On December 3, 2025, Steven Lee Cropper died aged 84. He was musician, songwriter, record producer and actor, known as “The Colonel”. He was the guitarist of the “Stax Records” house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. He was also member of the Blues Brothers Band, and recorded and performed with many other artists including Alabama, Jimmy Barnes, William Bell, Barbi Benton, Big Star, Stephen Bishop, Frank Black, Bobby and the Midnites, Booker T. & MG.’s, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Burnette, Brian Cadd, Cate Brothers, Chicago, David Clayton Thomas, A. J. Croce, Patti Dahlstrom, Delaney & Bonnie, Ned Doheny, Yvonne Elliman, Jose Feliziano, Eddie Floyd, Peter Frampton, Richie Furay, Art Garfunkel, Cyndi Grecco, Levon Helm, Chris Hillman, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Etta James, Wynonna Judd, Albert King, B.B. King, Al Kooper, John Lennon, Ann Margret, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Craig Morgan, Aaron Neville, Wayne Newton, Harry Nilsson, John Oates, Nigel Olsson, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Wilson Pickett, Michel Polnareff, John Prine, Otis Redding, Bruce Roberts, Leon Russell, Sanford & Townsend, Leo Sayer, Poncho Sanchez, Guy Sebastian, Neil Sedaka, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, Broderick Smith, The Soul Children, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staple, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Carla Thomas, Mickey Thomas, Wendy Waldman, Tower of Power, The Manhattan Transfer, Dale Watson and Jerry Lynn Williams. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him 36th on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists”. Cropper won two “Grammy Awards”, and as leader or co-leader Cropper released 13 albums.
Tag Archives: Art Garfunkel
Paul Simon: Still Crazy After All These Years
On October 17, 1975, “Columbia” label released “Still Crazy After All These Years”, the fourth Paul Simon studio album. It was recorded in 1975, at “A&R Recording” in New York City, and was produced by Phil Ramone and Paul Simon.
Personnel:
- Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, string and horn arrangements
- Pete Carr – electric guitar
- Joe Beck – electric guitar
- Jerry Friedman – electric guitar
- Hugh McCracken – acoustic and electric guitar
- John Tropea – electric guitar
- Barry Beckett – Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano
- Bob James – woodwind arrangements, string arrangements, Fender Rhodes
- Kenneth Ascher – Fender Rhodes, organ
- Sivuca – vocal solo, accordion
- Richard Tee – acoustic piano
- Leon Pendarvis – acoustic piano
- Toots Thielemans – harmonica
- David Hood – bass
- Tony Levin – bass
- Gordon Edwards – bass
- Roger Hawkins – drums
- Steve Gadd – drums
- Grady Tate – drums
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
- Eddie Daniels – saxophone
- David Sanborn – saxophone
- Phil Woods – alto saxophone
- David Mathews – horn arrangements
- Phoebe Snow – vocals, backing vocals
- Art Garfunkel – vocals
- Patti Austin – backing vocals
- Valerie Simpson – backing vocals
- The Jessy Dixon Singers – backing vocals
- Chicago Community Choir – backing vocals
- Phil Ramone – engineer
- Jerry Masters – engineer
- Glenn Berger – recording
- Bert Szerlip – recording
- John Berg – design
- Anthony Maggiore – design
- Edie Baskin – cover photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Paul Simon.
- Still Crazy After All These Years
- My Little Town
- I Do It for Your Love
- 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
- Night Game
- Gone at Last
- Some Folks Lives Roll Easy
- Have a Good Time
- You’re Kind
- Silent Eyes
Neal Morse Band: Innocence & Danger
On August 27, 2021, “Inside Out Music” and “Sony Music” labels released “Innocence & Danger”, the fourth Neal Morse Band (The) (NMB) album. It was recorded in 2021, and was produced by Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette.
Personnel:
- Neal Morse — vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Eric Gillette — vocals, guitars
- Bill Hubauer — vocals, piano, organ, synthesizers
- Randy George — fretted and fretless bass
- Mike Portnoy — vocals, drums, percussion
- Josee Weyland — violin
- Gideon Klein — viola, cello, string bass
- Amy Pippin, Julie Harrison, April Zachary — backing vocals
- Rich Mouser — mixing, mastering
- Jerry Guidroz — drums engineering
- Thomas Cucé — additional engineering
- Bouchra Azizy — additional digital editing
- Thomas Ewerhard — artwork
- John Zocco — photography
Track listing:
All music by Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette, except where noted.
- Do It All Again
- Bird on a Wire
- Your Place in the Sun
- Another Story to Tell
- The Way It Had to Be
- Emergence – Neal Morse
- Not Afraid Part 1
- Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel
- Not Afraid Part 2
- Beyond the Years
Michael Franks: The Camera Never Lies
On July 7, 1987, “Warner Bros” label released “The Camera Never Lies”, the tenth Michael Franks album. It was recorded in 1987, and was produced by Rob Mounsey.
Personnel:
- Michael Franks – vocals, banjo, guitar, mandolin
- Hiram Bullock – guitar
- Cornell Dupree – guitar
- Steve Khan – guitar
- Earl Klugh – guitar
- Jeff Mironov – guitar
- Georg Wadenius – guitar
- Clifford Carter – piano, synthesizer
- Richard Tee – piano
- Mark Egan – bass
- Neil Jason – bass
- Will Lee – bass, backing vocals
- Marcus Miller – bass
- Robin Gould – drums
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Chris Parker – cymbals, drums
- Dave Weckl – drums
- Ralph MacDonald – congas, percussion
- Roger Squitero – caxixi, shekere
- Lawrence Feldman – alto saxophone
- Bill Evans – tenor saxophone
- Michael Brecker – EWI, tenor saxophone
- Randy Brecker – trumpet
- Lew Soloff – trumpet
- Rob Mounsey – flute, keyboard bass, keyboards, backing vocals
- Michal Urbaniak – violin
- Patti Austin – vocals, backing vocals
- Kacey Cisyk – backing vocals
- Art Garfunkel – backing vocals
- Lani Groves – backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Michael Franks, except where noted.
- Face to Face
- I Surrender
- The Camera Never Lies
- Lip Service
- When I Think of Us
- Island Life – Michael Franks, Rob Mounsey
- How You’re in My Dreams – Michael Franks, Clifford Carter
- Doctor Sax
- Innuendo
David Crosby
On January 19, 2023, David Van Cortlandt Crosby died aged 81. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, regarded as one of the most influential artists who helped shape the sound of Sixties rock music. Crosby was founding member of The Byrds, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and CPR, and was member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Crosby performed and recorded with Buffalo Springfield, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Dave Mason, Rick Roberts, Art Garfunkel, Carole King, Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis, Gary Wright, Elton John, J. D. Souther, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Michael League, Chris Thile, Hot Tuna, Phil Collins, Lucinda Williams, Indigo Girls, David Gilmour and John Mayer. Crosby was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” twice: once as member of The Byrds and again as member of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Five albums to which he contributed are included in Rolling Stone’s magazine list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 2019 documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name” was produced by Cameron Crowe. As leader Crosby released eight albums.
Art Garfunkel: Scissors Cut
On August 25, 1981, “Columbia” label released “Scissors Cut”, the fifth Art Garfunkel studio album. It was recorded October 1980 – May 1981, at “Media Sound” in New York City, “Wally Heider Studios” in Los Angeles, “Criteria Studios” in Miami, and was produced by Roy Halle, Art Garfunkel and Mike Batt.
Personnel:
- Art Garfunkel – vocals
- Pete Carr, Dean Parks, Michael Staton, Graham Lyle, Chris Spedding – guitar
- Paul Simon, Andrew Gold – guitar, backing vocals
- Jeffrey Staton – guitar, backing vocals
- John Jarvis – piano
- Jimmy Webb, Larry Knechtel – keyboards
- Rob Mounsey, Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
- Joe Osborn, Tony Levin, Scott Chambers – bass guitar
- Rick Shlosser, Rick Marotta – drums
- Ray Cooper, Errol “Crusher” Bennett – percussion
- Tommy Vig – vibraphone, backing vocals
- Lew Soloff – flugelhorn, trumpet
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
- David Campbell – strings
- Del Newman – strings
- Roland Harker – lute
- Teo Macero – conductor
- Lisa Garber, Leah Kunkel – backing vocals
- Eugene Orloff – concertmaster
- Roy Halee – engineer
- Terry Rosiello – mixing
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- John Berg – design
- Anthony Loew – artwork
Track listing:
- A Heart in New York – Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle
- Scissors Cut – Jimmy Webb
- Up in the World – Clifford T. Ward
- Hang On In – Norman Sallitt
- So Easy to Begin – Jules Shear
- Bright Eyes – Mike Batt
- Can’t Turn My Heart Away – John Jarvis, Eric Kaz
- The French Waltz – Adam Mitchell
- In Cars – Jimmy Webb
- That’s All I’ve Got to Say (Theme from The Last Unicorn) – Jimmy Webb
Hal Blaine
On March 11, 2019, Harold Simon Belsky aka Hal Blaine died aged 90. He was musician (drums) regarded to be one of the most recorded studio drummers in the history of the modern music. He had more than 35,000 recording sessions in various music genres including big number of film and TV soundtracks. He worked with Shelley Fabares, The Crystals, Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys, Dean Martin, Lorne Greene, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, Barry McGuire, Petula Clark, Nancy Sinatra, The Mamas & the Papas, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Rivers, The Supremes, The Association, Simon & Garfunkel, Tommy Roe, The 5th Dimension, Henry Mancini, The Carpenters, Neil Diamond, The Partridge Family, The Raiders, Barbra Streisand, John Denver, Captain & Tennille, Diana Ross, Sam Cooke, Van Dyke Parks, John Lennon, Lulu, Dennis Wilson, Paul Simon, Richard Harris, Glen Campbell, Emitt Rhodes, Art Garfunkel, Juice Newton, Michael Nesmith, Cher, Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, J.J. Cale, José Feliciano, Bobby Darin, Rosanne Cash, Cass Elliot, Rodney Crowell, Dion DiMucci, Paul Anka, Barry Mann, Emmylou Harris, Jackie Lomax, Elkie Brooks, Helen Reddy, John Philips, Thelma Houston and Leonard Cohen. As leader Blaine released five albums.
Ralph MacDonald
On December 18, 2011, Ralph Anthony MacDonald died aged 67. He was musician (percussion, steelpan), songwriter, arranger, record producer, and philanthropist. His best known compositions are “Where Is the Love”, a “Grammy Award” winner for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway duet), “Just the Two of Us” (recorded by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.), and “Mister Magic” (recorded by Grover Washington Jr.). MacDonald was member of the bands Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, Steelband Panorama, and Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. He recorded with many famous musicians including David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Miriam Makeba, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Amy Winehouse, Bob James, Ashford and Simpson, and The Brothers Johnson. As a leader MacDonald released ten albums.
Joseph Osborn
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”.
Thomas Tedesco
On November 10, 1997, Thomas J. Tedesco died aged 67. He was a musician (guitar), part of the loose collective of Los Angeles area’s session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. As he played on hundreds studio recordings, “Guitar Player” magazine described him as “the most recorded guitarist in music history”. He recorded with the Beach Boys, Chet Baker, the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, the Association, Bobby Darrin, Barbra Streisand, Jan and Dean, the 5th Dimension, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Ricky Nelson, Cher, Neil Diamond, Van Dyke Parks, Michael Franks, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Richard Harris, Peggy Lee, Johnny Rivers, Al Kooper, Michael Nesmith, Paul Anka, Don Ellis, Minnie Riperton, Maria Muldaur, Leon Russell, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, J.J. Cale, Quincy Jones, Stephen Bishop, Kenny Loggins, Jack Nitzsche, Sarah Vaughan, Lalo Schifrin, Randy Newman, Hugh Masakela, and Joan Baez. Tedesco performed on soundtracks including The French Connection, Jaws, The Godfather, Field of Dreams, and The Deer Hunter. As a leader he released ten albums.
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