On January 22, 2017, Peter Overend Watts died aged 69. He was musician (bass), vocalist, and record producer, member of the British Lions, but best known as the founding member and bass player of Mott the Hoople. As producer he worked with Hanoi Rocks and Dumb Blondes.
Tag Archives: musician
Edward McKenna
On January 19, 2019, Edward McKenna died aged 68. He was musician (drums), recorded and performed with Rare Breed, Dream Police, Tear Gas, Gary Moore, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, McKenna’ Gold, Rory Gallagher, The Greg Lake Band, The Michael Schenker Group. Ian Gillan, Womack & Womack, The Party Boys, Gwyn Ashton, The Paul rose Band, The Rhumboogie Orchestra, and Band of Friends.
Junior Mance
On January 16, 2021, Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. aka Junior Mance died aged 92. He was musician (piano) and composer, one of the main figures of the Hard bop jazz scene. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names of jazz, blues and soul music including Gene Amons, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Sonny Stitt, Dinah Washington, Wynton Kelly, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Nat Adderley, Joe Gordon, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Ernie Andrews, Johnny Griffin, Art Blakey, Cliford Brown, Benny Carter, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cleveland, Arnett Cobb, Red Holloway, Jose James, Ray Crawford, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Eddie Jefferson, Aretha Franklin, Etta Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Irene Kral, Jay Leonhart, Les McCann, Paul Gonsalves, Howard McGhee, The Metronomes, Virgil Gonsalves, James Moody, Wild Bill Moore, Barbara Morrison, Sandy Mosse, Leo Parker, Ken Peplowski, Billie Poole, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Alvin Queen, Jimmy Scott, Arnold Sterling, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Frank Vignola, Wilbur Ware, Ben Webster, Joe Williams, Marion Williams, and Leo Wright. As leader, Monce released 56 albums (live and studio). In 2007, Mance and his wife Gloria started their own record label “JunGlo”.
Phil Spector
On January 16, 2021, Harvey Phillip Spector died aged 81. He was musician (guitar, piano), vocalist, songwriter and music producer. He developed music production “Wall of Sound”, he described as “Wagnerian approach to rock and roll”. Spector started the music career as member of the band Teddy Bears, at age of 21 he co-founded “Philles Records” and became the youngest ever US label owner to that point. In the 60’s he wrote songs or produced music for The Ronettes, The Crystals, Ike & Tina Turner, produced Beatles album “Let It Be”, and few solo John Lennon and George Harrison recordings. He also worked with Leonard Cohen, Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, Darlene Love, Ronnie Spector, The Wrecking Crew, The Righteous Brothers, and The Ramones. In 1973 Spector won “Grammy Award for Album of the Year” for co-producing Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh”, in 1989 he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, and in 1997 he was inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 63 on their list of “The Greatest Artists in History”.In 2009, he was convicted for the 2003 murder of the actress Lana Clarkson and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison, where he died.
Terence Griffin
On January 17, 2016, Terence Dale “Buffin” Griffin died aged 67. He was musician (drums) and music producer. He was member of the band The British Lions, but was best known as founding member and the drummer of Mott the Hoople. As producer he worked with Hanoi Rocks and Cult, and produced numerous BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions from 1981 to 1994.
Junior Wells
On January 15, 1998, Amos Wells Blakemore Jr. aka Junior Wells died aged 63. He was musician (harmonica) and vocalist, one of the pioneers of the Chicago amplified blues harp style. He recorded and performed with Buddy Guy, The Aces, Earl Hooke, Muddy Waters and The Rolling Stones. His composition “Messin’ with the Kid” became one of the all-time blues classics.
Dee Murray
On January 15, 1992, David Murray Oates aka Dee Murray died aged 45. He was musician (bass), was member, recorded and performed with The Mirage, Spencer Davis Group, Elton John, Procol Harum, Alice Cooper, Beth Nielsen Chapman, John Prine, Jimmy Webb, Yvonne Elliman, Ronnie Hawkins, Shaun Cassidy, Bernie Taupin, Brian Cadd, but was best known as the bass player of the Elton John Band.
Glenn Miller
On December 15, 1944, Alton Glenn Miller died aged 40. He was musician (trombone), composer, arranger, and big-band leader, working in the swing era. Leading the best known big band, in the period 1939 – 1942, he was the best-selling recording artist, with 16 number-one records, and 69 top ten hits (more than Elvis Presley and the Beatles in their careers). Three of his compositions were inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame” – in 1983 “In the Mood”, in 1996 “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, and in 1991 “Moonlight Serenade”.
Johnny Hallyday
On December 5, 2017, Jean-Philippe Léo Smet aka Johnny Hallyday died aged 74. He was musician (piano, guitar), singer and actor, the pioneer of the French rock and roll scene. He was called “The French Elvis”, and described as “The biggest rock star you’ve never heard of in English-speaking countries”. In 1997, he was made “Chevalier of the Legion of Honour”, and in 2001, Officer of the “Order of the Crown” in Belgium. In his more than four decades long career he worked with many famous musicians including Mick Jones, Jimmy Page, Tony Joe White, Dalida, Bon Jovi, Michael Bolton, Sylvie Vartan, Bono, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Tommy Brown, Connie Francis, and Laura Pausini. In his lifetime Hallyday released 81 studio and live albums.
Douglas Hopkins
On December 5, 1993, Douglas Owen Hopkins died aged 32. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar), and songwriter, member of the The Chimeras, but was best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter of Gin Blossoms.
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