Sunday, December 15, 2013

Death List 2013 + Peter O'Toole

At around this time every year the Vinyl Word raises a glass to those musicians and entertainers who have died during the year. As ever, 2013 has seen many greats pass on, and no doubt others will do so during the last two weeks of the year. And even as I am writing this, news has come through of the death, at 81, of Peter O'Toole, one of the greatest actors of the late 20th century, whose starring roles include Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion In Winter, The Ruling Class, Becket, Goodbye Mr Chips and My Favourite year. The Vinyl Word raises a glass, as I'm sure Peter himself would have done.
Here are some of the other more significant losses that we have seen this year.
Jewel Akens - Birds and the Bees singer; Patty Andrews - member of the Andrews Sisters; Kevin Ayres - Soft Machine; Kenny Ball - trad jazz man; Peter Banks - member of Yes; Sid Bernstein - US producer and promoter; Big Bopper Jr - rock and roll singer: Joe Bihari - Modern records co-founder; Karen Black -American actress and singer; Bobby 'Blue' Bland -  legendary soul and blues singer (pictured); Eddie Bond - rockabilly singer; Lee 'Sugarfoot' Bonner - Ohio Players; Richard Briers - comedy actor; Texas Johnny Brown - bluesman; Donald Byrd - jazz trumpeter; J J Cale - singer/songwriter from Tulsa; Roscoe Chenier - blues/zydeco guitarist; Cowboy Jack Clement - Sun singer and singwriter; Lewis Collins - Professionals actor and one time member of the Mojos; Mac Curtis - rockabilly singer; Jimmy Dawkins - bluesman; Bob Day - one half of the Allisons; Ray Dolby - recording engineer; Frank D'Rone - Strawberry Blonde singer; George Duke - jazz keyboard player, producer and singer; Deanna Durbin - 40s singer and actress; Bob Engemann - member of the Lettermen; T-Model Ford - bluesman; David Frost - TV interviewer, entertainer and presenter; Annette Funicello - US beach movie actress and singer (pictured); David Garrick - UK 60s pop singer: Eydie Gorme - singer and wife of Steve Lawrence; Jack Greene - country singer; Chico Hamilton - jazz drummer and bandleader; Hardrock Gunter - bluesman; Noel Harrison - Windmills of my Mind singer;  Richie Havens - singer/songwriter and guitarist;  Donna Hightower - soul and jazz singer; Rick Huxley - Dave Clark Five member; Roosevelt Jamison - Memphis songwriter and music manager: Roland Janes - Sun guitarist; Virgil Johnson - member of the Velvets; George Jones - country singer; Marvin Junior - member of the Dells; Claude King - country singer; Roger Lavern - member of the Tornados; Alvin Lee - Ten Years After; Terry Lightfoot - trad jazz man; Little Tony - Italian pop singer; Jackie Lomax - member of the Undertakers; Mary Love - soul singer; Lewis Lymon - rock an roll singer and brother of Frankie; Gloria Lynne - jazz and blues singer; Magic Slim - bluesman; Bobby Mansfield - member of the Wrens; Ray Manzarek - member of the Doors; Bobby Martin - Philly soul producer; Sammy Masters - rockabilly singer; Larry McKinley - co-founder of Minit records; Marion McPartland - jazz pianist and composer; Ready Teddy McQuiston - New Orleans presenter and DJ; Shadow Morton - girl group record producer and writer; Junior Murvin - reggae singer; Chicago Bob Nelson - bluesman; Bernie Nolan - member of the Nolans; Patti Page - 50s songstress; Bobby Parker - Watch Your Step bluesman; Bill Pertwee - Dad's Army actor; Piano Red - piano bluesman aka Dr Feelgood; Charles Pope - member of the Tams; Maxine Powell - Motown etiquette guru; Reg Presley - lead singer of the Troggs: Marvin Rainwater - rock and roll/country singer; Phil Ramone - record producer; Lou Reed - Velvet Underground and solo rock star; Joan Regan - 50s UKs singer; Dale Robertson - TV western actor; Bobby Rogers - Miracles; Sid Selvidge - folk singer and member of Mud Boy and the Neutrons; Paul Shane - Hi-Di-Hi actor; George Beverley Shea - gospel singer; Gary Shearston - Australian singer; Tony Sheridan - UK singer with early Beatles in Hamburg; Bobby Smith - member of the Spinners; Mel Smith - actor and comedian; Clyde Stacy - rockabilly singer; Cleotha Staples - member of Staple Singers; Gordon Stoker - member of the Jordanaires; Richard Street - member of the Monitors and Temptations; Frank Thornton - Are You Being Served actor; Stan Tracey - UK jazz pianist; Larry Verne - Mr Custer artist; Esther Williams - swimmer turned actress; Paul Williams - music author; Artie 'Blues Boy' White - bluesman; Ray Whitley - beach music singwriter; Slim Whitman - country singer; Tony Wilkinson - record collector, music writer and Woodie; Chick Willis - bluesman; Cecil Womack - member of Valentinos and one half of Womack and Womack. 
May you all rest in peace. And thanks for the memories.

3 Comments:

At 8:05 pm , Anonymous john S said...

Reading the list reminds me of amount of really influential singers, actors and songwriters who have departed this year. The grim reaper has been busy. Particular loses that were felt in the Spencely household (along with our cat, Eddie) were Jack Clement and Marvin Rainwater. Both have been played in huge amounts on 78, 45, cassette, CD and on the iPod over the last 30 years.

 
At 8:19 pm , Blogger Nick said...

I agree about Jack and Marvin (sorry about Eddie of course)but for me the greatest loss was that of Bobby Bland. A true giant of music. And Tony Wilkinson of course.

 
At 10:52 pm , Anonymous John S said...

Yes both sad losses; has a been a rubbish year for the music we love..

 

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