On January 23, 2024, Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk aka Melanie Safka died aged 76. She was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, one of the Woodstock Festival stars. Her best known songs are “What Have They Done to My Song Ma” and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)”. Melanie released 28 studio and 13 live albums.
Tag Archives: singer
Derek Palmer
On January 5, 2024, Derek Peter Palmer died aged 71. He was musician (bass, keyboards, percussion), singer, songwriter and sound engineer, member of the bands Cobwebs and Strange, Tame, and Company, but was best known for his work with Kate Bush. As leader Palmer released three albums.
Denny Laine
On December 5, 2023, Brian Frederick Arthur Hines aka Denny Laine died aged 79. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, and harmonica), singer and songwriter, a founder of the Moody Blues, member of Electric String Band, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Denny Laine and the Diplomats, Denny Laine Band, but was best known as founding member of The Wings. Laine recorded and performed with variety of artists including Mike McGear, Steve Holley, Laurence Juber, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Balls and Linda McCartney. As leader he released twelve albums. In 2018, Laine was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of the Moody Blues.
Rudolph Isley
On October 11, 2023, Rudolph “Rudy” Bernard Isley died aged 84. He was singer and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members of The Isley Brothers.
Sinéad O’Connor
On July 26, 2023, Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, died aged 56. She was singer, musician and song-writer, best known by the song “Nothing Compares 2 U” (written by Prince). In 1990, “Billboard Music Awards”, named it number one world single. As leader O’Connor released ten albums.
Tony McPhee
On June 6, 2023, Anthony Charles McPhee aka Tony McPhee, died aged 79. He was musician (guitar), singer and song-writer, founder of the band Groundhogs. The band backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s, and in 1966, McPhee released a duet single with Champion Jack Dupree. As leader McPhee released 13 albums.
Tina Turner
On May 24, 2023, Anna Mae Bullock aka Tina Turner died aged 83. She was singer, author, dancer and actress, referred to as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, began her career with Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm in 1957. In 1958, under the name Little Ann, she released her first record, “Boxtop”. In 1960, she debuted as Tina Turner with the duet single “A Fool in Love”. The duo Ike & Tina Turner became “one of the most formidable live acts in history”. In the 1980s, Turner made a great comeback, and in the decades that followed she sold over 100 million records worldwide, and became one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She won twelve “Grammy Awards”, three “Grammy Hall of Fame” awards and a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked her among the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” and the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”. She was twice inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. In 2005, she was recipient of the “Kennedy Center Honors” and “Women of the Year” award. As leader Tina Turner released nine albums.
Algy Ward
On May 17, 2023, Alasdair Mackie “Algy” Ward died aged 63. He was musician (bass) and singer, member of the bands The Saints, The Damned and founding member of the band Tank.
Gordon Lightfoot
On May 1, 2023, Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. died aged 84. He was musician (guitar), composer and singer, regarded as the greatest Canadian songwriter. He is one of the artists who helped in defining of the folk-pop sound of the 60’ and 70’. As leader he released 20 studio and 3 live albums.
Ray Shulman
On March 30, 2023, Raymond Shulman died aged 73. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, trumpet, violin), singer, song-writer and record producer, member of the band Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, but was best known as founding member of Gentle Giant. As producer he worked with The Sundays, Trash Can Sinatras, Ian McCulloch and the Defects, and The Sugarcubes.
