compositions sold worldwide, Deprijck is best known for having co-written with Yves Lacomblez and produced the 1978 UK top 10 Plastic Bertrand single ‘Ça plane pour moi’.

20 September, American singer, Katherine Anderson died age 79. She is best known for her tenure in the Motown all-female singing group the Marvelettes who scored the 1961 US No.1 single ‘Please Mr Postman’. She was the only member to survive the group’s several incarnations that occurred during the 1960s until breaking up in 1970.

20 September, American drummer Kent Stax from hardcore punk band Scream died from cancer. After the third album Banging the Drum, (1986), Stax left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by then 17-year-old local drummer Dave Grohl who lied to the band about his age in order to tour with them.

23 September, Terry Kirkman died from congestive heart failure at age 83. He was a member of The Association, who scored the 1966 hit ‘Cherish’ (also covered by David Cassidy), and the 1967 US No.1 single ‘Windy’.

9 October, American country music instrumentalist Buck Trent died age of 85. He was a member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys from 1960 to 1961, Porter Wagoner’s “Wagon Masters” from 1962 to 1973, and also played on Dolly Parton‘s ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘Jolene’.

11 October, Rudolph Isley, from the American group The Isley Brothers, died from an apparent heart attack at his home at the age of 84. The Isley Brothers first came to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, ‘Shout’, and then the 1962 hit Twist and Shout. The Isley Brothers also scored the hits ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’, ‘Summer Breeze’ and ‘Harvest for the World’. Sixteen of their albums charted in the Top 40.

October 18, American pop/rock singer and songwriter Dwight Twilley died when he suffered a massive stroke whilst driving, causing him to crash into a tree. He was 72. He was best known for the US top 20 hit singles ‘I’m on Fire’ (1975) and ‘Girls’ (1984).

October 22, American musician, songwriter, guitarist, singer, and bassist Gregg Sutton died at the age of 74. He was a member of the country rock band Lone Justice from 1985 to 1987, and wrote or co-wrote songs for other artists including Sam Brown (‘Stop!’), Joe Cocker (‘Tonight’) and he worked with Bob Dylan on his 1984 European Tour.

23 October, English guitarist Angelo Bruschini died of lung cancer at the age of 62. The Bristol based musician contributed to the region’s trip-hop explosion in the 1990s and 2000s. He was a member of The Numbers, Rimshots, and The Blue Aeroplanes, and toured and recorded as a member of Massive Attack on their albums Mezzanine (1998) and 100th Window (2003). Bruschini produced the alternative rock band Strangelove’s eponymous album in 1997.

23 October, Singer and songwriter Mervin Shiner died in Tampa, Florida at the age of 102. Several of his songs, such as ‘Why Don’t You Haul Off and Love Me’, which made the top ten on the Country & Western chart and ‘Peter Cottontail,’ achieved success and opened doors for him, allowing him to perform with renowned artists like Hank Williams and Minnie Pearl.

24 October, American keyboard player, multi-instrumentalist and arrange Paul Harris died at the age of 78. He provided the orchestral arrangements for The Doors‘ 1969 album The Soft Parade. In the 1970s, he was a member of Stephen Stills‘ band Manassas and later the Souther–Hillman–Furay Band. He also worked with ABBA, Joe Walsh, Nick Drake and John Martyn.

24 October, American rock drummer Steve Riley died at the age of 67 after a severe case of pneumonia. He is best known for his work with Keel, W.A.S.P. and L.A. Guns.

16 November, Drummer George “Funky” Brown died from lung cancer age 74. He was a member of American R&B, soul, and funk band Kool & The Gang who had the 1981 US No.1 & UK No.7 single ‘Celebration’, plus over 15 other UK Top 40 hits.

17 November, American singer Charlie Dominici died at the age of 72. He worked with progressive metal band Dream Theater, having replaced Chris Collins.

20 November, American jazz and rock saxophonist Mars Williams died of periampullary cancer at the age of 68. He was a member of the American new wave band The Waitresses from 1980 to 1983, and a member of the British post-punk band The Psychedelic Furs from 1983 to 1989 and again from 2005 until his death in 2023. Williams also was a founding member of the acid jazz group Liquid Soul.

22 November, American R&B and soul singer Jean Knight died at the age of 80. Launching her professional career in the mid-1960s, Knight was best known for her 1971 US No.2 hit single ‘Mr. Big Stuff’, released by Stax Records.

22 November, American singer-songwriter James Salestrom died from cancer at his home in Arvada, Colorado at the age of 67. He was the lead singer of the band Timberline from 1971 to 1977 and Salestrom performed in Dolly Parton‘s band from 1979 to 1991.

23 November, American harmonica player Greg “Fingers” Taylor died at the age of 71. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. He was best known for his work with Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band.

23 November, Fanita James died at the age of 85. She was a member of the American girl group The Blossoms. Although the group had a recording career in their own right, they were most famous for being the group to actually record the No. 1 hit ‘He’s a Rebel’ which producer Phil Spector credited to The Crystals. In 1966, they provided background vocals on Ike and Tina Turner’s ‘River Deep – Mountain High‘ and in 1968, they appeared in Elvis Presley’s TV special, popularly known as “the ’68 Comeback”.

25 November, Les Maguire died on 25 November 2023, at the age of 81. With Gerry And The Pacemakers he had the 1963 UK No.1 single ‘How Do You Do It’ and the 1965 US No.6 single, ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’. In common with The Beatles they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein, and were recorded by George Martin. In 2016, Maguire was searching through his loft when he found a 10-inch 78rpm vinyl recording of The Beatles performing ‘Till There Was You’ and ‘Hello Little Girl’, said to be one of the “rarest and most collectable of all Beatles records”. The disc eventually sold for £77,500.

26 November, English rock musician, songwriter and producer Geordie Walker died in two days after suffering a stroke. He was 64. He had been a member of the British post-punk group Killing Joke who had the 1985 UK No.16 single ‘Love Like Blood’. Walker recorded 15 studio albums with Killing Joke and also took part in various side projects.

30 November, The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan died aged 65, following a recent hospital stay after being diagnosed with encephalitis. The singer-songwriter, whose hits include 1987’s ‘Fairytale of New York’ and ‘A Pair of Brown Eyes’, had been unwell for some time. He formed the Irish punk band Pogue Mahone, later shortened to The Pogues, in 1982 and released seven studio albums. MacGowan also had well-documented problems with drugs and alcohol.

3 December, Canadian musician Myles Goodwyn died at age 75. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, and principal songwriter of the rock band April Wine. He released 16 studio albums with April Wine, and two albums as a solo artist. Goodwyn led the group from its inception and garage band roots to its multiplatinum sales peak. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of April Wine.

5 December, English musician, singer, songwriter Denny Laine died from interstitial lung disease in Naples, Florida, at the age of 79. With The Moody Blues he had the 1965 UK No.1 & US No.10 single ‘Go Now’. While the Moody Blues were on tour with The Beatles in 1965, Laine befriended Paul McCartney who later asked him to join his band Wings. He became a constant member of Wings for their entire run from 1971 to 1981, playing guitar, bass, keyboards, singing backing and lead vocals, and co-writing songs with McCartney including the 1977 hit ‘Mull of Kintyre’.

7 December, Bass guitarist Adrian Morgan died at the age of 80. He was a member of The Cougars a short-lived band, formed in Bristol, England, in 1961. Their 1963 single ‘Saturday Nite at the Duck-Pond’ used music from Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky. The song achieved some notoriety for being banned by the BBC, despite which it spent eight weeks in the UK Singles Chart.

11 December, Jeffrey Foskett died from anaplastic thyroid cancer, at the age of 67. The American guitarist and singer is best known as a touring and studio musician for Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys since the 1980s. Foskett was also one of a very few artists who has recorded and performed live with each of three guitar greats Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton.

11 December, American singer-songwriter Essra Mohawk died of cancer at her home in Nashville age 75. In 1967 she met Frank Zappa, who persuaded her to perform for a short time with the Mothers of Invention. Both Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner covered her songs and she also worked as a session and background singer, for John Mellencamp, Carole King, and Jerry Garcia.

16 December, Australian rock musician Colin Burgess died at the age of 77. He was the drummer in the Masters Apprentices from 1968 to 1972 and was later the original drummer with hard rock band AC/DC from November 1973 to February 1974.

18 December, American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and record producer Amp Fiddler died from cancer in Detroit at the age of 65. Born Joseph Anthony Fiddler he is best known for his contributions to the band Enchantment, and as part of George Clinton’s Parliament and Funkadelic groups from 1985 to 1996.

22 December, Laura Lynch a founding member of the US country music band the Dixie Chicks died in a car crash. She was 65. The band was set up originally as the Dixie Chicks in Dallas, Texas, in 1989. The co-founding members were Lynch, a bassist and later vocalist, Robin Lynn Macy (vocalist and guitarist), and the multi-instrumental sisters Martie and Emily Erwin. Before Lynch decided to leave in 1995, the Dixie Chicks released three albums: Thank Heavens for Dale Evans, Little Ol’ Cowgirl and Shouldn’t a Told You That.