tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50406130816847114392024-03-13T13:02:53.827-07:00Raizor's Edge IIMusic, Television, Etc.: Articles, Reviews, Interviews, News, and Opinion.Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-54236178816647058882014-02-25T21:50:00.001-08:002014-02-25T21:50:23.536-08:00Son of Beech! Sheet!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Obituary/Tribute</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February has been incredibly unkind to actors. Thus far the shortest month has hit the acting world with four major deaths. Maximilian Schell, the Oscar-winning actor from <i>Judgment At Nuremberg</i>, died of pneumonia at age 83 on February 1. Philip Seymour Hoffman, another Oscar-winner (<i>Capote</i>), died of a suspected heroin overdose at the age of 46 on February 2. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shirley Temple Black, the world's most famous child actor, died February 10th of natural causes at age 85. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday (2/25) Harold Ramis died. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The others may have made more of a dramatic impression, but Harold Ramis was a movie maker of my generation, so I feel his loss more. And he made me laugh. Oh, did he make me laugh. From his work on <i>National Lampoon</i> albums (the riotous "Prison Farm" on <i>Gold Turkey</i>) to his directing, writing and acting in some of the classic comedies of the 1980's and 90's, Ramis was, as much as any person in Hollywood, the man holding the feather that tickled millions of funny bones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ramis was one of the co-writers of the landmark comedy <i>Animal House</i>. He starred in <i>Stripes</i> alongside longtime friend Bill Murray (a frequent star in films Ramis worked on as writer and/or director), the film about two buddies who join the Army together. Ramis' </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Russell Ziskey</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> has his trials as an English instructor to immigrants (one of the best lines in the entire movie occurs while the credits are still rolling: when Russell asks if any of his students know even a little English, one man raises his hand and offers his knowledge of English: "Son of bitch (pronounced <i>beech</i>)! Shit (<i>sheet</i>)!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From <i>Ghostbusters</i> to <i>Groundhog Day</i> to <i>Analyze This</i>, Ramis was busy working in front of the camera and behind it as director and writer. His goal was to make people laugh, and he accomplished it admirably.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harold Ramis died of a autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disorder that enlarges the veins in the body, which he had suffered from for four years. He was 69.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-80118399403726868032014-02-05T22:03:00.000-08:002014-02-12T19:56:33.969-08:00The Classes of 1986 and 2013<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Observation</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Friday (1/31) I went to Nashville for the second Friday in a row to see Webb Wilder. He was doing an "unplugged" show with his longtime Beatnecks bassist Tom Comet at Puckett's. After the show I mentioned to Tom about how remarkable "the class of 1986" was when it came to music.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There have rarely been years like 1986. First, the established artists were churning out great album after great album. Elvis Costello headed the year with <b>two</b> albums that rank among his all-time best, <i>King of America</i> and <i>Blood and Chocolate</i>. (Either one would have sufficed as a masterpiece for the year.) Richard Thompson released <i>Daring Adventures</i>. R.E.M.'s <i>Lifes Rich Pageant</i> solidified their standing as one of the best bands in the U.S. Talking Heads put out <i>True Stories</i> and scored their final top 40 hit with "Wild Wild Life." And, Peter Gabriel finally broke through to superstar status with <i>So</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On top of that, the newcomers in 1986 were remarkable. The best debut of the year was the BoDeans' <i>Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams</i>, followed closely by the eponymous first album by They Might Be Giants. The Smithereens made their national, major-label debut (after a few local-label releases) with <i>Especially For You</i>. Two neo-traditionalists highlighted country music's year: Dwight Yoakam with <i>Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc.</i> and Randy Travis with <i>Storms of Life</i>. And, of course, Webb Wilder's first album, <i>It Came From Nashville</i>, which is what spawned the subject to begin with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Comet and I discussed the reason for <i style="font-weight: bold;">why</i> the mid-80's were so prolifically ripe with incredible music. (Even the <i>commercial</i> music wasn't all bad then.) We didn't come up with a plausible explanation before we said our farewells, but that chat has left me thinking about it, especially in light of 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much like 1986, the year in music from 2013 was head-spinning with the quality and quantity of good music. (Unlike 1986, though, I cannot make the claim that there was valid commercial music -- well, not with a straight face, anyway.) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quick look at 2013: Jason Isbell's remarkable </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Southeastern</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, chronicling his liberation from alcoholism and other topics like cancer (you won't get through "Elephant" in the first listening) and staying at bad hotels ("Super 8," which is as funny as "Elephant" is dark), was far and away the album of the year. It topped nearly every critical list, and those that did not have it at #1 had it in the top three. Following that was Robbie Fulks' comeback-to-end-all-comeback albums, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gone Away Backward</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, where he returned to his bluegrass roots and showed that he is still the best songwriter in the world of alt-country, bar none. Guy Clark, the poet laureate of Texas, put out </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Favorite Picture of You</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, with a cover and a title song about his late wife, Susanna (who wrote "Easy From Now On" with Carlene Carter </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> painted the picture on the cover of Willie Nelson's </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stardust</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> album) that will tear at your heart. Old friends Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris teamed up for their first "official" album together (Crowell was a member of Harris' "Hot Band" in the mid-70's), </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Old Yellow Moon</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The Wood Brothers released </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Muse</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Barbara Nesbitt self-released </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost Home</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Holly Willams (whom I saw opening for Isbell in January), the granddaughter of Hank Williams, released </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Highway</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, the exceptional </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheater's Game</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> by Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison, Richard Thompson's </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Electric</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ash and Clay</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> by the Milk Carton Kids, an eponymous release from Pokey LaFarge, and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stories Don't End</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> from Dawes. And that's just the ones I got around to!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Going back to the question that Tom Comet and I left unanswered, what was it about the mid-80's -- and 2013 -- that brought out the best in artists? There's no way of knowing for certain, but I do have a theory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the mid-80's, when you had acts like R.E.M., Marshall Crenshaw, Warren Zevon the Violent Femmes (the only act in history to have a platinum album without it ever making the <i>Billboard</i> "top 200" album chart), and Richard Thompson having well-known <i>names</i> even if their <i>music</i> wasn't top 40 material, there were outlets. Major labels would sign non-commercial acts (the Femmes, Los Lobos, and the BoDeans were on a Warner Brothers subsidiary label -- Slash -- that was just for so-called "underground" music). There were hundreds of FM stations on university campuses that eschewed the big name acts of the day like Bon Jovi and Prince in favor of acts like the Replacements (hence the term, "college rock"). And, maybe more importantly, MTV was in an era where it wasn't universally accepted (I didn't have MTV on my cable system until 1985) and it was focused more on music than whatever it is they do now (I think maybe they should call it EBMTV = Everything <b>But</b> Music Television). They had shows such as <i>120 Minutes</i> that focused solely on the college rock world. Therefore, anyone who wanted to run away from Phil Collins' R&B cover <i>du jour</i> had lots of alternatives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since there were outlets (and not all "commercial" FM stations had yet signed on to "play the same 302 songs by the same 47 acts" mentality referred to as the "superstars" format), there was no reason for an artist to not let his/her creative juices flow without fear of relegation to the cutout bin. No, the Replacements weren't outselling <i>Thriller</i>, but the labels understood that the Replacements weren't <b>supposed</b> to outsell <i>Thriller</i>. By the start of the 90's, however, rock and roll was overrun by the hairbands (bands that looked alike, sounded alike, dressed alike, and even had logos that looked alike) and country's neo-traditional movement was fading into an achy-breaky memory. And, as record labels tend to do at least once every decade, there was a housecleaning -- and out went the "college rock" gang.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast forward to today. Like the 80's there are countless outlets for music. Let MTV play ridiculous "reality" shows that have as much to do with music as wallpaper, because artists have You Tube, MySpace, and their own web sites to issue videos. The local FM station is a satellite feed with "Stairway to Heaven" played every hour on the hour, but that doesn't matter because there are hundreds, if not <i>thousands</i>, of radio stations on the Internet. Independent labels flourish in today's market because they can easily reach their niche without having all of the issues that "major labels" did reaching their "college rock" audiences in the 80's. Artists can self-release their own material (all three of Barbara Nesbitt's albums have been self-published; Robbie Fulks put fifty songs for sale as an album [<i>50 Vc. Doberman</i>] on his web site). The world is wide open once again for artists to make the music they want to make on <i>their</i> terms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing that these acts have today that was lacking thirty years ago, however, is an organization to help: the Americana Music Association. You can ask ten people what constitutes "Americana" music and you're going to get eleven different answers. I tend to jokingly refer to "Americana" as "rock, blues, bluegrass and country that's too good for commercial radio." Regardless of <i>what</i> the actual definition is (when I attended the Americana Music Association conference in 2007 they didn't seem to know, either: after every act performing at the awards show, from Joe Ely to Ricky Skaggs to Darrell Scott, host Jim Lauderdale would point to the singer and say, "Now <i>that's</i> Americana!"), the organization is there to help fledgling acts who want to, in the words of a Jimmy Buffett song, make their music for themselves instead of making music for money.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's to the class of 1986, one of the greatest years of music.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's to 2013, proving that the best is still to come with Americana.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-79962453347127534462014-02-01T22:28:00.001-08:002014-02-01T22:28:39.431-08:00Band Helps Devastated Family<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Band Perry, a modern country-pop trio of siblings, has stepped in to assist a family devastated by tragedy earlier in the week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On January 30 a fire destroyed the home of the Watson family in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Nine of the eleven family members -- including eight children -- were killed in the fire. The two survivors, the father and one child, are in critical but stable condition at the burn center at Nashville's Vanderbilt Hospital.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The family had no insurance of any type, leaving a huge bill for nine funerals. The Band Perry, however, heard about this tragedy and stepped in to help. The trio has paid the funeral expenses for all nine victims. Additionally, the group is providing two weeks' worth of hotel expenses for relatives to be near the survivors in Nashville.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So many singers like to sing about telling people to change the world. It's nice to see one of those acts actually CHANGE the world instead of just singing about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wlky.com/news/local-news/kentucky-news/community-gathers-for-vigil-for-muhlenberg-county-fire-victims/-/9718420/24233558/-/12v50ovz/-/index.html" target="_blank">The Band Perry Pays Funeral Expenses</a></span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-27748870508576007552013-12-31T18:15:00.002-08:002013-12-31T21:18:17.709-08:00The Musical Final Bows for 2013<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Tribute</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some of the musicians and music-related individuals who performed their final songs in 2013:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JANUARY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Patti Page</b> (January 1, long illness, age 85): "the singing rage" with a marvelous voice that was equally welcome in pop and country, where her rendition of "Tennessee Waltz" became the best-known version of all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sammy Johns</b> (January 4, unknown cause, age 66): singer of the 70's hit "Chevy Van" and songwriter of country hits such as "Common Man" by John Conlee and "Desperado Love" by Conway Twitty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tandyn Almer</b> (January 8, respiratory & cardiac illnesses, age 70): songwriter who worked with the Beach Boys and is best known for writing the Association's hit "Along Comes Mary."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank Page</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (January 8, pneumonia, age 87): Disc Jockey Hall of Fame announcer who worked on Shreveport's Louisiana Hayride program and had the distinction of being the first announcer to introduce an audience to Elvis Presley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rex Trailer</b> (January 9, pneumonia, age 84): a country music performer from the 50s who worked with an early incarnation of Bill Haley & His Comets, Trailer later went on to success as the host of a regional children's show, <i>Rex Trailer's Boomtown</i>.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Claude Nobs</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (January 10, injuries from a cross-country skiing accident, age 76): "Funky Claude" in Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" was the founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jimmy O'Neill</b> (January 11, heart problems & diabetes, age 72): host of the 1960s ABC music program <i>Shindig</i>.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Wilkinson</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (January 11, cancer, age 67): guitar player in the TCB band, Elvis' touring outfit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Precious Bryant</b> (January 12, heart failure/complications of diabetes, age 71): blues guitarist who had her own style and legions of fans (including Bonnie Raitt) who tried in vain to mimic her playing.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John R. Powers </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(January 16, heart attack, age 67): author of the hilarious book </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, which became a Broadway musical.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Claude Black</b> (January 17, cancer, age 80): Toledo-based jazz pianist who worked with numerous legendary acts including Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, and even Aretha Fraklin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tony Douglas</b> (January 22, lymphoma, age 82): country singer best known for his 1963 hit "His and Hers."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(January 26, cancer, age 70): lead singer of the 70s funk band the Ohio Players, known for their provocative album covers and their #1 hit "Love Rollercoaster."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Patty Andrews </b>(January 30, natural causes, age 94): the last surviving Andrews Sister, who delighted audiences beginning in the late 1930s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>FEBRUARY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cecil Womack</b> (February 1, unknown cause, age 65): a one-time member of the Valentinos, the originators of "It's All Over Now," his career included working with one-time wife Mary Wells and Sam Cooke and writing the hit "Love TKO."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Donald Byrd</b> (February 4, unknown causes, age 80): legendary be-bop and jazz trumpet player.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reg Presley</b> (February 4, cancer, age 71): lead singer of the Troggs and writer of their hit "Love Is All Around."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rick Huxley</b> (February 11, emphysema, age 72): bassist for the Dave Clark Five.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mark Kamins</b> (February 14, heart attack, age 57): disc jockey and producer who is credited with discovering Madonna.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Shadow Morton</b> (February 14, cancer, age 71): writer and producer of "Leader of the Pack" and "Remember (Walking in the Sand)," hits for the Shangri-Las.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tony Sheridan</b> (February 16, complications from heart surgery, age 72): an early collaborator with the Beatles.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mindy McCready</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (February 17, suicide [gunshot], age 37): troubled modern country singer who took her own life a month after her boyfriend David Wilson killed himself.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kevin Ayers</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (February 18, unknown causes, age 68): founder of the British psychedelic band the Soft Machine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Damon Harris</b> (February 18, prostate cancer, age 62): member of the legendary R&B band the Temptations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Magic Slim</b> (February 21, bleeding ulcers and other health issues, age 75): legendary blues guitar player.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cleotha Staples</b> (February 21, Alzheimer's disease, age 78): member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gospel group the Staples Singers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sonny Russo</b> (February 23, unknown causes, age 83): jazz trombonist who played with Sinatra and a host of other jazz and pop legends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Virgil Johnson</b> (February 24, unknown causes, age 77): member of the doo-wop band the Velvets, who had the 1961 hit "Tonight (Could Be the Night)."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dirk Fischer</b> (February 25, colon cancer, age 88): jazz trumpet and trombone player.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dan Toler</b> (February 25, Lou Gehrig's Disease, age 64): guitarist who worked with the Allman Brothers Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, and the Renegades of Southern Rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Van Cliburn</b> (February 27, bone cancer, age 78): a Texan who conquered the Soviet Union during the Cold War with his magnificent classical playing, Cliburn is the only solo musician in history to receive a ticker tape parade in New York City.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chuck Goff</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (February 27, car wreck, age 54): bassist and bandleader for singer Toby Keith.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Richard Street</b> (February 27, pulmonary embolism, age 70): a member of the Temptations, one of two members of the legendary R&B vocal group to die in February 2013 (the other was Damon Harris).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MARCH:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jewel Aken</b> (March 1, complications of back surgery, age 72): singer best known for his 1965 hit "The Birds and the Bees."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bobby Rogers</b> (March 3, long illness, age 73): co-founder of the legendary R&B band Smoky Robinson & the Miracles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fran Warren</b> (March 4, natural causes, age 87): the vocalist behind the 1947 hit "Sunday Kind of Love" died on her 87th birthday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Stompin' Tom Connors</b> (March 6, renal failure, age 77): well-known Canadian folk singer who contributed "The Hockey Song" to the NHL lexicon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Alvin Lee</b> (March 6, post-operative complications, age 67): guitarist for the band Ten Years After, who had the hit "I'd Love to Change the World."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kenny Ball</b> (March 7, pneumonia, age 82): jazz trumpet player who had a top 3 pop hit, "Midnight in Moscow," in 1962.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Claude King</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (March 7, natural causes, age 90): country singer who found major crossover success with the song "Wolverton Mountain."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Peter Banks</b> (March 7, heart failure, age 65): the original guitarist for the band Yes.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sammy Masters</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (March 8, natural causes, age 82): Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee who had his songs recorded by the likes of Patsy Cline, Bobby Darin and Willie Nelson.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clive Burr</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (March 12, multiple sclerosis, age 56): drummer for the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jack Greene</b> (March 14, Alzheimer's disease, age 83): country singer who won the first CMA "song of the year" award in 1967 with his song "Statue of a Fool."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sidney "Hardrock" Gunter</b> (March 15, pneumonia, age 88): early rockabilly singer who wrote the Red Foley smash hit "Birmingham Bounce."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jason Molina</b> (March 16, alcoholism-related organ failure, age 39): indie rock singer-songwriter who recorded under his own name and the names Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bobby Smith</b> (March 16, complications of flu and pneumonia, age 76): lead singer of the legendary R&B group the Spinners.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George Barrow</b> (March 19, natural causes, age 91): jazz saxophonist who played in the Charlie Mingus Quintet and as a Broadway musician in <i>Ain't Misbehavin'</i> and <i>42nd Street</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eddie Bond</b> (March 20, Alzheimer's disease, age 79): rockabilly musician who rejected 18-year-old Elvis Presley when Presley auditioned for his band in 1955.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Deke Richards</b> (March 24, esophageal cancer, age 68): Motown songwriter who penned the Jackson Five hits "Mama's Pearl," "I Want You Back" and "A-B-C."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Margie Alexander</b> (March 26, unknown cause, age 64): back-up singer for Clarence Carter who went into gospel music, with her "Keep On Searching" making the <i>Billboard</i> charts in the 70's.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Roosevelt Jamison</b> (March 27, unknown cause, age 76): Memphis-based songwriter best-known for writing the Otis Redding's hit "That's How Strong My Love Is."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gordon Stoker</b> (March 27, long illness, age 88): the tenor singer of the Jordanaires, the vocal group that backed Elvis and just about everyone else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul S. Williams</b> (March 27, complications from traumatic brain injury suffered in a 1995 bicycle accident, age 64): founder of the rock magazine <i>Crawdaddy</i> and author of a three-volume set <i>Bob Dylan, Performing Artist</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hugh McCracken</b> (March 28, leukemia, age 70): guitarist who spent time in the first incarnation of Paul McCartney's band Wings, then worked as a prolific session man.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Robert Zildjian</b> (March 28, cancer, age 89): the man who gave the world the famous Sabian drum cymbals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Phil Ramone</b> (March 30, aortic aneurysm, age 79): the man who produced some of the biggest-selling rock albums of the 1970's and 80's, including <i>The Stranger </i>and <i>The Nylon Curtain</i> by Billy Joel and <i>Valotte</i> by Julian Lennon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>APRIL:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don Shirley</b> (April 6, heart disease, age 86): American jazz and classical pianist who made the pop top 40 with "Water Boy."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don Blackman</b> (April 11, cancer, age 59): pianist with Parliament/Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Tweenynine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sue Draheim </b>(April 11, cancer, age 63): fiddler who played with the likes of Richard Thompson and was a member of the all-female Any Old Time String Band.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chi Cheng</b> (April 13, cardiac arrest and complications from a 2008 car accident, age 42): bassist in the alternative metal band the Deftones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George Jackson</b> (April 14, cancer, age 68): R&B songwriter who wrote the Osmonds' hit "One Bad Apple" and Bob Seger's classic "Old-Time Rock and Roll."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Scott Miller</b> (April 15, unknown cause, age 53): member of the bands Game Theory and the Loud Family, he also wrote the book <i>Music: What Happened?</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rita MacNeil</b> (April 16, complications from surgery, age 68): Juno Award-winning Canadian folk-country singer who had her biggest hit, "Flying On Your Own," covered by Anne Murray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George Beverly Shea</b> (April 16, stroke, age 104): the gospel singer and composer who was featured in Billy Graham's evangelistic crusades for 65 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Edwin Shirley</b> (April 16, bleeding issue, age 64): owner of Edwin Shirley Trucking, the premiere music tour transportation company in the United Kingdom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cordell Mosson</b> (April 18, liver failure, age 60): bass player who replaced Bootsy Collins in Parliament-Funkadelic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chrissy Amphlett</b> (April 21, breast cancer, age 53): lead singer for the 80's new wave band the Divinyls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Richie Havens</b> (April 22, heart attack, age 72): folk singer/songwriter, poet and activist who became an overnight sensation when he appeared at Woodstock.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">George Jones </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(April 26, hypoxic respiratory failure, age 81): for many <i style="font-weight: bold;">THE</i> definition of country music, the country music singer's country music singer with a career that spanned seven decades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Barry Fey</b> (April 28, suicide, age 69): the man responsible for booking acts at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheater, including the little-known (at the time) Irish band U2 in 1983.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MAY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chris Kelly </b>(May 1, drug overdose, age 34): member of the rap duo Kris Kross.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jeff Hanneman</b> (May 2, alcohol-related liver failure, age 49): founder and guitarist for the heavy metal band Slayer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ollie Mitchell</b> (May 11, cancer, age 86): trumpet player who worked as part of the session musician group known as the Wrecking Crew, he was also an original member of Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Monroe Hopper</b> (May 17, unknown cause, age 86): member of the Gospel Hall of Fame group the Hoppers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Alan O'Day</b> (May 17, brain cancer, age 72): songwriter (Helen Reddy's "Angie Baby") and singer (his own 1977 hit "Undercover Angel").</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ray Manzarek</b> (May 20, bile duct cancer, age 74): founding member and keyboardist for the Doors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Trevor Bolder</b> (May 21, pancreatic cancer, age 62): British bass player who worked with Uriah Heep and David Bowie's "Spiders From Mars" tour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Frank Comstock</b> (May 21, natural causes, age 90): trombonist with Les Brown who later wrote music for dozens of TV series including <i>Adam-12</i>, <i>F-Troop</i> and <i>Rocky and His Friends</i>.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lorene Mann</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (May 24, stroke, age 76): a founding member of the Nashville Songwriters Association, the singer/songwriter wrote country hits "Don't Go Near the Indians" and "Left to Right" as well as recorded an album of duets with Archie Campbell.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ed Shaughnessy</b> (May 24, heart attack, age 88): the drummer for <i>The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson</i>'s band.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marshall Lytle</b> (May 25, lung cancer, age 79): the bass player for Bill Haley's Comets and a 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JUNE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rob Morsberger</b> (June 2, glioblastoma, age 53): singer/songwriter who collaborated with the likes of Patti Smith and Marshall Crenshaw.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joey Covington</b> (June 4, car wreck, age 67): drummer in Bay Area bands Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna, and Quicksilver Messenger Service.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don Bowman </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(June 5, complications from a stroke, age 75): the writer of Jim Stafford's hit "Wildwood Weed" also wrote serious songs with Waylon Jennings ("Just to Satisfy You") and served as the original host of radio's </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American Country Countdown</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Elaine Laron</b> (June 6, pneumonia, age 83): TV jingle and songwriter who was the primary lyricist for the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack to the PBS children's reading show <i>The Electric Company</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Arturo Vega</b> (June 8, unknown cause, age 65): graphic designer who worked in the New York punk scene, he most famously created the logo for the Ramones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Johnny Smith</b> (June 11, complications from a fall, age 90): jazz guitarist who wrote the guitar classic "Walk, Don't Run."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gavin Taylor</b> (June 12, short illness, age 72): British director who brought lives shows to film such as the <i>U2 At Red Rocks</i> and <i>Queen at Wembley</i> concerts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sam Most</b> (June 13, cancer, age 82): jazz flute player who began his career in Tommy Dorsey's band.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tom Tall</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ne</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Tommie Lee Guthrie) (June 14, unknown cause, age 75): country and rockabilly singer best known for singing "Are You Mine" with Ginny Wright in the 1950's.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Slim Whitman</b> (June 19, heart failure, age 90): country yodeler with a dozen top ten hits and three gold singles, he may be best-known for having his voice kill invading aliens in <i>Mars Attacks!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bobby "Blue" Bland </b>(June 23, illness, age 83): the "Sinatra of the Blues," Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Lifetime Achievement recipient, Bland was a blues legend who found commercial success in the 60's with "I PIty the Fool," "Turn On Your Love Light," and "Farther Up the Road."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Little Willie Littlefield</b> (June 23, cancer, age 81): early rock/boogie-woogie piano player credited with being the first person to record the classic "Kansas City."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Puff Johnson</b> (<i>nee</i> Ewanya Johnson) (June 24, cervical cancer, age 40): pop singer who opened for Michael Jackson and had the hit "Forever More."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Alan Myers</b> (June 24, stomach cancer, age 58): drummer for the legendary new wave band Devo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul Smith</b> (June 29, heart failure, age 91): bebop jazz pianist who worked as Ella Fitzgerald's accompanist and served as the music director for <i>The Dinah Shore Show</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JULY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Texas Johnny Brown</b> (July 1, lung cancer, age 85): blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who wrote "Two Steps From the Blues."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnny MacRae</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (July 3, heart disease, age 84): country songwriter who penned such hits as "Whiskey, If You Were a Woman" and "I'd Be Better Off in a Pine Box."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Brett Walker</b> (July 8, unknown causes, age 51): indie rock singer/songwriter who had numerous songs featured in TV series such as <i>One Life to Live</i> and <i>CSI Miami</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jim Foglesong</b> (July 9, natural causes, age 90): Country Music Hall of Fame record executive who signed the likes of Don Williams, Donna Fargo, Suzy Bogguss, George Strait and Garth Brooks.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Faye Hunter</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (July 21, suicide, age 59): lead vocalist of the band Let's Active.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JJ Cale</b> (July 26, heart attack, age 74): rock guitarist, singer and songwriter who gave the world the hits "After Midnight" and "Cocaine."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AUGUST:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tim Wright</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (August 4, cancer, age 63): bassist for Pere Ubu and DNA.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George Duke</b> (August 5, leukemia, age 67): Grammy-winning jazz keyboardist.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cowboy Jack Clement</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (August 8, liver cancer, age 82): one of country music's most colorful figures, Cowboy Jack's career spanned seven decades as a singer, songwriter, producer, publisher, and studio owner. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Al Coury</b> (August 9, stroke, age 79): Capitol Records executive who helped the careers of artists from the Beach Boys to Bob Seger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eydie </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b>Gormé</b> (August 10, illness, age 84): wife of Steve Lawrence and cousin of Neil Sedaka, she delighted audiences for decades with her solo hits ("Blame It on the Bossa Nova") and nightclub acts with her husband.</span></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jody Payne</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (August 10, heart disease, age 77): guitarist for Willie Nelson's band.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tompall Glaser</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (August 13, long illness, age 75): country singer who was one-fourth of the quartet (with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter) on the landmark </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wanted! The Outlaws</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, country's first platinum album, in 1976.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Allen Lanier</b> (August 14, COPD, age 67): original keyboardist for the rock band Blue Oyster Cult.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jane Harvey</b> (August 15, stomach cancer, age 88): jazz singer who worked with Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Desi Arnez's bands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sid Bernstein</b> (August 21, natural causes, age 95): concert promoter responsible for bringing the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to the U.S., effectively beginning the "British Invasion" of the 1960's.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>John "Juke" Logan</b> (August 30, esophageal cancer, age 66): blues harmonica player who performed on albums by country, blues and rock acts and contributed to the theme songs to the TV series <i>Roseanne</i> and <i>Home Improvement</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>SEPTEMBER:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ray Dolby</b> (September 12, leukemia, age 80): the inventor of the Dolby NR noise reduction process.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mac Curtis</b> (September 16, car wreck, age 74): Rockabilly Hall of Fame musician and disc jockey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marvin Rainwater</b> (September 17, heart failure, age 88): country singer best known for his crossover hit "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gia Maione</b> (September 23, long illness, age 72): jazz singer and widow of Louis Prima.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Billy Mure</b> (September 25, natural causes, age 97): guitarist who worked on countless sessions for artists as diverse as Paul Anka and Marty Robbins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ramblin' Tommy Scott</b> (September 30, injuries from an August 10 car wreck, age 96): country music performer who worked with Charlie Monroe's Kentucky Partners and traveled as "the Last Real Medicine Show."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>OCTOBER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Philip Chevron</b> (October 8, esophageal cancer, age 56): guitarist for the Irish band the Pogues.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Larry Verne</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (October 8, heart failure, age 77): singer of the novelty hit "Mr. Custer."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jan Kuehnemund</b> (October 10, cancer, age 51): founder and lead guitarist of the all-female glam band Vixen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cal Smith</b> (October 10, unknown cause, age 81): country singer best known for a string of hits including "The Lord Knows I'm Drinking" and "Country Bumpkin."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Roland Janes</b> (October 18, heart attack, age 80): rockabilly guitarist and producer who worked at Sun during the glory days, he also founded Rita Records, the label with the hit "Mountain of Love."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leon Ashley</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (October 20, illness, age 77): country singer who had a hit with "Laura (What's He Got I Ain't Got)," the first time an artist wrote, sang, published and self-released a song that went to #1.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Colonel Robert Morris</b> (October 21, complications from heart attack, age 58): songwriter of "Trucker's Last Ride" and drummer who played with Charlie Feathers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gypie Mayo</b> (October 23, unknown cause, age 62): British guitarist who worked with Dr. Feelgood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lou Reed</b> (October 27, liver disease, age 71): punk poet, singer and songwriter who began his career in Andy Warhol's Factory and performed in the Velvet Underground. The people he knew during his time in the Factory was chronicled in his best-known song, "Walk on the Wild Side."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sherman Halsey</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (October 29, unknown cause, age 56): son of Nashville managing legend Jim Halsey and video producer/director for several country artists including Dwight Yoakam, Brooks & Dunn and the Oak Ridge Boys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pete Haycock</b> (October 30, heart attack, age 62): guitarist for the Climax Blues Band, best known for their hit "Couldn't Get It Right."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bobby Parker</b> (October 31, heart attack, age 76): blues guitarist best known for his 1961 song "Watch Your Step."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NOVEMBER:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Clyde Stacy</b> (November 6, car wreck, age 77): Oklahoma-based rockabilly singer who had a hit with "Hoy Hoy."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob Beckham</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (November 11, unknown cause, age 86): singer with the 1959 hit "Just As Much As Ever" who later became a publisher and mentor of acts such as Kris Kristofferson and Ray Stevens.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wayne Mills</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (November 25, shot to death, age 44): a honky tonk singer who had performed dates with Jamey Johnson, he was nearing completion of a new album when he was shot by a Nashville bar owner during an argument.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chico Hamilton </b>(November 25, unknown cause, age 92): jazz drummer and bandleader who began his career in a band with Charlie Mingus. He also appeared as a musician in the film <i>You'll Never Get Rich</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oliver Cheatham</b> (November 29, heart attack, age 65): R&B singer who had the 1983 hit "Get Down Saturday Night."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dick Dodd</b> (November 29, cancer, age 68): from days as a Mousketeer he went to the Standells, where he played drums and sang lead on their legendary hit "Dirty Water."</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>DECEMBER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Junior Murvin</b> (December 2, complications of diabetes, age 67): Jamaica reggae singer who originated the song "Police and Thieves," later covered by the Clash on their seminal debut album.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Homer Bailes</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (December 3, natural causes, age 91): the final surviving member of the legendary Bailes Brothers band, inductees in the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and the first act from West Virginia to become members of the Grand Ole Opry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chick Willis</b> (December 7, cancer, age 79): blues singing cousin of Chuck Willis who played with Elmore James following his cousin's death.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>John Wyker</b> (December 8, congestive heart failure, age 68): member of the southern rock band Sailcat, best-known for their 1978 song "Motorcycle Mama."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jim Hall</b> (December 10, short illness, age 83): master jazz guitar player who worked with Ella Fitzgerald and Sonny Rollins and influenced generations of younger players.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George H. Buck</b> (December 11, heart attack, age 84): a man devoted to promoting jazz, he founded Jazzology Records and GHB Records and founded the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation to further the music he loved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ray Price</b> (December 16, pancreatic cancer, age 87): Country Music Hall of Fame member who had generations of honky tonk, country shuffle, and "Nashville sound" fans thanks to songs such as "Heartaches By the Number" and "For the Good Times."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Larry Lujack</b> (December 18, esophageal cancer, age 73): National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame member who was a staple on Chicago's WLS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Herb Geller</b> (December 19, pneumonia, age 85): jazz saxophonist who began his career playing with Joe Venuti and went on to international acclaim playing in Europe and backing recordings of the likes of Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>David Richards</b> (December 20, long illness, age 57): British record producer who worked with artists such as Queen, David Bowie and Iggy Pop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Herman "Trigger" Alpert</b> (December 22, natural causes, age 97): a double-bass player, he was the final surviving member of Glenn Miller's orchestra.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yusef Lateef </b>(<i>ne</i> William Huddleston) (December 23, prostate cancer, age 93): Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist and flutist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Farewell, and thank you for the music.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-583429672301847362013-12-15T22:35:00.000-08:002013-12-15T22:35:08.471-08:00Keeping the "They Come in Threes" Myth Going....<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News/Obituary</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's a popular myth that celebrity deaths tend to come in threes. That seemed to have some validity on Sunday (12/15), when the deaths of three actors were announced.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Peter O'Toole</b>: His roles were vast, from the title roles in <i>Lawrence of Arabia</i> and <i>Goodbye Mr. Chips</i> to the swashbuckling Errol Flynn-like character in <i>My Favorite Year</i>, O'Toole's real-life escapades were more extravagant than any fictional creation he portrayed on screen. He was famous for being a wild man offstage, although heart surgery in the 1970's forced him to quit drinking. He only retired from acting last year. An eight-time Oscar nominee, his only statue was an honorary one. He died December 14th after a long illness at the age of 81.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tom Laughlin</b>: Although Tom Laughlin had a long list of credits as a character actor in the 1950's and 60's it was the half-Indian Green Beret character he created, Billy Jack, that is his legacy. He wrote and starred in four installments of the "Billy Jack" series (which co-starred his wife, Delores Taylor). Laughlin had been in poor health for years, having endured prostate and tongue cancers and a series of strokes. He died December 12th at the age of 82.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joan Fontaine</b>: the sister of of Olivia deHavilland, Joan Fontaine had the distinction of being the only female performer to ever win an Oscar for an Alfred Hitchcock film (<i>Suspicion</i>, 1941). She and deHavilland are the only pair of sister to be Oscar winners. Fontaine died of natural causes in her California home at the age of 96.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Farewell to these three who have brought many happy moments to many fans.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-52046051435531207552013-11-02T19:15:00.000-07:002013-11-02T19:15:25.987-07:00This Isn't Clairvoyance<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination time again. This year, while there are still nominations that boggle the mind, it seems as though the nominations are actually catching up to the commercial popularity of acts (hence the term <i style="font-weight: bold;">fame</i>) and nominating accordingly. Here are this year's nominees:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul Butterfield Blues Band: </b>The second nomination for the legendary blues singer and harmonica player and his band. Given his influence they'll be inducted eventually.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chic</b>: This is the eighth nomination for a disco-era band that is essentially a two-hit wonder. Far more deserving nominees have been omitted, and this act really needs to disappear from the list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Deep Purple</b>: The second nomination for the hard rock band named for a 1930's pop song. Not the worst nomination on the list, but I don't see them getting inducted. I thought last year they might garner enough "sympathy votes" off the death of songwriter Joe South (who wrote "Hush," one of Deep Purple's biggest hits) to be inducted; however, this year I don't see them making it, especially considering the other nominees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Peter Gabriel:</b> His first solo nomination (he's inducted as a member of Genesis). I would say that Gabriel is one of the certainties this year, if for no other reason than the critical success of most of his work and the commercial success of <i>So</i> and its groundbreaking video hit "Sledgehammer."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Daryl Hall & John Oates</b>: It is <i style="font-weight: bold;">about time</i> they were nominated! Hall & Oates have surpassed the Everly Brothers as the most commercially successful duo in rock music history. They <i>should</i> be inducted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kiss</b>: Another "about time you got around to noticing this act" nomination. Kiss is about as lame as any band can be on record. It is their live shows that earned them their loyal following and keeps them (although I am not in that category). They should be inducted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>LL Cool J</b>: Taking Steve Miller's nomination space this year. Shouldn't have been nominated, shouldn't win.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Meters</b>: Second nomination. As of this writing they are in next-to-last place in the fan vote (only Chic has fewer votes). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Nirvana</b>: First nomination. Bet the ranch on their induction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NWA:</b> Second nomination, taking the Moody Blues' space on the ballot. Not deserving of the space on the ballot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Replacements</b>: First nomination. As someone who thinks <i>Pleased to Meet Me</i> was one of the best albums of the 80's: WHY are they nominated?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Linda Ronstadt</b>: First nomination. Tonight, November 2, 2013, let it be stated that I'm guaranteeing you she'll be inducted. This isn't clairvoyance, this is the pathetic reality of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: in July Ronstadt announced that, due to advanced Parkinson's Disease, she can no longer sing. Now that her marvelous voice has been silenced they're going to honor her. And that stinks worse than a skunk factory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cat Stevens</b>: Let's face it, if you grew up listening to the radio in the 1970's you like at least one Cat Stevens song. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the great folk singer-songwriters of that era, I sincerely hope that religious prejudice doesn't keep him from being inducted. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Link Wray</b>: Second nomination. It's a crime that there had to be a second nomination. He should've been in a decade or two ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yes</b>: First nomination. I never cared for them, but there's no question they were the premiere "art rock" band of the 1970's.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Zombies</b>: First nomination. I don't see them getting in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My bets are on Ronstadt more than anyone -- even Nirvana. Given that Nirvana basically created a new genre of rock I would be genuinely surprised if they aren't inducted. I would also be surprised if Hall & Oates aren't inducted, now that they have finally been nominated, and I would also list Peter Gabriel as a very likely winner. I would also like to see inductions for Cat Stevens, Kiss, and -- even though I am befuddled over their nomination -- the Replacements. (If you're going to nominate them, then induct them!) Finally, Link Wray -- it's embarrassing that he's not inducted, given that he's generally credited with inventing (or popularizing) the "power chord" in guitar playing. Where would rock and roll be without him?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And my annual plea for the "hey, remember to nominate <i>these</i> people" acts who have yet again been overlooked:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Moody Blues</b> -- yeah, they're still touring nearly 50 years after they formed. And, unlike the Rolling Stones, they aren't charging a second mortgage for the tickets -- and they aren't a parody of themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Steve Miller</b> -- Miller just turned 70 last month. He's been at this longer than half the nominees have been <i>alive</i>. Half the people on this list don't have entire discographies that have sold more than <i>Fly Like an Eagle</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>ELO</b> -- a novel idea became a massively successful act. That lousy song used in the coffee commercials in the mid-80's might be what keeps them from being nominated, but they should be nominated -- <i><b>and</b> </i>inducted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Neil Sedaka</b> -- one of the premiere acts in rock and roll between Elvis and the Beatles, and his songwriting skills predated ("Stupid Cupid") <b>and</b> post-dated ("Love Will Keep Us Together") his 60's hits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don Henley</b> -- hey, if you're going to nominate people already inducted again for their solo work you might as well nominate the most commercially successful solo Eagle career (which was also the <i>best</i> solo Eagle career).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inductions will be announced in late December. Fans are allowed to vote for up to five nominees at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's site. The act with the most fan votes has one vote added to their "official" tally.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-67675202494665840592013-08-04T19:07:00.000-07:002013-08-04T19:07:06.158-07:00Update on Robbin Thompson<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I didn't receive an e-mailed newsletter from Robbin Thompson for months following his February <a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2013/03/livin-in-sweet-virginia-breeze.html" target="_blank">announcement that he had been battling stomach cancer for 12 years</a> I naturally suspected the worst. Fortunately, the news from Robbin in his most recent newsletter contains good news. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"I know most of you got my newsletter from February that basically disclosed my 13 year fight with the cancer," Thompson wrote in his newsletter released on his website and e-mailed to his fans. "Well..I had my 1st check-up since the surgery and the news was pretty good. No visible signs of tumors!! woohoo! I know it's not over but it's the 1st time in 13 years I've heard a Dr. say that so, needless to say I'm pretty stoked. I still have to take the drugs and the drugs that keep those drugs from killin' me but I'm ok with that. Now I can concentrate on the normal stuff that happens to all of us at this age like bad knees and why the hell do my feet hurt? what are those spots in front of my eyes? Stuff that everyone gets...right? Thanks for all the support and prayers. it worked."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thompson has other things to concentrate on as well, such as promoting his most recent album, <i>A Real Fine Day</i>. Thompson continues to appear in his native Virginia regularly, and he will be heading to Finland and Sweden for a tour starting in September.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best wishes and continued prayers for a performer who was a significant part of my musical life for the two and a half years I lived in that "Sweet Virginia Breeze" that Robbin Thompson always sings about.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-53926479620019390692013-03-28T18:15:00.000-07:002013-03-28T18:16:26.962-07:00Livin' in the Sweet Virginia Breeze<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CATEGORY: News</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You've probably never heard of Robbin Thompson. Most people who do know the name remember him from being in a band called Steel Mill, which also featured a fellow of some note by the name of Bruce Springsteen. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's too bad. Robbin is a gifted singer and songwriter. He's <i>very</i> well-known in Virginia, where his song "Sweet Virginia Breeze" is considered an unofficial state song.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first heard of Robbin (and his name <b>is</b> "Robbin;" in fact, his second album noted the unusual spelling of his name in it's title, <i>Two B's Please</i>) courtesy of Poco's <i>Indian Summer</i> album. The song "Find Out in Time" was co-written by Thompson and Timothy B. Schmit. Schmit has made appearances on several Robbin Thompson albums. In 1980 Thompson's song "Brite Eyes" (with Schmit singing backup vocals) from the aforementioned <i>Two B's Please</i> cracked the <i>Billboard</i> Top 100. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things changed for the better for me, regarding Thompson's music, when I was transferred to Norfolk from Jacksonville in 1981. I spent the next two and a half years seeing Robbin Thompson every chance I got. While he may evoke shrugs in the other 49 states, in Virginia this man is a <i>star</i>. And it's well-deserved, too.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtxKnLbvi2E/UVTqKfxC-FI/AAAAAAAAAUI/QtqFMvy5_MI/s1600/scan0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtxKnLbvi2E/UVTqKfxC-FI/AAAAAAAAAUI/QtqFMvy5_MI/s200/scan0003.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Robbin Thompson playing in a <br />Virginia Beach bar in 1981</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every now and then I get a nostalgic twinge and look up something in my past. That happened when I found some old photos of Robbin playing at a club in Virginia Beach in 1981. I did an internet search and sure enough, he's still out there, making great music. </span><a href="http://www.robbinthompson.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">His web site</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> keeps everyone up-to-date about his concerts and offers his albums for sale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month his e-mailed newsletter contained a very personal message. Robbin wrote at length about his 12-year battle with cancer. Because his words are so powerful I am posting his remarks here without edit:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Lottery, Sweet Virginia Breeze, Cancer and The Chesapeake
Bay.</b><br /><br />What do these 4 things have in common? Well...to me, they go
hand in hand and I'll tell you why in this Newsletter. <br /><br /><u><b>The
Lottery</b></u><br /><br />It was the summer of 2000 and was sitting in my office at
our newly constructed In Your Ear recording studios in Richmond's Shockoe
Bottom. I'd just settled in to this great space a few months back. It was in the
attic of a historic building. My desk was my grandfather's old roll-top and it
was situated so i could see the Richmond skyline. I was busy with writing some
music for a tv commercial for someone. Our receptionist came on the intercom to
tell me I had a phone call from some one about doing a concert and he was
holding on the line. I wish I could remember his name now but for the life of me
I can't. I picked up the phone and the guy on the other end sez, "hi I just won
x million in the Va. Lottery and I want to know how much you'd charge me to
perform a concert for me and my friends?" I was a bit stunned for a second but I
remember chuckling and saying "well...you've made your 1st post lottery
mistake." "what's that? he said. "You told me you won the lottery and then asked
me how much I'd charge you to play a concert!!" We both laughed and then agreed
on a fee which included a limo for my wife Vicki and I for the evening. The
concert was a few weeks away and I got a kick out of telling the story of that
phone call for quite some time. Then, I went back to writing whatever music I
was involved in doing thinking how cool it was that some guy who'd just won the
lottery called me instead of Jimmy Buffett or Lynrd Skynrd. <br /><br /><u><b>SWEET
VIRGINIA BREEZE</b></u><br /><br />Back in 1975 I recorded the song "Boy From
Boston." In some ways it was a song about me because I was born outside of
Boston but that was about as far as it went from an autobiographical sense. It
was subconsciously a story about how I didn't want my life to end up being. A
singer/songwriter who wrote great songs, touched people and ended up drinkin'
himself to death. I entered it in a contest, The American Song Festival. Long
story short, it won best song in the "folk" category and a $5000.00 prize, got
to go to Hollywood and be on a tv special. after that I ended up with a record
deal signed to Atlantic Records to Nemperor, a label named after Brian Epstein's
record store and owned by Nat Weiss, The Beatles attorney in the USA. I met some
of my heroes, a few played on my record. It was a year of dreamworld. Then...it
was over. I was back in Richmond playing bars trying to figure out what my next
move (if any)would be. <br />Then, Steve Bassett and I wrote "Sweet Virginia
Breeze," recorded it and it was a new beginning. I'm skipping a lot of the gory
details here but the point is....it wasn't over yet and there was life after a
major recording contract. I stopped worrying about writing for someone in NYC
and writing for myself. That's where the line in the song "Together" ("tell NY
to shove it, the people back home will love it...") came from. Sweet Va. Breeze
became an anthem of sorts and as several Governors have said "the official
unofficial state song of Virginia." <br />So...it wasn't a surprise when our
lottery winner asked me to sing this song at his party. I started singing it,
the crowd as most Virginia crowds started singing it as well. In this song
there's a high note that's at the top of my range. Y'all know where it is, it
takes some gut muscles to hit it. So... I get there and hit it strong but this
time i felt something tweak, like i pulled a muscle or something. No big deal.
On the way home in the limo I mentioned it to my Wife Vicki. The next morning,
the pain was so intense I couldn't get out of
bed.<br /><br /><u><b>CANCER</b></u><br /><br />MCV Emergency Room. I can hardly stand
up. 2 hours go by. can't handle it any longer, we get in the car and go to
Henrico Drs. Hospital E.R. and walk right in. I get a CT scan. the next thing I
know is there are several Drs. in the room telling me of the "mass" I have
that's as big as a volleyball. Life, as I know it, changes. <br />Days now go by
like minutes. The next thing I know I'm back at MCV talking to a Surgeon. They
don't know what this mass is but they do know it has to come out. Surgery is
scheduled. I go in and eight hours later I've delivered an 8lb tumor as big as a
volleyball. It was said to be a G.I.S.T. a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. a
malignant tumor that doesn't respond to chemotherapy or radiation. Nothing to do
but "wait and see." <br />4 months go by and I go in for a routine check up. It
had returned in a smaller package. A couple of them.<br />After a day of walkin'
around in a stupor I get a call from My oncologist at Henrico Drs. There's a
study testing a new drug that will hopefully be used on this specific tumor I
have. It's out of a hospital in NYC. I need to be in it and I need to be there
by the next morning to get in it. <br />With a lot of help from my friends I get
there, get in the study, start taking a drug called GLEEVEC and...it works on my
tumors. Not eliminating them but keeping them from getting any bigger. For the
next 12 years I get in to the routine of having blood tests and CT scans every
4-6 months along with train rides to NYC and getting to know cancer gurus on a
1st name basis. <br />This routine became...routine. it was just part of what I
did. It was part of my schedule. I got to know the radiology dept. of Henrico
Drs Hospital very well. The conductors on Amtrack knew me. As mentioned this
went on for 12 years. 12 years ended about a year ago when I went for my
semi-annual check-up/ct scan in NYC. My Dr. came in and said..."there's a bit of
a problem...your tumors have gotten a little bigger." The Gleevec had stopped
working. my tumors had become immune to it. Considering the average was 4
years...a pretty good run. What next? Another drug. I started taking it last May
after I returned from my 5th European tour. It worked like a champ shrinking
the little buggers and I was back on the mend. <br />I guess it was October when I
was back in NYC for my 2nd check up for this new drug I'm on. All was well and
the Drs. there started talking to me about possibly going back in and removing
these very small tumors while I was on a drug that worked so well on me. The
idea was to turn back the clock to zero while the drug was working. I agreed.
The operation would be basically the same operation as the 1st one(you don't
wanna know). So...on February 7th I went under the knife at Memorial Sloan
Kettering. The operation was successful, they removed the small tumors which
they said were 80- 90% dead along with a few others that were the same. I was in
the hospital for 4 days. a semi-private room during the big snowstorm they
called "nemo." Sharing the room with me was a guy in his 50's who'd been there
for 8 days. He was from Long Island and worked for JP Morgan. We finally got to
talking while we were walking the halls with our med trees. It's what you do to
get everything working again. You gotta walk the halls in your hospital gown,
high on morphine looking like death warmed over. He asked where I was from after
hearing Vicki's southern accent and I told him I was from Virginia. He said he'd
gone to college at ODU and graduated in 1981. I told him I was in a band called
The Robbin Thompson Band that played the clubs back in those days at clubs all
around Norfolk. He said he had seen us at least 10 times and asked me what I
played in the band. I told him who I was and he started tweeting all his alum
friends. Small world. <br /><u><b><br />THE CHESAPEAKE BAY</b></u><br /><br />Through
all of this the one thing that has kept me sane is the time I have spent sailing
my sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay. It's cleansed my soul, kept me thinking
positively and thinking about stuff other than what was going on inside me. Some
people say a boat is a hole in the water where all your money goes, I say it's a
place where you can go to throw all your problems overboard. Through all this I
can safely say that I have drowned many a depressing day in the Bay.
<br /><br />So...here I am. On the mend at home. I can't wait to get out of the
house but feeling really good...considering. I felt it was time to write this
for a number of reasons. It's not like I'd kept it a secret, most of my friends
have known since the beginning. This cancer shit can happen to anybody. It
doesn't matter who you are, what you do. Some of us get it, fight it and
eventually become "cancer free" and are survivors. Some of us are surviving with
cancer, and live long lives with whatever kind of cancer we have. I've learned
that IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!! I've survived with cancer for 13 yrs so far
and I plan on surviving a lot longer. It took cancer to get me to start
traveling the world.<b> I suggest that you don't wait for this kind of news to
start living like there's no tomorrow.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would like to ask two things of you. First, do Robbin a favor and pray for this man as he continues to fight this dreaded disease. Second, do <i>yourself</i> a favor and find some of his music.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-11985413957369253432013-01-26T22:34:00.000-08:002013-01-27T14:54:23.697-08:00Court's Adjourned!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: TV/Tribute</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reinhold Weege passed away in December. As you probably scratched your head going, "<i>Who</i>?," I was hit with an attack of nostalgia and dragged out my DVDs. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HQo-JwJHIiY/UQTGn9sEmyI/AAAAAAAAAT0/F7IvOxgszTo/s1600/Reinhold+Weege.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HQo-JwJHIiY/UQTGn9sEmyI/AAAAAAAAAT0/F7IvOxgszTo/s200/Reinhold+Weege.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Night Court <i>creator Reinhold Weege</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reinhold Weege was a comedy writer who worked on <i>Barney Miller</i> in the 70s. He had, as he said, the usual share of failed pilots and shows in his career as well, including <i>Park Place</i>, a sitcom about work in the Legal Aid office. In 1983 NBC came to Weege and asked him to develop a series. They gave him one word to work with: <b>court</b>. What Weege gave back to NBC was a classic: <i>Night Court</i>. In watching the DVDs of the show I am reminded of just how <i>incredible</i> this series was.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The show was set in a criminal court room in Manhattan, and in reality it could not have been set anywhere else in order to obtain the cast of loonies that marched through the court on a weekly basis. We may all know someone <i>like</i> Phil the wino or Dan the pervert, but only in New York could they all congregate in a single room. Many of the situations were so outlandish that one would think Weege had, like David Byrne did for the characters in <i>True Stories</i>, lifted situations from the headlines of <i>Weekly World News</i>. But that was part of the show's charm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main joy, however, was the regular cast of goofball characters. Harry Anderson, as the story goes, went to the casting audition for <i>Night Court</i> and told Weege, "I <i style="font-weight: bold;">am</i> this guy!" Weege said he rolled his eyes at Anderson's proclamation, but Anderson wasn't lying: like Harold T. Stone, Anderson is a gifted magician <b>and</b> a Mel Tormé fan (so much so that Anderson gave the eulogy at </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tormé's funeral in 1999). It's impossible to think of anyone other than Anderson in that role. Fun-loving, as apt to use an exploding gavel as a real one, and a man with a heart as big as he is tall, Harry Stone is the judge we all want to face should we ever find ourselves in court. The ace up his sleeve, figuratively and literally, was that he would <i>listen</i>, no matter how absurd the defendant's argument sounded. It endeared him to the people brought before him.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-407z_BvnFAk/UQS8M5Dvr1I/AAAAAAAAAS4/ft4GgNs6Bc4/s1600/Recess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-407z_BvnFAk/UQS8M5Dvr1I/AAAAAAAAAS4/ft4GgNs6Bc4/s320/Recess.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Judge Stone (Harry Anderson) lays down the law</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anderson always claimed that he is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> an actor and that the ensemble cast just made him look good. Weege, however, vehemently disagreed: "He </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a good actor," he said when interviewed for the DVD release. "He's a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very good</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> actor." Three Emmy nominations for the role of Harry Stone as well as Anderson's post-</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Night Court</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> roles, including playing Dave Barry in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dave's World</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and Elwood P. Dowd in a Hallmark updated version of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harvey</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, indicate that Weege's proclamation was far more accurate than Harry's.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83Ig4IHkqNQ/UQTDZRAqUuI/AAAAAAAAATY/ux4Q9Ozli2o/s1600/Dan+Fielding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83Ig4IHkqNQ/UQTDZRAqUuI/AAAAAAAAATY/ux4Q9Ozli2o/s320/Dan+Fielding.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John Larroquette racking up the Emmys<br />as sleazeball Dan Fielding</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Larroquette, however, was <i>the</i> towering strength in a towering cast (quite literally: Weege said that, unintentionally, <i>Night Court</i> boasted the tallest cast in prime-time history, with 6'2" Charles Robinson, 6'4" Anderson and 6'5" Larroquette still looking up to 6'8" Richard Moll). Dan Fielding is one of the legendary characters in television history thanks to Larroquette's brilliant acting and his willingness to do anything and everything -- from taking a pie in the face to wearing a pair of jockey shorts that had been "guaranteed not to ride up" around his neck -- to get a laugh. Dan Fielding was, as Weege said, "the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>crème de la scum</i>" of nighttime television characters, a bootlicker that could make the best bootlickers before him (think <i>Hogan's Heroes'</i> Colonel Klink or <i>Bewitched</i>'s Larry Tate) look like independent thinkers in comparison; and his obsession with cheap sex (when called a "nondescript, morally bankrupt gigolo" in one episode Dan snapped in disgust, "Hey! Who are you calling 'nondescript'?"), or <i>any</i> sex (demanding that Christine repay him for saving her life by sleeping with him) endeared him to no one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Larroquette is an avid book collector, but the books in his home don't have enough space to hold the things that can be written regarding his acting genius. He won four consecutive Best Supporting Actor Emmy awards as Dan Fielding; and, had he not withdrawn his name from consideration after the fourth award, he probably would <i>still</i> be getting Emmys for playing a character in a series that ended 21 years ago. Larroquette continues to wow, picking up a Tony in his Broadway debut for <i>How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> as well as a fifth Emmy, in 1998, for a role in <i>The Practice</i>. He is currently in the NBC series <i>Deception</i>, and if he gets Emmy number six this fall I will not be the least bit surprised. The man could play a log and get an award -- because he is <i>that good</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things that may be overlooked because of all the silliness that went on between rulings is how <i>legally accurate</i> the show was. One attorney group hailed <i>Night Court</i> as <b>the</b> most accurate show, from the standpoint of the legal rulings, on television. That is partially because Weege spent time in actual courts, watching the procedures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weege said he loved to put friends' names in the episodes as characters. The judge's name was remarkably similar to that of actor Harold J. Stone, who coincidentally appeared in an episode of <i>Barney Miller</i> that Weege wrote. Carla Bouvier, the prostitute that fell in love with Harry in the first season, was also named after one of Weege's friends. The most notorious "naming," however, was revealed in the third season episode "Hurricane," when Dan admitted that his real first name was not Dan, but <i>Reinhold</i>. (In the second season Dan's parents showed up, revealing his last name was not "Fielding" but Elmore, making Dan's real name Reinhold Fielding Elmore.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After reading the book <i>Sweeps: Behind the Scenes in Network TV</i>, I am amazed that <i>Night Court</i> ever got past a pilot, let alone lasted nine seasons. Anderson said in the DVD interview that the members of the show were, in his words, "strung along," with a pilot made, two episodes months later (while Anderson was busy conning Sam Malone out of everything but the bar on <i>Cheers</i> as Harry the Hat), then three more, before finally being renewed for a full season. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That probably contributed to the revolving door of actors in the first two seasons: Karen Austin, the no-nonsense court clerk Lana Wagner (who in the pilot referred to the court as <i>her</i> court, not the judge's) was gone by the end of the first season, replaced by guest stars before Charles Robinson settled into the role of Mac in the second season. Paula Kelly was great as Liz, possessing a little more "street smarts" (that Marsha Warfield later brought with her Roz character) than the relative innocence of Markie Post's Christine Sullivan; however, she, too, probably tired of the uncertainty of the show's future and left. Ellen Foley, who sang the <i>spectacular</i> female part on Meat Loaf's classic "Paradise By the Dashboard Lights," was a wonderful counterpart to both Dan's sleazy remarks and Harry's hustling (warning him that she was no slouch at pool when he challenged her to a game on her first night of work), but she, too, departed, making room for Christine.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqziWXHP88s/UQS_yM6jDqI/AAAAAAAAATI/xB_27C7kX0I/s1600/Mutt+and+Jeff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqziWXHP88s/UQS_yM6jDqI/AAAAAAAAATI/xB_27C7kX0I/s320/Mutt+and+Jeff.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Selma Diamond & Richard Moll provided what <br />Weege referred to as a "Mutt & Jeff" appearance</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then there were the deaths. Selma Diamond's role as the caustic bailiff Selma Hacker was written expressly for her by Weege, who admired her work as a writer on <i>Your Show of Shows</i>. Diamond chain smoked, a fact that, like many other similarities between actors and their characters (such as both Larroquette and Fielding being natives of Louisiana), was written into the show. How the constant smoking made it on network TV some dozen years after cigarette commercials were banned is beyond me. The smoking, although comedic on screen </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(after someone said an action was touching bailiff Selma replied, "Let me have a cigarette and I'll well up with you"), took Diamond's life at the age of 64. Her replacement, Florence Halop, lasted only one season before she also succumbed to cancer (breast cancer).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now Weege is gone, too. He died of "natural causes" that were most likely heart-related (he had bypass surgery in the early 90s) at the age of 63.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reinhold Weege's great legacy, sadly, is not in syndication anywhere at present time. It is criminal (pardon the pun) to think that a show that ran for nine years, with the awards and consistently high ratings, is nowhere to be found while eight different cable/satellite channels will be showing the exact same episode of <i>Two and a Half Men</i> tonight. I hope the programmers are charged with neglect in this matter, and I hope Judge Stone throws the book at them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-72570508919591471992012-12-30T23:37:00.000-08:002013-01-01T23:08:49.485-08:00The Final Curtains of 2012<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Tribute</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the musicians and music-related individuals who took their final bows in 2012.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Mark Abrahamian</b> (September 2, heart attack, age 46): guitarist for the Mickey Thomas incarnation of Starship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Willie Ackerman</b> (December 13, unknown cause, age 73): prolific country session drummer who can be heard on tracks such as Marty Robbins' "El Paso" and Ferlin Husky's "Wings of a Dove." He also appeared regularly on <i>Hee Haw</i> and the Grand Ole Opry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Richard Adler</b> (June 21, natural causes, age 91): Tony Award-winning songwriter of such hits as <i>Damn Yankees</i> and <i>Pajama Game</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dave "Omar the Magnificent" Alexander</b> (January 18, suicide [gunshot], age 73): influential </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blues "boogie woogie" piano player.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Inez Andrews</b> (December 19, cancer, age 73): one of the voices of what is known as "the golden age" of gospel music.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tom Ardolino</b> (January 6, long illness, age 56): the drummer for the legendary band NRBQ.</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Mike Auldridge</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (December 28, cancer, age 73): the Dobro player for the legendary bluegrass band the Seldom Scene.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bob Babbitt</b> (July 16, brain cancer, age 74): prolific Motown session musician and bassist in the Funk Brothers.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perry Baggs</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (July 12, complications of diabetes, age 50): the drummer for the seminal rock band Jason and the Scorchers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bill Bailey</b> (January 14, natural causes, age 81): legendary disc jockey, known as the "Duke of Louisville" for his years at WAKY. He also worked at stations in Cincinnati and Chicago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fontella Bass</b> (December 26, complications from heart attack, age 72): powerhouse R&B singer, best known for her 1965 hit "Rescue Me."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eddie Bell</b> (<i>ne</i> Eddie Blazonczyk; May 12, natural causes, age 70): Grammy-winning polka bandleader.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pete Bennett</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (November 22, heart attack, age 77): music promoter who worked with the Beatles, as a group and solo, as well as Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob Birch</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (August 16, suicide [gunshot], age 56): bass player for Elton John.</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Doug Bounsall</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (September 1, car accident, age 61): a former member of the Dillards.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Chuck Brown</b> (May 16, pneumonia, age 75): affectionately known as "the godfather of go-go music," his band the Soul Searchers hit the charts in 1979 with "Bustin' Loose."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Dave Brubeck</b> (December 5, heart failure, age 91): a master of jazz piano and one of the few jazz performers to cross over to widespread pop success thanks to his hit "Take Five," he died en route to a doctor's appointment one day before his 92nd birthday.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Billy Bryans</b> (April 23, lung cancer, age 57): percussionist and producer who worked with the Parachute Club and produced the soundtrack to the Disney film <i>Jungle 2 Jungle</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Larry Butler</b> (January 20, natural causes, age 69): a man with many hats, including the songwriter of BJ Thomas' 1975 #1 country and pop hit "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song." Butler also produced numerous country music acts, but his work with Kenny Rogers brought them both phenomenal success. In 1980 Butler became the first, and to date the <i>only</i>, country music producer to win the "producer of the year" Grammy award.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Leslie Carter</b> (January 31, drug overdose, age 25): rising pop singer who followed her successful brothers Nick Carter and Aaron Carter into the business.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Ed Cassidy </b>(December 6, cancer, age 89): drummer for the 60s band Spirit.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Hadley Castle</b> (October 25, brain tumor, age 79): Cajun fiddler who saw his music featured in films such as <i>A Perfect World</i> and <i>A Man and His Dog</i>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jimmy Castor</b> (January 6, heart failure, age 71): the leader of the Jimmy Castor Bunch, the group who had hits with "Troglodyte" and "Bertha Butt Boogie."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Tony Cianciola</b> (January 25, aneurysm, age 87): a Knoxville-based accordion player who followed his cousin onto the WNOX Midday Merry-Go-Round, where he performed with country acts such as Chet Atkins, Archie Campbell, Don Gibson, and Johnnie & Jack. Atkins was such a fan that he used Cianciola on some recording sessions.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Dick Clark</b> (April 18, heart attack, age 82): long before MTV there was <i>American Bandstand</i>, thanks to the man affectionately known as "the world's oldest teenager."</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Susanna Clark</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (June 27, illness, age 73): the wife of legendary songwriter Guy Clark was a songwriter herself, co-writing the country classic "Easy From Now On" with Carlene Carter. She was also a gifted painter. Her artwork adorned the cover of Willie Nelson's </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Stardust</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> album.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Eddie Clerto</b> (February 2, natural causes, age 93): based on the west coast for most of his career, Clerto managed one minor hit, "Flying Saucer Boogie." His band the Roundup Boys worked with numerous west coast country performers including Rose Maddox.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Maria Cole</b> (July 10, cancer, age 89): a singer herself, she was also the widow of Nat "King" Cole and mother of Natalie Cole.</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Charlie Collins</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (January 12, stroke, age 78): A well-known east Tennessee performer in his early life, Collins joined "king of country music" Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys in 1966. After Acuff's death in 1992 Collins remained on the Grand Ole Opry as part of the square dance band.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Don Cornelius</b> (February 1, suicide [gunshot], age 75): the originator and host of the R&B version of <i>American Bandstand</i>, <i>Soul Train</i>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Pete Cosey</b> (May 30, post-operative complications, age 68): long-time guitarist with jazz great Miles Davis.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>B.B. Cunningham</b> (October 14, murdered [shot to death], age 70): as a member of the Hombres he wrote "Let It All Hang Out;" later he played bass for Jerry Lee Lewis.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Nick Curran</b> (October 6, oral cancer, age 36): punk, blues and roots rock musician.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Ted Curson </b>(November 4, heart attack, age 77): jazz trumpet player who performed with Charlie Mingus.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /><b>Hal David</b> (September 1, stroke, age 91): Burt Bacharach's songwriting partner and a prolific lyricist.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Carl Davis </b>(August 9, lung disease, age 77): producer of such hits as "Higher and Higher" and "Duke of Earl."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Michael Davis</b> (February 17, liver failure, age 68): the bassist for the band MC5.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Bill Dees</b> (October 24, brain tumor, age 73): songwriter responsible for the Roy Orbison smash "(Oh) Pretty Woman."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Al DeLory</b> (February 5, unknown causes, age 82): a session musician (the Beach Boys' <i>Pet Sounds</i> album) who had one hit on his own, his rendition of the theme song to <i>M*A*S*H</i>, DeLory was the Grammy-winning producer and arranger for Glen Campbell during Campbell's rise to superstardom.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Robert Dickey</b> (December 29, 2011, announced January 4, 2012, unknown causes, age 72): the "Bobby" in James & Bobby Purify, who had the hit "I'm Your Puppet."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Doug Dillard</b> (May 16, lung infection, age 75): Sheriff Andy Taylor's favorite band was the Darlings, and Doug Darling was their banjo player. The Dillards, of course, were a legitimate bluegrass band, inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2010. Aside from his work with the Dillards, Doug also teamed up with one-time Byrd member Gene Clark for the duo Dillard & Clark.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Lee Dorman</b> (December 21, suspected heart attack, age 70): bassist for the band Iron Butterfly, best-known for "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Cleve Duncan</b> (November 7, unknown cause, age 78): member of the 50s vocal group the Penguins, best-known for their hit "Earth Angel."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Donald "Duck" Dunn</b> (May 13, heart attack, age 70): a bass player's bass player, he began with Booker T. & the MG's and moved on to session work across the spectrum of music. He also played himself in the classic 1980 film <i>The Blues Brothers</i>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jimmy Elledge</b> (June 10, stroke, age 69): the man who had the first huge (million-selling) version of the Willie Nelson composition "Funny How Time Slips Away."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jimmy Ellis</b> (March 8, Alzheimer's disease, age 74): a member of the Trammps, the band with the mid-70s hit "Disco Inferno."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Chris Ethridge</b> (April 23, pancreatic cancer, age 65): the bassist for Gram Parson's influential country-rock band the Flying Burrito Brothers.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Dan Evins</b> (January 14, cancer, age 76): the founder of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, the "home cooking" restaurant that has started its own record label. The label's releases include albums by the Oak Ridge Boys, Dolly Parton, and two Grammy-nominated releases by Dailey & Vincent.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Martin Fay</b> (November 14, long illness, age 76): one of the founders of the legendary Irish folk band the Chieftains.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Pete Fornatale</b> (April 26, brain aneurysm, age 66): one of WNEW's legendary DJs.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Isaac "Dickie" Freeman</b> (October 17, long illness, age 84): a member of the gospel group the Fairfield Four.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Gil Friesen</b> (December 13, leukemia, age 75): the president of A&M Records.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Robin Gibb</b> (May 20, cancer, age 62): a member of the Bee Gees.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Joel Goldsmith</b> (April 29, cancer, age 56): the son of composer Jerry Goldsmith, he was the composer for the music for the TV series <i>Stargate SG-1</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Minnette Goodman</b> (December 5, lung cancer, age 85): the mother of late folk singer/songwriter Steve Goodman was also a dedicate supporter and promoter of the Chicago folk music scene.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Don Grady</b> (June 27, cancer, age 68): the <i>My Three Sons</i> actor was also a musician (he had a minor hit in 1966) and songwriter.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>R.B. Greaves</b> (September 27, prostate cancer, age 68): the performer of the hit "Take a Letter, Maria."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Bob Green</b> (January 26, unknown causes, age 80): Anita Bryant's former husband was also her manager.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Andy Griffith</b> (July 3, heart attack, age 86): the folksy sheriff of Mayberry was a good guitarist and singer, having a comedy hit with "What It Was, Was Football" and a string of successful gospel recordings. Griffith was one of three people from his 1960s TV series to die this year (along with Doug Dillard and George Lindsey).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jackie Guthrie</b> (October 14, liver cancer, age 68): the wife of folk legend Arlo Guthrie.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Greg Ham</b> (body found April 19, undetermined cause, age 58): the flautist of the 80s Australian band Men at Work.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Marvin Hamlisch</b> (August 7, brief illness, age 68): composer who became internationally famous with his work on the soundtrack of the 1973 classic <i>The Sting</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Richard Harding</b> (May 12, cancer, age 82): the owner of the Chicago folk club the Quiet Knight, where John Prine was discovered while opening for Kris Kristofferson.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Major Harris</b> (November 9, congestive heart failure and liver failure, age 65): a one-time member of the group the Delfonics who later had a solo hit with "Love Won't Let Me Wait."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Dee Harvey</b> (December 1, complications of an illness, age 47): an R&B singer best-known for his 1991 song "Leave Well Enough Alone."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Levon Helm</b> (April 19, cancer, age 71): the backbone and back beat of The Band whose talent and reach spanned genres and decades. He acted in several films beginning with <i>Coal Miner's Daughter</i> and later won Grammy awards for his solo projects <i>Dirt Farmer</i> and <i>Ramble at the Ryman</i>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Walt Hensley</b> (November 25, cancer, age 76): the "Banjo Baron of Baltimore" played with many bluegrass bands including the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and the Country Gentlemen.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Stephen Hill</b> (August 5, heart attack, age 55): gospel singer/songwriter who frequently appeared on the Gaither Homecoming shows and taught at the Stamps Baxter School of Music.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Larry Hoppen</b> (July 24, unknown cause, age 61): co-founder of the band Orleans, responsible for hits such as "Dance With Me" and "Still the One."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Michael Hossack</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">(March 12, cancer, age 65): drummer for the Doobie Brothers.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Whitney Houston</b> (February 11, drowned in bathtub, age age 48): singer and actress whose career was sadly eclipsed by, and ultimately ended by, her personal demons.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Etta James </b>(January 20, leukemia, age 73): a vocalist....oh, what a vocalist.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Billy Johnson</b> (February 27, unknown cause, age 51): country session and touring guitarist for the likes of Billy Walker, Jim Ed Brown and Porter Wagoner.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Tim Johnson</b> (October 21, cancer, age 52): a board member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and author of over 100 songs including "Thank God for Believers," "I Let Her Lie" and "Do You Believe Me Now."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Davy Jones</b> (February 29, heart attack, age 66): one of the pre-fab four, the Monkees.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Peter Jones</b> (May 18, brain cancer, age 58): the drummer for the band Crowded House.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jimmy Jones</b> (August 2, unknown causes, age 82): a songwriter responsible for the hit "Handy Man."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Dick Kniss</b> (January 27, pulmonary disease, age 74): a one-time bassist for folk music icons Peter, Paul & Mary, he went on to work with John Denver, including co-writing "Sunshine on My Shoulder."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Charlie Lamb</b> (March 7, pneumonia, age 90): a country music journalist for over 60 years who coined the term "with a bullet" to signify fast-rising songs on the music charts.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>John Levy</b> (January 20, natural causes, age 99): the first African-American talent manager, he worked with jazz acts such as Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Tonmi Lillman</b> (February 14, unknown causes, age 38): drummer for metal bands Synergy and To/Die/For.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>George Lindsey</b> (May 6, illness, age 83): "Goober" on <i>The Andy Griffith Show</i> later became a regular on <i>Hee Haw.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Jon Lord</b> (July 16, pulmonary embolism and pancreatic cancer, age 71): songwriter and keyboard player for Deep Purple.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Andrew Love</b> (April 12, Alzheimer's disease, age 70): a member of the Memphis Horns section, he played on many Elvis records.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Eric Lowen</b> (March 23, Lou Gehrig's disease, age 60): half of the songwriting duo Lowen and Navarro, who wrote hits such as Pat Benatar's "We Belong."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jim Marshall</b> (April 5, cancer, age 88): the inventor of the Marshall amplifiers.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Mark "Bam Bam" McConnell</b> (May 24, kidney failure, age unknown): the drummer for Sebastian Bach.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jimmy McCraclin</b> (December 20, hypertension & diabetes, age 91): singer/songwriter who wrote the hit "The Walk."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Kathi McDonald</b> (October 2, unknown cause, age 64): blues/rock singer who also appeared on albums by the Rolling Stones and Joe Cocker.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>John McGann</b> (April 6, kidney disease, unknown age): multi-instrumentalist and influential mandolin teacher.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Jon Mcintire</b> (February 15, lung cancer, age 70): the manager for the Grateful Dead during the 70s.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Scott McKenzie</b> (August 18, illness, age 73): folk-rock singer who had the hit "San Francisco (Flowers in Your Hair)."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Fred Milano</b> (January 1, lung cancer, age 72): a member of Dion and the Belmonts.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Ronnie Montrose</b> (March 3, suicide [gunshot]/suffered from prostate cancer, age 64): hard rock singer and session guitarist.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Danny Morrison</b> (February 14, heart attack, age unknown): country songwriter behind "Blaze of Glory" and "Is It Cold in Here."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Teddy Mueller</b> (June 28, hepatitis C, age 57): drummer for the hard rock band Axe.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Joe Muraryi</b> (April 20, stroke, age 84): the final surviving clarinet player who worked with Louis Armstrong.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Johnny Otis</b> (January 17, long illness, age 90): an R&B drummer and producer who wrote the classic "Willie and the Hand Jive."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Frank Peppiatt</b> (November 6, bladder cancer, age 85): one of the co-creators of <i>Hee Haw</i>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Charles "Skip" Pitts</b> (May 1, cancer, age 65): guitarist who worked with Isaac Hayes, including on the classic song "Theme From <i>Shaft</i>."</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Dory Previn</b> (February 14, natural causes, age 86): singer/songwriter best-known for writing the theme to the movie <i>Valley of the Dolls</i>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Mark Reale</b> (January 25, subarachnoid hemorrhage & Crohn's disease, age 56): guitarist for the band Riot.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Herb Reed</b> (June 4, chronic heart disease, age 83): the last surviving original member of the legendary vocal group the Platters.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Natina Reed</b> (October 26, hit by car, age 32): member of the band Blaque, who had the hit "Bring It All Back to Me."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Tom "Cat" Reeder</b> (June 30, heart attack, age 78): WAMU's bluegrass host and a Disc Jockey Hall of Fame member.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Ken Regan</b> (November 25, cancer, no age given): legendary rock photographer who took photos of everyone from the Beatles to Muhammad Ali.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Larry Reinhardt</b> (January 2, infection/cancer, age 63): guitarist for the 60s band Iron Butterfly. He was one of two band members to die in 2012 (Lee Dorman was the other).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Jenni Rivera</b> (December 8, plane crash, age 43): Spanish pop singer with huge following in Mexico and America, she had signed a deal to appear in an ABC sitcom eight days before her death.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Kenny Roberts</b> (April 29, natural causes, age 85): country music singer and yodeler who also did some acting.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Buddy Rogers</b> (May 30, unknown cause, age 73): the owner of a chain of "Uncle Bud's Catfish" restaurants in Nashville was also a session drummer who worked with the likes of Jerry Reed and Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Martin Rushent</b> (June 4, unknown cause, age 62): British rock record producer whose hits included the Human League's "Don't You Want Me."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>"Sweet Joe" Russell</b> (May 5, kidney disease, age unknown): founder of the <i>a cappella</i> band the Persuasions.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Mike Scaccia</b> (seizuire while onstage, December 22, age 47): guitarist for the heavy metal band Ministry.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Earl Scruggs</b> (March 28, natural causes, age 88): the man for whom the banjo seemed to be invented, his three-finger style of playing revolutionized bluegrass music.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Ravi Shankar</b> (December 11, respiratory and heart failure, age 92): the world's foremost sitar player (and George Harrison's sitar teacher) was also the father of singer Nora Jones.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Dick Shelton</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (January 17, pneumonia, age 71): country singer Blake Shelton's father.</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Robert Sherman</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (March 5, illness, age 86): one of the Sherman Brothers who wrote songs for numerous Disney films and the song "It's a Small World," which has a ride named after it at the Disney theme parks.</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">John Shuffler</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (December 21, illness/complications of a stroke, age 81): the bass player in the Shuffler Family bluegrass band began his career playing with the Stanley Brothers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Danny Sims</b> (October 3, colon cancer, age 75): the record producer credited with discovering Bob Marley.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Joe South</b> (September 5, heart attack, age 72): primarily considered a country songwriter because of songs such as "Don't It Make You Wanna Go Home," "Games People Play," and "Rose Garden," he also wrote the Deep Purple classic "Hush."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Chris Stamp</b> (November 24, cancer, age 70): manager for such acts as the Who and Jimi Hendrix.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>John Stockfish</b> (August 20, natural causes, age 69): the longtime bassist for folk icon Gordon Lightfoot.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Billy Strangs</b> (February 22, illness, age 81): a man who wore many hats, including playing guitar on the Beach Boys' <i>Pet Sounds</i> album, arranging songs such as Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Were Made for Walkin,' and writing songs including "A Little Less Conversation."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>"Big Jim" Sullivan</b> (October 2, heart disease/diabetes, age 71): prolific British session guitarist who worked on hits for Gilbert O'Sullivan, Dusty Springfield, and Tom Jones.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Rollin "Oscar" Sullivan</b> (September 7, leukemia, age 93): half of the Grand Ole Opry comedy duo Lonzo & Oscar, Sullivan was also a member of Eddy Arnold's band in the 1940s. His mandolin work can be heard on Arnold's early recordings.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Donna Summer</b> (May 17, lung cancer, age 63): initially known as the "disco queen" she continued to have hits (e.g., "Unconditional Love") long after the disco craze died. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Stuart Swanlund</b> (August 6, natural causes, age 54): Marshall Tucker Band guitar player.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Richard Teeter</b> (April 10, unknown cause, age 61): drummer for the punk band the Dictators.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Jim Thomas</b> (December 19, long illness, age 87): Branson, Missouri businessman who is credited with starting the popularity of music theaters in the city.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Joe Thompson</b> (February 20, natural causes, age 93): African-American fiddler from North Carolina who performed with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and served as an ambassador for traditional music.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Herby Wallace</b> (April 5, heart attack, age 64): Steel Guitar Hall of Fame inductee who played on over 2,000 country sessions.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Willa Ward</b> (August 12, natural causes, age 91): member of the gospel group the Ward Sisters.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Mack Watkins</b> (March 25, unknown causes, age unknown): country session guitar player and the husband of Jeannie Kendall of the duo the Kendalls.</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Doc Watson</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> (May 29, complications from colon surgery and pneumonia, age 89): one of the best friends a guitar could ever have. His majestic playing thrilled audiences for decades, and his memorial to his late son, MerleFest, brought bluegrass, country and Americana artists and fans together in North Carolina for a quarter of a century. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Bob Welch </b>(June 7, suicide [gunshot], age 66): lead guitarist for Fleetwood Mac who spearheaded their transition from blues band to mainstream rock, he was replaced by Lindsey Buckingham upon his departure. He later found solo success with "Sentimental Lady," a re-working of a song he first recorded with Fleetwood Mac. He was one of two former Fleetwood Mac members to die in 2012.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Kitty Wells</b> (July 16, stroke, age 92): in 1952 she kicked the door down for female country singers with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," rightfully earning her the title "Queen of Country Music."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Bob Weston</b> (January 3, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, age 64): guitar player for Fleetwood Mac on the albums <i>Mystery to Me</i> and <i>Penguin</i>. He was one of two former Fleetwood Mac members (along with Bob Welch, who was also on the <i>Mystery to Me</i> album) who died in 2012.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Andy Williams</b> (September 25, bladder cancer, age 84): more than a host of Christmas specials and the man who discovered the Osmond Brothers, he was one of the definitive pop vocalists in music.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 18px;">Carmilla Williams</b><span style="line-height: 18px;"> (January 29, cancer, age 92): opera soprano who had the distinction of being the first African-American woman to work with an American opera company.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Frank Wilson</b> (September 27, lung infection, age 71): a Motown producer and songwriter who co-wrote the Diana Ross & the Supremes hit "Love Child."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Belita Woods</b> (May 14, heart failure, age 63): a member of Parliament-Funkadelic and Brainstorm.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Adam Yauch</b> (May 4, cancer, age 47): founding member of the Beastie Boys.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Finally, a couple of deaths related to <i>The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas</i>, which went from a Tony-nominated Broadway musical to a 1982 film starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. On December 12 Lawrence King, the man who wrote the original 1973 <i>Playboy</i> magazine article about the "chicken ranch" and later collaborated on the play, died from emphysema at the age of 83. Twelve days later veteran character actor Charles Durning, who stole the show with his performance of "The Sidestep," died of natural causes at the age of 89.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Farewell, and thank you for the music.</span><br />
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Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-9621014310674390242012-12-29T10:08:00.000-08:002012-12-29T10:08:28.098-08:00Called It, Didn't I?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank Burns once said he wasn't right very often. Even the doctor of dunce from <i>M*A*S*H</i> could have called some of the winners in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee balloting. Heck, <i style="font-weight: bold;">I</i> got most of them right! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2012/10/shaking-my-head-in-disbelief-yet-again.html">As previously predicted,</a> Randy Newman was inducted, as was the late queen of disco Donna Summer and legendary blues man Albert King. I was also thrilled to see that the Hall of Fame is <i style="font-weight: bold;">finally</i> getting around to putting commercially successful but critically panned acts in, as evident by the induction of Heart and Rush. This gives me hope that <i>maybe</i> next year we will see the nomination (note that not only are these household names not inducted, they have <i style="font-weight: bold;">NEVER BEEN NOMINATED</i>) of other legendary acts such as Steve Miller, Linda Ronstadt, the Electric Light Orchestra, the Moody Blues, and Kiss. Yeah, Kiss's music may be lame but I guarantee you that more people know who they are than know who Erik B. & Rakem (one of this year's nominees) are. And as I always like to point out, it is a hall of <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">FAME</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations, especially, to Rush. I have never cared for that band (Geddy Lee's voice is worse than a cat using a chalkboard for a scratching post), but who on this earth in his/her right mind can argue with their success? Their native country put them in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame a decade and a half ago. It's nice to see the music snobs in Cleveland put their tastes aside for a change and put the most worthy act in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe next year Miller, Ronstadt, ELO and the Moodies will join them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-8799055214559018682012-10-16T18:48:00.000-07:002012-10-16T18:48:54.794-07:00Shaking My Head in Disbelief Yet AGAIN<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What on this earth is it going to take for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to wake the heck up and start nominating legendary ROCK AND ROLL acts? It almost seems as though they'll put the Bay City Rollers on the ballot before acts like Steve Miller, Linda Ronstadt, Kiss, or ELO.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are this year's nominees:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul Butterfield Blues Band</b> (hope they make it!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chic</b> (are you <i>kidding me</i>? FIVE top 40 hits in their entire CAREER? Steve Miller had more than that in two <i>years</i>!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Deep Purple</b> (I am going to go out on a limb and say they'll make it on a Joe South sympathy vote: South, who wrote one of their biggest hits, "Hush," died last month)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Heart</b> (they have more legitimacy than Chic!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joan Jett & the Blackhearts</b> (another one-hit wonder act)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Albert King</b> (and let's all say it together now, "You mean he's not <i>already</i> in???")</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kraftwerk</b> (taking the ballot place of Miller, Ronstadt, ELO, Chicago, etc., the only reason I can think of them being nominated)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marvelettes</b> (ditto the Albert King remark)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Meters</b> (one of the founding bands of funk)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Randy Newman</b> (mark it down now, Tuesday, October 16, 2012, that I'm predicting this: Randy will be inducted. Bet the ranch on it.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>N.W.A. </b>(ah, yes, the rap & roll hall of fame....)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Procol Harum </b>("A Whiter Shade of Pale" is on my 100 favorites list, but one hit does not a hall of fame career make)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Public Enemy</b> (see NWA)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rush</b> (whaddaya know, they're FINALLY getting around to nominating these guys, after 40 million albums sold, a documentary, and induction into Canada's music hall of fame. I'm not a fan of the band but I sincerely hope they are inducted!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Donna Summer</b> (mark it down, she's in, sympathy vote)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm hoping Albert King, the Butterfield Blues Band, Rush, and Randy Newman make it. I'm also hoping that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will start picking up those commercially successful but not critically well-received acts and putting them on the ballot. As I often say, it's not a hall of "quality" or hall of "critics' darlings," it's a hall of <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">FAME</u>.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-19118408937265380912012-09-19T08:24:00.000-07:002012-09-19T08:24:27.119-07:00One Man, One Guitar, Two Hours of Magic<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Category: Concert Review</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before performing his third song from a forthcoming album Richard Thompson told the capacity crowd at the Bloomington, Indiana Buskirk-Chumley Theater the first two songs he had performed were also from the new project. The audience responded warmly with applause, to which Thompson quipped, "But the rest of the album is crap."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing is certain about Richard Thompson: he hardly ever records inferior material, but with his incredible guitar playing, he can make crap sound good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thompson played solo as part of a brief post-Americana Music Association Awards tour. The AMA's award ceremonies in Nashville gave Thompson the "Lifetime Achievement for Songwriting" award. He has had a number of hits thanks to other people; namely, two country versions of "Tear-Stained Letter" and Del McCoury's cover of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," which was the International Bluegrass Music Association's 2002 Song of the Year. These successes as well as his masterful performance of his own songs show why that award was so richly justified.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the two new songs Thompson jumped into familiar material, launching into a knockout version of "Valerie." He followed with one of his most popular songs (and the song that inspired the name of his web site and record label), "Beeswing." That was the way most of the night went: a ballad ("I want to get those happy songs out of the way") was followed by a rocking, fun, or even funny number.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first of four standing ovations came after his mesmerizing performance of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning." He has described the song in other places as a simple "boy-meets-girl story, complicated by the presence of a motorcycle." To paraphrase a line from the song, full bands don't have the soul of Thompson doing this song alone with his guitar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With 45 years of material to draw on Thompson was sure to leave things out; however, he adequately covered all bases. He performed "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" from his days with Fairport Convention, informing the audience that the song had been voted the favorite folk song by listeners of the BBC. The exceptional <i>Shoot Out the Lights</i> album from his days with ex-wife Linda was represented by a stellar version of "Wall of Death." Thompson even brought out a few buried chestnuts, especially "Pharaoh" from 1988's <i>Amnesia</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two pleasant surprises involved covers. Noting that Hoagy Carmichael was born in Bloomington (and professing himself to be a big fan), Thompson performed a Carmichael number in the 90-year-old theater. The other was the riotous Frank Loesser tune that distills <i>Hamlet</i> down to four verses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thompson closed out the set with "I Feel So Good" and was called back for two encores. On the first someone from the audience yelled for "Waltzing's for Dreamers" so Thompson obliged with the song. At the conclusion of the second encore Thompson led the crowd in singing The Band's classic "The Weight," saying after the song, "This is for you, Levon."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tribute to the late Band drummer/vocalist was a special ending to a special night.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-7739938450928691522012-06-07T17:36:00.001-07:002012-06-07T17:38:30.107-07:00Bob Welch Dies<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News/Obituary</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob Welch, a one-time member of Fleetwood Mac who left just before the band's superstar breakthrough <i>Fleetwood Mac</i> album and later had solo success, was found dead in his Nashville home today (6/7). Nashville police reports indicate Welch died of a self-inflicted gunshot to his chest. A suicide note was found in the house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1971 Welch, a native of Los Angeles, auditioned for a British blues band called Fleetwood Mac to replace Jeremy Spencer. His entrance into the band began Fleetwood Mac's transition from a blues band to a more "mainstream"-oriented rock act, although the band would never achieve superstardom during Welch's tenure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welch played on five Fleetwood Mac albums, beginning with 1971's <i>Future Games</i> and ending with <i>Heroes are Hard to Find</i> in 1974. When he left he was replaced by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, who had as a condition of his acceptance into the band the inclusion of his girlfriend, Stevie Nicks. The rest is history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welch resurfaced in 1977 with a solo album, <i>French Kiss</i>. The album featured a new version of "Sentimental Lady," a song that originally appeared on Fleetwood Mac's <i>Bare Trees</i> album. The newly-recorded version featured most of Fleetwood Mac backing Welch. It became a top ten smash at a time when Fleetwood Mac was bogged down recording what would later become their 1979 double album <i>Tusk</i>. Welch would enjoy three more hits over the following 16 months before fading from popular view.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1998 Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Instead of inducting all the members (as they did with the Eagles), the hall of fame omitted Bob Welch from the band's ceremonies. Welch said in an interview with the Cleveland newspaper <i>The Plain Dealer</i> he felt the exclusion was due to his lawsuit against band drummer/co-founder Mick Fleetwood over decades-old issues and that Fleetwood had asked the hall of fame to exclude Welch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welch is the second former member of Fleetwood Mac to die this year. In January guitarist Bob Weston, who played on two albums (<i>Mystery to Me</i> and <i>Penguin</i>), died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob Welch was 66.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-87245358138968611462012-05-20T21:39:00.001-07:002012-05-21T18:19:54.210-07:00One Week of Major Music Losses<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News/Obituaries</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As they say, when it rains it pours. The tears have been pouring in the world of music over the past week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Donald "Duck" Dunn:</b> He played bass. Oh, how he played bass. He was a legendary session man, working with everyone from Otis Redding on "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" to Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" to Sam & Dave on "Hold On, I'm Comin'" in the Stax/Volt era of Memphis soul. A member of Booker T.'s MGs, Dunn later went on to play with rock legends Neil Young and Eric Clapton. Dunn was also the bassist in the Blues Brothers band and said one of the best lines in the 1980 movie about the band (which was comprised of other powerhouse musicians such as Steve Cropper and Matt "Guitar" Murphy): "We had a sound that could turn goat piss to gasoline." Dunn died in his sleep while on tour in Tokyo on May 13. No cause has officially been released but it is suspected he had a heart attack. Dunn was 70.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Doug Dillard:</b> Many outside the world of bluegrass would say, "Who?" Everyone in Mayberry, however, knows <i>exactly</i> who Doug Darling was. Doug Dillard and his brother Rodney fronted the Dillards, who appeared in six episodes of <i>The Andy Griffith Show</i> as the Darling Boys. Doug was the banjo-playing member of the band, who had a long career in bluegrass music outside of Mayberry. In 2010 the Dillards were inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. This was the <i>Andy Griffith Show</i>'s second loss of the month of May, as George "Goober" Lindsey died ten days before Dillard. Dillard, who was 75, died after an illness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Donna Summer:</b> In the mid-70s disco was the rage and Donna Summer was the genre's queen. Songs such as "Love to Love You Baby" and "On the Radio" were massive hits. Even after disco died Summer still made the charts with songs such as "She Works Hard for the Money" and "Unconditional Love." Summer quietly battled lung cancer for nearly a year, finally succumbing to the disease on May 17 at the age of 63.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Robin Gibb:</b> "Bee Gees" was "B.G.s," or "Brothers Gibb." The trio, Barry and twins Maurice and Robin, began the road to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the 60s with songs such as "To Love Somebody," "Words," and "I Started a Joke." Some state they had a period of decline before their "disco comeback," but that isn't supported by <i>Billboard</i> chart information. The Bee Gees had hits in the 70s such as "Run to Me" and "Alive" (1972) and "Mr. Natural" (1974) before disco. Even songs from their hit album <i>Main Course</i> didn't focus solely on the emerging disco craze. Songs such as "Edge of the Universe" and "Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)" were no different than any other Bee Gees hit from years earlier. Still, their ties are to disco, thanks to their prominence on the soundtrack to the John Travolta film <i>Saturday Night Fever</i>. Their songs were also recorded by numerous others (most notably, the huge crossover hit "Islands in the Stream" by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers). Maurice Gibb died in 2003 from an undiagnosed intestinal issue. Twin brother Robin had similar intestinal problems but also suffered from colon cancer. He died May 20 at the age of 62.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Farewell to these greats of music.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-81286261695661003212012-04-19T16:39:00.000-07:002012-04-19T16:39:19.789-07:00What a Terrible Week for Music<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News/Obituaries</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Music has been slammed by deaths this week. And, even worse, it may not be over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dick Clark: </b>The "world's oldest teenager" was the man who first brought a visual aspect to music into American homes. The long-running show <i>American Bandstand</i> allowed people to <i>see</i> the people singing their favorite hits. Although the performances were pantomimed it was still the forerunner of the MTV generation. In addition to that, his production company brought <i>New Year's Rockin' Eve</i>, the "alternative" to the traditional Guy Lumbardo music, to television, along with countless programs ranging from reality to game shows. He also hosted <i>The $10,000 ($25,000, </i>or <i>$100,000) Pyramid</i> and <i>TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes</i>. Even though he suffered a stroke in 2004 he maintained his duties on <i>New Year's Rockin' Eve</i>, although in a greatly diminished role because of the damage the stroke did to his ability to speak. In doing so, Clark put a very famous face to the reality of strokes and did untold good for raising awareness for stroke prevention. Clark went to St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica for a minor surgical procedure and suffered a massive heart attack. He was 82.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Levon Helm</b>: The Band was <i>the</i> band, an act that was Americana long before the term existed. The combination of blues, country and rock stemmed from four Canadians teaming up with a drummer from Arkansas. That drummer was Mark Lavon Helm, who was better known as Levon. Helm sang and wrote songs for The Band, and it was his talent that, in a sense, brought an end to the group that became renown for backing Bob Dylan when Dylan went from acoustic folkie to rock singer. Helm was outraged over lead guitarist Robbie Robertson taking songwriter credit for all of The Band's songs, including things that Helm obviously wrote (most notably, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"). The rift lasted for decades, to the point where Helm refused to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies where The Band was inducted in 1994. Helm went on to a critically-acclaimed post-Band musical career, with each of his final three projects winning Grammy awards. Helm also acted in several movies including his debut role as Loretta Lynn's husband in <i>Coal Miner's Daughter</i>. Robertson thankfully reconciled with Helm this past weekend, visiting Helm in New York's Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Helm died April 19 at the age of 71.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Greg Ham</b>: In 1983 the Australian rock band Men at Work took home the Grammy award for Best New Artist. The five-man band had several hits from their debut album <i>Business As Usual</i>, including "Who Can It Be Now" and "Down Under." The horn player in the band was Greg Ham, who played saxophone on "Who Can It Be Now" and flute on "Down Under." After the band broke up Ham continued to work as a musician, and also acted in the Australian series <i>While You're Down There</i>. On April 19 Ham was found dead in his North Carlton, Melbourne home after friends went to check on him because they had not heard from him in days. As of this writing no official cause of death has been announced; however, the police told Australian media that there were "unexplained circumstances" regarding Ham's death. He was 58.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to these three losses, Bee Gee Robin Gibb is reportedly in a coma and near death, suffering from liver and colon cancers. Published reports, including Gibb's own web site, stated that Gibb is suffering from pneumonia in addition to his cancer woes. Robin's twin brother, Maurice, died from a twisted intestine in 2003. When Robin's problems began he was initially diagnosed with the same malady that claimed his brother's life; however, it was soon discovered that he also had colon cancer that had spread to his liver. He continued to work, and his <i>Titanic Requiem</i> was to be performed with Robin in attendance on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the <i>Titanic</i>. However, in late March Gibb had abdominal surgery and his health has been deteriorating since. Gibb is 62.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-45067751743844050872012-02-29T20:45:00.000-08:002012-02-29T20:45:32.102-08:00We're the Young Generation<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News/Obituary</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Musically speaking, there was nothing quite like the 60s. Sure, there were the Beatles and the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones, but there was also Aretha Franklin having a #1 hit not too long after Frank Sinatra hit the top spot. The quiet folk of Simon and Garfunkel shared the airwaves with the more rock-dominated brand of folk music the Byrds provided. Amid all of that magical mix came a made-for-TV band, the Monkees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monkees front man Davy Jones died today (2/29) of a heart attack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Born in Manchester, England in 1945, Jones began his professional career as an actor, appearing in the legendary British soap opera <i>Coronation Street</i> in 1961. He starred in a British production of <i>Oliver!</i>, which took him to New York to repeat the role at the ripe old age of sixteen. His performance on Broadway earned him a Tony nomination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jones' manager Davy a contract with Screen Gems and a role on a new TV series. That show was <i>The Monkees</i>. Jones was paired with Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Mike Nesmith for the show that, to this day, defies description: part sit-com, part <i>SNL-</i>like skit show, and heavily musical. In the mid-80s MTV aired every episode of the series, crediting the show with starting the "video" era.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The pre-fab four" (a take-off of the Beatles' nickname given the fact that the Monkees were basically put together for the show instead of the traditional means of band formation) may not have been solely responsible for starting the video era (one also has to consider 70s shows such as <i>Don Kirshner's Rock Concert</i> and <i>Midnight Special</i> as being part of the video revolution) but there is no question that show planted the seed. The show was a hit and propelled the Monkees to superstardom. By the end of 1966 the Monkees had scored two #1 songs -- "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer" -- and posed a serious threat to the Beatles' reign on the charts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with so many other "overnight sensation" fads the series was over three years later, but not before netting two Emmy awards (the first music-based television series to ever win an Emmy) and six top ten hits. The Monkees also made a movie, the cult favorite <i>Head</i> (which features a cameo by Frank Zappa, the first speaking role for Teri Garr and a script credit to Jack Nicholson). By the early 70s the Monkees were no more, as first Peter Tork then Mike Nesmith left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jones and Dolenz teamed up with the Monkees' principal songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart (who had scored their own hit in the 60s with "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight") to form Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart. They toured together in the 70s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the revival brought new interest in the Monkees and a new generation of fans Dolenz, Jones and Tork toured frequently. Nesmith only rarely appeared with the other three Monkees after the film, most recently at the early stages of a 1997 British tour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jones was an avid horseman. He owned horses that ran at racetracks throughout Florida and held an amateur steeplechase jockey license in England. In 1994 Jones, who in his youth had dreams of being a jockey, took a horse for part of its morning workout at Churchill Downs. He told a reporter he would rather be a horse trainer than a singer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Monkees' theme song proclaimed, "We're the young generation and we've got something to say." Jones' death is a reminder, as a friend on Facebook said, "we're not the 'young generation' anymore and haven't been for years."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Davy Jones was 66.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-56646500772837352762012-02-16T18:38:00.000-08:002012-02-16T18:38:27.589-08:00They Called Him the Kid<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Obituary/Tribute</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was "The Kid," not because he was necessarily the youngest player on the team but because he played baseball with the child-like enthusiasm that focused on the game first, not the money or the fame or the politics of being a major league baseball player. More than that, he was a loving husband, father and friend. He epitomized "teammate" in the truest since of the word.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary Carter, better known as "The Kid," died today (2/16) after a nine-month battle with brain cancer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carter played for the Montreal Expos for a dozen years before moving to the New York Mets. While with the Mets he won his only World Series ring, in 1986, in a memorable seven-game series against the Boston Red Sox. While Red Sox fans may remember (and cringe every time it's mentioned) Bill Buckner's error that enabled the Mets to win game six, it was Gary Carter's hit with two out in the bottom of the tenth inning that started the rally that enabled the Mets to erase a two-run deficit to deny the Red Sox the championship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary Carter may not have had the superstar name recognition of contemporaries like Johnny Bench or Carlton Fisk but he was an equally capable catcher. He had a superb .991 fielding percentage behind the plate, just one of the Hall of Fame stats he amassed during his 19 seasons on the field. Carter also played the outfield, third base and first base during his career. He was voted to the All-Star team eleven times, twice winning the game MVP award.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carter retired after the 1992 season, and it took until 2003 for his phone to ring informing him that he had been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In May 2011 Carter was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma. Despite treatment tumors continued to be present on his brain, and by January 2012 he was labeled terminal when yet more tumors were discovered after Carter injured his arm in a fall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carter's former teammater, pitcher Ron Darling, described The Kid earlier in the day: "Gary Carter was everything you wanted in a sports hero: a great talent, a great competitor, a great family man, and a great friend."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary "The Kid" Carter, gentleman sports hero, was 57.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-41186079704384996612012-01-03T12:21:00.000-08:002012-01-03T12:21:15.472-08:00Even the Losers....<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Commercials</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There used to be a purpose behind paying celebrities a lot of money to appear in a commercial. The company wanted their product associated with someone who was well-known, liked, respected, and successful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To paraphrase a popular series of tequila commercials, whatever happened to associating your product with success?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Products, <i style="font-weight: bold;">thankfully</i>, do not engage in the political ad rants (e.g., "don't buy that detergent, it'll eat a hole in your clothes!"). However, they do seem to be more and more interested in seeing just how far down the bottom of the barrel they can fall. Country singer Randy Travis once had a song called "Better Class of Losers," and maybe that's what they're aiming for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few cases in point: Miller Lite commercials now feature guys (always guys, they don't <i>dare</i> try this with women) who are "one strike away" from having their "man card" revoked. One man can't look down from his lofty perch -- about six inches off the ground -- on a rock wall. Then there are the downright <i>nasty</i> and vindictive Infiniti car commercials: one features a man retaliating against his neighbor by bowling his car out of its parking spot with a gigantic snowball, and the other has the neighbor getting pelted by a hundred or so kids after throwing <i>one</i> snowball. What's the message here: Infiniti, the car of choice for people hell-bent on revenge?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then there's the Chevy Volt, the car commercial so bad it makes me swear to never drive another Chevy if they give me one for free. Those horrid ads were inescapable during the baseball playoffs, and they have thankfully disappeared (probably due to considerable negative feedback about the ads).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe it's me. I <i>love</i> the VW commercial with people trying to decipher what Elton John was saying in "Rocket Man" (and let me point out, as someone who was quite the Elton John fan in the 70s before the days of looking the lyrics up online, that was NOT always an easy task; and, if you doubt me, ask anyone in their 40s or 50s what they thought Elton was saying instead of "she's got electric <i>boots</i>" when they first heard "Bennie and the Jets" on the radio!). A lot of people seem to dislike it. These people in the VW ad, however, aren't vindictive jerks or guys struggling with their manhood because they're not drinking a particular beer. They're reflecting a reality -- Elton's lyrics weren't easy to understand back then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So as we hold our breath and prepare for <i>the big day</i> in advertising (the Super Bowl, just five or so weeks away), is it too much to ask that commercials begin to associate their products with winners instead of losers? Tom Petty said, "Even the losers get lucky sometime," but not the way the commercials are portraying them.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-40846829326231638872011-12-28T22:17:00.000-08:002011-12-29T16:05:13.398-08:00The Final Notes of 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Tribute</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a particularly difficult year for music. In the five years I've been keeping a database of music-related deaths for the year-end memorial this year had the largest number of entries. With that, h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ere is a list of the people in the world of music for whom the final curtain fell in 2011.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Harley Allen</b> (lung cancer, March 30, age 55): Country songwriter of such hits as Dierks Bentley's "My Last Name," John Michael Montgomery's "The Little Girl" and Alan Jackson's "Between the Devil and Me." His father, Red Allen, was also a legendary bluegrass performer.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liz Anderson</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart and lung disease, October 28, age 81): The mother of Lynn Anderson was also a successful songwriter (such as the Merle Haggard hit "(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers") and singer on her own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Nick Ashford</b> (throat cancer, August 22, age 60): Half of the R&B duo Ashford and Simpson, who performed as well as wrote numerous hits for others.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Atterberry</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (random murder victim of man on shooting spree in L.A., December 12, age 40): Pop music executive who worked with the likes of the Spice Girls.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kenny Baker</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (stroke, July 8, age 85): Legendary bluegrass fiddler who played with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys for 25 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> Carl Bunch</b> (diabetes complications, March 26, age 71): Buddy Holly's drummer on the 1959 "Winter Dance Party" tour who was in the hospital with frostbite when Holly's plane crashed, he signed autographs as "the Frostbitten Cricket." He also played with Roy Orbison and Hank Williams Jr.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Patsi Bale Cox</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (emphysema, November 5, age 66): Noted author who wrote her own books (</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Garth Factor</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) and collaborated with the likes of Loretta Lynn in country (</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still Woman Enough</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) and rock's Pat Benatar (</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between a Heart and a Rock Place</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Billy Bang</b> (lung cancer, April 11, age 63): Jazz violinist who was a one-time member of Sun Ra's band as well as a solo performer.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack Barlow</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (long illness, July 29, age 87): Country singer who had hits with "I Love Country Music" and "Catch the Wind." He created a stir with the novelty song, "The Man on Page 602," which he released under the pseudonym Zoot Fenster.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Barry</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart attack, January 30, age 77): Film composer who put the musical score to a dozen James Bond movies.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joseph Brooks</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (suicide [suffocation], May 22, age 73): From the height of success with a Grammy and Oscar for writing the song "You Light Up My Life, Brooks fell to the lowest of criminals. He was awaiting trail for the rape of nearly a dozen young actresses when he killed himself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Odell Brown</b> (unknown causes, May 3, age 71): R&B organ player and songwriter who penned Marvin Gaye's final hit "Sexual Healing."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ray Bryant</b> (long-term illness, June 2, age 79): Jazz pianist who worked with Gillespie as well as having a long career of his own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bob Burnett </b>(brain cancer, December 8, age 71): Founding member of the Highwaymen, who had the hit "Michael." Burnett is one of two members of the folk band to die in 2011 (the other being Gil Robbins).</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael "Wurzel" Burston</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart disease-induced ventricular fibrillation, July 9, age 62): The guitarist for the heavy metal band Motorhead for ten years.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul Cerney</b> (cancer, March 14, age 57): Songwriter who wrote tunes recorded by country (Restless Heart's "I'll Still Be Loving You"), R&B (Aretha Franklin & the Four Tops' "If Ever a Love There Was") and blues ("The Blues is My Business" by Etta James) acts.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buddy Charleton</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (lung cancer, January 25, age 72): The steel guitarist for country legend Ernest Tubb during most of Tubb's 1960s success stories such as "Waltz Across Texas."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Terry Clements</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (stroke, February 20, age 63): While many acts change band members as often as they change socks, Gordon Lightfoot had only one guitarist since his beginning as a recording artist: Terry Clements.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clarence Clemons</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (stroke, June 18, age 69): It would be no understatement to say the Big Man was as important to Bruce Springsteen's music as Bruce Springsteen. He also made the charts singing a duet with Jackson Browne, "You're a Friend of Mine."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wilma Lee Cooper</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, September 13, age 90): Longtime Grand Ole Opry performer who was as purely country as they come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Charlie Craig</b> (lung cancer, July 1, age 73): country songwriter who wrote hits such as "She's Single Again" and "The Generation Gap."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Beryl Davis</b> (Alzheimer's, October 28, age 87): A singer from the Big Band era who performed with likes of Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, and Vaughn Monroe, she also had a hit with "Do, Lord" as part of a group with Jane Russell and Connie Haines.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don DeVito</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (prostate cancer, November 25, age 72): He spent 40 years as a producer and A&R man at Columbia Records and worked with the likes of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Aerosmith and Blue Oyster Cult.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Billy Diamond</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown cause, October 20, age 95): Fats Domino's longtime manager also gave Antoine Domino his legendary nickname.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hazel Dickens</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (pneumonia, April 22, age 75): IBMA Distinguished Achievement award-winner who put the hard times of her childhood in West Virginia into words, then unleashed them on the world with her powerful mountain vocals.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jim Dickson</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown cause, April 19, age 80): The manager of the legendary 1960s band the Byrds.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joel "Taz" DiGregorio</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (car wreck, October 12, age 67): Charlie Daniel's keyboard player and songwriting partner for nearly 40 years, he wrote the fan favorite "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank Dileo</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (complications from heart surgery, August 24, age 63): Michael Jackson's manager.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jean Dinning</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (respiratory illness, February 22, age 86): A member of the Dinning Sisters act, she wrote her brother Mark Dinning's big hit "Teen Angel."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jessy Dixon</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown cause, September 16, age 73): Legendary gospel music performer who became a pop music crossover when he and his Jessy Dixon Singers backed Paul Simon on hits like "Loves Me Like a Rock."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charlie Douglas </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">unknown cause, November 24, age 78): Disc Jockey Hall of Fame member who is credited with inventing the overnight radio show aimed specifically at truck drivers. He was also an announcer for the Grand Ole Opry for several years.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cornell Dupree</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (emphysema, May 8, age 69): R&B session guitarist, known as "Uncle Funky," who played with countless soul acts. His guitar is heard on songs such as "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "R-E-S-P-E-C-T."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ear X-tacy </b>(lack of interest in record stores, October 27, age 26): Louisville record store with a national following thanks to their "typewritten"-looking bumper stickers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>David "Honeyboy" Edwards</b> (congestive heart failure, August 29, age 96): Grammy-winning, Blues Hall of Fame Delta blues singer, the last of the originals, who was with Robert Johnson the night he died.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Esther Gordy Edwards</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, August 24, age 91): An executive at Motown Records and the sister of label founder Barry Gordy.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Herman Ernest</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (cancer, March 6, age 59): The longtime drummer for the "Night Tripper" Dr. John.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lamar Fike</b> (non-Hodgken's lymphoma, January 21, age 75): The second-longest tenured member of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia," he co-wrote <i>Elvis and the Memphis Mafia</i>. He </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">also served as Brenda Lee's road manager in the 60s and was a Capitol Records executive under Jimmy Bowen.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob Flanigan</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (congestive heart failure, May 11, age 84): Co-founder of the 50s vocal group the Four Freshmen.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank Foster</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (kidney failure, July 26, age 82): Director and saxophonist for the Count Basie Orchestra.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Manuel Galban</b> (heart attack, July 7, age 80): Guitarist in the legendary Cuban band the Buena Vista Social Club.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Russell Garcia</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, November 20, age 95): Conducter, arranger and composer who worked with the likes of Duke Ellington, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary Garcia</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown causes, November 19, age 63): Half of the one-hit wonder Buckner & Garcia who did the early 80s hit "Pac Man Fever."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carl Gardner</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (long illness, June 12, age 83): The lead singer of the Hall of Fame vocal group the Coasters.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gil Garfield</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Cancer, January 1, age 77): Member of the one-hit wonder band The Cheers, who did "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eugenia Gingold</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (congestive heart failure, December 22, 2010, announced January 2, 2011, age 94): Mother of legendary singer/songwriter Carole King.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnny Giosa</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (car wreck, August 28, age 42): Drummer for the hard rock band the Bullet Boys.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andrew Gold</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart attack, June 3, age 59): Singer/songwriter and musician who was best-known for the 1970s hit "Thank You for Being a Friend," which later became the theme song to the TV series </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Golden Girls</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Billy Grammer</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (long illness, August 10, age 85): A guitar designer and well-loved session man, he scored a huge hit in 1959 with "Gotta Travel On."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marshall Grant</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (brain aneurysm, August 6, age 83): The final member of Johnny Cash's seminal original backing band the Tennessee Two, he was stricken while preparing to perform at a show in Arkansas to raise money to preserve Cash's boyhood home.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dobie Gray</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (cancer, December 6, age 71): R&B and gospel performer best-known for the 1973 hit "Drift Away."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George Green</b> (lung cancer, August 28, age 59): John Mellencamp's co-writing partner who helped on hits "Crumblin' Down" and "Hurts So Good."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob Grill</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (head injury suffered in a fall, July 10, age 67): The lead vocalist for the 60s group the Grass Roots.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freddie Gruber </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(long illness, October 11, age 84): Jazz drummer who played with Charlie Parker and later taught drums to his students, including Rush's Neil Peart.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Carlton Haney</b> (stroke, March 16, age 82): The man credited with inventing the phenomenon that is now known as the bluegrass music festival, Haney also served as the booking agent for bluegrass acts such as Bill Monroe and Reno & Smiley.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary Cleere Haran</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (hit by car while riding bicycle, February 5, age 58): Cabaret-style vocalist who sought to revive popularity in pop hits of the 1930s and 40s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jack Hardy </b>(lung cancer, March 15, age 63): Influential New York-based folk singer/songwriter who helped Suzanne Vega get her start, he was also the founding editor of <i>Fast Folk Musicial</i> magazine.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jet Harris</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (cancer, March 17, age 71): British rock performer who was a member of the Shadows with Sir Cliff Richard.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack Hayes</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, August 24, age 92): TV theme show composer who gave us the opening music for </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gunsmoke</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Warren Hellman</b> (leukemia, December 18, age 77): The founder and initial financial backer of, and frequent performer at, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gil-Scott Heron</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (complications from HIV and long-time drug use, May 27, age 62): folk singer, songwriter, poet and activist.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Loleatta Holloway</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart attack, March 21, age 64): Late 70s/early 80s disco singer who had a hit in 1980 with "Love Sensation."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gladys Horton</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (stroke, January 26, age 66): Member of the 60s R&B group the Marvelettes.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ferlin Husky</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (colon cancer/congestive heart failure, March 17, age 85): A country singer with a long career and two major crossover records, 1957's "Gone" and 1960's "Wings of a Dove."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mick Karn</b> (cancer, January 4, age 52): Bassist for Peter Murphy and the band Japan.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trish Keenan</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (complications of swine flu and pneumonia, January 14, age 42): Leader of the band Broadcast.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laura Kennedy</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (hepatitis C, November 14, age unknown): Bassist in post-punk band Bush Tetras.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tom King</b> (congestive heart failure, April 23, age 68): Founder of the 60s band the Outsiders and co-writer of their one hit "Time Won't Let Me."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eddie Kirkland</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (car wreck, February 27, age 88): One-time guitarist with John Lee Hooker, the blues man was known as the "gypsy of the blues."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don Kirshner</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart failure, January 17, age 76): Songwriter ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"), producer (the Archies), and the founder of the 70s late-night TV rock show </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don Kirshner's Rock Concert</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moogy Klingman</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (bladder cancer, November 15, age 61): A member of Todd Rungren's band Utopia and a songwriter, responsible for Bette Midler's theme song "Friends."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex Krist</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (killed by hit-and-run driver, January 13, age 47): Drummer who played with "godfather of punk" Iggy Pop and the band the Nymphs.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gene Kurtz</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (cancer, October 24, age 68): Co-writer of the hit "Treat Her Right" and long-time performer in Austin's alt-country scene.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Kuzma</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown cause, July 1, age 60): The guitarist for the band the Hooters who left just before their success with "All You Zombies."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Georgia Carroll Kyser</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, January 14, age 91): A singer and actress who was also the widow of big band leader Kay Kyser.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jani Lane</b> (acute alcohol poisoning, August 11, age 47): Lead singer of the 80s band Warrant and writer of their biggest hit, "Heaven."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul Leka</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (lung cancer, October 12, age 68): Songwriter of such hits as "Green Tambourine" and "Na Na Na (Kiss Him Goodbye)" as well as a record producer.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charlie Louvin</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (pancreatic cancer, January 26, age 83): The surviving half of the Louvin Brothers who had a solo career more commercially successful than the time he spent recording with his brother, but everyone remembers the unduplicated harmonies that Charlie created with Ira.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ralph MacDonald</b> (lung cancer, December 18, age 67): Gifted percussionist heard on things as diverse as "Young Americans" by David Bowie and "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett, he co-wrote the Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway duet "Where Is the Love."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ross MacManus</b> (unknown cause, November 24, age 84): British musician/recording artist and father of Elvis Costello, he played trumpet on two of his son's songs.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wade Mainer </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(congestive heart failure, September 12, age 104): A man older than the music he played for 70 years, Mainer was a mainstay in country music and the last of the genre's original pioneers.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hugh Martin Jr.</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, March 11, age 96): Writer of the holiday classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. David Mason</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (leukemia, April 29, age 85): Classical trumpet and flugelhorn player who played the trumpet solo on the Beatles' "Penny Lane."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Country" Johnny Mathis</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (pneumonia, September 27, age 80): Hard to believe there were two people with the name "Johnny Mathis" in music. This one, who later went by "Country Johnny Mathis" to avoid confusion with the pop singer who did "Chances Are" (<span style="color: #990000;"><b>who is still very much alive as of this writing</b></span>), was a songwriter and singer who had a huge hit with "If You Don't Somebody Else Will" as part of Jimmy & Johnny. Songs he wrote were recorded by the likes of Ray Price, Johnny Paycheck, and George Jones.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jerry Mayo</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (blood disorder, June 6, age 76): Trumpet player for the 50s vocal group Freddy and the Bellboys.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mel McDaniel</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (lung cancer, March 31, age 68): Country singer and Opry member who had a string of hits in the 1980s including "Louisiana Saturday Night," "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On," and "Big Ole Brew."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gene McDaniels </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(unknown cause, July 29, age 76): Songwriter responsible for "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" and Roberta Flack's #1 song "Feel Like Makin' Love."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Huey Meaux</b> (illness, April 23, age 82): The man credited with discovering the Sir Douglas Quintet also owned SugarHill Studios (no relation to the record label), where Freddy Fender recorded his breakthrough hits "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" and "Before the Next Teardrop Falls."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Alan Meltzer</b> (unknown cause, October 30, age 67): Founder of the alt-rock label Wind-Up Records.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ralph Mooney</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (kidney cancer, March 20, age 82): One of country music's greatest steel guitarists, he wrote Ray Price's classic "Crazy Arms" and played with the likes of Wynn Stewart, Buck Owens and Waylon Jennings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gary Moore</b> (heart attack, February 6, age 58): Guitarist for the 70s band Thin Lizzy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joe Morello</b> (unknown cause, March 12, age 82): Drummer for the Dave Brubeck Quartet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul Motian</b> (myelodyplastic syndrome, November 23, age 80): Jazz drummer for nearly 60 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Duane Nelson</b> (unknown cause, week of March 1, age 52): Prince's brother and one-time employee.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roger Nichols</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (pancreatic cancer, April 9, age 66): Always listed as "The Immortal" on the Steely Dan albums he engineered, Nichols also worked with other acts such as John Denver, with whom he won a Grammy.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joe Paul Nichols</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Lou Gehrig's Disease, July 27, age 69): One of the die-hard traditional country performers on the Heart of Texas label, he was also a member of the International Country Gospel Music Association.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>James O'Gwynn</b> (pneumonia, January 19, age 82): Known as "the Smiling Irishman of Country Music," his best-known songs were "House of Blue Lovers" and "My Name is Mud."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Norio Ohga</b> (multiple organ failure, April 23, age 82): The Sony Music chairman who is credited with developing the compact disc as a music format.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Barbara Orbison</b> (pancreatic cancer, December 6, age 60): The widow of Roy Orbison and the manager of his incredible musical legacy died 23 years to the day after her husband's 1988 fatal heart attack.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dan Peek</b> (heart disease, July 24, age 60): One of the original members of the 1972 "Best New Artist" Grammy-winning act America, he left the band in the 80s to concentrate of Christian music.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joseph "Pinetop" Perkins</b> (cardiac arrest, March 21, age 97): Blues Hall of Fame piano player and recipient of a Grammy lifetime achievement award for his work. He won a 2010 Grammy for an album with "Big Eyes" Smith, who also died this year.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joan Peyser</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (complications from heart surgery, April 24, age 80): Noted musicologist and biographer of the likes of Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lee Pockriss</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown cause, November 14, age 87): Songwriter of such hits as "Catch a Falling Star," "Johnny Angel," and "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikni."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Bobby Poe</b> (blood clot, January 22, age 77): A rockabilly performer who was a member of Wanda Jackson's backing band.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Steve Popovich</b> (heart problems, June 8, age 68): Founder of the Columbia Records subsidiary label Cleveland International, where Meat Loaf found international success in 1978 with <i>Bat Out of Hell</i>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Johnny Preston</b> (heart failure, March 4, age 71): Best known for his 1959 hit "Running Bear," which featured its author (J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson) and George Jones on backing vocals with Jones playing guitar.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gerry Rafferty</b> (alcoholism-related liver failure, January 4, age 63): A gifted singer and songwriter who saw fame with "Stuck in the Middle With You" as a member of Stealers Wheel and on his own with "Baker Street" and the superlative 1978 album <i>City to City</i>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jerry Ragovoy </b>(stroke, July 13, age 80): R&B singer who wrote "Piece of My Heart," which Janis Joplin turned into a blues/rock classic.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jody Rainwater</b> (real name: Charles Johnson, complications of heart attack and other ailments, age 92): A one-time member of Flatt & Scruggs's Foggy Mountain Boys and longtime Virginia country/bluegrass disc jockey.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sam Rivers </b>(pneumonia, December 26, age 88): Innovative jazz saxophonist who was just as comfortable playing with John Lee Hooker as he was playing with Dizzy Gillespie.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thomas Roady</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart attack, November 28, age 62): The drummer for Ricky Skaggs' band Kentucky Thunder.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gil Robbins</b> (prostate cancer, April 5, age 80): Member of the folk group the Highwaymen, best-known for their rendition of "Michael" in the early 60s.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rudy Robbins</b> (cancer, February 21, age 77): Founding member of the "Official Cowboy Band of Texas" the Spirit of Texas.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sylvia Robinson</b> (congestive heart failure, September 29, age 75): From half of Mickey & Sylvia (of "Love Is Strange" fame) to 70s disco singer and producer of the hit "Rapper's Delight."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don Rondo</b> (lung cancer, January 27, age 81): Singer and songwriter from the 50s and 60s best-known for the hit "White Silver Sands."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Stan Ross</b> (complications from surgery, March 11, age 82): The co-owner of Gold Star Studios in L.A., where Phil Spector began his famous "Wall of Sound" productions.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Suze Rotolo</b> (long-term illness, February 24, age 67): The one-time girlfriend of Bob Dylan who was pictured on the cover of his <i>Freewheelin'</i> album.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>George Roundtree</b> (unknown cause, October 31, age 61): The music director for the legendary group the Four Tops.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Alan Rubin</b> (lung cancer, June 8, age 68): The trumpet player known as "Mr. Fabulous," he played himself in <i>The Blues Brothers</i>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chuck Ruff</b> (complications after surgery, October 14, age 60): Drummer on Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein," he also played with Sammy Hagar.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ken Russell</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (stroke, November 27, age 84): Renown movie producer who brought the Who's rock opera </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tommy</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to the big screen in 1975.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mark Ryan</b> (complications from liver damage, January 31, age 51): An original member of Adam and the Ants.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Nick Santo</b> (cancer, December 30, 2010 [announced in January 2011], age 69): Member of the vocal group the Capris, best-known for "There's a Moon Out Tonight."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mack Self</b> (unknown causes, June 14, age 81): Rockabilly Hall of Famer who had a hit with "Easy to Love" but was overshadowed by fellow Sun Records acts like Elvis, Jerry Lee, and Johnny Cash.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eddie Serrato</b> (end-stage renal failure/diabetes, February 24, age 65): The drummer for "96 Tears" group ? and the Mysterians.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sir George Shearing</b> (congestive heart failure, February 14, age 91): Legendary jazz pianist who had an international hit with "Lullaby of Birdland."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood</b> (unknown cause, December 25, age 69): Percussionist for Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention band.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dick Sims</b> (cancer, December 8, age 60): Longtime keyboard player for Eric Clapton.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gerald Smith</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (lung cancer, April 20, age 36): Bass player for the band TV on the Radio.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Willie "Big Eyes" Smith</b> (stroke, September 16, age 75): Multiple-award winning blues harmonica player, vocalist and drummer. His 2010 Grammy-winning partner "Pinetop" Perkins also died in 2011.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Phoebe Snow</b> (complications from a 2010 brain hemorrhage, April 26, age 60): Soulful folk singer best-remembered for her hit "Poetry Man" and dueting with Paul Simon on "Gone At Last."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eddie Snyder</b> (pneumonia, March 10, age 92): The man who wrote Sinatra's classic "Strangers in the Night."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Melvin Sparks</b> (diabetes, March 15, age 64): R&B guitarist who worked with the likes of Hank Ballard, Marvin Gaye, Little Richard, and Jackie Wilson.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Billie Jo Spears</b> (cancer, December 14, age 74): Gifted singer with hits over three decades such as "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" and "Blanket on the Ground."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dan "Bee" Spears</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (exposure after falling outside his home, December 8, age 62): Willie Nelson's bassist for over four decades and the backbone of his band.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mike Starr</b> (prescription drug overdose, March 8, age 44): One-time bassist for Alice in Chains.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fred Steiner</b> (stroke, June 23, age 88): TV composer who wrote the theme to the <i>Rocky & Bullwinkle Show</i> as well as music scores for <i>Star Trek</i>, <i>Perry Mason</i>, and <i>Hogan's Heroes</i>.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Strauss</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Parkinson's disease, February 14, age 90): The man who gave us the classic theme song to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Car 54, Where Are You?</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Poly Styrene</b> (breast cancer, April 25, age 53): Lead singer for the band X-Ray Spex.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hubert Sumlin</b> (heart failure, December 14, age 80): Blues guitarist with Howlin' Wolf.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Victor Tallarico</b> (natural causes, September 10, age 95): The father of Aerosmith's front man Steve Tyler. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marv Tarplin</b> (unknown causes, September 30, age 70): Guitarist for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Howard Tate</b> (leukemia, December 2, age 72): R&B singer/songwriter, best-known for "Get It While You Can."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joe Taylor</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (heart disease, March 24, age 89): A Hoosier native who was content to play his music in Indiana instead of seeking national fame, he nevertheless found it when his song "He's a Cowboy Auctioneer" was recorded by Tex Ritter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Andrea True</b> (<i>nee</i> Truden, heart failure, November 7, age 68): One-time porn star who had hits with "More More More" and "N.Y., You Got Me Dancing" in the mid-70s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mark Tulin</b> (heart attack, February 26, age 62): Bassist with the Electric Prunes in the 60s and early 70s, he also worked with the 90s band Smashing Pumpkins.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buster Turner</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (unknown causes, March 3, age 82): An east Tennessee-based country, bluegrass and gospel performer who wrote "Beautiful Altar of Prayer."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>John Walker</b> (liver cancer, May 7, age 67): The front man for the R&B group the Walker Brothers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don Wayne</b> (illness, September 12, age 78): Country sngwriter who wrote the classics "Country Bumpkin" (Cal Smith) and "Saginaw, Michigan" (Lefty Frizzell's final #1 hit).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mikey Welsh</b> (drug overdose, October 8, age 40): Former bassist for the band Weezer.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Margaret Whiting</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, January 11, age 86): A masterful pop singer who did one of the best-loved versions of "Baby It's Cold Outside" (with Johnny Mercer), she also made the country charts on several occasions as the singing partner of Jimmy Wakely.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doc Williams</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, January 31, age 96): A longtime member of the Wheeling Jamboree and influence on countless West Virginia country musicians such as Brad Paisley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Roger Williams</b> (pancreatic cancer, October 8, age 87): One of pop music's most distinguished piano players and stylists who had the massive hit "Autumn Leaves."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Vesta Williams</b> (sleeping pill overdose, September 22, age 53): 80s R&B singer best-remembered for the song "Congratulations."</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jim Williamson</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (COPD, January 24, age 75): Longtime recording engineer who worked on songs like "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Stand By Your Man" and "Rose Garden."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Amy Winehouse</b> (alcohol poisoning, July 23, age 27): Brilliant but troubled British pop singer with five Grammy awards under her belt.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Randy Wood</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (complications of a fall, April 9, age 94): The man who gave us Dot Records, early home of acts such as bluegrass's Mac Wiseman, pop's Pat Boone, and country acts Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnnie Wright</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (natural causes, September 27, age 97): Country singer who was best known as husband of "Queen of Country Music" Kitty Wells, he also had a string of hits with duet partner Jack Anglin as Johnnie & Jack as well as a solo career.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paul Yandell</b> (cancer, November 21, age 76): The final person to receive the Chet Atkins-created designation "Certified Guitar Picker," Yandell backed many country acts (most notably, the Louvin Brothers) and played for years with his boyhood idol Atkins.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Snooky Young</b> (lung ailment, May 11, age 92): Jazz trumpet player who was a member of the <i>Tonight Show</i> band.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>R.E.M.</b> (disbanded, September 21, 31 years together): the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band that may not have invented "college rock" but certainly made it cool.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Farewell to each and every one, and thank you for the music.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-64354443302647163752011-11-12T16:38:00.000-08:002011-11-12T16:39:09.885-08:00A Breath of Fresh Air<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Sports News</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mike Krzyzewski coached his 902nd victory today (11/12). This win ties him with his college basketball coach, Bob Knight, for the most in NCAA men's Division I basketball history.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 36-plus years of coaching there has <b>never</b> been a scandal or a violation. The worst thing that he's ever done was cuss out a Duke student newspaper reporter who, in Krzyzewski's opinion, was unfair to his team (not to <i>him personally</i>, mind you; rather to one of his players). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's been married to the same woman for 42 years and there's <b>never</b> been a hint or a whisper or any type of Rick Pitino-like infidelity. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is a graduate of West Point, where he played and had his first coaching job, meaning that he went into the Army in an era (the late 60s/early 70s) when other men his age were running away from military service.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He prays before games.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the sports headlines over the past two weeks have been filled with stomach-turning news of the rape of young boys and subsequent cover-up by people who were considered pillars of their community. That's why the 902nd "W" with Coach K on the sidelines is a breath of fresh air. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether you like Duke or hate them (and, as with many successful sports teams, there </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">is no middle ground</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on which to walk), you cannot help but be thankful that this success has gone to a man above reproach. There won't be any "tarnished legacy" when Mike Krzyzewski finally calls it a career.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need more coaches like Mike Krzyzewski. More importantly, we need more <b><i>men</i> </b>like him.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-1741303655915618562011-11-02T22:27:00.000-07:002011-11-02T22:27:39.530-07:00The Day the Music Store Died<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if you're not from Louisville you've probably seen those bumper stickers. How could you miss them: the old typewriter font with the store's name in lower case letters save for that capital "X."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ear X-tacy closed its doors in Louisville for the final time on October 27. The store's demise is no real surprise, given all the other mega-chain stores that have bitten the dust with the advent of the download. Yet somehow, through the changes from vinyl (which was predominant when I began shopping there when it opened in 1985) to cassettes to CDs and back to vinyl the store had managed to stay around. It has been cited by numerous national sources as one of the top independent record stores in the country. Now it has suffered the fate of so many other stores.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The store was the child of John Timmons, brother of 80s pop-metal band Danger Danger's lead guitarist Andy Timmons. It was named after John's favorite band, XTC. (John once said one of his biggest thrills was getting to talk to XTC front man Andy Partridge on the phone.) It began in a small store on Poplar Level Road near the Watterson Expressway on-ramp. The first move came when the expansion of the Watterson took the land. Ear X-tacy moved next door to the Great Escape on Bardstown Road in the Highlands. It then moved to a larger location further down Bardstown Road, near Eastern Parkway. At the height of its popularity there were <i>three</i> locations in town, but last year the store had to move to a smaller location on Bardstown Road because of poor business. In addition to records, CDs, and cassettes the store sold just about anything music-related short of instruments: t-shirts, posters, tickets, books, magazines and bumper stickers. Many free performances took place on the second floor of the store.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the loyal fan base Timmons could no longer manage to keep the store in operation. Whether it's the recession or the trends in downloading that keep people away from "real" stores in favor of cyber ones was not addressed in the press release.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jim James, Louisville native and member of My Morning Jacket, told the Louisville <i>Courier-Journal</i> by e-mail, "There's a tear in my eye right now as I hear about the closing of one of my favorite places on earth."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's sad to see the place go. I discovered so much great music hanging out in that store. It was at Ear X-tacy that I discovered the joy of the Replacements' <i>Pleased to Meet Me</i>, the brilliance of John Hiatt (name an album, any album), mourned the demise of Talking Heads, and debated the "they sold out" claim about R.E.M. It was, in essence, my rock and roll university.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ear X-tacy was 26.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-28075226319669413082011-09-27T20:20:00.000-07:002011-09-27T20:20:36.425-07:00And I Thought It Was Bad LAST Year<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: News</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2012 induction class were announced today. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As usual, no legitimate superstars who <i><b>should</b></i> be nominated on the list (e.g., Steve Miller, Linda Ronstadt, Chicago, ELO, Rush, Moody Blues, Neil Sedaka), and a lot of disco, rap, and one-hit wonders (e.g., Beastie Boys) who should never be considered ARE on the list.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd comment on the way these nominations are making a mockery of the Hall of Fame, but these jokers aren't worth the caloric output. It almost makes me glad Miller, Ronstadt, et. al. are NOT nominated: it would cheapen their otherwise very successful careers.</span>Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-78228766256683070142011-08-23T16:30:00.000-07:002011-08-23T16:30:43.559-07:00Pat Summitt's Toughest Game<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Category: Sports News</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nobody -- <i style="font-weight: bold;">nobody</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> -- has coached more victories in college basketball than Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt. Now the Hall of Fame coach is facing her toughest opponent ever: a serious health issue. Summitt has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summitt announced today (8/23) that she received the diagnosis of early-onset dementia (Alzheimer's type) in May. Following the conclusion of the 2010-2011 season her doctor sent her to the Mayo Clinic, where she received the diagnosis.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summitt is receiving treatment and will continue to coach. The interim Athletics Director for the University of Tennessee, Joan Cronan, affirmed that "Pat Summitt is our head coach, and she will continue to be."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pat Summitt has 1,071 victories, more than any other coach in any division of NCAA basketball, male or female. She has won eight national titles and has spent her entire 39-year coaching career on the sidelines at Tennessee. Her program has never been under <i>any</i> scrutiny by the NCAA for any violations, meaning she has won all those games and titles the <b>right way</b>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Considering all the foul-smelling news coming out almost daily about college sports it is more important now than ever that the college games obtain more coaches like Pat Summitt. Keep this marvelous coach and her family in your prayers as she battles this terrible diagnosis.</span><br />
Raizor's Edgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15040455310627815122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5040613081684711439.post-65843059085838255292011-08-15T20:51:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:51:17.732-07:00The More Simplistic the Better<span style="font-family: arial;"><strong>Category: 50 Songs to Hear</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">SONG: You Are the Everything</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>ARTIST: </strong>R.E.M.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>SONGWRITERS: </strong>Michael Stipe / Peter Buck / Mike Mills / Bill Berry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>ALBUM: </strong>Green</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>YEAR/LABEL: </strong>1988; Warner Brothers</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>Yee haw! Let's go make an art record!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">(Peter Buck)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Athens, Georgia is the home of the University of Georgia. Thanks to the bustling music scene that roared from the town in the late 70s and early 80s, one could make a legitimate argument that it is also the birthplace of "college rock," a genre of more adult, experimental music than the mainstream was cranking out in the disco and synthesizer era. While acts from the Athens music scene enjoyed varying degrees of success (the B-52s were quite successful, Pylon and Kilkenny Cats were not), they all paled in comparison to the Hall of Fame success enjoyed by R.E.M.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">When R.E.M. debuted in the early 1980s they were a cross between Tom Petty's jangling rock sound and Bob Dylan's cryptic lyrics (and garbled vocal delivery). The albums had the added problem of no lyric sheets, meaning that it was up to the listener to decided what lead singer Michael Stipe was saying. The music was perfect for the time: "roots rock," the answer to the heavily-synthesized music that was dominating the pop charts at the time. R.E.M. quickly became critics' darlings and picked up an increasing number of fans (among them, Warren Zevon, who recorded his <i>Sentimental Hygiene</i> album backed by Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry). When they left the independent IRS label for giant Warner Brothers many claimed they were selling out, but in actuality their music was as fresh as the day they started. Just as they ignored the popular music of the time when they started, as they sold millions they stayed true to what they wanted to do. That meant as music got louder, with the rise in popularity of the hair bands in the mid-80s, R.E.M. decided to pull out the mandolin for a song.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">That song is the highlight of their album <i>Green</i>, and indeed one of the highlights of their entire career: the stunningly beautiful "You Are the Everything."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Proving they could mix music styles (the album was labeled, instead of "side one" and "side two," "air side" and "metal side") R.E.M. presented a lovely ballad that was as close to a love song as they had recorded (for the record, Stipe clearly and repeatedly stated in interviews that "The One I Love" was <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> a love song). Buck picked up the mandolin and played a simple, beautiful melody as Stipe began, "Sometimes I feel like I can't even sing." And you have to love a song that uses the word <i>eviscerate</i>, not to mention the notion of a band from the South throwing in a line that says, "You're drifting off to sleep with your teeth in your mouth."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">R.E.M. has continued to impress fans and re-invent themselves. Their masterpiece, however, is a haunting balled with a simplistic instrumentation that proves that a rock band doesn't have to "rock" to be memorable.</span><br />
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<strong style="font-family: Arial;">OTHER R.E.M. MUSIC TO INVESTIGATE:</strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>The entire <i>Murmur</i> album</b> -- their initial album stands as one of the best of the 1980s.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>The entire <i>Dead Letter Office</i> album</b> -- a collection of B-sides, some fabulous ("Ages of You," their cover of "Femme Fatale"), some so bad they're good (their drunken rendition of "King of the Road," which they state in the liner notes should have led to a lawsuit from Roger Miller) but all that needed to be removed from the "buried B-side" status. The best side of a single wasn't always the "A" or "plug" side!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>"Gardening At Night"</b> (originally on the <i>Chronic Town</i> EP, a different version appears on <i>Eponymous</i>) -- in various interviews both Michael Stipe and Mike Mills stated they have no clue what this song is about. Flash back to the early days when songs didn't really have to be more profound than a Bob Dylan album to be good. This song brings that notion forward.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">PREVIOUS SONGS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">(Country)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2011/02/he-hasnt-stopped-loving-her-todayyet.html">You Haven't Heard</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/traditional-music-at-its-best.html">Winter's Come and Gone</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2010/07/perfect-voice.html">Where Do I Go to Throw a Picture Away</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2010/02/optimism-and-love-in-face-of-trouble.html">When My Rowboat Comes In</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2010/01/90-second-pick-me-up.html">When I Lift Up My Head</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/12/true-loves-blessing.html">Rose of My Heart</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/11/old-time-religion.html">Rock of Ages, Hide Thou Me</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/10/hardcore-country.html">Playboy</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/10/modern-voice-with-ancient-sound.html">Our Town</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/09/bitterness-is-beautiful.html">Old Memories Mean Nothing to Me</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/08/brothers-being-brothers.html">Not That I Care</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/07/dont-say-you-werent-warned.html">Nobody Eats at Linebaugh's Anymore</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/06/solo-harmony.html">My Book of Memories</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/06/heartbreak-on-country-music-highway.html">Lost to a Stranger</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/06/heartbreak-on-country-music-highway.html"></a></span><a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-other-side-of-wolverton-mountnain.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Little Bitty Heart</span></a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/04/for-better-or-worse.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Life Has Its Little Ups and Downs</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-jukeboxes-get-shot.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Life is Too Short</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/03/oh-what-harmony-can-do.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I Want a Home in Dixie</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/02/philosophy-in-34-time.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I Lost Today</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/02/being-broken-hearted-never-sounded-so.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fingerprints</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/02/a-cappella-beauty.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Down to the River to Pray</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/02/college-course-in-how-to-do-parody.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyeballs</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/01/when-marriage-ends.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Death in the Family</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/01/greatest-miner-lament.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dark as a Dungeon</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge.blogspot.com/2009/01/swatting-mosquitoes.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bottomless Well</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">(Rock)<br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2010/12/thrill-ride-that-crashes.html">Wall of Death</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-to-do-country-rock-correctly.html">Train Leaves Here This Morning</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2010/04/great-trip-to-bottom-of-barrel.html">Swallowed By the Cracks</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2010/01/honoring-music.html">Stephen</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2010/01/worth-wait.html">Stealin' Time</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/12/americana-101.html">Starting Tomorrow</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/10/cult-band-of-our-time.html">Spellbound</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/10/sound-of-one-heart-breaking.html">Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/09/most-powerful-opening-salvo.html">She's a Runaway</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-are-voices-and-then.html">Painted Bells</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/08/song-of-songs-from-songwriters.html">Out to Sea</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/07/going-home-again.html">One More Song</a><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/06/young-folks-boogie.html">New Delhi Freight Train</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/06/young-folks-boogie.html"></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/05/working-womans-lament.html">Millworker</a></span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/04/its-broke-and-cant-be-fixed.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Long Way Home</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/03/lost-at-sea.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Island</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/03/long-live-king.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Heart of Rome</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/02/escaping-slavery.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Harriet Tubman's Gonna Carry Me Home</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/02/visual-song-for-video-generation.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Entella Hotel</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/02/worlds-greatest-air-conditioner.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Desperados Under the Eaves</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/02/pain-to-nth-degree.html" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Crossing Muddy Waters</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-should-be-irelands-best-known.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cliffs of Dooneen</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/01/all-about-d-i-v-o-r-c-e.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://raizorsedge2.blogspot.com/2009/01/from-dumbo-to-soulful-ballad.html" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Baby Mine</span></a><br />
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