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: Neil Sedaka
Rick Derringer
On May 26, 2025, Richard Dean Zehringer aka Rick Derringer, died aged 77. He was musician (guitar), singer and composer, member of McCoys, DNA, Derringers, Derringer Bogert and Appice, recorded and performed with Edgar Winter, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Ringo Starr, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Johnny Winter, Richie Havens, Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Dan Hartman, Bette Midler, Todd Rundgren, Eddie Schwartz, Donald Fagen, Eye to Eye, Kiss, Bonnie Tyler, Barbra Streisand, Neil Sedaka, Rosie Vela, Grayson Hugh, Peter Frampton, Joe Bonamassa, Ronnie Montrose and Jon Anderson. As leader, Derringer released fourteen studio and two live albums.
The Hep Stars: We and Our Cadillac
On September 7, 1965, “Olga Records” label released “We and Our Cadillac”, the debut Hep Stars (The) studio album. It was recorded February – August 1965, in Stockholm, Sweden, and was produced by Gert Palmcrantz and Anders Ericsson.
Personnel:
- Svenne Hedlund – lead and backing vocals
- Janne Frisk – lead and backing vocals, guitar
- Benny Andersson – piano, organ, backing vocals
- Lennart Hegland – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Christer Petterson – lead and backing vocals, drums
- Hans Östlund – organ
- Lennart Fernholm – bass guitar
- Robert Meyer – photography
Track listing:
- Cadillac – Vince Taylor
- Be My Baby – Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector
- That’s When Your Heartaches Begin – Fred Fisher, William Raskin, Billy Hill
- Send Me Some Lovin – John S. Marascalco, Leo Price
- Young and Beautiful – Aaron Schroeder, Abner Silver
- Rockin’ Love – Carl Mann
- No Response – Benny Anderson
- I’ll Never Quite Get Over You – Chad Stuart, Jeremy Clyde
- Sweet Little Sixteen – Chuck Berry
- Oh! Carol – Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield
- Then She Kissed Me – Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector
- Bald Headed Woman – Shel Talmy
Ethel Nagy Gabriel
On March 23, 2021, Ethel Nagy Gabriel died aged 99. She was music producer and record executive, known as the first female producer in the music industry. She produced more than 2500 albums, winner of “Grammy Award” in 1982, produced six Grammy winning albums, and “15 RIAA Certified Gold Records” hits. Among the others, Gabriel worked with Henry Mancini, Elvis Presley, Al Hirt, Roger Whittaker, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Fisher, Paul Anka, Dolly Parton and Perry Como.
Mark Lanegan: Imitations
On September 17, 2013, “Vagrant Records” and “Heavenly Records” labels released “Imitations”, the eighth Mark Lanegan studio album. It was recorded in 2012, and was produced by Martin Feveyear.
Personnel:
- Mark Lanegan – vocals
- Billy Stover – piano
- Mike Johnson – acoustic and electric guitar
- Alain Johannes – cigfiddle, mellotron, acoustic and ebo guitar
- Jeff Fielder – acoustic and electric guitar
- Andrew Joslyn – violin, viola
- Rebecca Filice – cello
- Mark Hoyt – backing vocals, acoustic guitar
- Jason Staczek – harpsichord
- Eric Padget – trumpet
- Tom Yoder – trombone
- Drew Church – bass
- Duff McKagan – bass
- Barrett Martin – vibraphone, tambourine, drums, percussion
- Bill Rieflin – drums, percussion, pump organ, mellotron
- Mark Pickerel – drums
Track listing:
- Flatlands – Chelsea Wolve
- She’s Gone – Vern Gosdin
- Deepest Shade – Greg Dulli
- You Only Live Twice – Leslie Bricusse, John Barry
- Pretty Colors – Al Gorgoni, Chip Taylor
- Brompton Oratory – Nick Cave
- Solitaire – Neil Sedaka, Phil Cody
- Mack the Knife – Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht (English lyrics by Manheim – Willett)
- I’m Not the Loving Kind – John Cale
- Lonely Street – Carl Belew, Kenny Sowder, W.S.Stevenson
- Élégie Funèbre – Gérard Manset
- Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert (English lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
5th Dimension: Portrait
In April 1970, “Bell Records” label released “Portrait”, the fifth 5th Dimension album. It was recorded August 1969-March 1970, at Wally Heider Studios in Hollywood, and was produced by Bones Howe. The album cover features an impressionistic portrait by the artist LeRoy Neiman.
Personnel:
- Billy Davis, Jr.- lead and backing vocals
- Florence LaRue- lead and backing vocals
- Marilyn McCoo- lead and backing vocals
- Ron Townson- lead and backing vocals
- Michael Anthony- electric guitar
- Mike Deasy- electric guitar
- Dennis Budimir – rhythm guitar
- Tommy Tedesco- rhythm guitar
- Fred Tackett- finger pickin’ guitar
- Larry Knechtel- piano, organ, tack piano
- Jimmy Rowles– piano
- Gary Illingworth – electric piano
- Joe Osborn- bass
- Hal Blaine- drums, percussion
- Larry Bunker- congas, mallets, percussion, drums
- Gary Coleman – mallets, percussion
- Bob Alcivar, Bill Hollman – arrangements
- Bones Howe – arrangements, engineer
- Elliot Federman – mastering
- Joanne Feltman, Glenn Korman – archivist
- Joel Whitburn – research
- Larry Cox, Johnny Golden, Rik Pekkonen – assistants
- Beverly Weinstein – art direction
- Mathieu Bitton – design
- Mike Ragogna – liner notes
- Jeremy Holiday – production coordinator
- Bones Howe, Ann McClelland, Tom Tierney, Russ Wapensky – production assistant
- Mandana Eidgah – production manager
- Arlessa Barnes, Glenn Delgado, Christina DeSimone, Karyn Friedland, Felicia Gearhart, Laura Gregory, Robin Manning, Brooke Nochomson, Ed Osborne, Larry Parra, Dana Renert, Bill Stafford, Steve Strauss – project coordinator
Track listing:
- Puppet Man – Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka
- One Less Bell to Answer – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
- Feelin’ Alright – Dave Mason
- This Is Your Life – Jimmy Webb
- A Love Like Ours – Bob Alcivar, Lamonte McLemore
- Save the Country – Laura Nyro
- Medley
- The Declaration – Julianne Johnson, René DeKnight
- A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
- People Gotta Be Free – Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere
- Dimension 5ive – Bob Alcivar
On the Beach (In the Summertime) – McNeil
The Bottom Line
On February 12, 1974, “The Bottom Line” club opened in New York City. Owned by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky, during the 70’s and 80’s, the club was a major space for small-scale music performances. The club stoped working in 2004. Some of the artists who performed in the club were Miles Davis, Gato Barbieri, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Mose Allison, Muddy Waters, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Ray Barretto, Peter Gabriel, Al Kooper, Tom Waits, Melvin Van Peebles, Neil Sedaka, Billy Joel, Suzi Quatro, Patti Smith, Flo & Eddie, Toots and the Maytals, Cheech & Chong, Tower of Power, Tim Hardin, Roger McGuinn, JJ Cale, The Meters, Greg Kihn Band, Ry Cooder,Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Sam & Dave, Asım Can Gündüz, The Ronettes, John Cale, Gong, Peter Bardens, The Violent Femmes, Eric Clapton, Carl Perkins, Linda Ronstadt,The Police, Richard Marx, Prince, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Van Morrison, The Stone Poneys, Chuck Mangione, Emmylou Harris, Clinn Rippy, Neil Young, Barry Manilow, Laura Nyro, Loudon Wainwright III, New York Dolls, Lyle Lovett, The Electric Flag, Pat Martino, Todd Rundgren, Graham Parker, Grayson Hugh, Stan Ridgway, Horslips, Dire Straits,Chris Hillman, Hawkwind, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Tracy Nelson, The Pointer Sisters, Betty Carter, Ravi Shankar, Ramones and Michael Hedges.
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