Never To Be Forgotten

Never To Be Forgotten

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ginger baker, dick dale, roxette
L: Ginger Baker, 1974. Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images. C: Dick Dale, 1970. Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. R: Marie Fredriksson. Photo by Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images.

It's time again to look back with sadness and gratitude at all the ILYOS-appropriate musicians who have left us in the last 12 months. Sadly, we felt that we needed to wait until the very end of the year to do this, given how frequently bad news is upon us these days. Hopefully, the final hours of 2019 have nothing else in store...

It's been a rough year, but of course, time marches on, and our favourite musicians get older. Enjoy them and support them while they're still with us.

JANUARY

Pegi Young - American singer-songwriter, and ex-wife of Neil Young, died Jan 1, aged 66.

Daryl Dragon - aka The Captain of Captain & Tennille, died Jan 2, aged 76.

Eric Haydock – the original bass player for the Hollies, died Jan 5, aged 75.

Jimmy Hannan – Australian singer and television personality, died Jan 7, aged 84.

Chris Wilson – Melbourne-based blues musician/singer/songwriter, known for his work with Paul Kelly & The Coloured Girls, Wilson Diesel (with Johnny Diesel) and with his own bands, died Jan 16, aged 62.

Lorna Doom – bass player for early LA punk band the Germs, which also featured Pat Smear, later of Nirvana and Foo Fighters., died Jan 16, aged 60.

Reggie Young – lead guitarist for the house band at American Sound Studios in Memphis, played on countless hits, including Elvis' "Suspicious Minds", died Jan 17, aged 82.

Ted McKenna - drummer for The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, died Jan 19, aged 68, cerebral haemorrhage.

Paul Whaley – drummer for Blue Cheer, died Jan 28, aged 72.             

FEBRUARY

George Klein - famous Memphis disc jockey and Elvis pal (since 8th grade), died Feb 5, aged 83.

Fred Foster – Nashville producer and songwriter, founder of Monument Records and a key figure in the success of Roy Orbison, Kris Kristofferson, Tony Joe White and others, died Feb 20, aged 87.

Peter Tork – of The Monkees, died Feb 21, aged 77.

Mark Hollis – singer and songwriter for UK band Talk Talk, died Feb 25, aged 64.

                                                                                                                                                                                   

MARCH

Leo de Castro – legendary New Zealand singer and guitarist who made a name in Australia with Friends in the early '70s, died Mar 4, aged 70.

Keith Flint - singer/frontman of The Prodigy, died Mar 4, aged 49, suicide.

Hal Blaine – the legendary drummer for The Wrecking Crew, played on countless hits of the '60s, including Beach Boys, Byrds and numerous Phil Spector sessions, died Mar 11, aged 90.

Andre Williams – Maverick Detroit R&B musician, co-writer of "Shake A Tail Feather", died Mar 17, aged 82.

Dick Dale - The King of Surf Guitar! Died Mar 17, aged 81.

Scott Walker - American-born British singer-songwriter for The Walker Brothers and solo, died Mar 22, aged 76.

Geoff Harvey - MD for The Mike Walsh Show, died Mar 30, aged 83.

APRIL

Gary Stewart - influential executive and compilation producer for Rhino Records, died Apr 12, aged 62.

Rowland "Boon" Gould – guitarist/co-founder of Level 42, died Apr 30, aged 64.

MAY

Doris Day – icon, died Mar 13, aged 97.

Mike Wilhelm – influential San Francisco guitarist, member of the proto-psychedelic band The Charlatans in the '60s and The Flamin' Groovies in the '70s, died May 14, aged 77.

Jake Black – singer and co-founder of Alabama 3, whose "Woke Up This Morning" was used for the opening credits of the The Sopranos, died May 21, aged 59.

Glenn Hannah – guitarist, producer and all-round good guy on the Australian country music scene. Husband of Felicity Urquhart, friend of everyone. Died May 28, aged 45.

Tony Glover – contemporary of Bob Dylan in Bob's pre-New York days, harmonicist for Koerner, Ray & Glover, died May 29, aged 79.

Leon Redbone - old-time blues and jazz stylist, popular in the '70s, died May 30, aged 69.

Roky Erickson - Visionary psychedelic pioneer frontman of the 13th Floor Elevators and so much more, died May 31, aged 71.

JUNE

Dr. John - seminal New Orleans musician, died June 6, aged 77.

Elliot Roberts – long-time Neil Young manager, also associated with Joni Mitchell, Tom Petty and others, died June 21, aged 76.

Dave Bartholomew – Influential New Orleans musician and producer, best known for seminal work with Fats Domino, died June 23, aged 100.

Gary Duncan – guitarist with San Francisco psychedelic pioneers Quicksilver Messenger Service), died June 29, aged 72.

JULY

Russell Smith – singer-songwriter of country-soul-rockers, The Amazing Rhythm Aces, died Jul 12, aged 70.

Art Neville - singer-songwriter and keyboardist for The Meters, Neville Brothers – yet another New Orleans legend - died July 22, aged 81.

AUGUST

Damien Lovelock - Celibate Rifles frontman, unlikely celebrity! Died Aug 3, aged 65.

David Berman - singer-songwriter for New York indie rock icons Silver Jews, died Aug 7, aged 52.

Peter Fonda – star of Easy Rider, would-be recording artist circa 1968 with help from friend Gram Parsons, died Aug 16, aged 79.

Larry Taylor - long-time Canned Heat bassist, also played Monkees sessions and later with Tom Waits, died Aug 19, aged 77.

Neal Casal - solo Americana artists, guitarist for Ryan Adams and the Chris Robison Brotherhood, died Aug 26, aged 50.

Donnie Fritts – long-time keyboardist for Kris Kristofferson, famed country-soul songwriter (he co-wrote "We Had It All", later covered by Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Rolling Stones and others, and also the Dusty Springfield classic "Breakfast In Bed"), died Aug 27, aged 76.

SEPTEMBER

Jimmy Johnson – legendary Muscle Shoals session guitarist who played on classic sides by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and others in the '60s, and engineered several tracks for the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers album, died Sept 7, aged 76.

Daniel Johnston – American singer-songwriter and cult icon, died September 11, aged 58. 

Eddie Money - 70s American hitmaker, died Sept 13, aged 70.

Ric Ocasek - of The Cars, died Sept 15, aged 75.

Larry Wallis – guitarist for Pink Fairies and founding member of Motörhead, died Sept 19, aged 70.

Robert Hunter - American poet, musician, and lyricist of numerous classic Grateful Dead songs, died Sept 23, aged 78.

OCTOBER

Barrie Masters – singer for pioneering pub-rockin' punk precursors Eddie & The Hot Rods, died Oct 2, aged 63.

Kim Shattuck – singer/songwriter for LA punk-pop band The Muffs, died Oct 2, aged 56.

Larry Junstrom - co-founder and original bass-player for Lynyrd Skynyrd and later of .38 Special, died Oct 6, aged 70.

Ginger Baker – legendary drummer for Cream and others, died Died Oct 6, aged 80

Reg Watson - television producer and screenwriter and creator of PrisonerSons and Daughters and, most famously, Neighbours, died Oct 8, aged 93.

George Chambers - bassist and singer for The Chambers Brothers, responsible for the 1968 psychedelic soul smash "Time Has Come Today", later covered by everyone from the Ramones to Steve Earle & Sheryl Crow, died Oct 12, aged 88.

Steve Cash – co-founder, songwriter and harmonica player for The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, died Oct 14, aged 73.

Nick Tosches - American journalist, novelist and music critic, perhaps best known for his Jerry Lee Lewis biography Hellfire, died Oct 20, aged 69.

Peter Hobbs - singer and guitarist for internationally recognized Melbourne thrash metal pioneers Hobbs' Angel of Death, died Oct 21, aged 58.

Paul Barrere - guitarist for Little Feat, died Oct 26, aged 71.

NOVEMBER

Duncan "Sandy" Sanderson - bass player for '60s and '70s UK underground bands The Deviants and Pink Fairies, died Nov 20.

Clive James – UK-based Australian writer, broadcaster, critic, and lyricist for English singer-songwriter Pete Atkin in the late '60s and '70s, died Nov 24 aged 80.

Iain Sutherland – of Scottish group The Sutherland Brothers, whose 1972 track "Sailing" became a massive hit for Rod Stewart in 1975 ), died Nov 25 aged 71.

Martin Armiger – guitarist/songwriter for The Sports, Bleeding Hearts and others, as well as producer and film music composer, died No 27, aged 70.

DECEMBER

Stuart Fraser – of Noiseworks, died Dec 1, aged 57.

Andrew "Greedy" Smith – of Mental As Anything, died Dec 2, aged 63.

Marie Fredriksson – of Roxette, died Dec 9, aged 61.

Jack Scott - Canadian rockabilly singer-songwriter, died Dec 12, aged 83.

Roy Loney – original singer and songwriter of influential San Francisco cult rockers The Flamin' Groovies, died Dec 13, aged 73.

Sleepy LaBeef – original '50s rockabilly icon who toured Australia often in the '80s and beyond, died Dec 26, aged 84.

Neil Innes - English writer, comedian and musician who collaborated with Monty Python and played in The Rutles and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, died Dec 29, aged 75.

 

 

 

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