Tag Archives: songwriter

Trevor Bolder

On May 21, 2013, Trevor Bolder died aged 62. He was musician (bass, trumpet), singer, songwriter and producer, who has recorded and performed with Cybernauts, Dana Gillespie, Ken Hensley, Mick Ronson, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash, but he was best known for his work with David Bowie, especially as member of the legendary Spiders from Mars band.

Chris Cornell

On May 17, 2017, Christopher John Boyle aka Chris Cornell died aged 52. He was musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter and rhythm guitarist of Soundgarden, lead vocalist and songwriter of Audioslave, and as founder and frontman of Temple of the Dog. Cornell is widely regarded as one of the crucial artists of the grunge movement. Readers of the “Guitar World” magazine voted him “Rock’s Greatest Singer”; “Hit Parader” ranked him at number 4 in the list of “Heavy Metal’s All-Time Top 100 Vocalists”; “MTV” ranked Cornell at number 12 in the choice of the “22 Greatest Voices in Music”; magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him at number 9 in the list of the “Best Lead Singers of All Time”. Cornell released fie solo albums.

Donald Duck Dunn

On May 13, 2012, Donald “Duck” Dunn died aged 70. He was musician (bass guitar), session musician, record producer, and songwriter, best known  for his 1960’s recordings with Booker T. & the M.G.’s and as a session bassist for “Stax Records”.  He has performed and recorded with big number of famous musicians including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and The Blues Brothers Band. In 1992, Dunn was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s. “Bass Player” magazine ranked him at number  40 on its list of “The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time”.

Chuck Berry

On March 18, 2017, Charles Edward Anderson “Chuck” Berry died aged 90.  He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, one of the pioneers and most important figures of rock and roll music. His songs “Maybellene” (1955), “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956), “Rock and Roll Music” (1957) and “Johnny B. Goode” (1958), defined the contours of rock and roll music, and changed the face of popular music. His unique guitar solos and stage appearance made lasting influence on subsequent rock artists, including names like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. In 1984, Berry was awarded “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”. He was among the first musicians to be inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” on its opening in 1986. In 2004, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked him at number 5 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. The same magazine ranked his compilation album “The Great Twenty-Eight” at number 21 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. His songs “Johnny B. Goode,” “Maybellene,” and “Rock and Roll Music”, are included in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”. “Johnny B. Goode” is the only rock-and-roll song included on the “Voyager Golden Record”. In 2014, Berry was made a laureate of the “Polar Music Prize”.

James Cotton

On March 16, 2017, James Henry Cotton died aged 81. He was musician (harmonica), singer and songwriter, had a successful solo career, recording albums under his own name, and recording and performing with number of great blues and rock musicians including Gregg Allman, William “Billy Boy” Arnold, Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Butterfield, Grateful Dead, Pat Hare, Howlin’ Wolf, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Freddie King, Alexis Korner, Steve Miller, Charlie Musselwhite, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Keith Richards, Todd Rundgren, Santana, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Otis Spann, Taj Mahal, Big Mama Thornton, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Louis Walker, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Johnny Winter.

Leon Ware

On February 23, 2017, Leon Ware died aged 77. He was composer,  released eleven albums as a performer, but he was best known for producing and writing music for other musicians and bands including: The Isley Brothers,  Donny Hathaway, The Miracles, Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, Loose Ends, James Ingram, Melissa Manchester, Krystol, Bobby Womack, Lulu,  Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Maxwell, Minnie Riperton and Marvin Gaye.

John Wetton

On January 31, 2017, John Kenneth Wetton died aged 67. He was singer, musician (bass) and songwriter, best known as founding member and bass player of King Crimson and Asia. He has recorded and performed with Mogul Thrash, Family,  Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, U.K., Jack-Knife, Wishbone Ash, Phenomena, Gordon Haskell, Renaissance, Qango, Brian Eno, Ayreon,Steve Howe, Bill Bruford, Geoff Downes, Larry Norman, Alan White, Billy Sherwood, Peter Banks, Bryan Ferry, Pete Sinfield, Roger Chapman, Duncan Mackay, Atoll, District 97, Ayreon, Eddie Jobson, David Cross and Steve Hackett.  As leader, Wetton released six albums.

Ronald Asheton

On January 6, 2009, Ronald Franklin Asheton died aged 60. He was musician (guitar, bass), songwriter and actor, best known as founding member (together with Iggy Pop, his brother Scott Asheton and Dave Alexander) and guitarist of The Stooges. In 2014, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked him at number 60 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. 

John Parfitt

On December 24, 2016, Richard John Parfitt died aged 68. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, performed with The Harrison Twins (Jean and Gloria Harrison); The Spectres; Graham Bonnet; Rolf Harris, but he was best known as singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist of Status Quo.