Musical Heroes 2016

[Simon B Kelly]

We lost hundreds of big names last year. Here is my list of the most notable names involved in music who passed away during the last 365 days:

01-01-16 Mark Barnes (Mark B & Blade), 45
04-01-16 Robert Stigwood (manager: The Bee Gees), 81
05-01-16 Pierre Boulez (composer/conductor), 90
09-01-16 Ed "Stewpot" Stewart (DJ), 74
10-01-16 David Bowie (singer/songwriter), 69
17-01-16 Dale Griffin (Mott the Hoople), 67
18-01-16 Glenn Frey (Eagles), 67
26-01-16 Colin Vearncombe (Black), 53
31-01-16 Terry Wogan (DJ), 77
08-02-16 Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire), 74
09-02-16 Roy Harris (folk singer), 82
19-02-16 Vi Subversa (Poison Girls), 80
25-02-16 John Chilton (The Swinging Blue Jeans), 83
08-03-16 George Martin (record producer), 90
11-03-16 Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), 71
16-03-16 Frank Sinatra Jr. (singer), 72
06-04-16 Merle Haggard (singer/songwriter), 79
24-04-16 Billy Paul (singer), 81
12-04-16 David Gest (record producer/reality TV star), 62
21-04-16 Prince (singer/songwriter), 57
14-05-16 Tony Barrow (press officer: The Beatles), 80
17-05-16 Guy Clark (singer/songwriter), 74
31-05-16 Tim Feild (The Springfields), 82
03-06-16 Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention), 75
03-06-16 Mac Cocker (DJ), 74
22-06-16 Harry Rabinowitz (composer/conductor), 100
28-06-16 Scotty Moore (guitarist: Elvis Presley), 84
16-07-16 Alan Vega (Suicide), 78
17-07-16 Fred Tomlinson (composer/singer: Monty Python), 88
24-07-16 Keith Gemmell (Audience), 68
30-07-16 Nigel Gray (record producer), 69
20-08-16 Tom Searle (The Architects), 28
22-08-16 Gilli Smyth (Gong), 83
08-09-16 Prince Buster (singer/songwriter), 78
30-09-16 Michael Casswell (session guitarist), 53
02-10-16 Neville Marriner (violinist/conductor), 92
02-10-16 Steve Byrd (Gillan), 61
04-10-16 Caroline Crawley (This Mortal Coil), 53
05-10-16 Rod Temperton (Heatwave), 66
21-10-16 Dave Cash (DJ), 72
23-10-16 Pete Burns (Dead or Alive), 57
07-11-16 Jimmy Young (DJ), 95
07-11-16 Leonard Cohen (singer/songwriter), 82
13-11-16 Leon Russell (singer/songwriter), 74
18-11-16 Sharon Jones (The Dap-Kings), 60
20-11-16 Craig Gill (Inspiral Carpets), 44
24-11-16 Colonel Abrams (singer/songwriter), 67
08-12-16 Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), 69
11-12-16 Valerie Gell (The Liverbirds), 71
12-12-16 Mark Reilly (Matt Bianco), 56
24-12-16 Rick Parfitt (Status Quo), 68
25-12-16 George Michael (Wham!), 53
30-12-16 Allan Williams (promoter/manager: The Beatles), 86

These are all either British musicians or people who influenced the British music scene over the last 50 years. Gone but not forgotten...

[Sal Mohammed]

I was listening to 6 music in the early hours last week to the two part 'Obit Show' which celebrated the lives of some of the musicians that died in 2016. I always find with these shows and lists, there's always someone that's died that you weren't aware of.

I'll add Elvis Presley's guitarist Scotty Moore who died on 28 June 2016 to the names above.

The obit show is still available on line.


Part One.

Part Two.

[Simon B Kelly]

Thanks for the heads up, Sal. Looking at the list of tracks they played it seems I missed quite a few names from my list that deserve a mention. In addition to Scotty Moore, I also overlooked Billy Paul, whose albums I played back-to-back in my car during April and May last year. I also bought the excellent documentary, "Am I Black Enough For You", to learn more about him.

I'll update the list with the other 6 Music names once I get a chance to listen to their 6-hour show...

[Stephen John Connett]

Beatles first manager Alan Williams, whom I met once at the infamous Alexandra Palace Beatles convention (1976) book signing

[Simon B Kelly]

Thanks, Stephen. I've added him to the original list, along with a few others that I'd overlooked. (The new additions are in red.)

[Peter Stirling]

Another one is Alan Haven 7/01/17

Prolific jazz organist in the 1960s- haunting version of 'Image' used on pirate radio intros.



www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOtEcsyHd_4

[Deleted]

Only recently announced - Larry Steinbachek (Bronski Beat) sadly died in December 2016 too.

[Jeff Leach]

Andy Newman - Thunderclap Newman March 30th
Jimmie Van Zant - Lynyrd Skynyrd - April 7th
Emile Ford (and the Checkmates) April 11th
John Berry (Beastie boys) May 19th
Lewis Steinberg (Booker T and the MG's) July 21st
Toots Thielemans (One of the best harmonica players ever) August 22nd
Kashif - Singer songwriter
Bobby Vee - October 24th
Mose Allison - Blues Guitarist November 15th