Musicians/Music People Who Died In April
Bill Schenley
Cochran, who recorded "Summertime Blues," was killed in an
automobile accident
Cisco Houston, guitar player/folk singer - Died 4-29-1961.
He worked with Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Leadbelly and
Gordon Jenkins. Houston died from cancer.
Miff Mole, trombone player - Died 4-29-1961. Miff Mole
recorded "Peg O' My Heart" and worked with The Original
Memphis Five, Red Nichols, Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman and
Eddie Condon.
Stuart Sutcliffe, bass player - Died 4-10-1962. Sutcliffe,
who died from cerebral paralysis, was the original bass
guitar player for the Beatles.
Eddie South, violinist - Died 4-25-1962. He worked with
Milt Hinton, Django Reinhardt, Benny Carter and Billy
Taylor.
Eddie Edwards, trombone player/composer - Died 4-9-1963. He
co-wrote "Tiger Rag."
Richard Farina, singer/guitar player - Died 4-30-1966.
Along with his wife, the late Mimi Baez Farina, recorded
"Pack Up Your Sorrows" and "Celebrations Of A Gray Day."
Farina was killed in a motorcycle accident. He also worked
with Judy Collins, Felix Pappalardi, John Hammond Jr., Bob
Dylan, Karen Dalton and Fred Neil.
Red Allen, trumpet player- Died 4-17-1967. Allen, who died
from pancreatic cancer, worked with King Oliver, Coleman
Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, J.C. Higginbotham and Jelly Roll
Morton.
Martin Luther King Jr. - Died 4-4-1968. He recorded and
charted "I Have A Dream."
Kid Thomas (Lou Watts), harmonica player/drummer - Died
4-13-1970. Thomas worked with Elmore James, Little Walter,
Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Magic Sam and
Otis Rush. While working as a landscaper in Los Angeles, he
accidentally struck and killed a ten-year-old boy with his
van. The father of the boy shot and killed Thomas as he
(Thomas) was leaving the courthouse in Beverly Hills.
Tammi Terrell, singer - Died 4-16-1970. She died from a
brain tumor caused by a contusion. She recorded "I Cried"
and "I Can't Believe You Love Me," and "Ain't No Mountain
High Enough" and "For Your Precious Love" with Marvin Gaye.
She also worked with James Brown.
Earl Hooker, guitarist - Died 4-21-1970. IMO, Earl Hooker
is one best blues/slide guitar players . ever. He worked
with Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker (a
first cousin), Lillian Offitt and the legendary Robert
Nighthawk. He died from tuberculosis, a disease he suffered
from his whole life.
Otis Spann, piano player - Died 4-25-1970. Spann, who died
from cancer, recorded "The Blues Don't Like Nobody."
Wynton Kelly, pianist - Died 4-12-1971. He worked with
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Dizzy
Gillespie, Dinah Washington and Miles Davis. Kelly died
after having an epileptic seizure.
Phil King, singer/guitar player - Died 4-27-1972. Phil King
was a member, and manager of Blue Oyster Cult. He was
murdered (shot in the head) in New York City while gambling.
Al Morgan, bass player - Died 4-14-1974. He worked with
Fats Waller and Cab Calloway.
Savannah Churchill, jazz singer- Died 4-19-1974. Churchill,
who died from pneumonia, a complication from cancer, had a
hit with "I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You)," and worked
with Benny Carter, Willard Brown and Sonny White.
Vinnie Taylor (Chris Donald), singer - Died 4-19-1974. He
was a member of Sha Na Na and died from an overdose of
heroin.
Josephine Baker, singer/dancer/actress - Died 4-12-1975.
Baker died from a cerebral hemorrhage. The NAACP named May
20th as Josephine Baker Day in honor of her efforts against
racism.
Pete Ham, guitar/keyboard player/singer - Died 4-24-75.
Ham was suicide by hanging. He was a member of Badfinger
("No Matter What" and "Come And Get It").
Phil Ochs, singer/songwriter/guitar player - Died 4-9-1976.
Another suicide by hanging, Ochs suffered from chronic
depression. He wrote "Draft Dodger Rag and "I Ain't Marchin
' Anymore." He also recorded Joan Baez's "There But For
Fortune."
Walter Johnson, drummer - Died 4-26-1977. Johnson worked
with Fletcher Henderson and Bobby Brown.
Ray Noble, songwriter - Died 4-2-1978. He worked with Glenn
Miller and wrote "The Very Thought Of You."
Sandy Denny, singer/songwriter/guitar player - Died
4-21-1978. Denny suffered a brain hemorrhage after falling
down stairs. She sang with Fairport Convention and she
wrote "Who Knows Where The Time Goes."
Nino Rota, composer - Died 4-10-1979. He composed the "Theme
from the Godfather" and the theme from Franco Zeffirelli's,
"Romeo and Juliet."
Red Sovine, singer/guitar player - Died 4-4-1980. Sovine
died after suffering a heart attack and crashing the van he
was driving. He recorded "Giddyup Go" and "Teddy Bear."
Nathaniel "Buster" Wilson, singer - Died 4-7-1980. Wilson
was a member of the Coasters. He was murdered by the
Coasters manager, Patrick Cavanaugh, who shot him and then
cut off his hands and feet. Wilson was the third member of
the Coasters to be murdered (King Curtis and Cornell Gunther
were the other two).
Tommy Caldwell, bass player - Died 4-28-1980. Caldwell was
a member of The Marshall Tucker Band (he was the brother of
the late Toy Caldwell). He was killed in an automobile
accident.
Bob Hite, harmonica player/singer - Died 4-5-1981. Hite,
nicknamed "the Bear," was a member of Canned Heat. The Bear
died from a heart attack. Canned Heat recorded "On The Road
Again" and "Let's Work Together." They also worked with
John Lee Hooker ("Hooker & Heat").
Kit Lambert, manager/producer - Died 4-7-1981. Lambert
managed the Who. He suffered a brain hemorrhage after
falling down stairs
Steve Currie, bass player - Died 4-28-1981. Currie, who
died in a car crash, was a member of T Rex.
Ann Richards, jazz singer - Died 4-1-1982. Richards shot
herself (who could blame her . she was married to Stan
Kenton). She recorded "Moanin' Low" and "Will You Still Be
Mine." She also worked with Charlie Barnet.
Lester Bangs, music critic - Died 4-30-1982. Bangs died
from an overdose of Darvon.
Danny Rapp, singer - Died 4-5-1983. Rapp was the "Danny"
part of Danny and The Juniors ("Rock And Roll Is Here To
Stay" and "At The Hop"). He shot himself to death.
Pete Farndon, bass player - Died 4-14-1983. Farndon, who
drowned in a bathtub after overdosing on heroin, was a
member of The Pretenders.
Felix Pappalardi, bass player - Died 4-17-1983. He was a
member of Mountain and was shot to death by his estranged
wife. He also produced Cream.
Earl Hines, pianist/composer and bandleader - 4-22-1983.
Hines is considered the first modern jazz pianist. He
worked with Lois Deppe, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker,
Sarah Vaughan and others.
Jimmy Mundy, sax player and arranger - Died 4-24-1983. He
worked with Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Gene
Krupa and Count Basie.
Muddy Waters ( McKinley Morganfield),
guitarist/singer/songwriter - Died 4-30-83. Muddy Waters
died from a heart attack. He worked with Paul Butterfield,
Mike Bloomfield, The Band, Johnny Winter, B.B. King, Little
Walter,
Sonny Terry, Buddy Guy and about 10,000 others.
Marvin Gaye, singer - Died 4-1-1984. His father killed him.
Ral Donner, singer/guitar player - Died 4-6-1984. Donner,
who died from lung cancer, recorded "You Don't Know What
You've Got (Until You Lose It)" and "The Girl Of My Best
Friend."
Red Garland, jazz pianist - Died 4-23-1984. Red Garland was
a great piano player. He recorded "Prelude Blues" and
"Bohemian Blues," and he worked with, among others, Miles
Davis, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins and Roy
Eldridge.
Count Basie, bandleader - Died 4- 26-1984. He died from
cancer.
J. Fred Coots, composer - Died 4-8-1985. He co-wrote, "Santa
Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Love Letters In The Sand."
Irving Mills, jazz singer/songwriter - Died 4-21-1985.
Mills wrote the lyrics for "It Don't Mean A Thing If It
Ain't Got That Swing," "Sophisticated Lady," "Minnie The
Moocher" and "Mood Indigo." He worked with Duke Ellington,
Fletcher Henderson, Sammy Fain, Joe Vanuti, Rudy Vallee,
Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Lena Horne, Fats
Waller and Cab Calloway.
Linda Creed, songwriter - Died 4-10-1986. Creed, who died
from cancer, wrote Whitney Houston's, "The Greatest Love Of
All."
Bessie Griffin, gospel singer - Died 4-10-1986. She
recorded "Too Close To Heaven" and "I Can Put My Trust In
Jesus."
Dorothy Ashby, harpist - Died 4-13-1986. She worked with
Stanley Turrentine, Wendell Marshall, Shirley Scott, Art
Taylor, Stan Getz and Jimmy Cobb.
Eskew ("Esquetita") Reeder Jr., singer/songwriter/piano
player - Died 4-23-1986. Reeder, who wrote, "Rockin' The
Joint," died from the complications of AIDS. It has been
said . that Little Richard mimicked his piano playing . and
got his original hairstyle from Reeder. He worked with Gene
Vincent, Big Joe Turner, Tony White, Jimi Hendrix, Dr. John
and Little Richard.
Buddy Rich, drummer - Died 4-2-1987.
Carlie Barrett, drummer - Died 4-17-1987. Barrett was
murdered (shot) by his wife and her lover. He was a member
of Bob Marley's Wailers.
Billy Johnson, guitar player - Died 4-28-1987. He was the
guitarist for The Moonglows ("Sincerely" and "The Ten
Commandments Of Love
Dave Prater, singer - Died 4-9-1988. Dave Prater was one
half of Sam & Dave. He was killed in a car accident.
Brook Benton, singer - Died 4-9-1988. Benton died from
spinal meningitis. He was a great R&B/ballad singer.
Barbara "Sandi" Robison, singer - Died 4-22-1988. Robinson
was the lead singer for The Crosswinds, The Ashes, Peanut
Butter Conspiracy, and the L.A. Production of Hair. She
died from . a tampon (toxic shock).
Carolyn Franklin, singer/songwriter - Died 4-25-1988.
Franklin, who was Aretha's sister, died from cancer. She
recorded, "It's True I'm Gonna Miss You," and she wrote, "I
Was Made For You." She also was a background singer for her
sister.
B.W. Stevenson, singer/songwriter/guitar player - Died
4-28-1988. Stevenson died following heart surgery. He
recorded "My Maria," "Fiddle and the Bow," and the original
"Shambala."
Herbert Mills, singer - Died 4-12-1989. Herbert Mills, one
of the Mills Brothers, died from viral meningitis. They
recorded, "Paper Doll" and "Cab Driver." He also worked
with Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald.
Nesuhi Ertegun, producer/record company executive - Died
4-15-1989. He was the founder of Crescent Records and was
an A&R chief for Atlantic Records. Ertegun produced Mose
Allison, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Bobby Darin, Big Joe
Turner and Art Blakey.
Diane Belmont, comedian/actor/producer/singer - Died
4-26-1989. She recorded "Friendship" with Vivian Vance.
Belmont was also married to bandleader Desi Arnaz. She
performed under the name Lucille Ball.
Sarah Vaughan, singer - Died 4-3-1990. Sarah Vaughn died
from lung cancer.
Thurston Harris, singer - Died 4-14-1990. Harris, who died
from a heart attack, recorded "Little Bitty Pretty One."
Sammy Lawhorn, guitarist - Died 4-29-1990. Lawhorn, an
innovative guitar player, used the tremolo bar, IMO, like no
one before him or after him. He worked with Willie C.
Cobbs, Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Otis Spann, Junior
Wells, Elmore James, Otis Rush, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin'
Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, James Cotton, Koko Taylor and Sonny
Boy Williamson II. He died an alcoholic at the age of 54.
Steve Marriott, guitar player/singer - Died 4-20-1991.
Steve Marriott died in a house fire from smoke inhalation.
He was the guitarist and singer for The Small Faces
("Itchycoo Park"). He was also with Humble Pie ("Natural
Born Boogie").
Ken Curtis, singer/actor - Died 4-21-1991. Curtis sang with
the Sons Of The Pioneers and with Tommy Dorsey. He also
played Festus on Gunsmoke.
Johnny Thunders (AKA Johnny Volume) guitar player/singer -
Died 4-23-1991. He recorded "You Can't Put Your Arms Around
A Memory" and "So Alone." Thunders, who was a member of
Johnny & The Jaywalkers, Actress (which became The New York
Dolls) and The Heartbreakers, died from an overdose of
heroin. He also worked with Sid Vicious.
Paula Kelly, singer - Died 4-2-1992. She was a member of
The Modernaires ("April In Paris") and sang with The Glenn
Miller Orchestra.
Sam Kinison, comedian/singer- Died 4-10-1992. Kinison was
killed in a car accident. He recorded "Wild Thing."
Johnny Shines, guitarist/singer - Died 4-20-1992. Johnny
Shines, who died from heart failure, was a one of the great
slide guitar players. His recording of "Hangin" On" was
nominated for a Grammy award in 1980. He worked with Muddy
Waters, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Honeyboy Edwards, Henry
Townsend, Sam Charters and his mentor . the great Robert
Johnson.
(Harley) Red Allen, guitar player/singer - Died 4-3-1993.
Allen, who died from cancer, was a member of the Osborne
Brothers.
Steve Douglas, sax player - Died 4-19-1993. Douglas was
best known for his work with Duane Eddy ("Peter Gunn"), but
he can also be heard on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Be My Baby."
Douglas, who died from heart failure, also worked with
Ritchie Valens and Ry Cooder.
Henri Rene, band leader/arranger - Died 4-25-1993. Rene was
a director of the international branch at RCA records for
many years. He worked with Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Eartha
Kitt, and Harry Belafonte.
Mick Ronson, guitarist - Died 4-29-1993. Ronson, who died
from liver cancer, was a member of Mott the Hoople and
worked with David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Elton
John, Roger McGuinn, Kinky Friedman, John Mellencamp and Ian
Hunter.
Kurt Cobain, guitar player/singer- Died 4-5-1994. Cobain
shot himself.
Eddie Freche, guitar player - Died 4-6-1995. He was a
member of The Neville Brothers Band.
Burl Ives, guitar player/singer - Died 4-14-1995. Ives
recorded "Little Bitty Tear," but was better known as a
HUAC snitch.
Lonesome Sundown (Cornelius Green), guitar/harmonica
player/singer - Died 4-23-1995. He recorded, "My Home Is A
Prison" and "I'm A Mojo Man."
Guitar Gabriel (Robert Lewis Jones), guitar player/singer -
Died 4-2-1996. He recorded "Down On The Farm" and "Sweet
Little Angel."
Gaylord Birch, drummer - 4-14-1996. Birch worked with
Herbie Hancock, The Pointer Sisters, The Grateful Dead and
Santana.
Mike Leander, producer/arranger - Died 4-18-1996. Leander
died from cancer. He had worked with Gary Glitter, The
Rolling Stones, Marianne Faithful, Andrew Loog Oldham, Joe
Cocker and The Beatles.
William "Kap" Gleason, nightclub owner - Died 4-26-1996.
Gleason, who died after suffering a stroke, ran Gleason's
Musical Bar from 1942 to 1962. Among those who performed
there were Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr. and Nat "King"
Cole.
Allen Ginsberg, poet/singer- Died 4-5-1997. Ginsberg, who
died from liver cancer, was a member of the Fugs.
Laura Nyro, singer/songwriter/guitar/piano player - Died
4-8-1997. Laura Nyro died from ovarian cancer. She wrote
and recorded "Eli's Coming," "And When I Die" and "Wedding
Bell Blues." And she was beautiful.
Mae Boren Axton, songwriter - Died 4-9-1997. Axton, the
mother of folk singer Hoyt Axton, drowned in a hot tub. She
wrote "Heart Break Hotel."
Yank Rachell, guitar/mandolin player/songwriter - Died
4-9-1997. He wrote," She Caught the Katy." He also recorded
with Sonny Boy Williamson, Peetie Wheatstraw and Elijah
Jones.
LaVern Baker, singer - Died 4-10-1997. She died from the
complications of diabetes. LaVern Baker recorded "I Cried A
Tear" and "Tweedle-Dee." She sang for the Todd Rhodes
Orchestra.
Jimmy Hughes, singer - Died 4-15-1997. Hughes, who died
from cancer, recorded "Steal Away" and "Neighbor, Neighbor."
Pat Paulsen, comedian/songwriter/Presidential candidate -
Died 4-25-1997. Paulsen died from pneumonia and kidney
failure. He wrote songs for The Smothers Brothers including
"I Fell In A Vat Of Chocolate." He was also a member of The
Fathers, who did, "You Can't Put Us Down" and "They Say
We're Not Groovy."
Ernest Stewart, keyboard player - Died 4-26-1997. Stewart
was a member of K.C. & the Sunshine Band. He died after an
asthma attack.
Keith Ferguson, bass player - Died 4-29-1997. Ferguson, a
member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, died from liver
failure.
Rozz Williams, singer - Died 4-1-1998. Williams was the
victim of a self-inflicted hanging. He was a member of
Christian Death ("Romeo's Distress" and "Dream For Mother").
He also worked with Gitane Demone, Premature Ejaculation and
Heltir.
Rob Pilatus, fraudulent singer - Died 4-2-1998. Pilatus
died from a drug and alcohol overdose. He was one half of
Millie Vanilli .
Cliff White, band leader/guitar player - Died 4-2-1998.
White worked with The Mills Brothers and Sam Cooke.
Red Tyler, sax player - Died 4-3-1998. Tyler work with
Gatemouth Brown, Dr. John and Professor Longhair.
Cozy Powell, drummer - Died 4-5-1998. Powell was killed in
a high-speed car crash. He recorded "The Man In Black." He
was also a member of The Sorcerers, Bedlam, The Michael
Schenker Group, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, The Jeff Beck
Group and Rainbow
Wendy O Williams, singer - Died 4-6-1998. Williams shot
herself to death. She was the singer for the Plasmatics
("Butcher Baby"), Ultrafly And The Hometown Girls ("La La
Land").
Tammy Wynette, singer/guitar player (known as "The First
Lady of Country Music") - Died 4-6-1998. Already in poor
health, she died from a blood clot. She made "Stand By Your
Man," a country classic. She was also once married to George
Jones.
Carlos Vega, drummer - Died 4-7-1998. Vega, who worked with
James Taylor, shot himself to death.
Eddie O'Jay (Jackson), pioneer in black radio- Died
4-10-1998. He named "The O'Jays."
James B. Conkling, producer/record company executive - Died
4-12-1998. Conkling helped launch Warner Brothers Records
and The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences. He
produced Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Tex Ritter and Mel Torme.
He is also the one responsible for that cool little post
card in all the magazines back in the 60s and 70s . You
know, the one that said: "Buy any 12 albums for $1.00." He
started the mail order record club, "Columbia House."
Linda Eastman McCartney - Died 4-17-1998. McCartney died
from breast cancer. She recorded "Wild Prairie" and "Light
Comes from Within." Married to Paul McCartney, she was also
a member of Wings.
Dorothy Squires, singer - Died 4-14-1998. Squires, who died
from cancer, recorded, "I'm Walking Behind You" and, while
working with Billy Reid, sang "The Gypsy."
Carlo Donida, songwriter - Died 4-22-1998. He co-wrote "I
Who Have Nothing."
Curly Chalker, pedal steel guitar player - Died 4-30-1998.
Chalker died from a cancerous brain tumor. He recorded with
Leon Russell, Bill Haley & The Comets, Marie Osmond and
Simon & Garfunkel.
Jesse Stone, songwriter/producer/arranger - Died 4-1-1999.
Stone died of kidney and heart problems. He wrote, "Shake,
Rattle And Roll." He also worked with Ray Charles, Big Joe
Turner and The Drifters.
John Poole, drummer/manager - Died 4-11-1999. He worked
with Anita O'Day.
Arthur Crafer, songwriter - Died 4-11-1999. He died from
heart failure. Arthur Crafer wrote "No Arms Can Ever Hold
You."
Boxcar Willie (Cecil Travis Martin), singer/guitar player -
Died 4-12-1999. Boxcar Willie died from leukemia.
Anthony Newley, singer/songwriter - Died 4-14-1999. Newley,
who was once married to actress Joan Collins, died from
renal cell cancer. He co-wrote, "Goldfinger," "The Candy
Man" and "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)."
Skip Spence, singer/songwriter/drummer/guitar player - Died
4-16-1999. Spence died from lung cancer and pneumonia. He
was a member of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape. Spence
wrote "My Best Friend" for Jefferson Airplane. His solo
debut album ("Oar") is a collector's item . as it is the
lowest-selling LP in Columbia Record's catalog.
Roger Troutman, singer - Died 4-25-1999. Troutman was shot
to death by his brother, Larry. He recorded, "I Wanna' Be
Your Man," and he was the lead singer for Zapp ("More Bounce
To The Ounce").
Larry Troutman, drummer/congas - Died 4-25-1999. After
killing his brother, Roger, Larry Troutman then shot
himself. He was a member of Zapp.
Al Hirt, trumpeter - Died 4-27-1999. Al Hirt died from a
liver ailment. He recorded "Java" and "Cotton Candy."
Darrell Sweet, drummer - Died 4-30-1999. Sweet died after
suffering a heart attack. He was a member of Nazareth.
Gene Pearson, singer - Died 4-6-2000. Pearson, who died
from lung cancer, sang with The Rivileers ("Eternal Love"
and "A Thousand Stars"), The Cleftones ("Heart and Soul")
and The Drifters.
Walter Nims, songwriter - Died 4-6-2000. Nims, who died
from the complications of a stroke, wrote "Precious And
Few."
Joe Rock, songwriter - Died 4-6-2000. Rock died after
quadruple bypass surgery for arterial sclerosis. He
co-wrote and produced the "Since I Don't Have You" and "This
I Swear," for the Skyliners, and he managed The Jaggerz
("The Rapper").
Heinz Burt, singer/bass player - Died 4-7-2000. Burt, who
went only by his first name, died of motor-neuron disease.
He was a member of the Tornados ("Telstar"). He also had a
solo hit in England, with "Just Like Eddie," a tribute to
Eddied Cochran.
Roger D. Kinkle, music and jazz historian - Died 4-8-2000.
He wrote, "The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and
Jazz: l900-1950," a five volume set.
Arthur Morton, composer - Died 4-15-2000. Morton helped
create the sores for movies including, "Star Trek: First
Contact" and TV shows such as, "My Three Sons," Daniel
Boone," "Laramie" and many others.
Neal Matthews Jr., singer - Died 4-21-2000. Matthews died
from a heart attack. He was a member of The Jordanaires.
They backed Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Marie Osmond, Kitty
Wells, Tom Jones, Merle Haggard and many others. He created
the "Nashville Numbering System," an abbreviated form of a
song arrangement that enables musicians to learn songs
quickly by ear.
Johnny ("Ace") Harris, piano player - Died 4-25-2000. He
was a the pianist for The Ink Spots.
Vicki Sue Robinson, singer/jingle writer- Died 4-27-2000.
Robinson, who died from cancer, recorded "Turn The Beat
Around" and "House Of Joy." She appeared in both "Hair" and
"Jesus Christ Superstar." She also worked with Elton John
and Cyndi Lauper. Vicki Sue Robinson is the mother is folk
singer Jolly Robinson.
Bobby Warren, singer - Died 4-29-2000. He was shot to death
while driving his car. Warren was a member of the Drifters.
Jonah Jones, trumpet player - Died 4-30-2000. He did, "On
The Street Where You Live" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads."
Jones worked with Cab Calloway, Lil' Armstrong, Benny Carter
and Fletcher Henderson.
Trinh Cong Son, singer/songwriter/guitar player - Died
4-1-2001. Trinh Cong Son died from diabetes. He was
called the "Bob Dylan of Vietnam'" by singer Joan Baez
because of his anti-war songs.
Ted McCarty, former Gibson guitar president - Died 4-1-2001.
McCarty helped develop the Les Paul model, the Explorer and
the Flying V guitars. He also owned the Bigsby Company,
which manufactures vibratos for guitars.
Danny Gaither, singer/guitar player - Died 4-6-2001.
Gaither, who died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, was a member
of the Gaither Trio, a gospel music group.
Dorothy Skaggs, songwriter - Died 4-6-2001. She was the
mother of Ricky Scaggs and she also wrote "All I Ever Loved
Was You."
Pedro Depestre, violinist - Died 4-8-2001. Depestre died
after collapsing on stage in Switzerland. He was a member
of Orquesta Aragon and The Buena Vista Social Club. He
worked with Ruben Gonzalez, Omara Portuondo and Ry Cooder.
Sandy Bull, guitarist/oud/banjo player - Died 4-11-2001.
Sandy Bull died from cancer. He was best known for blending
classical, African, jazz, Appalachian, folk, Brazilian,
Indian and Middle Eastern influences into his music. His
mother was the late harpist, Daphne Hellman
Joe Viola, saxophonist/music teacher - Died 4-11-2001. Joe
Viola, as a musician, worked with Ben Pollack, Benny Kanter,
Frank Sinatra and Lena Horne; as a teacher, Quincy Jones and
Antonio Hart were among his students. Viola wrote "The
Technique of the Saxophone." He co-founded The Berklee
College Saxophone.
Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Hyman) - Died 4-15-2001. Joey Ramone
died from lymphoma.
James Drayton, singer (baritone) - Died 4-17-2001. Drayton
sang for The Five Dollars and The Don Juans ("What's Your
Name" and "Could This Be Love").
Billy Mitchell, saxophonist - Died 4-18-2001. Mitchell, who
worked with Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman and
Stevie Wonder, died from lung cancer.
Ike Cole, pianist/composer - Died 4-22-2001. Cole died from
cancer. He the leader of The Ike Cole Trio, and he worked
on his niece Natalie's "Unforgettable With Love" album. He
was also the brother of Nat King Cole.
Al Hibbler, singer (baritone) - Died 4-24-2001. Blind since
birth, Al Hibbler sang with Duke Ellington's band ("The Very
Thought of You" and "Star Dust"), Jay McShann's band,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk and with Count Basie. As a solo, he had
hits with "Unchained Melody" and "He."
Ernie Graham, bass player/singer - Died 4-27-2001. He
worked with Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding and Jimi Hendrix.
B.J. Baker, singer - Died 4-2-2002. Betty Jean, who worked
with Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jackie Wilson, the
Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, Lloyd Price and Bobby Darin,
died from the complications of a stroke. She was married to
Mickey Rooney, composer Buddy Baker and guitarist Barney
Kessel.
Layne Staley, guitar player/singer - Died 4-5-2002. Staley
was found, after overdosing on heroin and cocaine; 14-days
later. He was a member of Alice In Chains.
Kevin Kelley, drummer/songwriter - Died 4-6-2002. He was a
member of The Byrds. He also worked with John Fahey and Phil
Ochs. Kelley was a cousin of Chris Hillman.
Helen Noga, night club owner/manager/record company
executive - Died 4-8-2002. Noga died from heart failure.
She discovered and managed Johnny Mathis. She also owned
the jazz clubs, The Black Hawk and The Downbeat. Noga
helped Phil Spector found and fund Philly Records. She is
credited with breaking the Las Vegas color barrier which
denied black entertainers the same privileges as whites.
Dorothy Love Coates, singer - Died 4-9-2002. Coates died
from heart disease. She was a member of The Royal Gospel
Singers and The Original Gospel Harmonettes. She worked
with artists such as Johnny Cash, Andrae Crouch, The
Blackwood Brothers and Ray Charles.
Weldon Irvine Jr. keyboard player/songwriter/producer - Died
4-9-2002. Irvine shot himself to death. He worked with Nina
Simone (they co-wrote, "To Be Young, Gifted And Black"), Mos
Def and Freddie Hubbard.
Ridley Watts, founded jazz festival - Died 4-18-2002. Watts
was the founder of the Fairmount Jazz Festival, where Count
Basie, Teddy Wilson, Duke Ellington, Eddy Condon and Earl
"Fatha" Hines were some of the Jazz greats who appeared
there.
Alan Dale, singer - Died 4-20-2002. He did, "Cherry Pink
And Apple Blossom White" and "Heart Of My Heart." Dale also
had a TV show, "The Alan Dale Show" and stared in the film,
"Don't Knock The Rock."
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, hip-hop singer - Died 4-25-2002 -
Lopes died in a car crash. She did, "The Block Party," and
was a member of TLC.
Dick Campbell, singer/songwriter/guitar player - Died
4-26-2002. Campbell died after complications from a lung
transplant. He did "Debbie Darling" and "She's My Girl." He
worked with both Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield who
appear on the "Dick Campbell Sings Where It's At" album. He
wrote close to 400 songs.
Del Sharbutt, announcer/composer/sax/clarinet/piano/organ
player - Died 4-26-2002. He wrote the theme for The Bob
Cummings TV show and originated the Campbell's soup
commercial, "Mmm-mm-good."
Cesar Diaz ("The Amp Doctor"), guitar player - Died
4-26-2002. He was a member of The Hungry Men and Frijid
Pink, and worked with Bob Dylan and Patti Smith. Diaz
restored countless vintage tube amplifiers and was a
designer of prototype amps. He was a guitar tech for Stevie
Ray Vaughan and technical advisor for Eric Clapton.
Hillous Butrum, bass player - Died 4-27-2002. He was member
of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys, Hank Snow's band, and he
worked with Marty Robbins.
Frank Davis Henry Floyd, singer/jingle writer - Died
4-27-2002. Floyd, who died from lung cancer, worked with
Dionne Warwick, Steely Dan, Michael Jackson, and Kenny
Loggins. He also was a jingle writer having co-wrote, "Have
You Driven A Ford Lately?"
Edwin Starr, singer - Died 4-2-2003. He did, "War" and
"Agent Double-O-Soul." He was a member of The Future Tones
and worked with Bill Doggett and Bruce Springsteen.
Homer Banks, singer/songwriter - Died 4-3-2003. Banks died
from cancer. He co-wrote "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't
Want To Be Right)" and "Who's Making Love (To Your Old
Lady)."
Jutta Hipp, pianist - Died 4-7-2003. She did renditions of,
"Mad About The Boy" and "These Foolish Things." She also
worked with Zoot Sims.
Frederick Bernard Grady, drummer - Died 4-9-2003. Grady,
who died from a heart attack after a traffic accident,
worked with John Lee Hooker, Phil Guy, Otis Clay, Charlie
Musselwhite, Eddie Clearwater and Buddy Guy.
Clarence Brown Jr., drummer - Died 4-9-2003. Brown, who
died from cancer, was Fats Domino's drummer for over thirty
years.
Little Eva, singer - Died 4-10-2003. Little Eva died from
cervical cancer. She had hits with "The Loco-Motion" and
"Keep Your Hands Off My Baby."
Noel Fox, bass singer - Died 4-10-2003. Fox, who was a
member of The Oak Ridge Boys, died after suffering a stroke.
Michael Ruth, trumpeter - Died 4-11-2003. Ruth worked with
Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney, The Inkspots,
The Temptations,The Four Lads, Eddie Fisher, Al Martino and
Bobby Vinton.
Zeke Turner, guitar player - Died 4-13-2003. He worked with
Red Foley and Hank Williams. Turner pioneered the muted
string technique for the guitar.
Allen Eager, sax player - Died 4-13-2003. Eager died from
lung cancer. He worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich,
Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Fats Navarro and Gerry
Mulligan.
Earl King, guitar player/songwriter - Died 4-17-2003. King
died from diabetes related complications. He co-wrote "Come
On (Let The Good Times Roll)."
Harry Dailey, bass guitar/singer - Died 4-18-2003. Dailey
died from a heart attack. He worked with Jimmy Buffett's
Coral Reefer Band
Cholly Atkins, dance teacher - Died 4-19-2003. He performed
with Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Count Basie. As a
dance teacher he worked with Gladys Knight & the Pips,
Michael Jackson, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye
and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.
Conrad Leonard, piano player/singer/songwriter - Died
4-19-2003. Leonard wrote "My Love Is Only For You" and "I
Heard A Robin Singing." He worked with Fred Astaire, Petula
Clark and Cole Porter. At the age of 103, he recorded a
CD.
Teddy Edwards, sax player/composer/band leader - Died
4-20-2003. Edwards, who died from prostate cancer, worked
with Benny Goodman, Milt Jackson, Tom Waits, Sarah Vaughn
and Max Roach.
Walter Fuller, singer/trumpet player - Died 4-20-2003.
Fuller worked with Earl "Fatha" Hines, Lionel Hampton and
Dinah Washington.
Nina Simone, singer/pianist - Died 4-21-2003.
Rose Augustine, piano/harpsichord player - Died 4-21-2003.
Along with her husband, Albert, she developed the nylon
guitar string.
Felice Bryant, songwriter/guitar/piano player - Died
4-22-2003. With her husband, Boudleaux, she co-wrote "Bye
Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie."
Paul Atkinson, guitar player - Died 4-1-2004. Atkinson died
from liver and kidney disease. He was a member of the
Zombies.
Gabriella Ferri, singer - Died 4-3-2004. Ferri fell from
the third-floor balcony of her home. She recorded "Sempre."
Kim Yvette Dobbs, singer - Died 4-3-2004. Kim Yvette was a
gospel singer. She and her husband Brian, were murdered in
their home.
Niki Sullivan, guitar player/singer - Died 4-6-2004. He was
an original member of Buddy Holly's Crickets.
Jeff Newman, steel guitar player - Died 4-7-2004. Newman
was killed when he crash landed a plane he was flying. He
worked Mike Auldridge and Ferlin Husky.
Porky Cohen, trombonist - Died 4-14-2004. Cohen worked with
Steveie Ray Vaughn, W.C. Handy, Benny Goodman, Charlie
Barnet.
Dave Kirby, guitar player/singer/songwriter - Died
4-17-2004. Kirby, who died from multimyloma cancer, wrote
"Down By the River" and "Is Anybody Going To San Antone?"
He worked with his wife Leona Williams and her ex-husband,
Merle Haggard. He also worked with Dolly Parton, Janie
Fricke, Ringo Star, Don Williams, Moe Bandy, Kenny Rogers,
Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Milsap, Crystal Gayle,
Wynn Stewart, Ray Price, Connie Smith and Kenny Price.