On January 21, 2025, Eric Garth Hudson died aged 87. He was multi-instrumentalist (piano, keyboards, accordion and saxophone), member of the Burrito DeLux, but was best known as the keyboardist and saxophonist for The Band. In 1994, as member of The Band, he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. Magazine “Keyboard” described Hudson as “the most brilliant organist in the rock world”. As leader, Hudson released three albums (two studio and one live).
Tag Archives: died aged 87
Teddy Osei
On January 14, 2025, Teddy Osei died aged 87. He was musician (saxophone, flute, drums) and vocalist, best known as the founding member and leader of the band Osibisa.
Carla Bley
On October 17, 2023, Lovella May Borg, aka Carla Bley died aged 87. She was composer, musician (piano, organ) and bandleader, one of the most important figures in the free jazz movement of the 1960s. Bley started the record label “JCOA “, who recorded over two dozen important albums between 1966 and 2019, and became a pioneer in the development of independent artist-owned record labels. As leader, she released 29 albums, including her magnum opus, the jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill”.
Jerry Lee Lewis
On October 28, 2022, Jerry Lee Lewis died aged 87. He was musician (piano), singer and songwriter, nicknamed “the Killer”, He was a pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, described as “Rock and roll’s first great wild man and one of the most influential pianists of the 20th century. Lewis won four “Grammy Awards”, including a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” and two “Grammy Hall of Fame Awards”. He was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, the “Rockabilly Hall of Fame”, “Memphis Music Hall of Fame” and “Country Music Hall of Fame”. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked his box set “All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology”, at number 242 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, in 2004, the same magazine ranked him at number 24 of its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. A movie about his life, “Great Balls of Fire”, was released in 1989, starring Dennis Quaid. As leader, Lewis released 40 studio and 8 live albums.
Ronald Hawkins
On May 29, 2022, Ronald Hawkins died aged 87. He was singer, song-writer, talent scout and musician’s mentor, known as “Rompin’ Ronnie”, “Mr. Dynamo” or “The Hawk”. He was founding member and leader of the band The Hawks. As leader he released 21 albums.
Little Richard
On May 9, 2020, Richard Wayne Penniman aka Little Richard died aged 87. He was singer, songwriter and musician (piano), one of the most important and influential persons in the popular music. His charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding back beat and raspy shouted vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll, but also had important role in formation of other music genres such as soul and funk. For his work Little Richard received numerous awards and was honored by many institutions. In 1986, he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”; in 1993 he received “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”, he was inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”, received “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the “Recording Academy”; “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the “Rhythm and Blues Foundation”, and received a “Rhapsody & Rhythm Award” from the “National Museum of African American Music”. In 2012, his song “Tutti Frutti” was included in the “National Recording Registry” of the “Library of Congress”, stated that his “unique vocalizing over the irresistible beat announced a new era in music”. Three of his songs “Tutti Frutti,” “Lucille” and “Long Tall Sally” are inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.
Krzysztof Penderecki
On March 29, 2020, Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki died aged 87. He was a Polish composer and conductor, one of the most important European and world composers of the 20th century. Penderecki composed four operas, eight symphonies and other orchestral pieces, a variety of instrumental concertos, choral settings of mainly religious texts, as well as chamber and instrumental works. Among his best known works are Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima, Polish Requiem, Anaklasis and Utrenja, Symphony No. 3, his St. Luke Passion, Penderecki has won many prestigious awards, including the Commander’s Cross in 1964, the Prix Italia in 1967 and 1968, the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 1964, four Grammy Awards in 1987, twice in 1998, and 2017, Wolf Prize in Arts in 1987 and the University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 1992.
D. J. Fontana
On June 13, 2018, Dominic Joseph Fontana aka D.J. Fontana died aged 87. He was musician (drums, percussion), best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley. In 14 years Fontana played on over 460 “RCA”cuts with Elvis. He played on all Elvis greatest hits including Heartbreak Hotel / Blue Suede Shoes/ Hound Dog / Don’t Be Cruel / Love Me Tender / All Shook Up / Jailhouse Rock / It’s Now or Neve / Are You Lonesome Tonight / Can’t Help Falling in Love / Rock-a-Hula Baby / Good Luck Charm / Return to Sender / (You’re the) Devil in Disguise / Viva Las Vegas and Crying in the Chapel.
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