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R.I.P. Sam Moore

Photo -Sam Moore- Overnight Sensational album cover

(Read more Musicians who died in 2025)

R.I.P. Sam Moore

The ‘Soul Man’ has passed away--

Sam Moore, the tenor half of the celebrated soul duo Sam & Dave, passed away at the age of 89 in a Coral Gables FL hospital following surgery on Friday, confirmed by his wife and manager, Joyce Moore, with no further details given.

Sam Moore and one-time singing partner Dave Prater were 1960s fixtures on the R&B and Pop charts with timeless hits like “Soul Man”; “Hold On, I’m Comin’”, “I Thank You” and many more.

Their Sam & Dave collaboration was nicknamed the ‘Sultans of Sweat’ and ‘Double Dynamite’ as a result of their frenetic live performances that made anyone else (including notably Otis Redding) afraid to be on the same bill as them.

Moore and Prater, both experienced gospel group singers in their own right, met on an amateur night in a club in Moore’s native Miami in 1961 (where he was born on Oct 12,1935); paired together by regional producer Henry Stone, who would help them sign to Marlin and then Roulette Records.

The pair graduated to Atlantic Records (after heads Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd caught a 1964 live performance) and then were ‘loaned out’ to record for Stax Records, soon following. It was while recording for Stax (with the likes of Isaac Hayes and David Porter and house band Booker T. & the M.G.’s with the Mar-Keys horns) that the tender smoothness of Moore’s voice, and the preacher-like rougher baritone of Prater’s, truly came together to create audio magic.

1967’s “Soul Man” would of course, top the R&B charts and also crossed over to be a #2 Pop hit (also winning a Grammy), with their overall success helping to open doors for similar black acts to connect with white audiences. But the trapping of late 60’s stardom, which included their own plane and tour bus, a growing entourage and groupies, and more, also resulted in both becoming heroin addicts.

The duo was never personally close and ending their relationship with Stax and dwindling hits, all contributed to their first breakup in 1970, with each going their way to less successful solo careers. They would reform for most of the 70’s, getting a career boost from the 1979 “Blues Brothers” film which featured “Soul Man”, and performed together for the last time in San Francisco for New Years Eve 1981, never speaking to each other again. Prater would later lose his life in an April 1988 car accident.

Meeting and marrying his wife Joyce a year after the final split, helped Moore right his professional career as well as his personal struggles, and Moore would go on to provide vocals on albums with Don Henley, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sting, Mariah Carey, and others.

In 1992, Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement Grammy Award in 2019. He and his wife also worked to help secure overdue copyrights and royalties to performers and songwriters of rock and soul’s earlier days, that were long denied.

We briefly met Sam and his wife Joyce at the 2017 Starkey Foundation Awards Gala in St. Paul MN (but apparently failed to get a good picture in the red-carpet chaos) and talked to his wife again the next year, who returned to the Gala even though Sam was too ill then, to attend.

More recently, Moore had guested on two songs for Springsteen’s 2022 album, “Only the Strong Survive’ and performed last year in Alabama at a George Jones tribute concert.

Sam & Dave Photo - courtesy Stax Records

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

R.I.P. Quincy Jones

Photo - EMA - Alessandro Di Meo

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. Quincy Jones

A true titan in the world of music and entertainment has left us-

Word came in overnight that producer, arranger, songwriter, composer, and so much more, Quincy Jones died peacefully at his Bel Air home in Los Angeles, at the age of 91, as confirmed by a statement from his publicist, Arnold Robinson.

Jones began his career as a musician himself, a jazz trumpeter that soon found his duties going above and beyond that role and evolved himself into a unique persona that touched on almost every part of the musical and creative process.

Quincy Delight (yes, his real middle name!) Jones Jr. was born in South Chicago on March 14, 1933 to his bank officer/apartment manager mother and his namesake father, a carpenter and semi-pro baseball player (who also supposedly worked for gangsters). With his mother and neighbors singing religious hymns around the house, music was everywhere to a young Q. At age 11, he and his younger brother broke into a rec center and according to a 2008 BBC documentary, “god whispers” drew him to a piano in a corner of the room.

Moving to Washington state as a teenager, he introduced himself to a young Ray Charles, when Q was 14 and Charles was 16, and it became a meeting and long-running friendship that would help chart the direction of the rest of his life.

With a scholarship from (the now) Berklee School of Music in Boston, Q moved back east, eventually leaving school to play in Lionel Hampton’s band. Finding his way to New York, he found much work as a session man and as part of touring ensembles, elevating to Musical Director arranging and composing for likes of Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, Betty Carter, Count Basie, and more). Time spent in Paris and throughout Europe allowed him more responsibilities and greater creative freedom than he would have found in the U.S. at the time, and in 1961, he became the MD and VP of Mercury Records with expanded soundtrack and TV theme work ensuing.

His first success on the Pop charts came in 1963 with a teen-aged Lesley Gore, helping make her smash, “It’s My Party” to go to the top, leaving for Los Angeles soon after with increased film and TV work on properties like “The Deadly Affair,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “In Cold Blood,” “Mirage,” “For Love of Ivy” and “The Getaway” “Sanford and Son,” “Ironside”, and more.

All the while, Q had also been making jazz-funk ensemble records including 1969’s “Walking in Space” for which the title track won an instrumental Grammy and with 1974’s “Body Heat” album, his sound turned more commercial. While working on that album’s follow-up, he suffered a brain aneurysm and managed to pull through, though he did slow his workload as a result (along with some personal life changes).

In 1977, Q contributed music to the celebrated and seminal mini-series “Roots” and the following year, became the musical supervisor for Sidney Lumet’s adaptation of the stage version of “The Wiz” which introduced him to a young Michael Jackson and set a course for their collaborations on three of the most successful albums of all-time, “Off the Wall”, “Thriller” and “Bad” (46+million in unit sales in just the U.S.).

Coming out of Band Aid’s 1984 charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, there became a groundswell for an American companion version of the effort, and Q produced, arranged and conducted a post-Grammy supergroup studio session of over 40 singers banded together as USA for Africa (including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder) for the fund-raising (and Four Grammy-winning) anthem, “We Are the World,” a song co-collaborator Lionel Richie still reprises in concert.

That same year, he would collaborate on Steven Spielberg’s “The Color Purple” film, starting an ever long kinship with the film’s co-star, Whoopi Goldberg and in 1989 in partnership with Warner Bros, started his own label, Qwest Records, which was the home of acts like Lena Horne and James Ingram; but also, gospel singer Andraé Crouch and the post-punk electronic legends, New Order.

His company grew exponentially as well, becoming a full-fledged multimedia entity (Quincy Jones Entertainment) which produced the sitcoms “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “In the House” as well as the sketch show “Mad TV.” In publishing, Q helped start the hip-hop magazine Vibe, and published Spin and Blaze magazines with Robert Miller.

Over his prolific life, Q has the third-highest total of Grammy Awards won by a single person (nominated 80 times [!!!] and wining 28) behind only Beyoncé and Georg Solti. As well, it was recently announced that he will receive an honorary Oscar at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony.

Q is survived by his younger brother, Richard; two sisters, Margie Jay and Theresa Frank; and seven children: Jolie, Kidada, Kenya, Martina, Rachel, Rashida, and Quincy III.

“Love, laugh, live, and give- that’s what it’s about”, he said in a recent interview, which sums up his impactful and prolific life, rather well.

Photo - Chuck Stewart Photography LLC

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

R.I.P. Frankie Beverly (Maze)

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. Frankie Beverly

“You should know, I wanna make sure I'm right, before I let go”- “Before I Let Go” - Maze

Word has come down that singer-songwriter, guitarist Frankie Beverly, whose band Maze was one of the most influential and enduring acts in R&B, has passed away (10 Sept) at the age of 77, per his and the band’s official social channels.

The statement posted by his family did not reveal any details of his passing: "Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience," the family wrote. "During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way. This period for is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly known to the world as Frankie Beverly."

Beverly was best known for his smooth baritone voice and the Philly soul plus California cool anthems he and his seven (and then eight-piece) band concocted, hits that could be heard at almost every gathering or cookout in Black America. His influence continued into genres like hip-hop as artists like 50 Cent, Wale, and Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock all used Maze samples, and the band recently wrapped its farewell tour.

He was born Howard Stanley Beverly in Philadelphia on Dec. 6, 1946, changing his name to Frankie around age 12, after hearing doo-wop group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers and their hit, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.”

Beverly began performing professionally around that same time, singing similar doo-wop for early bands like The Blenders, The Silhouettes, and The Butlers. After hearing the rock, soul and funk hybrid of Sly and the Family Stone, Beverly began playing more guitar and keyboards as his sound evolved- he renamed his band Raw Soul and was soon traveling west.

An early break was Marvin Gaye’s sister-in-law catching one of the group's Bay Area performances and bringing the band to Gaye’s attention, resulting in an opening slot on Gaye's 1976 Tour and a Capitol Records deal. It was also Gaye who persuaded Beverly to change the band’s name to a single-syllable name, Maze, with Beverly liking the idea because it meant a puzzle, and it didn’t pigeonhole them into a single genre.

Their band logo was a seven-finger hand, with each digit representing a member of the band. (Beverly was the thumb) signifying all were parts of a musical whole.

The group would release nine studio albums from 1977 to 1993, all of which went Gold ,and included numerous hits like “Can’t Stop the Love”, “Silky Soul”, "Happy Feelin's", "While I'm Alone", "Golden Time of Day", “Southern Girl”, "The Look in Your Eyes", "Joy and Pain", "Before I Let Go", "We Are One", "Back in Stride", and "Can't Get Over You", among others.

While Beverly and Maze never had the true crossover success of some of his peers, the band’s fans have remained extremely devoted and had kept the shows full and the group still-popular, as musical styles and trends changed over the decades. Fans even dressed in all casual simple white with a matching ball cap, to mimic Beverly’s typical on-stage wardrobe.

Beverly preached joy, love, and togetherness when in concert, telling Ebony Magazine in 1984: “Maze means magic and love. Everybody is in this maze of life together — people of all types, colors and ages.”

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

R.I.P. Greg Kihn

Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) Official Statement In Loving Memory of Gregory S. Kihn It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Greg Kihn, an iconic figure in the realm of rock music. Greg lost his battle with Alzheimer's disease on 8/13/24 at the age of 75. Known for his magnetic stage presence and unique storytelling that captivated audiences around the globe. He was not merely a musician but a cultural phenomenon whose influence will resonate for generations to come. Born on 07/10/49 in the vibrant city of Baltimore, Maryland. Greg discovered a passion for music early in life. He burst onto the scene with the release of Greg Kihn, which quickly garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base. With a unique songwriting style that blended folk, classic rock, blues and pop, his sound helped define a rich musical legacy in the San Francisco Bay Area scene. Greg rose to worldwide fame in the 1980s and left an indelible mark for generations to come. Throughout his illustrious career, Greg received a multitude of accolades, awards and recognition, celebrating his artistic contributions and unwavering dedication to his craft. As a pioneer with the legendary Beserkley Records, Greg helped write the book on revolutionary West Coast Rock and Roll. He toured the world, had hit records, and won several awards for his hit songs "Jeopardy", "The Breakup Song", "Remember" and "Lucky". He was celebrated not only for his musical genius, but also for his ability to connect deeply with fans through powerful lyrics and unforgettable storytelling. As a former Morning Radio host for KFOX for 17 years, as well as a syndicated night time radio host across the country, Greg related to and captivated his audiences with real world issues and hysterical tales from his Rock Star escapades. Beyond the world of music and radio, Greg was renowned as a great storyteller and novelist with 6 published novels and a multitude of short stories. He had a unique hobby of breeding rare praying mantis and he also spent time and raised money for Operation Care and Comfort. His kindness and generosity extended far beyond the stage, as he engaged in initiatives to support Operation Care and Comfort as well as other organizations. Friends and family remember him not just as a Rock Star, but as a warm-hearted individual who brought joy and inspiration to everyone he encountered. Greg is survived by Jay Arafiles-Kihn (Wife), Ryan Kihn (Son), Alexis Harrington-Kihn (Daughter), Samora Harrington (Son-in-Law), Nate Harrington-Kihn (Grandson), Zuri Harrington-Kihn (Grandson), Laura Otremba (Sister), Lou Otremba Jr. (Brother-in-Law), Larry Otremba (Nephew), Lou Otremba III (Nephew), Matthew Otremba (Nephew). All of whom will forever cherish the memories and moments shared with him. A private memorial celebration of his extraordinary life and legacy will take place with friends and family. A public celebration of life concert for fans and fellow musicians will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Greg Kihn's name to The Alzheimer's Association to help end Alzheimer's Disease. Rest in peace, dear Greg. Your music, your voice, your stories, your spirit and your passion will forever echo in our hearts and inspire countless souls. Rock Kihn Roll Forever! GregKihn.com Read More Greg Kihn Band Speaking of 80s, The Greg Kihn Band had two big hits ("The Breakup Song" and "Jeopardy"), which you can probably hear live at one of their show. Oddly enough, he is releasing a novel called Rubber Soul …

You’ve all heard that the great Greg Kihn has passed away at the age of 75. Like many of you, I first heard of Kihn through Weird Al’s “I Lost on Jeopardy”, so I can never those humorous lyrics out of my head. Once I heard the original song, “Jeopardy” by The Greg Kihn Band, it was simply so brilliant and catchy, that’s why Weird Al decided to parody the song.

Of course, my favorite Kihn song is “The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em),” which came out in 1981. That melody! That lyric (ah ah ah ah ah)! Once you hear it, you just can’t get it out of your head.

We wrote about how Kihn’s writing partner Steve Wright died in 2017, which Kihn wrote an eulogy: “Steve and I started the Greg Kihn Band back in 1975 and we were like brothers. We composed all the hits like “Jeopardy,” “Lucky,” and “The Breakup Song,” and dozens of others. Steve was the driving force behind the band and always kept it fresh and new. We had many adventures over the years and lived our lives to the fullest.”

Greg Kihn at Treasure Island (20 Aug 2017)

The same year, we saw Kihn, in August 2017: “Things got started with a bang as Greg Kihn emerged for a three-song, seventeen-minute set starting with hit, ‘Jeopardy’ (known as much, or more for Weird Al’s parody version of the song). Kihn sounded a bit hoarse compared to his earlier days, but was still within vocal range to pull off the songs, and was still good at inciting the crowd, dressed in his familiar white shirt and dark vest. He and the band are back with the appropriately titled ReKihndled (Riot Records) out in March, and ended his brief set with ‘The Breakup Song’ (written after his second divorce) and the crowd supplying the “Ah-ah-ah’s” after every line.”

Rest in peace, Greg Kihn.

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vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Jack Russell (Great White)

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. Jack Russell

Vocalist and co-founder of 1980’s metal group Great White, Jack Russell passed away at the age of 63 on August 15th surrounded by family and friends.

In recent years, he had battled multiple system atrophy and Lewy body dementia and had been in declining health for some time. Russell announced just last month that he would be retiring from touring following the recent diagnosis. “I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve,” Russell had stated on social media.

Founded in Los Angeles in 1977 (as “Highway”), Great White’s glory years were in the mid to late-1980s with their platinum-selling 1987 third album “Once Bitten” and its 1989 Grammy-nominated follow-up “… Twice Shy,” featuring singles “Rock Me” and “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” and they memorably performed those hits acoustically on an episode of “MTV Unplugged”.

A change in the public’s musical tastes (Russell had said he blamed MTV, the cable channel that helped grow their fame, for "the downfall of rock."), addictions and other pressures saw Russell first leave the group in 1996 before they reformed in 2001 when Russell started touring under the name Jack Russell’s Great White.

Continuing legal squabbles within the band resulted in two versions using the Great White name, which sometimes confused the public, and could find sometimes both band versions playing the same market within close proximity of the other.

Infamously, it was Russell's version of the band that performed at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island on February 20, 2003, that turned into an inferno when the group’s stage pyrotechnics ignited (unreported) flammable acoustic foam that surrounded the venue.

One hundred people would perish in the blaze, including the band’s guitarist, Ty Longley, with numerous others wounded and badly burned. The band returned to playing live that July and continued touring to mid-2005, to help support The Station Fund, for the club’s victims. Russell continued to struggle with the guilt and relapsed into addiction and wouldn’t perform live again until 2007.

We last caught the band on June 22, 2012 (at Neisen’s Bar and Nightclub in Savage MN) as part of the America Rocks Tour, featuring a stacked lineup of the era along with Russell’s Great White- Faster Pussycat, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bulletboys, and Lillian Axe, and even then, Russell was using a cane and recovering from surgery.

“Words cannot express my gratitude for the many years of memories, love, and support.” Russell had posted with his recent retirement announcement, "Thank you for letting me live my dreams. You have made my life a wonder.”

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

R.I.P. John Mayall

John Mayall photo courtesy Guitar World

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. John Mayall

The Godfather of British blues has passed on--

John Mayall, the pioneering UK band leader whose 1960s ensembles proved to be springboards to international fame for many of his young members, passed away on Monday at his home in California, at the age of 90, confirmed by his official Facebook page.

No further details were disclosed, but he had lived a long and prolific life, playing multiple instruments and singing in his own bands for decades, but his glory will lay in the recruiting and refining of talented guitarists that would go on to international fame.

Mayall was given an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by the Queen in 2005 and will be awarded a special musical excellence induction at this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in October (we’ll be there to recap).

He was born in Cheshire, UK on November 29, 1933, the son of a local guitarist and record collector father, and a mother who encouraged the love of music. Mayall fell early for the sounds of early American blues artists like Lead Belly, Albert Ammons, and Pinetop Smith and taught himself to play multiple instruments.

As part of required national service, Mayall found himself in Korea, and when on leave in Japan, bought his first guitar there. He would return to England to enroll in art school and began playing in bands, eventually becoming a full-time musician, though his art training helped later when designing his own album covers.

He met fellow blues loving musician Alexis Korner who helped convince him to do music full-time and move to London from Manchester. In 1963 with his band now called the Bluesbreakers (with Fleetwood Mac’s John McVie on bass), they had a regular gig at the famous Marquee Club and managed to go into the studio to record the following spring (as well as backed John Lee Hooker on his 1964 UK Tour).

1966’s band lineup that also recorded the band’s debut studio album featured Eric Clapton on guitar, and other members over the next couple years included Peter Green (who would co-found Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (the guitarist poached by the Rolling Stones).

Bluesbreakers band members also included drummer Mick Fleetwood , bassist Jack Bruce (of Cream), bassist Andy Fraser (an original member of Free) and drummer Aynsley Dunbar (Frank Zappa, Journey, Jefferson Starship).

That 1966 “Blues Breakers” album signaled trhe beginning of the mid 60’s UK electric blues boom which influenced so many of the greatest bands and artists to come out of that era. Mayall recorded the album “Blues from Laurel Canyon” at the end of the 1960s, befriending many members of Canned Heat, and would end up moving to the Los Angeles area for good.

Mayall’s sound would change with the more American influence and members (which included guitarists Sonny Landreth, Walter Trout and Coco Montoya) and there was a move beyond the trademark UK blues sound he helped create and foster, into more jazz.

Bluesbreakers would return in the 1980s and Mayall was regularly touring for the better part of seven decades, releasing over 70 albums, culminating with 2022 album, “The Sun is Shining Down”. We ordered a couple very inexpensive signed photos of Mayall last year from his website and were charmed by the careful scribe of his signature in silver ink and arriving in a hand-addressed envelope from his California address.

Mayall is survived by his children- Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak and Samson (from two marriages that both ended in divorce); seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

John Mayall photo courtesy Bill Graham Archives

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

R.I.P. Karl Wallinger (World Party, The Waterboys)

Karl Wallinger photo courtesy USA Today

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. Karl Wallinger

Welsh musician Karl Wallinger, the multi-instrumentalist and force behind the band World Party and also known as a mid-80’s member of Irish band The Waterboys, has passed away at the age of 66.

His publicist revealed that Wallinger passed on Sunday, March 10, with no cause of death announced, but it was not publicly revealed until day’s later.

The Waterboys and Mike Scott paid tribute on their website, saying, “Karl was an integral part of The Waterboys from 1983 to the end of 1985, and was one of the original touring line-up. He made many powerful contributions to the band during his membership, many of which are included and described in the recent 1985 box set and book.” Scott would also note on X / Twitter that Wallinger was “one of the finest musicians I’ve ever known” and to “Travel on well my old friend.”

Wallinger was born on 19 October 1957, in Prestatyn, Wales, interested in music early and particularly intrigued by the music of The Beatles. He trained classically on the piano from age nine, with his musicianship winning him a music scholarship to Charterhouse in Surrey.

Following school, he became the keyboard player for a group named Pax, then co-formed Quasimodo with two members who would eventually form The Alarm with Mike Peters.

Wallinger would move to London, becoming the musical director of The Rocky Horror Show and would answer a "guitarist wanted" ad to join The Waterboys, convincing Scott the band needed a keyboard player more, but was able to fill several roles as the band toured their first album and recorded the follow-up, A Pagan Place.

The succeeding album, This is The Sea, would prove a high watermark for The Waterboys, with Wallinger co-writing “Don’t Bang The Drum”, playing the then-unique synth bass on the album, and memorable synthesizers on their biggest hit, “The Whole of the Moon.”

Scott’s level of creative control forced Wallinger to leave the band in 1985, creating his own World Party, which blended Northern Soul and influences from US artists Sly Stone and Prince, Beatles-influenced melodies, and the storytelling of Van Morrison, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan.

In all, the band released five studio albums beginning with 1987’s Private Revolution, a live record and a couple compilations.

Darlings of college and alternative radio, single “Ship of Fools” reached No. 5 on Billboard’s mainstream rock chart in the U.S. in 1987 and “Way Down Now,” went to No. 1 on the Billboard alternative chart in the U.S. in 1990. “Is it Like Today” was their biggest U.K. hit, reaching No. 19 in 1993 and his song “She’s the One” became a 1999 No. 1 single for singer Robbie Williams.

In February 2001, Wallinger was discovered to have a brain aneurysm, which required major surgeries and years learning how to speak again and play instruments, amazingly returning to touring five years later, though never releasing another new album. Those royalties from “She’s The One” turned out to be well-timed, helping greatly with Wallinger’s medical and rehabilitation bills, during his years-long recovery.

Wallinger passed away at his home in Hastings, along England’s south coast and is survived by wife Suzie, son Louis, daughter Nancy, and two grandchildren.

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Mojo Nixon: Girlfriend in a Coma

Mojo Nixon: Girlfriend in a Coma Read More Mojo Nixon "Girlfriend in a Coma" (covered by Teddy Blanks and Mixel Pixel). Let's just face it, as far as "Girlfriend" is concerned: Mojo Nixon did it best. …

My friend, Melinda, was a massive Mojo Nixon fan (not a surprise, considering her love for DJ Lebowitz). I know if Melinda was still alive (Mel passed away in 2010), that she would’ve written an article to honor Mojo Nixon.

I’m no Mojo Nixon expert, but was exposed to his music and humor through Mel, and did love what I heard. He had a couple of hits, like “Elvis is Everywhere” and “Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child”, but it wasn’t until I heard his cover of The Smiths’ “Girlfriend in a Coma”, that it really hit me how funny Mojo Nixon was.

The original Smiths classic is a nice, sad, sweet song about Morrissey’s girlfriend in a coma. Mojo Nixon’s version is upbeat and completely opposite of the original song. It’s honestly one of the best Smiths cover song I’ve ever heard.

In the middle of the song, Nixon starts commenting in the song: “Yeah well, don’t blame me, blame the writer of this song, Morrissey. You know that fruitcake that sings in the Smiths? Ah, he’s celibate. Oh well, I’m Mojo Nixon and I’m the Anti-Morrissey. Can’t you see that I am the Anti-Morrissey. ‘Cause I’m a meat eater. I like my meat, I like it sweet. I like to get laid, and I always get paid. Hey Morrissey, kiss my big hairy butt.”

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vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky/weheartmusic.com

R.I.P. Toby Keith

Toby Kieth recent photo by Katherine Bomboy via Getty

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. Toby Keith

Please raise those red Solo cups up in tribute-

The Oklahoma Country singer-songwriter of #1 hits like “Who’s Your Daddy?” and “Made in America” and classics like “Beer for My Horses” (with Willie Nelson) and breakthrough hit, “Should Have Been a Cowboy”, Toby Keith succumbed to stomach cancer on Monday at his home at the age of 62, per his official website via Elaine Schock, his publicist.

Keith had previously announced in the summer of 2022 that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and was being treated with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, but found enough strength for a final run of shows in Las Vegas in early December. (We were in Las Vegas during Keith’s run, covering U2 and Miranda Lambert, and are crushed that we didn’t make more of an effort to see him live, one last time).

He was born Toby Keith Covel in rural Clinton, OK on July 8, 1961, one of three children to an oil derrickhand and homemaker, and would live the great majority of his life in the Sooner state. He became first interested in music at his grandmother’s supper club in nearby Fort Smith, AR, eventually getting his first guitar at age eight. He would go on to play high school and semi-pro football, and worked in the oil industry after graduation, while playing in bands along the way.

After years on the bar band circuit, he finally broke through as a solo artist in 1993, with that initial defining single going on to become the most played country song of the decade, reaching the top of the Country charts, and also crossing over onto the Pop Charts as well.

Keith signed with Polydor Records Nashville for his sophomore album, 1994’s “Boomtown” which is when we met him at a radio station-sponsored concert and found him to be a large man with a former football player’s physique, but warm and friendly in conversation. In 1998, he left Polydor for new Nashville imprint, DreamWorks Records and the hits kept on coming.

In 2005 he founded his own label, Show Dog Nashville, which gave him more chart-topping singles like “Get My Drink On” and 2011’s “Red Solo Cup,” which also crossed over to the pop Top 20

Hard work, touring, and clever catchy songwriting (heralded with a 2015 induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame) gave him wide appeal, as Keith usually wrote or co-wrote most of his own songs, and he would release more than 60 singles (twenty of which would top the charts) and logged over 40 million in album sales.

Other musical accolades included numerous CMA, CMT and ACM Awards, including the 2020 Merle Haggard Spirit Award by the Academy of Country Music and in 2021, he was a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Arts. He also forayed into acting, commercial endorsements, and business ventures, like his well-known line of “I Love This Bar” establishments (that had locations in the KC and Minneapolis metros and more).

Keith was a firm patriot, injecting some of that fervor into some of his songs like the chart-topping, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”, which would be misunderstood by some, and cause public controversy and some post-9/11 backlash. Politically, Keith was actually a conservative Democrat (later changing to Independent), which surprised many that thought he was more of a stereotypical Republican.

Keith is survived by his mother; his wife of 39 years, Tricia; two daughters; a son; a sister, a brother, and four grandchildren.

Kyle Young, the CEO of The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum released the following statement:

"Toby Keith was big, brash, and never bowed down or slowed down for anyone. His story is a distinctly American one—a former roughneck oil worker who carved out his own space in country music with a sinewy voice and an unbending will to succeed. He wrote his breakthrough songs and later formed his own record label when he felt underserved by Nashville. He relished being an outsider and doing things his way. Proudly patriotic, he didn't mind if his clear-cut convictions ruffled your feathers. For three decades, he reflected the defiant strength of the country music audience. His memory will continue to stand tall."

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

R.I.P. Wayne Kramer (MC5 Guitarist)

Kramer and The MC5 in 1969- photo by Leni Sinclair

(Read more Musicians who died in 2024)

R.I.P. Wayne Kramer

He’s now kicking out the jams from above high--

Wayne Kramer, the influential guitarist who was one half of the twin-guitar attack and co-founder of Detroit's proto-punk band MC5, died Friday of pancreatic cancer, according to a post on his official Instagram page, at the age of 75.

Along with Fred "Sonic" Smith (Patti Smith's late husband), one of the best-known garage bands of all time made an immediate splash with their debut album "Kick Out the Jams," on which they endorsed the Black Panthers' role in the Detroit riots, and also played outside the troubled 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.

The band’s sound would eventually pave the way for punk rock and later versions of alternative rock, and was especially influential to Iggy Pop and Stooges, The Ramones, The Clash, Jack White / White Stripes, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, and numerous others.

Kramer was born in Detroit on April 30, 1948, taking up the guitar as a teenager and co-founding The MC5 (short for Motor City Five) in nearby Lincoln Park. The band also featured Rob Tyner on vocals, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson, split in the early 1970’s after recording just two more studio albums (1971’s Back in the USA and 1972’s High Time).

Post MC5, Kramer retreated back to his native Detroit, working with soul force Melvin Davis, but was sentenced to four years in federal prison for selling drugs to an undercover policeman in 1975.

After his prison release in 1979, Kramer would move to New York and played with bands including Was (Not Was), teamed with Johnny Thunder, pursued a solo career, guested with Bad Religion, and even worked as a carpenter.

In 1994, he signed to Epitaph Records to release four records, would play with Mudhoney, and was the on-stage guest of Rage Against the Machine to help on” Kick Out the Jams” at the 2008 National Democratic Convention in Denver.

He remembered fellow inmates by working with Jail Guitar Doors, which helps provide instruments, workshops and prison concerts around the country, and found time for some film score work including on the soundtracks for films, "Talladega Nights," "Step Brothers" and "Eastbound & Down."

In recent years, he recorded with Alice Cooper on the Detroit Stories album, was considering new MC5 music with producer Bob Ezrin, and in 2018 released his memoir, 'The Hard Stuff: Dope, Crime, the MC5, and My Life of Impossibilities'.

That same year, Kramer took MC5 back on the road to celebrate the band’s 50 Years, with an all-star band lineup which was composed of Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of Soundgarden, Brendan Canty of Fugazi, Faith No More bassist Billy Gould, and vocalist/harmonicist Marcus Durant of Zen Guerrilla for an amazing run of celebratory shows.

WHM attended that show in Minneapolis but never posted any coverage (as we weren’t approved as media), but we managed to snap a few very low-resolution phone pictures, that we are sharing for the first time.

MC5 at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis MN (2018-10-23)	MC5 at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis MN (2018-10-23)
MC5 at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis MN (2018-10-23)	MC5 at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis MN (2018-10-23)

From the statement on his social accounts: "Wayne S. Kramer 'PEACE BE WITH YOU' April 30, 1948 – February 2, 2024." 

Wayne Kramer for Fender Guitars

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com