On December 14, 2018, Joseph Osborn died aged 81. He was musician (bass), known for his work as a session musician, member of the Wrecking Crew in Los Angeles, and the A-Team in Nashville. He recorded and performed with Ricky Nelson, Johnny Rivers, the Mamas & the Papas, The Association, The 5th Dimension, Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters, Don Francisco, The Grass Roots, America, Glen Campbell, Thelma Houston, Al Kooper, Billy Joel, Michael Nesmith, Barbra Streisand, Lulu, Paul Simon, David Clayton-Thomas, Art Garfunkel, J. J. Cale, Olivia Newton-John, Amy Grant, Kenny Rogers, Neil Young, Tanya Tucker, and Jackie Lomax. In 2010, Osborn was inducted into the “Louisiana Music Hall of Fame”.
Ahmet Ertegun
On December 14, 2006, Ahmet Ertegun died aged 83. He was businessman, philanthropist, composer, and music producer. Ertegun was the co-founder and president of “Atlantic Records” (with Herb Abramson), and discovered and supported the careers of many rhythm and blues and rock musicians, including Aretha Frankiln, Led Zeppelin, and Ray Charles. Ertegun was chairman of the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, and in 2017 was inducted in the “Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame”. He was regarded as “one of the most significant figures in the modern recording industry”.
Kurt Winter
On December 14, 1997, Kurt Winter died aged 51. He was musician (guitar), and songwriter, member of the bands Gettysbyrg Address, The Fifth, and Brother, but was best known as songwriter and guitarist of The Guess Who.
Dinah Washington
On December 14, 1963, Ruth Lee Jones aka Dinah Washington died aged 39. She was musician (piano) and singer, known as the “the most popular black female recording artist of the ’50s”, and “Queen of the Blues”. Her music was mixture of R&B, and traditional pop, but she was primarily a Jazz singer. She performed and recorded with Fats Waller, Clifford Brown, Clark Terry, Cannonball Adderley, Ben Webster, Lionel Hampton, and Nat King Cole. In 1986, Washington was inducted in the “Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame”, and in 1993 was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. In 1959, she won “Grammy Award” for “Best Rhythm & Blues Performance”. As a leader Washington released 17 albums.
Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard: Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department
On December 14, 1989, “Fading Captain Series” and “Luna” labels released “Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department”, an album by Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard. It was recorded in 1989, at “Cro-Magnon Studios”, in Dayton, Ohio.
Personnel:
- Doug Gillard – various instruments, engineer
- Robert Pollard – vocals
- John Shough – engineer
- Jeff Graham – mastering
- Nick Kizirnis – design
- Kuda Labranch – photo collages
- Matt Davis – photography
Personnel:
All tracks by Robert Pollard, except where noted.
- Frequent Weaver Who Burns
- Soul Train College Policeman
- Pop Zeus – Robert Pollard, Doug Gillard
- Slick as Snails
- Do Something Real
- Port Authority – Robert Pollard, Doug Gillard
- Soft Smoke
- Same Things
- And I Don’t (So Now I Do)
- Tight Globes
- I Get Rid of You
- Life Is Beautiful
- Messiahs – Robert Pollard, Doug Gillard
- Larger Massachusetts – Robert Pollard, Doug Gillard
- And My Unit Moves
Yellow Magic Orchestra: Service
On December 14, 1983, “Alfa Records” label released “Service”, the seventh Yellow Magic Orchestra album. It was recorded September – October 1983, at “Alfa Studio A” in Tokyo, Japan, and was produced by Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yukihiro Takahashi.
Personnel:
- Haruomi Hosono – vocals, bass, synth bass, keyboards, electronics, arrangements, mixing
- Ryuichi Sakamoto – vocals, keyboards, electronics, arrangements, mixing
- Yukihiro Takahashi – vocals, electronic drums, cymbals, keyboards, electronics, arrangements, mixing
- Takeshii Fujii, Akihiko Yamazoe – technical assistance
Super Eccentric Theater
- Yūji Miyake, Hisahiro Ogura, Osamu Hagihashi, Daisuke Yamazaki, Kōichi Nagata, Etsuyo Mitani, Keiko Ishii, Akemi Imamura – counterparts
- Mitsuo Koike – recording, mixing engineer
- Akitsugu Doi – assistant engineer
- Teppei Kasai – mastering
- Kazusuke Obi – A&R coordinators
- Tsuguya Inoue – art director, painting
- Beans – design
Track listing:
- Limbo – lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi, Haruomi Hosono, Peter Barakan, music by Yukihiro Takahashi
- S.E.T.
- The Madman – lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi, Peter Barakan, music by Yukihiro Takahashi
- S.E.T.
- Chinese Whispers – lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi, Peter Barakan, music by Yukihiro Takahashi
- S.E.T.
- You’ve Got to Help Yourself – lyrics by Haruomi Hosono, Peter Barakan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi
- S.E.T. + YMO
- Shadows on the Ground – lyrics by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, Peter Barakan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi
- S.E.T.
- See Through – lyrics by Peter Barkan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, Harumi Hosono
- S.E.T.
- Perspective – lyrics by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Peter Barakan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto
- S.E.T.
Roy Loney
On December 13, 2019, Roy Loney died aged 73. He was singer, member of the bands Phantom Movers, and the Longshots, but was best known as the lead singer of the Flamin’ Groovies,
Zalman Yanovsky
On December 13, 2002, Zalman Yanovsky died aged 57. He was musician (guitar) and singer, member of the bands The Mugwumps, and The Halifax Three, but was best known as the lead guitarist of The Lovin’ Spoonful. In 1996 Yanovsky was inducted in the “Canadian Music Hall of Fame”.
Vlatko Stefanovski: Seir
On December 13, 2014, “Esoteria” label released “Seir”, album by Vlatko Stefanovski. It was recorded December 2009 – October 2013, at the “Esoteria Sound Studio” in Skopje, Macedonia, and was produced by Vlatko Stefanovski.
Personnel:
- Vlatko Stefanovski – vocal, acoustic, nylon strings, and electric guitar, blues harp, Rhodes electric piano, arranger, recording
- Gjoko Maksimovski – bass
- Dino Milosavljevićski – drums, percussion
- Rade Šerbedžija – voice
- Karolina – vocal
- Damir Imeri – Rhodes electric piano, keyboards, strings arrangements
- Vasil Hadžimanov – Rhodes electric piano
- Zoran Madžirov – vibraphone
- Vasko Atanasovski – soprano and baritone saxophone
- Kiril Kuzmanov – tenor saxophone
- Trajce Velkov – trumpet
- String Quartet Zografski – strings
- Marko Ramljak – violin
- Mite Dimovski – additional percussion, mixing
- Srdjan Vučić – design
- Jan Stefanovski – cover photography
- Kristijan Panovski – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Vlatko Stefanovski.
- Superheroi
- Seir
- Guitar Tzar
- Love for All
- Fosforna mesečina
- Fokusiram I zumiram
- Ljubovna činija
- Točna adresa
- Hotel Blues
- Deca na sonceto
Neil Diamond: The Best Years of Our Lives
On December 13, 1988, “Columbia” label released “The Best Years of Our Lives”, the eighteenth Neil Diamond studio album. It was recorded in 1988, at “Chartmaker Studios”, “Lion Share Recording Studios”, “Village Recorders”, “Ocean Way Recording” in Los Angeles, “A&M Studios” in Hollywood, “Omnisound Recording Studios” in Nashville, “Seacost Sound” in Victoria, British Columbia, and was produced by David Foster.
Personnel:
- Neil Diamond – lead vocals
- Bill Champlin, Tamara Champlin, Renée Geyer, Richard Page – backing vocals
- Richard Bennett – acoustic guitar
- Dean Parks – acoustic and electric guitar
- Michael Landau, Steve Lukather – electric guitar
- Michael Boddicker, Robbie Buchanan, David Foster, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren, Michael Omartian, David Paich – keyboards
- Mike Brignardello, Reinie Press – bass guitar
- Tris Imboden, Paul Leim, Carlos Vega – drums
- Rick Bowen, Rhett Lawrence, Kevin Maloney – synthesizer programming
- Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Dan Higgins, Bill Reichenbach Jr., Larry Williams – horns
- David Foster, Jerry Hey – horn arrangements
- Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements
- David Foster – arranger
- Jeffrey Woodruff – engineer
- Jesse Kanner, Ray Pyle, Dave Reitzas – engineer assistant
- Humberto Gatica – mixing
- Mauricio Guerrero, Laura Livingston – mixing assistant
- George Marino – mastering
- David Kirschner – art direction, design
- Beverley Lazor-Bahr – additional design
- Matthew Rolston – photography
- Sam Cole, Chris Earthy – production coordination
- Ned Brown, Barry Cardinale, Larry E. Williams, Alison Zanetos – production assistant
Track listing:
All tracks by Neil Diamond, except where noted.
- The Best Years of Our Lives
- Hard Times for Lovers
- This Time – Neil Diamond, David Foster, Jeremy Lubbock
- Everything’s Gonna Be Fine – Neil Diamond, Weldon Dean Parks
- Hooked on the Memory of You
- Take Care of Me – Neil Diamond, David Foster
- Baby Can I Hold You – Tracy Chapman
- Carmelita’s Eyes – Neil Diamond, David Foster
- Courtin’ Disaster – Neil Diamond, David Foster
- If I Couldn’t See You Again
- Long Hard Climb – Neil Diamond, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren
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