Death list 2015

It's that time of year when The Vinyl Word raises a glass to those musicians and entertainers who have died during the last 12 months. The Grim Reaper appears to have been even busier than usual this year, with many greats of music passing on. The latest is Bonnie Lou, a pioneering rock and roll
singer who successfully crossed over from country to rockabilly. Recording for King Records, her first success was Seven Lonely Days and her biggest hit, Tennessee Wig Walk was a top ten UK hit in 1953. She went on to have success throughout the fifties and was a TV talk show host in the US.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yeE6n9uxe8
Here's a list of some of the others who have died during 2015. If there are any notable omissions please leave a comment. Thanks.
Van Alexander - US composer and bandleader; Daevid Allen - member of Soft Machine; Lynn Anderson - country singer; Marlene Barrow-Tate - member of Motown backing group The Andantes; Harold Battiste - New Orleans producer and saxophonist; Roy C Bennett - US songwriter; Theodore Bikel - singer and actor; Cilla Black - UK singer and TV show host; Bonnie Lou - country and rockabilly singer; Errol Brown - singer with Hot Chocolate; Michael Brown - member of The Left Banke; Bob Burns - member of Lynryd Skynyrd; Billy Butler - soul singer brother of Jerry; Brian Carman - surf guitarist; Judy Carne - actress and Laugh In star; Wayne Carson - songwriter and musician; Ben Cauley - trumpeter with the Bar-Kays;  Ornette Coleman - jazz musician; Don Covay - soul singer and songwriter; Andrae Crouch - gospel singer; Richie Davis - member of the 5 Willows; Little Jimmy Dickens - country singer; Popsy Dixon - member of The Holmes Brothers; Val Doonican - singer and TV show host; Donna Douglas - Beverly Hillbillies star; Dozy (Trevor Ward-Davies) - member of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky Mick and Tich; Ervin Drake - songwriter; Anita Ekberg - Swedish actress; Jack Ely - singer with The Kingsmen; Bobby Emmons - keyboardist and songwriter; Clarence 'Jockey' Etienne - Louisiana drummer: Al Ferrier - Louisiana rockabilly singer; Frankie Ford - New Orleans R and B singer (pictured below at Jazzfest, 2013); Kim Fowley - singer and producer; Andy Fraser - member of Free; Ronnie Gilbert - member of The Weavers; Ray Gipson - member of the G-Clefs; Lesley Gore - American pop singer; Jimmy Greenspoon - US keyboardist and singer; Wendell Holmes - member of The Holmes Brothers; Willie C Jackson - member of The Spaniels; Louis Johnson - member of the Brothers Johnson; Peggy Jones (Lady Bo) - blues singer and guitarist; Johnny Keating - songwriter and producer; Kenneth 'Wally' Kelley - member of the Manhattans;B B King - blues guitarist and singer; Ben E King - solo soul singer and former member of The Drifters; Christopher Lee - Hammer horror star; Curtis Lee - Under The Moon Of Love singer;Cynthia Lennon - ex-wife of John; Wally Lester - member of The Skyliners; Patrick MacNee - star of the Avengers; Ernie Maresca - songwriter and singer;  Joe B Mauldin - member of The Crickets; David Maxwell - blues piano player; Mighty Sam McClain - blues singer; Rose Marie McCoy - singer/songwriter; Danny McCulloch - English bass player; Rod McKuen - poet, singer and songwriter; Johnny Meeks - guitarist with the Blue Caps; Leonard Nimoy - Star Trek star; Eric 'Rockin' Ricky' Nugent - singer and TFTW show host; Louis Paul - Memphis singer; Mac Poole - drummer with Screaming Lord Sutch; John Renbourn - folk singer and guitarist; Preston Ritter - member of The Electric Prunes; Cynthia Robinson - member of Sly and the Family Stone; Rico Rodriguez - ska trombonist; Ronnie Ronalde - singer, whistler and yodeller; Demis Roussos - Greek crooner; Billy Joe Royal - US singer; Billy Sherrill - country songwriter and producer; Percy Sledge - soul star; P F Sloan - folk/rock singer/songwriter; David Somerville - singer with The Diamonds; Chris Squire - member of Yes; Steve Strange - punk/New Wave singer; Sharon Tandy - South African soul singer; Sid Tepper - songwriter; Clark Terry - jazz trumpeter; Allen Toussaint - New Orleans songwriter, pianist and producer; Jackie Trent - English pop singer; Twinkle - UK pop singer; Mel Waiters - Southern soul singer; Cory Wells - member of Three Dog Night.