In June 2025, Michael Geoffrey Ralphs died aged 81. He was musician (guitar), vocalist and songwriter, member of the bands Buddies, Doc Thomas Group and Mick Ralphs Blues Band, but was best known as founding member of Mott the Hoople and Bad Company. As leader, he released three albums.
Tag Archives: songwriter
Sly Stone
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.
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.
Dave Allen
On April 5, 2025, David Geoffrey Allen died aged 69. He was musician (bass), vocalist and primary songwriter of the band The Elastic Purejoy, played bass guitar in Low Pop Suicide, was member and bass player of the band Gang of Four and founding member of Shriekback.
Brian James
On March 6, 2025, Brian James died aged 70. He was songwriter, musician (guitar) and singer, member of the bands London SS, Tanz Der Youth, Bastard, The Dripping Lips, The Racketeers, The Lords of the New Church, The Brian James Gang, but was best known as the founding member of Damned. As leader, James released five albums.
David Johansen
On February 28, 2025, David Roger Johansen aka David Johansen, died aged 75. He was songwriter, singer and actor, also known for his work under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter. Hansen was member of the bands Vagabond Missionaries, and David Johansen and The Harry Smiths, but was best known as singer and songwriter of The New York Dolls. Under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter he released four album.
Bob Dunlap
On December 18, 2024, Bob “Slim” Dunlap died aged 73. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, member of the band Thumbs Up, but best known as the guitarist of The Replacement. As leader he released three albums.
Pete Sinfield
On November 14, 2024, Peter John Sinfield died aged 80. He was poet and songwriter, founding member of the band A Bowl of Soup, but was best known as co-founder and lyricist of King Crimson. He wrote lyrics for Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Angelo Branduardi, Andy Hill, McDonalds and Giles, Robert Sheckley, Brian Eno, Gary Brooker, Nikka Costa, Buck Fizz, Moon Martin, Leo Sayer, Five Star, Flairck, Agnetha Fältskog, Cher, Celine Dion, David Cross, and Ian McDonald. Sinfield released book of lyrics and poems titled “Under the Sky”, and as leader he released one album.
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.
Nick Gravenites
On September 18, 2024, Nick Gravenites died aged 85. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, performed and recorded with Mike Bloomfield, Charlie Musselwhite, John Cipollina and Quicksilver Messenger Service, but was best known as lead singer of Electric Flag. With John Cipollina he formed the Nick Gravenites–John Cipollina Band.
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