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”.
Tag Archives: Rolling Stone
Scotty Moore
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”.
Tony Glover
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.
Miles Davis: Sketches of Spain
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”.
Personnel:
- Miles Davis– trumpet, flugelhorn
- Gil Evans– arranger, conductor
- Paul Chambers– bass
- Danny Bank– bass clarinet
- Bill Barber– tuba
- John Barrows– French horn
- Albert Block– flute
- James Buffington– French horn
- Eddie Caine– flute
- Earl Chapin– French horn
- Jimmy Cobb– drums
- Johnny Coles– trumpet
- Harold Feldman– clarinet, flute, oboe
- Bernie Glow– trumpet
- Dick Hixon– trombone
- Elvin Jones– percussion
- Taft Jordan– trumpet
- Jack Knitzer– bassoon
- Jose Mangual– percussion
- Jimmy McAllister– tuba
- Tony Miranda– French horn
- Louis Mucci– trumpet
- Romeo Penque– oboe
- Janet Putnam– harp
- Frank Rehak– trombone
- Ernie Royal– trumpet
- Joe Singer– French horn
Track listing:
- Concierto de Aranjuez(Adagio) – Joaquín Rodrigo
- Will o’ the Wisp – Manuel de Falla
- The Pan Piper (Alborada de Vigo) – traditional
- Saeta – Gil Evans
- Solea – Gil Evans
Porcupine Tree: Fear of a Blank Planet
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.
Personnel:
- Steven Wilson– vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, mixing, audio mastering, string arrangements
- Richard Barbieri– keyboards and synthesizers
- Colin Edwin– bass guitars
- Gavin Harrison– drums
- Alex Lifeson– guitar solo
- Robert Fripp– soundscapes
- John Wesley– backing vocals
- Orchestra – London Session Orchestra
- Dave Stewart– string arrangements
- Steve Price – engineer
- Lasse Hoile– photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Steven Wilson, except where noted.
- Fear of a Blank Planet
- My Ashes – music by Richard Barbier, Steven /Wilson
- Anesthetize
- Sentimental
- Way Out of Here – music by Richard Barbieri, Colin Edwin, Gavin Harrison, Steven Wilson
- Sleep Together
Elvis Presley: Same
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”.
Personnel:
- Elvis Presley– vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
- Scotty Moore– electric guitar
- Chet Atkins– acoustic guitar
- Floyd Cramer– piano
- Shorty Long– piano
- Bill Black– bass
- J. Fontana– drums
- Doug Poindexter– percussion, guitar
- Johnny Bernero – drums
- Gordon Stoker– backing vocals
- Ben Speer– backing vocals
- Brock Speer– backing vocals
Track listing:
- Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins
- I’m Counting On You – Don Robertson
- I Got a Woman – Ray Charles, Renald Richard
- One Sided Love Affair – Bill Campbell
- I Love You Because – Leon Payne
- Just Because – Bob Shelton, Joe Shelton, Sydney Robin
- Tutti Frutti – Dorothy LaBostrie, Richard Wayne Penniman
- Tryin’ to Get You – Rose Marie McCoy, Charles Singleton
- I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) – Howard Biggs, Joe Thomas
- I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) – Jimmy Wakely
- Blue Moon – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
- Money Honey – Jesse Stone
Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball
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.
Personnel:
- Bruce Springsteen– vocals, guitars, banjo, piano, organ, drums, percussion, loops
- Ron Aniello– guitar, bass, keyboards, piano, drums, loops
- Rob Lebret – electric guitar
- Tom Morello– electric guitar
- Greg Leisz– banjo, mandocello, lap steel guitar
- Marc Muller – pedal steel
- Steve Van Zandt– mandolin
- Steve Jordan – tambourine
- Charlie Giordano– accordion, piano, organ, synth, celeste
- Max Weinberg– drums
- Matt Chamberlain– drums
- Kevin Buell – marching drum
- Clarence Clemons– saxophone
- Curt Ramm, Darrel Leonard – trumpet solo
- Curt Ramm, Clark Gayton, Stan Harrison, Ed Manion, Dan Levine, Art Baron – horns
- Clif Norrell– tuba
- Soozie Tyrell– violin
- Patti Scialfa– vocal arrangements
- Lisa Lowell
- Soozie Tyrell
- Michelle Moore
- Cindy Mizelle – outro vocal
- Ron Aniello
- Kevin Buell
- Ross Petersen, Ron Aniello, Clif Norrell, Rob Lebret – group vocals
- Victorious Gospel Choir
- Lilly “Crawford” Brown – director
- New York Chamber Consort
- Rob Mathes – strings arrangements, conductor
- Mark “Spike” Stent, Rich Costey, Bob Clearmountain, Chris Lord-Alge, Ron Aniello, Ross Petersen – mixing
Track listing:
All tracks by Bruce Springsteen.
- We Take Care of Our Own
- Easy Money
- Shackled and Drawn
- Jack of All Trades
- Death to My Hometown
- This Depression
- Wrecking Ball
- You’ve Got It
- Rocky Ground
- Land of Hope and Dreams
- We Are Alive
Black Flag: Damaged
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”.
Personnel:
- Henry Rollins– lead vocals
- Greg Ginn– lead guitar, backing vocals
- Dez Cadena– rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Chuck Dukowski– bass, backing vocals
- Robo– drums, backing vocals
- Steve “Mugger” Corbin – backing vocals
- Spot– engineer
- Francis Buckley – engineer, mixer
- Chuck Vogt – additional engineering
- Ed Colver– artwork
Track listing:
All tracks by Greg Ginn, except where noted.
- Rise Above
- Spray Paint – Chuck Dukowski, Greg Ginn
- Six Pack
- What I See – Charles Dukowski
- TV Party
- Thirsty and Miserable – Dez Cadena, Rosa Medea, Robo
- Police Story
- Gimme Gimme Gimme
- Depression
- Room 13 – Greg Ginn, Rosa Medea
- No More – Charles Dukowski
- Padded Cell – Charles Dukowski, Greg Ginn
- Life of Pain
- Damaged I – Greg Ginn, Henry Rollins
Otis Rush
On September 29, 2018, Otis Rush died aged 84. He was musician (guitar), singer, 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.
Aretha Franklin
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”.
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