Death list 2022

Every year at around this time I pay tribute to musicians who have died during the year. There have been many deaths of course and the list is far too long to include everyone. So here are those that made the biggest impact on me. Thanks to all of them for the pleasure they have given over the years.

Jerry Allison - Crickets drummer and songwriter; Ernie Andrews - West Coast jazz and blues singer; J J Barnes - Northern Soul star; Jet Black - Stranglers drummer; Black Stalin - Trinidad calypsonian; Alan Blaikley - prolific English songwriter; Gary Brooker - lead singer of Procul Harum; Steve Broughton - drummer with Edgar Broughton band; Joe Bussard - US record collector; Irene Cara - 'Fame' singer; Classie Ballou - zydeco singer and guitarist; Morty Craft - record label owner and producer; Don Craine - lead singer of the Downliners Sect; Bettye Crutcher - Stax songwriter and singer; Dino Danelli - drummer with the Young Rascals; Betty Davis - funk singer and ex-wife of Miles (top photo); Lamont Dozier - Motown songwriter and singer; Judith Durham - Australian lead singer of the Seekers; Inez Foxx - R and B singer, sister of Charlie; Dallas Frazier - country musician and songwriter; Millage Gilbert - blues guitarist; Mickey Gilley - country singer and songwriter; Glen Glenn - rockabilly singer; Sam Gooden - member of the Impressions; Robert Gordon - rockabilly revival singer; Howard Grimes - Memphis soul drummer; Guitar Shorty - blues singer and guitarist; Claire Hamlin - keyboardist in Tales From The Woods band; William Hart - Delfonics lead singer; Ronnie Hawkins - Canadian rock and roller; Rosa Lee Hawkins - member of the Dixie Cups; Bobby Hendricks - R and B singer and Drifters member; Freddie Hughes - West Coast soul singer; Ivy Jo Hunter - Motown songwriter and producer; Roddy Jackson - Specialty rock and roller; Joni James - fifties pop singer; Mable John - soul singer sister of Little Willie (pictured above);

Fred Johnson - bass singer with the Marcels; Jimmy Johnson - blues guitarist and singer, brother of Syl; Luther 'Guitar Junior' Johnson - Chicago bluesman; Syl Johnson - blues and soul singer (pictured above); Wilko Johnson - British pub rocker; Naomi Judd - country singer member of the Judds; Anita Kerr - American singer and producer; Art Laboe - American DJ and producer; Jerry Lee Lewis - rock and roll piano hell raiser (pictured below); Ramsey Lewis - jazz pianist and composer; Peter B Lowry - American folklorist and producer; Loretta Lynn - country singer; C W McCall - truck driving country singer; Deborah McCrary - member of McCrary Sisters gospel group; Ian McDonald - founding member of King Crimson; Christine McVie - singer with Fleetwood Mac; Meat Loaf - American rock singer; Joe Messina - Funk Brothers guitarist; Jody Miller - country and pop singer; Ben Moore - soul singer and member of James and Bobby Purify; Barbara Morrison - jazz singer; Sandy Nelson - rock and roll drummer; Olivia Newton-John - Australian born singer; Nichelle Nichols - Star Trek actor and singer; Monty Norman - composer of James Bond theme; Chris Owens - New Orleans club owner and singer; Fred Parris - lead singer of the Five Satins; Richard Pratt - member of Blue Magic; Bob Rafelson - Monkees creator; Red Kelly - music blogger and historian; Freddie Roulette - lap steel guitar player; Bobby Rydell - sixties Philly singer; Art Rupe - founder of Specialty record label;

Pharaoh Sanders - jazz saxophonist; Jim Seals - one half of Seals and Cerofts rock duo; Jim Schwall - blues guitarist and vocalist; Donald 'Tabby' Shaw - member of Mighty Diamonds; Joyce Sims - R and B singer/songwriter; Jim Sohns - Shadows of Knight singer; Ronnie Spector - member of the Ronettes, solo artist and ex wife of Phil (pictured below); Jim Stewart - Stax co-founder; Creed Taylor - jazz record producer; R Dean Taylor - Canadian born Motown singer; Jimmy Thomas - Northern Soul singer; Timmy Thomas - R and B singer and keyboardist; Sonny Turner - singer with the Platters; Vangelis - Greek composer of electronic music; Adam Wade - American soft soul singer; Natty Wailer - reggae musician with Bob Marley; Walter 'Wolfman' Washington - New Orleans blues/funk guitarist; Norma Waterson - English folk singer and songwriter; Bobby Weinstein - songwriter with Teddy Randazzo; Sonny West - rock and roll singer and songwriter; Joel Whitburn - American author and music historian; Don Wilson -Ventures guitarist.

Late news: just heard of the death of Bertha Barbee McNeal, a founder member of Motown group the Velvelettes. Their best known record was 'Needle In A Haystack' (a number one in my personal top ten in 1964) but they also had success with 'He Was Only Saying Something', 'Lonely Lonely Girl Am I' and 'These Things Will Keep Me Loving You'. I was lucky enough to see them at the Detroit A Go Go in 2019 when all four original members took part (pictured below). They were superb.

RIP too to Terry Hall of the Specials, whose Coventry based two tone band the Specials helped to revive interest in ska music. And to Tony Watson, co-owner and production editor of Blues and Rhythm magazine. And to Charlie Gracie (see separate obituary). Also Memphis soul man Sam Hutchins who recorded as a solo artist with Chips Moman before becoming a member of the Masqueraders.