On September 26, 2003, Robert Allen Palmer died aged 54. He was musician (guitar),singer, songwriter and music producer, member of bands Joe Vinegar and The Power Station. He had powerful, distinctive, gritty, soulful voice and sartorial elegance, his music combined soul, jazz, rock, pop, reggae and blues elements. Palmer had successful solo career, received a number of awards, including “ASCAP Pop Music Award” for “Most Performed Songs” (1986 and 1990), two “Grammy Awards” for “Best Male Rock Vocal Performance” (1989), “MTV Video Music Award” (1986), “Pollstar Concert Industry Awards” for “Small Hall Tour Of The Year” (1987). As leader, Palmer released 15 albums.
Tag Archives: musician
Pee Wee Ellis
On September 24, 2021, Alfred James Ellis aka Pee Wee Ellis died aged 80. He was musician (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, flute, keyboards), arranger and composer, worked as musical director and arranger with George Benson, Hank Crawford and Esther Phillips. Ellis recorded and performed with David Liebman, Jack McDuff, Rebirth Brass Band, Shirley Scott, Sonny Stitt, Leon Thomas, Van Morrison, Ginger Baker’s jazz Confusion, The JB Horns, Maceo Parker, Brass Fever, Ali Farka Touré and The Dapps, but was best known as longtime collaborator of James Brown. He co-wrote and recorded some of Brown’s best-known songs like “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” and “Cold Sweat”. As leader Ellis released 13 albums.
Lee Kerslake
On September 19, 2020, Lee Kerslake died aged 73. He was musician (drums, percussion, keyboards, trumpet, kazoo, vocal), recorded and performed with The Gods, Head Machine, Toe Fat, National Head Band, Ken Hensley, David Byron, Living Loud, Ozzy Osborne, but was best known as drummer of Uriah Heep. With Swedish singer Stefan Berggren he formed Berggren Kerslake Band.
Eddie Money
On September 13, 2019, Edward Joseph Mahoney aka Eddie Money died aged 70. He was musician (keyboards, saxophone, harmonica), singer and songwriter, with more than three decades long career. Money had biggest success in the second half of the seventies and in through the eighties, with songs like “Baby Hold On”, “Two Tickets to Paradise”, “Think I’m in Love”, “Shakin'”, “Take Me Home Tonight”, “I Wanna Go Back”, “Walk on Water”, and “The Love in Your Eyes”. As leader he released eleventh albums.
Gary Richard
On September 13, 2015, Gary Dean Richard died aged 65. He was musician (guitar, slide guitar), singer, songwriter and producer, member of the band Suburban 9 to 5, but was best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter of REO Speedwagon (1970 – 1989). As leader, Richard released one album.
Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert
On September 11, 2020, Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert, died aged 77. He was musician (guitar, Hammond organ), singer and songwriter, regarded as reggae pioneer, with six decades long career. He had major influence on popularizing reggae music with songs like “Monkey Man”, “Funky Kingston” and “Pressure Drop”. Even the genre’s name is credited as genesis from his 1968’s song “Do the Reggay”. With his band Toots and the Maytals, he won “Grammy Award” in 2006, for his album “True Love”.
Conway Savage
On September 2, 2018, Conway Victor Savage died aged 58. He was musician (piano, organ) and singer, member of the bands Happy Orphans, The Feral Dinosaurs, and Dave Last and The Legendary Boy Kings, but was best known as piano and organ player in Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (1990 – 1993). As leader he released three albums.
Ron Bushy
On August 29, 2021, Ron Bushy died aged 79. He was musician (drums) and graphic artist, member of the bands Voxmen, Magic and Gold, but was best known as drummer of Iron Butterfly. Bushy was the only Iron Butterfly member to appear on all band’s studio albums.
Charlie Watts
On August 24, 2021, Charles Robert Watts died aged 80. He was musician (drums) and songwriter, member of Blues Incorporated and The Charlie Watts Tentetm, but was best known as a drummer of The Rolling Stones since 1963. Watts was featured on all the Rolling Stones albums. In 2006, he was inducted into the “Modern Drummer Hall of Fame”, and in 2016, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 12 on its “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time” list. In addition to his work with The Rolling Stones, Watts has released eleventh albums.
Don Everly

On August 21, 2021, Don Everly died aged 84. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, member of the Everly Brothers (with his brother Phil). Regarded as pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll, they began recording music in 1956, and had the first hit “Bye Bye Love” in 1957. In the period from 1958 to 1960, Everly Brothers had number of hits including “Wake Up Little Susie”, “All I Have to Do Is Dream”, and “Problems”. In the 1960s their vocal harmonies influenced many musicians and bands including the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel. In 1986, Everly Brothers were the first group to be inaugurated in the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” (together with Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis).