On June 9, 2025, Sylvester Stewart aka Sly Stone died age 82. He was musician (keyboards, guitar, bass, harmonica), singer, songwriter and producer, one of the most important figures in the development of funk with his pioneering fusion of soul, rock, psychedelia, and gospel in the 1960s and 1970s. Sly Stone collaborated with Funkadelic, Parliament, Jesse Johnson and Bobby Womack, but was best known as founding member and leader of the band Sly and the Family Stone. In 1993, he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. He released his autobiography “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). As leader he released two albums.
Tag Archives: producer
Joe Louis Walker
On April 30. 2025, Louis Joseph Walker Jr. aka Joe Louis Walker died aged 75. He was musician (guitar), singer, songwriter and producer, known as electric blues musician, virtuoso guitarist with soulful vocal. In his six-decade long career he performed with many musicians, among them Bonnie Raitt, Mark Knopfler and Steve Cropper. In 2013, Walker was inducted to the “Blues Hall of Fame”. As leader, he released 29 albums.
Quincy Jones
On November 3, 2024, Quincy Delight Jones Jr. died aged 91. He was musician (trumpet), music producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and producer, with career spanned over 70 years. He was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by magazine “Time”.
For his work he received the following awards and honors:
- Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music (1983)
- Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Ray Charles in 1984.
- Grammy Legend Award in 1992
- Garfield High School in Seattle named a performing arts center after him.
- Quincy Jones Elementary School, located in South Central Los Angeles, is named after him.
- Humanitarian Award at the BET Awards in 2008.
- John F. Kennedy Center Honors in 2001.
- National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama on March 2, 2011.
- Los Angeles Press Club Visionary Award in 2014.
- Honorary doctorate from the Royal Academy of Music, London, in 2015.
- Ahmet Ertegun Award in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
- In 2021, Jones was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame as a “foundational inductee”.
- He won 28 Grammy Awards (third in the list of all-time Grammy award wins).
Quincy Jones was producer of “Thriller” by Michael Jackson (1982), the best sold album in music history (more than 51.3 million copies sold).
As leader, Quincy Jones released 40 albums.
Aston “Family Man” Barrett
On February 3, 2024, Aston Francis Barrett aka Aston “Family Man” Barrett, died aged 77. He was musician (bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, percussion), song-writer, arranger and producer. Barrett was member of the bands The Hippy Boys, Lee Perry’s The Upsetters, but was best known as member and bandleader of The Wailers (Bob Marley and the Wailers).
Wayne Kramer
On February 2, 2024, Wayne Kramer died aged 75. He was musician (guitar), singer, songwriter, producer and film and television composer. He was member of the band Gang War, but was best known as co-founder, and guitarist of MC5. Kramer recorded with various musicians and bands including Bad Religion, Marshall Crenshaw, Jill Sobule and Was (Not Was). As leader he released five studio albums.
Barrett Strong
On January 29, 2023, Barrett Strong died aged 81. He was singer and songwriter, the performer who had the first hit for Berry Gordy’s label “Tamla Records”, “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Strong was best known for his work as a songwriter, especially in association with the producer Norman Whitfield. In mid 1960s he became “Motown Records” writer lyricist, and together with Whitfield, they wrote some of the best known soul and funk classics of all times, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips; “War” by Edwin Starr; “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)” by Marvin Gaye; “Smiling Faces Sometimes” by The Undisputed Truth; “Cloud Nine”, “I Can’t Get Next to You”, “Psychedelic Shack”, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)”, and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”, by The Temptations. In 1973, Strong received “Grammy Award for Best R&B Song” for “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”. As leader, Strong released four albums.
Thom Bell
On December 22, 2022, Thomas Randolph Bell died aged79. He was producer, arranger and songwriter, regarded as one of the creators of the Philadelphia soul in the 70’. As songwriter, arranger and producer he worked with Hattie Winston, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, The Spinners, New York City, Elton John, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Denice Williams, Jerry Butler, Archie Bell & the Drells, Jerry Bell, Dionne Warwick, The O’Jays, Dusty Springfield. and James Ingram. In 2016, Bell was inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”, and into the ”Musicians Hall of Fame”.
Vangelis
On May 17, 2021, Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou aka Vangelis died aged 79. He was musician (piano, keyboards, drums, percussion), composer and producer, member of the bands The Forminx and Aphrodite’s Child, but was best known for his work as solo artist. In 1981, Vangelis won the “Academy Award” for the soundtrack to “Chariots of Fire”, and composed music for the movies “Blade Runner (1982), Missing (1982), Antarctica (1983), The Bounty (1984), 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992), and Alexander (2004). As solo artist he released 23 albums.
Michael Nesmith
On December 10, 2021, Robert Michael Nesmith died aged 78. He was musician (guitar), singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and novelist. Nesmith was member of the bands The Strangers and The First National Band, but was known as member of The Monkees. In 1981, he won the first “Grammy Award” given for “Video of the Year” for his hour-long television show “Elephant Parts”.
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.
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