W♥M

R.I.P. Tom Verlaine (Television)

(Read more Musicians who died in 2023)

Tom Verlaine, the influential punk-era NYC rock guitarist and leader of band Television, died earlier today in Manhattan at the age of 73.

read more Television Television had a brief three year run that left a legacy of one of the most brilliant debut albums in rock history ("Marquee Moon") an adequate follow up ("Adventure") …

His death “after a brief illness” was confirmed to the New York Times by Jesse Paris Smith, the daughter of Verlaine’s musical peer and former partner Patti Smith.

Thomas Miller was born in Denville, NJ on December 13, 1949. moving next to Wilmington, Delaware, at an early age. As a child, he took piano lessons, but switched to sax in middle school after hearing a record by Stan Getz, and then moved to guitar after hearing the Rolling Stones' "19th Nervous Breakdown".

In addition to music, he wrote poetry as a teen and was friends with future band mate and punk icon Richard Hell (Richard Meyers), creating his stage name as a reference to the French symbolist poet Paul Verlaine.

Their seminal band Television fully came together after finding a guitarist in Richard Lloyd and began playing NYC punk clubs like CBGB and Max's Kansas City, releasing their first single in 1975 with Fred Smith replacing Hell. Television released only two albums, Marquee Moon and Adventure, before breaking up in mid-1978

Verlaine released solo albums beginning in the 80s, moving to England for a short time, and collaborating with other artists and in the early 1990s, Television reformed to record one studio self-titled album and a live recording (1992’s Live at the Academy), occasionally reuniting to tour into the new century.

Verlaine’s last solo albums were the instrumental Around and the vocal Songs and Other Things, which were released simultaneously in 2006.

(photo credit - Darren Eagles/Getty Images)

John C (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. David Crosby (Crosby Stills & Nash, The Byrds)

(Read more Musicians who died in 2023)

David Crosby, the influential singer-songwriter-guitarist and founding member of Rock and Rock Hall of Fame-inducted bands, The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and for a time, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), has died at the age of 81.

His wife released this statement to Variety magazine:

“It is with great sadness after a long illness, that our beloved David (Croz) Crosby has passed away. He was lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and son Django. Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us.

His legacy will continue to live on through his legendary music. Peace, love, and harmony to all who knew David and those he touched. We will miss him dearly. At this time, we respectfully and kindly ask for privacy as we grieve and try to deal with our profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers.”

===

David Van Cortlandt Crosby was born on August 14, 1941 in Los Angeles, the son of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby and Aliph Van Cortlandt Whitehead, a salesperson at a Macy's, and was the younger brother of musician Ethan Crosby.

While at the Crane Country Day School in Montecito, CA, he starred in HMS Pinafore and other musicals and briefly studied drama at Santa Barbara City College before dropping out in favor of music full-time, recording his first solo session in 1963.

Crosby joined The Byrds in 1964 and the group soon scored a number-one hit in April 1965 with their cover of Bob Dylan’s "Mr. Tambourine Man". Crosby would appear on the Byrds' first five albums, joining Buffalo Springfield on stage at the Monterey Pop Festival, which contributed to his dismissal from the band.

He soon co-founded Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1968 with Stephen Stills (of Buffalo Springfield) and Graham Nash of the Hollies. Their debut album won them the Grammy Award for 1969’s Best New Artist with Neil Young joining the group for live appearances, and eventually on record as well. Crosby / Nash recorded three gold albums in the 1970s, and the core trio remained somewhat active from 1976 until 2016, despite bouts of in-fighting.

Five albums Crosby appeared on are included in Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, (three Byrds, two CSN[Y]) and in addition to being outspoken politically, Crosby’s strong personality meant he could be combative, overly stubborn, and somewhat polarizing to his friends, family, and bandmates.

Crosby recorded and toured with added vigor in his later years, feeling a renewed creative spark and also knowing the end might be near, and was also the subject of the compelling 2019 documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name.

John C (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Jeff Beck

(Read more Musicians who died in 2023)

One of rock’s greatest skilled and most influential guitarists (yet still somewhat under the mainstream radar) Jeff Beck passed away on Tuesday at a hospital near his southern England rural estate in Riverhall, at the age of 78 of bacterial meningitis, according to his publicist.

Beck was born in Wallington, Surrey, England on June 24, 1944, to Arnold (an accountant) and Ethel (a candy maker) Beck. His mother demanded he play piano daily at an early age, which would help to hone his distinctive musical chops after switching to guitar once he heard the great Les Paul.

By the age of 13, he was building his own guitars to play, fascinated by the tone and the mechanics of playing. Beck would enroll in Wimbledon College of Art but dropped out of school in favor of music, doing studio session work and then in 1965 was invited to join The Yardbirds via Jimmy Page (who initially turned the band's offer).

Only a band member for some 20 months, Beck played on most of The Yardbirds’ successful songs, such as “Heart Full of Soul,” which hit the Top 10 on Billboard and was #2 in the UK. The Yardbirds’ 1966 single “Shape of Things,” got to #11 in the US (#3 in UK) featuring an unmistakable double-time Beck signature guitar solo, that would help define his early legacy.

The Yardbirds would become a band of legend, adding Jimmy Page, first on bass and later in a dueling lead guitar role with Beck. In 1966, an instrumental titled “Beck’s Bolero" would feature Page on rhythm guitar, Keith Moon from The Who on drums, future Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones on bass, along with piano player Nicky Hopkins.

Tensions within the band spurred him to leave, soon forming the first Jeff Beck Group (with Rod Stewart on vocals and with Ron Wood), who were signed by Columbia Records, issuing their debut album “Truth” in 1968.

Another landmark came in 1975, with Beck’s "Blow by Blow” solo album, blending jazz, fusion, funk, and more to his rock repertoire to create a Platinum-selling, successful and still-influential album that would hit the Billboard Top 5.

Though he never equaled the sales of peers Page, Eric Clapton, or idol Jimi Hendrix, he always remained respected in the highest order, with Rolling Stone recently ranking him at #5 of all-time guitarists. “I’ve never made the big time, mercifully,” Beck told the magazine in 2018. “When you look around and see who has made it huge, it’s a really rotten place to be.”

Beck’s career is highlighted by seven Grammy Awards, eight gold albums, and Induction into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame not once but twice, in 1992 as part of The Yardbirds, and solo in 2009.

We were lucky enough to have seen him play live, but only once, on a co-headlining tour with Carlos Santana, but can readily remember our jaw being on the floor for his entire set, as he made sounds and melodies that we never thought possible from a Fender Strat, and with an uncanny ease and joy.

Beck continued to tour and to record, most recently yielding a collaboration album with actor/guitarist Johnny Depp, titled “18,” (released last July), which they also took out on the road. Jeff Beck’s wife, Sandra Cash, whom he married in 2005, survives him.

John C (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Anita Pointer (Pointer Sisters), Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse), and Fred White (Earth, Wind & Fire)

Read More Pointer Sisters Bonnie Pointer, who rose to fame as a member of the Pointer Sisters, has died at age 69. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of the Pointer Sisters that my sister Bonnie died this …

Anita Pointer, founding members of The Pointer Sisters, died Saturday, December 31, 2023. Her sisters June died in 2006, and Bonnie died in 2020. Only Ruth Pointer is the eldest and last surviving member of the original Pointer Sisters.

If you grew up in the 70s and 80s, you remembered the sisters. They had so many hits, including the two Grammys for “Automatic” and “Jump (For My Life)”… as well as “Fire”, “He’s So Shy”, “I’m So Excited”, and “Neutron Dance”. Just hearing those titles conjure up those melodies and lyrics.

The other big death on December 31st was Jeremiah Green, the drummer for Modest Mouse. This is a new-ish band, so it was shocking to see a death in the band. Green was only 45. According to Consequence, he died after a brief battle with cancer.

This is so sudden.

In fact, we just saw the band in Dec 2022 and said, “Modest Mouse is out touring by celebrating the album that launched their career 25 years ago, The Lonesome Crowded West, a seminal album that has received high praise and a lofty perch. Pitchfork ranks it #29 of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 1990’s. Spin has it at #59 of the 200 Greatest Albums from 1985-2005. And for a night the band’s base was given a rare treat of hearing the album played in its entirety live at the Palace Theatre.”

Update: Fred White, the drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire also passed away at the age of 67 on January 1, 2023. No cause of death was given.

Read more Musicians who died in 2022

[01 Jan 2023] Fred White (American Hall of Fame drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire), 67 Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White has died, the band and White’s brother, Verdine, announced yesterday (January 1). No cause of death was given. Fred White was 67. … via pitchfork.com

[01 Jan 2023] Gangsta Boo (American rapper for Three 6 Mafia), 43 Memphis rapper and Three 6 Mafia member Gangsta Boo died on Sunday, January 1, 2023. Lola Mitchell, 43, otherwise known as “Gangsta Boo” was found dead at approximately 4 p.m. … via fox13memphis.com

[01 Jan 2023] Lázaro Valdés (Cuban son and jazz musician), 83 Havana, Jan 1 (Prensa Latina) The prominent Cuban musician Lázaro Valdés Espinosa died on Sunday at the age of 83, according to the Cuban Institute of Music (ICM, in Spanish). … via plenglish.com

[31 Dec 2022] Anita Pointer (American singer for The Pointer Sisters), 74, cancer Anita Pointer, one of the founding members of the Pointer Sisters, died Saturday, her family announced. She was 74. … via cbsnews.com

[31 Dec 2022] Pietro Spada (Italian pianist and musicologist), 87 The death has been communicated of Pietro Spada, a highly regarded performer of classical masters who fell off the posterity rankings. … via slippedisc.com

[31 Dec 2022] Jeremiah Green (American indie rock drummer for Modest Mouse), 45, cancer Modest Mouse co-founding member and drummer Jeremiah Green has died at the age of 45 following a brief battle with cancer. … via consequence.net

[29 Dec 2022] Eduard Artemyev (Russian composer), 85, pneumonia Artemiev wrote music for many Soviet and Russian films, including Tarkovsky's films Solaris and Stalker, as well as the films Burnt by the Sun, The Citadel, and others. He died amid complications due to pneumonia … via rbc.ru

[29 Dec 2022] Ian Tyson (Canadian singer for Ian & Sylvia), 89 The family of the late Canadian country legend Ian Tyson, CM AOE, has confirmed the singer-songwriter died from on-going health complications on December 29th, 2022 at his ranch in southern Alberta, Canada at age 89. … via lacombeonline.com

[28 Dec 2022] Scott Nash (Australian hard rock bassist for Asteroid B-612) Founding Asteroid B-612 bass player Scott Nash has passed away after a protracted illness. His partner Sarah posted the following on Facebook earlier today: With no fuss and a little bit of pain relief, the one-and-only Scotty Nash took his final bow last night. … via i94bar.com

[28 Dec 2022] Black Stalin (Trinidadian calypso musician), 81 Leroy Calliste aka the Black Stalin has died. The 81-year-old bard passed away this morning at his home in San Fernando. … via loopnews.com

[28 Dec 2022] Linda de Suza (Portuguese singer), 74, COVID-19 Teolinda Joaquina de Sousa Lança had been transferred to hospital on Wednesday "for respiratory failure" and was "positive for Covid-19". In her career, she has sold millions of records, mainly in France. … via lemonde.fr

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Jo Mersa and Randy Begg (Wednesday)

Read More Jo Mersa Special guests Jo Mersa, son of Stephen Marley, and Black Am I. The tour will be kicking off in celebration of what would have been Bob Marley’s 70th birthday year …

Joseph Marley, aka Jo Mersa Marley, son of musician Stephen Marley and the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley has passed away at the age of 31. Currently, no cause of death was given.

According to New York Post, “the Jamaican American reggae artist was allegedly found unresponsive in a vehicle, according to an initial tweet by journalist Abka Fitz-Henley on Tuesday.”

VP Records CEO Chris Chin adds, “We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Jo Mersa’s passing... our prayers are with his wife and daughter, and the Marley family at this difficult time.”

We did see Jo Mersa, who opened up for Damian and Stephen Marley in Sep 2015.

We also got an announcement that Randy Begg, founding drummer of the Canadian music group Wednesday (not to be confused with Wednesday 13 or the popular Wednesday television show), had passed away at the age of 71 on December 20th.

According to his biography, he was born in Oshawa, Ontario, and started his drumming career in the late 60s. By 1967, he met Paul Andrew Smith, and that set the road to becoming Wednesday. Their biggest hit was a cover of “Last Kiss”, taken from their debut album in 1974. They were then nominated for a Juno Award for Most Promising Group and Best-Selling Single of the Year, the following year.

Due to the confusing common name, they changed the spelling of their name to Wenzday in 1976 and scored their second biggest hit with a cover of Elton John’s “Loving You Baby”.

Paul Andrew Smith says, “Randy’s insatiable love for music and performing was only surpassed by his infectious friendship, which touched everyone he met. He was always giving, always there when needed. He loved people, and I will miss him greatly.”

Read more Musicians who died in 2022

[28 Dec 2022] Black Stalin (Trinidadian calypso musician), 81 Leroy Calliste aka the Black Stalin has died. The 81-year-old bard passed away this morning at his home in San Fernando. … via loopnews.com

[28 Dec 2022] Linda de Suza (Portuguese singer), 74, COVID-19 Teolinda Joaquina de Sousa Lança had been transferred to hospital on Wednesday "for respiratory failure" and was "positive for Covid-19". In her career, she has sold millions of records, mainly in France. … via lemonde.fr

[27 Dec 2022] Jo Mersa Marley (Jamaican-American musician), 31, asthma attack Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley, son of musician Stephen Marley and the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley, has died. He was 31. … via nypost.com

[27 Dec 2022] Harry Sheppard (American jazz vibraphonist), 94 Houston jazz legend Harry Sheppard, a vibraphone virtuoso who played with Billie Holiday and Benny Goodman, dies at 94. … via houstonchronicle.com

[26 Dec 2022] Alain Bernheim (French classical pianist), 91 We learn today, December 27, as we celebrate Saint John, the passage to the Eternal Orient of the Very Illustrious Brother Alain Bernheim (1931-2022), French pianist and eminent specialist in Freemasonry … via 450.fm

[26 Dec 2022] Lars Lönndahl (Swedish singer and actor), 94 Sweden's first teen idol, the singer Lars Lönndahl (Lasse Lönndahl) has died, DN reports … via nyheter24.se

[26 Dec 2022] Alexander Shevchenko (Russian singer, composer and producer for Alsou), 61 Today, the founder of the musical group Alsou "Architects" Yuri Davydov announced the death of a former member of the group Alexander Shevchenko. The singer died at the age of 62 … via monavista.ru

[24 Dec 2022] Mampintsha (South African kwaito musician for Big Nuz), 40, stroke Mampintsha of hit group Big Nuz has died. He was 40. According to reports, the South African musician died on Saturday after suffering a stroke last week. … via news24.com

[24 Dec 2022] Madosini (South African musician), 78 Mpahleni who is popularly known as Madosini passed on Friday at St Mary’s Hospital in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, after a long illness, a family statement said. … via sowetanlive.co.za

[23 Dec 2022] Maxi Jazz (English musician for Faithless), 65 Maxi Jazz was the lead vocalist in Faithless, a trance group best known for hits such as Insomnia and We Come 1. He also performed with the likes of Tiesto, Dido, Robbie Williams and Jamiroquai, and toured with his own group, Maxi Jazz and the E-Type Boys. … via sky.com

[23 Dec 2022] Massimo Savić (Croatian singer for Dorian Gray), 60, lung cancer The sad news was also confirmed by the record company Aquarius Records. Massimo died in the Vinogradska hospital, where he was treated for lung cancer. ... via total-croatia-news.com

[22 Dec 2022] Thom Bell (Jamaican-born American songwriter, arranger and record producer), 79 Philadelphia’s own Thom Bell has passed away. He was 79. ... via blackamericaweb.com

[22 Dec 2022] Big Scarr (American rapper), 22, drug overdose The death of Memphis rapper Big Scarr is not considered suspicious, police said Friday. According to the Memphis Police Department, Scarr, whose real name was Alexander Woods, died Thursday. He was 22. ... via fox13memphis.com

[21 Dec 2022] Harvey Jett ( American guitarist for Black Oak Arkansas), 73 Harvey Jett's passing on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 has been publicly announced by Harris Funeral Home Inc in Madisonville, KY. … via legacy.com

[21 Dec 2022] Bilqees Khanum (Pakistani classical singer), 82 Renowned singer Bilqees Khanum passed away in Karachi on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. Her funeral prayers will be held at Imam Bargah Khairul Amal on Thursday. ... via tribune.com.pk

[20 Dec 2022] Randy Begg (Canadian drummer for Wednesday), 71 We got an announcement that Randy Begg, founding drummer of the Canadian music group Wednesday (not to be confused with Wednesday 13 or the popular Wednesday television show), had passed away at the age of 71 … via weheartmusic.com

[20 Dec 2022] Iain Templeton (British drummer for The La's) The drummer of Liverpool’s Britpop collective Shack has passed away. ... via louderthanwar.com

[20 Dec 2022] Anton Khabibulin (Russian guitarist for Tantsy Minus), 44 The guitarist of the musical group "Dancing Minus" Anton Khabibulin has died. On December 20, the team announced this in social networks. ... via iz.ru

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Terry Hall (The Specials, Fun Boy Three, the Colourfield, more)

(photo- courtesy The Times)

Terry Hall with Fun Boy Three Read More The Specials UK 2 tone ska legends The Specials will be stopping by First Avenue this June 7th. The Specials, along with The Beat, Selecter, and Madness, have influenced a generation of ska bands. …

(Read more Musicians who died in 2022)

We’re gutted at the news just coming out that Terry Hall, lead singer of the influential UK ska-New Wave band The Specials, has passed away at the age of 63.

Word was posted on the band’s social media accounts, only alluding to “a brief illness” which took the singer’s life. We had just seen the band in the summer of 2019 headlining First Avenue in Minneapolis, noting “The new songs, such as “Vote for Me” and “10 Commandments”, sounded like classic Specials songs and went over well with the audience. The completely packed dance floor had the crowd jamming to hits like “A Message to You, Rudy” and “Too Much Too Young”.

In addition to his work with The Specials, Hall released two solo albums and was a part of bands Fun Boy Three, the Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas, and others.  Hall was born in Coventry, England in March 1959, eventually joining punk bands in his teens as the area’s music scene grew in stature.

Hall would go on to front The Coventry Automatics in 1977 which would soon evolve into The Specials, coming to more widespread prominence in 1979 when revered DJ John Peel began playing their single, “Gangsters”. One of the band’s biggest hits, “Ghost Town” topped the UK charts for three weeks in June 1981.

Leaving the band soon after, Hall helped form Fun Boy Three, who had success in the 80’s collaborating with Bananarama and Madness, and whose co-written version of “Our Lips Are Sealed” would become a massive radio hit two years after The Go-Go’s version, even besting their performance on the UK charts.

In the Fall of 2008. The Specials made their live return to the stage as the surprise guest at UK’s Bestival and after some forty years, released the album Encore in 2019, which would become their highest-charting success, going on to release their ninth album in 2021, Protest Songs 1924-2012.

The band’s statement reads in part, “our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced,” saying Hall’s music and performances “encapsulated the very essence of life…the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly love. Love, love, love.”

 

John C (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Angelo Badalamenti (film composer- Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, more)

Twin Peaks soundtrack / Booth and The Bad Angel  Read More Twin Peaks So a little information about Julee Cruise's involvement with Twin Peaks: she was working for Angelo Badalamenti as a talent scout in the mid 80s. Badalamenti was already working with David Lynch on his film Blue Velvet …

(Read more Musicians who died in 2022)

The gifted composer Angelo Badalamenti, best known for Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and other works by director David Lynch, has passed away at the age of 85.

He died on Sunday at his home in Lincoln Park, N.J., his niece Frances confirmed today, though further details and a cause of death, were not revealed.

Angelo Daniel Badalamenti was born on March 22, 1937, in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, the second of four children of John, a fish market owner, and Leonora Badalamenti, a seamstress. Starting piano lessons at age eight, he soon quit, preferring instead to play stickball outdoors with his friends, but took it up again at his brother’s insistence and came to appreciate it more when girls would admire his playing. He would attend the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., later earning a master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music in 1960.

As a mark of early success, Nina Simone recorded some of his first songs, including 1965’s “I Hold No Grudge,” and Nancy Wilson sang 1968’s “Face It, Girl, It’s Over”, and he would move to film work beginning with 1973’s “Gordon’s War”.

Badalamenti would be called in by David Lynch as a vocal coach for actress Isabella Rossellini on the set of “Blue Velvet” and the rest would be history.

His best-known work was the “Twin Peaks” theme, which won the 1990 Grammy for best instrumental pop performance and remains one of the best-known television themes. He and Lynch would prove a magical combination, working on films “Wild at Heart” (1990), “Lost Highway” (1997), “The Straight Story” (1999), and “Mulholland Drive” (2001). Five iterations of “Twin Peaks” would be in total, including film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” (1992) and an 18-episode TV sequel (2017).

Not just content with his David Lynch soundtracks, Badalamenti also wrote for a wide variety of movies, among them “Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” (1987), “The Comfort of Strangers” (1990), “Naked in New York” (1993), “The City of Lost Children” (1995), “A Very Long Engagement” (2004), “The Wicker Man” (2006) and “Stalingrad” (2013) among many others.

One of our favorite Badalamenti projects is Booth and The Bad Angel – an alternative pop project with singer Tim Booth from UK band James, and whose first album appeared in 1996.  His death comes mere months after associated singer Julee Cruise.  

He is survived by his wife, Lonny with whom he had two children- his daughter, Danielle (son, André died in 2012) and four grandchildren.

Twin Peaks 2022 deaths:

[11 Dec 2022] Angelo Badalamenti (American film and television composer for Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet), 85 Angelo Badalamenti, the acclaimed David Lynch composer who went from teaching in junior high school in Brooklyn to creating haunting, ethereal music for the filmmaker’s Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, has died. He was 85.  ... via hollywoodreporter.com

[02 Dec 2022] Al Strobel (American actor for Twin Peaks), 83 Al Strobel, who played Phillip Michael Gerard (aka Mike) (the One Arm Man) in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s “Twin Peaks”, passed away on Friday at the age of 83. ... via darkhorizons.com

[05 Jul 2022] Lenny Von Dohlen (American actor for Twin Peaks), 63 Lenny Von Dohlen, who played Harold Smith on the hit series “Twin Peaks,” died on Tuesday, his agent confirmed to Variety. He was 63. ... via variety.com

[09 Jun 2022] Julee Cruise (American singer, musician and actress), 65, suicide Julee Cruise, the singer-songwriter best known for collaborations with David (Twin Peaks) Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, and The B-52’s has passed away at the age of 65. ... via weheartmusic.com

[05 May 2022] Kenneth Welsh (Canadian actor for Twin Peaks), 80, cancer Prolific Canadian actor Kenneth Welsh has died after a decades-long career on stage, television and the big screen. He was 80. ... via cbc.ca

[11 Apr 2022] Gary Bullock (American actor for Twin Peaks), 80 Bullock died on April 11, 2022, at the age of 80 ... via wikipedia.org

John C (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac vocalist / keyboardist)

Fleetwood Mac- classic lineup Read More Fleetwood Mac Also, the funniest thing is that witch Misty Day is a massive Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac fan, because, according to Day, Stevie Nicks is a White Witch.

(Read more Musicians who died in 2022)

Longtime Fleetwood Mac vocalist and keyboard player Christine McVie has just passed away at the age of 79. Her family shared the news earlier via a statement, noting she passed away at a hospital "following a short illness”.

Following the news, McVie’s bandmates shared a joint statement to their official Twitter page. “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her.”

Christine Anne McVie was born in Lancashire England in 1943, marrying band co-founder John McVie in 1968 then joining Fleetwood Mac as a member in 1970, also going on to release three solo albums and a recent collaboration with bandmate Lindsey Buckingham.

Eight of her songs, including "Don't Stop", "Everywhere" and "Little Lies", appeared on Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits (1988) album.

McVie would leave the band in 1998 (related to increasing fear of flying) but rejoined again officially in early 2014. In 1999, Fleetwood Mac and McVie were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

Fleetwood Mac have sold more than 120 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's all-time best-selling bands. In 1979, the group was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2018, the entire band received the MusiCares Person of the Year award from The Recording Academy in recognition of their artistic achievement in the music industry and dedication to philanthropy.

John (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Jason David Frank (Power Rangers)

Read More Jason David Frank The Rotunda at the Mall of America hosted a pre-event kickoff celebration, with appearances from Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk”), Jason David Frank (“Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers”) …

2022 is shaping up to a very bad year for comic book / pop culture creators. We’ve had really giants in the music industry died, such as Neal Adams and George Perez earlier in 2022… and recently voice actor Kevin Conroy, who voice Batman: the Animated Series, it’s just a bad year for creators in the comic book industry.

While none of these artists are musicians, their works inspired a generation of musicians and singers.

Today, we learned through TMZ, that Jason David Frank, the actor who plays the Green Ranger on the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers had died at the age of 49 to suicide.

Really tragic stuff.

We’ve personally seen Jason David Frank a few times throught the years, the first time at the Mall of America in May 2014 and wrote, “Frank was asked if there was a stunt too dangerous, that he wouldn’t consider doing it himself, answering that he liked to do as many stunts as possible and biggest qualm with a stunt double filming a scene was that he didn’t simply walk, with the same confident posture Frank himself did.”

Jason David Frank (Aug 2017)

When saw him at Minnesota Fan Fusion in August 2017, we there were tight securities around JDF: “Unfortunately, at Square Egg’s Phoenix Comicon held over the Memorial Day weekend, there was a security scare, potentially targeted at guest Jason David Frank (Green Power Ranger) where a person brought in live weapons but the perpetrator was caught before any harm was done. As a result, security measures at Square Egg’s next event, (MN Fan Fest) were understandably on high alert, with Frank being a premier guest here as well.”

Read more Comic Book Creators Who Died in 2022.

Recent deaths:

[21 Nov 2022] Jason David Frank (American actor for Power Rangers), 49, suicide 'Power Rangers' Jason David Frank dead by suicide at 49. Jason David Frank -- one of the original "Power Rangers" -- has died ... TMZ has learned. ... via tmz.com

[21 Nov 2022] Kiyoyuki Yanada (Japanese voice actor for Ronin Warriors), 57 Japanese seiyuu Liang Tianqing died, who dubbed "Detective Conan" Well-known Japanese voice actor and voice actor for the role of "Carmel" in the "Detective Conan" animation, Liang Tian Qingzhi, died at the age of 57. A friend of the dubbing actor, Mitsuaki Shinden, sent a message of condolences. ... via sina.com.cn

[19 Nov 2022] Greg Bear (American science fiction writer for Star Wars), 71, stroke Greg Bear, the author that brought us the Halo Forerunner Saga of books, has passed away at the age of 71. The news was confirmed by his family late last night, who revealed that he suffered a stroke earlier this month. ... via thegamer.com

[17 Nov 2022] Marcus Sedgwick (British novelist for Dark Satanic Mills), 54 Award-winning writer and illustrator of both adult and children’s fiction, non-fiction and academic essays Marcus Sedgwick has died aged 54. ... via thebookseller.com

[12 Nov 2022] Pierre Fournier (Canadian cartoonist, co-creator of Capitaine Kébec), 72 One of the important figures of Quebec comics has passed away. Pierre Fournier, father of the character Captain Kébec and one of the key artisans of Croc magazine, died peacefully at the age of 72, Les éditions de La Pastèque announced on Saturday. ... via thebookseller.com

[10 Nov 2022] Kevin Conroy (American actor for Batman: The Animated Series), 66, intestinal cancer Kevin Conroy, the iconic voice of Batman, died Thursday shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, according to his representatives. He was 66. ... via nbcnews.com

[09 Nov 2022] Carlos Pacheco (Spanish comics artist for Avengers Forever), 60, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Carlos Pacheco, the most famous Spanish cartoonist of superhero comics, dies at 60 The cartoonist, world legend thanks to his illustrations of the X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Thor, Spiderman, Batman, The Avengers or Superman, suffered from ALS ... via elpais.com

[07 Nov 2022] Philippe Corentin (French author and illustrator), 86 A self-taught illustrator, Philippe Corentin had shaken up the conventions of children's books. He passed away on November 7 at the age of 86. ... via lemonde.fr

[03 Nov 2022] Danny Bulanadi (Filipino-American comic book artist and inker for Captain America), 76, heart failure Danny Bulanadi, longtime Marvel comic book inker who had years-long runs on both Captain America and Fantastic Four (part of his long association with penciler Paul Ryan), has passed away at the age of 76. ... via dailycartoonist.com

[03 Nov 2022] Kevin O'Neill (British comic book illustrator for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), 69, cancer Kevin O'Neill, the artist best known for his work on writer Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, has passed away, according to a report from Gosh Comics, a London comics retailer and blog ... via comicbook.com

[01 Nov 2022] George Booth (American comic artist for Spot), 96 George Booth was an American cartoonist and a longtime contributor (1969-2022) to The New Yorker magazine. His cartoons are often set in messy households, with all kinds of objects, junk, cats and dogs in every corner. His trademark English bull terrier character became a mascot for The New Yorker ... via lambiek.net

Jason David Frank, Neal Adams, Lou Ferrigno, Carly Aplin and Michael Rooker at Mall of America (01 May 2014) photo courtesy of John

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Jeff Cook (Alabama)

Read More Alabama High Cotton: A Tribute to Alabama is the compilation and celebration of the the 40th anniversary of Country Music supergroup Alabama. It is coming out September 17th on Lightning Rod Records. ....

Jeff Cook, the co-founding member of Alabama, has passed away at the age of 73.

Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, issued this statement:

Jeff Cook spent a lifetime in music, earning a license as a broadcast engineer before he was old enough to drive a car and working as an on-air radio personality while still in high school. He went on to fame, of course, with cousins Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen as a member of multi-platinum band Alabama, moving from barroom stages to sold-out arenas. Everything he did was rooted in his deep love of music, a love he shared with millions.

Alabama had amassed more than 41 No. 1 singles and 12 top 10 albums and is credited with selling more than 75 million records worldwide.

Arrangements for Cook’s celebration of life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to The Jeff And Lisa Cook Foundation (P.O. Box 680067, Fort Payne, AL 35968) or at the foundation website, thejeffandlisacookfoundation.org.

Recent deaths:

[08 Nov 2022] Dan McCafferty (Scottish songwriter and singer for Nazareth), 76 Dan McCafferty, founding lead singer for the Scottish hard rock band Nazareth, has died. In a message on Facebook, Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew announced McCafferty’s death. “Dan died at 12:40 today,” Agnew wrote ... via stereogum.com

[08 Nov 2022] Will Ferdy (Belgian singer), 95 Flemish singer Will Ferdy (95) has passed away. He was known for songs such as "Christine", "See thou me ge" and "The writer". In 1970 he was the first well-known Fleming to come out, which made him an LGBTQIA+ pioneer. ... via vrt.be

[07 Nov 2022] Jeff Cook (American musician for Alabama), 73 Jeff Cook, a co-founding member of the trendsetting Country Music Hall of Fame band Alabama, died Monday at age 73. ... via .tennessean.com

[07 Nov 2022] Sergei Kuznetsov (Russian composer, songwriter and keyboardist for Laskovyi Mai), 58 The composer and creator of the group Laskovyi Mai, Sergey Kuznetsov died on November 7 in Orenburg. According to the Orenburg branch of KP, he struggled with a serious illness and cared for a seriously ill mother. The musician was 58 years old. ... via gazeta.ru

[06 Nov 2022] Ali Birra (Ethiopian singer), 72 Who is Artist Ali Birra, how did he get here and what did he leave behind? ... via bbc.com

[06 Nov 2022] Hurricane G (American rapper for Hit Squad), 52 Brooklyn rapper Gloria “Hurricane G” Rodriguez has died at age 52. The passing of the Puerto Rican MC best known for her 1997 No. 10 hot rap singles hit “Somebody Else” as well as binlingual songs including “Underground Lockdown” and “El Barrio,” was confirmed by EPMD’s Erick Sermon, who had a daughter with Rodriguez. ... via billboard.com

[06 Nov 2022] Don Lewis (American vocalist, electronic multi-instrumentalist, and electronic engineer), 81 Synthesizer pioneer Don Lewis has died at the age of 81, it’s been confirmed. Lewis rose to prominence in the ‘70s when he created LEO, his Live Electronic Orchestra. ... via musicradar.com

[05 Nov 2022] YOSHI (た佐々木嘉純さん) (Japanese singer and actor), 19, traffic collision Kasumi Sasaki (19), who was active as a singer and actor YOSHI, who was driving a large motorcycle in this accident, was transported to the hospital, but was confirmed dead at 2:17 am on the 5th. ... via nikkansports.com

[05 Nov 2022] Daniele Barioni (Italian operatic tenor), 92 Daniele Barioni, the great tenor died. The opera singer famous also in the United States has made several appearances in Europe but also in South America in his career. Great condolences from Fabrizio Pagnoni. "Heartbroken by this loss" ... via ilrestodelcarlino.it

[05 Nov 2022] Mimi Parker (American singer and drummer for Low), 54, ovarian cancer Low’s Mimi Parker has died. “Friends, it’s hard to put the universe into language and into a short message, but…” Alan Sparhawk, Parker’s husband and the group’s other half, announced on social media ... via stereogum.com

[05 Nov 2022] Carmelo La Bionda (Italian songwriter and musician for La Bionda), 73, cancer Carmelo La Bionda died this morning in his home in San Donato, Milan, who with his brother Michelangelo formed the musical duo 'La Bionda', also known by the artistic name D. D. Sound and considered one of the inventors of Italian disco music. ... via ansa.it

[05 Nov 2022] Aaron Carter (American singer), 34, drowned Aaron Carter has died ... TMZ has learned. The singer-turned-rapper and actor was found dead Saturday at his house in Lancaster, CA ... multiple sources tell us Aaron's body was found in his bathtub. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they received a 911 call at 11 AM ... via tmz.com

[04 Nov 2022] Nicole Josy (Belgian singer for Eurovision Song Contest 1973), 76, fall Singer Nicole Josy has passed away, best known to the general public as Nicole by Nicole & Hugo. She had previously battled cancer and suffered from Alzheimer's disease. She passed away unexpectedly last night after falling down the stairs in her home ... via vrt.be

[03 Nov 2022] Noel McKoy (British soul singer), 62 UK soul singer, NOEL MCKOY died on Thursday 3rd. November. The shock news (Noel was just 62) was announced by his friend the singer, Omar. No further details are forthcoming. ... via soulandjazzandfunk.com

[02 Nov 2022] Atilio Stampone (Argentine pianist, composer and arranger), 96 Atilio Stampone, emblem and benchmark of tango, died At the age of 96, one of the most influential Argentine musicians passed away today. He was the creator of great works of tango and composer of the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning film, The Official Story ... via argentina.gob

[01 Nov 2022] Takeoff (American songwriter and rapper for Migos), 28, shot Rapper Takeoff, best known as one-third of the hip-hop group Migos, was shot and killed Tuesday morning, a rep confirmed. The Grammy-nominated hitmaker, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, died in a shooting after a fight broke out over a dice game at a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston, TMZ reported. He was 28. ... via news.com

[01 Nov 2022] Tsuneo Fukuhara (Japanese composer and music producer), 89 Mr. Tsuneo Fukuhara, a composer representing Okinawa after the war, who created many famous songs such as "Bashofu" and "Furusato no Ame" and became popular both inside and outside the prefecture as "Fukuhara Melody", is on the 1st. , passed away. ... via argentina.gob

[01 Nov 2022] Joseph Tarsia (American recording engineer and studio owner for Sigma Sound Studios), 88 He was often called the man who “was the Sound of Philadelphia,” for his key role in establishing the lush, soulful sound of the 1970s and 80s that came to be associated with the City of Brotherly Love. Today we mourn the passing of legendary recording engineer, Joe Tarsia. ... via soultracks.com

Read more Musicians who died in 2022.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com