On July 1, 2005, Renaldo “Obie” Benson died aged 69. He was singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member and the bass singer of the Four Tops, a band that sold over 50 million records and had hits including “Reach Out (I’ll be There)” and “I Can’t Help Myself”. In 1971 Benson co-wrote “What’s Going On” for Marvin Gaye and song that “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked at no. 4 on their list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
On June 28, 2016, Winfield Scott “Scotty” Moore III died aged 84. He was a musician (guitar) and recording engineer, performed with Starlight Wranglers, Ricky Nelson, and Roy Orbison, but was best known as a founding member of The Blue Moon Boys in 1954, Elvis Presley’s backing band, and as studio and touring guitarist for Presley between 1954 and 1968. In its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked Moore at number 29. In the year 2000, he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, in 2007 in the “Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum”, and in 2015, in the “Memphis Music Hall of Fame”.
On May 29, 2019, David Curtis Glover aka Tony “Little Sun” Glover died aged 79. He was singer, musician (harmonica) and music critic. In 1963, together with John Koerner and Dave Ray he formed the blues trio Koerner, Ray & Glover. In the late sixties, Glover was disc jockey on “KDWB-AM” radio in Minneapolis where he formed the band Nine Below Zero. He was a music critic, writing articles for “Rolling Stone”, “Sign Out”, “Hit Parader”, “Creem”, and other music magazines. Glover wrote liner notes for albums by John Lee Hooker, John Hammond, Sonny Terry, Michael Lessac, Sonny & Brownie, Willie & the Bees and the Jayhawks, and for “The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966”, “The Royal Albert Hall Concert”. Glover was the author of several blues harp songbooks and along with Ward Gaines and Scott Dirks, a co-author, of Little Walter biography “Blues with a Feeling: The Little Walter Story”. He taught harmonica playing Mick Jagger and David Johansen.
On July 18, 1960, “Columbia” label released “Sketches of Spain”, the 34th Miles Davis album. It was recorded November 15 and 20, 1959 and March 10, 1960, at “Columbia 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero and Irving Townsend. Miles Davis and Gil Evans won the 1961 “Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition”. In 2003, the album was ranked at number 358 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
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On April 16, 2007, “Roadrunner” label released “Fear of a Blank Planet”, the ninth Porcupine Tree studio album. It was recorded October – December 2006, in London and Tel Aviv, and was produced by Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri, Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison. In 2007, “Fear of a Blank Planet” won the “Album of the Year” award at “Classic Rock” magazine awards. In 2015, “Rolling Stone” ranked it at number 39 on its list of the “Best Progressive Rock Albums of all Time.
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All tracks by Steven Wilson, except where noted.
On March 23, 1956, “RCA Victor” label released the self-titled, debut Elvis Presley album. It was recorded July 1954 – January 1956, at “”RCA Victor Studios” in Nashville, Tennessee, “RCA Victor Studios” in New York City, “Sun Studio” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Sam Phillips (Sun recordings) and Steve Sholes (RCA recordings). “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album cover at number 40, on its list of the “100 Greatest Album Covers”. The album was certified Platinum in US by the “RIAA”.
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On March 6, 2012, “Columbia” label released “Wrecking Ball”, the seventeenth Bruce Springsteen studio album. It was recorded 2011 – 2012, at Stone Hill at Bruce’s House, New Jersey, and was produced by Ron Aniello and Bruce Springsteen. In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Wrecking Ball” at number-one on its “Top 50 albums of 2012” list.
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All tracks by Bruce Springsteen.
On December 5, 1981, “SST” label released “Damaged”, the debut Black Flag studio album. It was recorded in August 1981, at “Unicorn Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Spot, Henry Rollins, Greg Ginn, Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski and Robo. In 2003, the album was ranked at number 340 on “Rolling Stone’s” magazine list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
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All tracks by Greg Ginn, except where noted.
On September 29, 2018, Otis Rush died aged 84. He was singer, guitarist and songwriter, together with Magic Sam and Buddy Guy, regarded as creator of the West Side Chicago blues style. In 1984, Rush was elected to the “Blues Hall of Fame”; in 2015, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked him at number 53 on its list of “100 Greatest Guitarists”; in 2018, “Jazz Foundation of America” honored Rush with a “Lifetime Achievement Award”. Rush influenced many musicians, including Peter Green, Michael Bloomfield and Eric Clapton.
On August 16, 2018, Aretha Louise Franklin died aged 76. She was singer and songwriter, with more than six decades long career. In the 60’, with songs “Respect”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “Spanish Harlem” and “Think”, she achieved commercial acclaim and success and gained the title “The Queen of Soul”. Franklin has won 18 “Grammy Awards” and is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. In 1987 she was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, becaming the first female performer to be inducted. In 2005, Franklin was inducted to the “UK Music Hall of Fame” and in 2012; she was inducted into the “GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame”. “Rolling Stone” magazine included Aretha in its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”, and the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”.
