MUSICIANS WHO DIED IN MARCH 2022
MUSICIANS WHO DIED IN MARCH 2022
MARCH 5
JEFF HOWELL (60) / AMERICAN ROCK BASSIST AND SINGER. PLAYED WITH FOGHAT (1987-1988, 1989-1991) AND SOUTHERN ROCK OUTLAWS (1993-1996).
MARCH 6
MIKE CROSS (57) / AMERICAN ROCK GUITARIST, PLAYED IN ALTERNATIVE ROCK / GRUNGE BAND SPONGE.
MARCH 8
ZIGGY SIGMUND (56) / AKA DAVID CHARLES SIGMUND, CANADIAN PUNK ROCK GUITARIST, BORN TO AMERICAN ANTIWAR HIPPIE PARENTS WHO MOVED TO VANCOUVER. 1984-1987 IN THE PUNK ROCK BAND SLOW. IN 1985 THEY HAD A HIT SINGLE "HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME", WHICH GAVE THE TITLE TO THE DOCBOOK ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND SCENE IN CANADA AND A COMPILATION ALBUM. EARLY 1990s WAS IN THE BAND CALLED © AKA CIRCLE C OR COPYRIGHT. JOINED THE ROCKABILLY AND PUNK SUPERGROUP (MEMBERS OF RABID, SLOW, THE SUBHUMANS) THE SCRAMBLERS, WHO TOURED RUSSIA AND MADE A GREAT, UNRELEASED ALBUM. THEN SIGMUND JOINED ECONOLINE CRUSH IN THE YEARS 1997-2002 AND 2010-2022 AND CO-WROTE THEIR HIT "ALL THAT YOU ARE". BOTH SLOW AND ECONOLINE CRUSH REUNITED RECENTLY.
RON MILES (58) / AMERICAN JAZZ TRUMPETER, CORNETIST, COMPOSER, INFLUENCED ALSO BY ROCK, GRUNGE, POST-ROCK, POP. MADE TWELVE SOLO ALBUMS. WORKED WITH THE DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA, GINGER BAKER, BILL FRISELL, JASON MORAN, JOE HENRY, ELVIS COSTELLO, JOSHUA REDMAN, DON BYRON, BRIAN BLADE, DON CHEADLE. RON MILES MADE HIS LAST ALBUM RAINBOW SIGN IN 2020 AND IT WAS HIS DEBUT FOR THE BLUE NOTE RECORDS.
ISAO SUZUKI (89) / JAPANESE JAZZ DOUBLE BASSIST. LATE 1960s LED HIS OWN BAND IN TOKYO AND PLAYED WITH HAMPTON HAWES IN 1968. IN NYC 1969-1971 WORKING WITH THELONIOUS MONK, CHARLES MINGUS, WYNTON KELLY, BOBBY TIMMONS, ELLA FITZGERALD, JIM HALL, PAUL DESMOND, RON CARTER. BACK IN JAPAN WITH MAL WALDRON AND KENNY BURRELL. 1970s ALSO CELLO AND PICCOLO BASS. 1987 OPENED A JAZZ CLUB IN OSAKA. KILLED BY COVID-19.
GRANDPA ELLIOTT (77) / AKA UNCLE REMUS BORN ELLIOTT SMALL, AMERICAN VETERAN STREET MUSICIAN IN NEW ORLEANS, SINGER AND HARMONICA PLAYER. EARLY1960s MOVED TO NYC, PLAYING THE STREETS, CLUBS, IN THE MUSICAL SHOW BOAT, RECORDING SINGLES, TOURING WITH THE TEMPTATIONS. BY 1980s BACK TO NEW ORLEANS. MARK JOHNSON OF PLAYING FOR CHANGE FILMED ELLIOTT SMALL SINGING BEN E. KING'S "STAND BY ME" WHICH HAD ALMOST 200 MILLION PLAYS ON THE INTERNET. MADE HIS DEBUT ALBUM SUGAR SWEET AT 65 WITH KEB MO' GUESTING.
MARCH 9
RICHARD PODOLOR (86) / AMERICAN MUSICIAN, RECORD PRODUCER, SONGWRITER. AT 16 A SESSION MUSICIAN. IN 1958 IN LOS ANGELES CO-FOUNDED THE PETS AND CO-WROTE THEIR HIT "CHA HUA HUA". WAS A RECORDING ENGINEER AND/OR MUSICIAN ON RECORDINGS BY THE GRATEFUL DEAD, DONOVAN, THE ELECTRIC PRUNES, THE MONKEES, THE TURTLES AND OTHERS. PRODUCED MANY GROUPS, ESPECIALLY THREE DOG NIGHT (12 ALBUMS), IRON BUTTERFLY, BLUES IMAGE, STEPPENWOLF, ALICE COOPER.
MARCH 11
TIMMY THOMAS (77) / AMERICAN R&B / JAZZ SINGER AND SONGWRITER, MUSICIAN, RECORD PRODUCER. PLAYED KEYBOARDS AND ORGAN. FIRST PLAYED WITH DONALD BYRD AND JULIAN CANNONBALL ADDERLEY, THEN SESSION MUSICIAN. IN 1972 WROTE A BIG HIT SINGLE "WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER" (OVER TWO MILLION COPIES), INSPIRED BY MANY DEATHS IN THE VIETNAM WAR, SINGING “No more wars, we want peace in this world, and no matter what color, you’re still my brother.” HIS SONG WAS COVERED BY SADE, SANTANA, DR LONNIE SMITH, RONNIE EARL, STEVE WINWOOD, MARIA MULDAUR, JOAN OSBORNE, LUCKY PETERSON, MC HAMMER AND OTHERS.
MARCH 12
PETE ST. JOHN (90) / BORN PETER MOONEY, IRISH FOLK SINGER-SONGWRITER. WROTE FOLK AND REBEL SONGS WHICH WERE VERY POPULAR AND HAD LOTS OF COVERS. IN THE 1970s ST. JOHN WROTE "THE RARE OULD TIMES" FOR THE DUBLIN CITY RAMBLERS, LATER COVERED BY L.A. CELTIC PUNK FLOGGING MOLLY, THE DUBLINERS, PADDY REILLY, DANNY DOYLE AND MANY OTHERS. HIS GREATEST HIT FROM 1979, ABOUT STEALING FOOD BY THE STARVING PEOPLE DURING THE GREAT FAMINE, "THE FIELDS OF ATHENRY", ORIGINALLY RECORDED BY DANNY DOYLE, HAD COUNTLESS COVER VERSIONS INCLUDING HARDCORE PUNK NO USE FOR A NAME, CELTIC PUNK DROPKICK MURPHYS, POST-PUNK THE DURUTTI COLUMN, CLASSIC VIRTUOSO JAMES GALWAY, THE DUBLINERS, JAZZ GIANT CHARLIE HADEN WITH PETRA HADEN, CHICAGO CELTIC PUNK THE TOSSERS, NORWEGIAN FOLK PUNK BAND THE GREENLAND WHALEFISHERS, LONDON CELTIC PUNK BAND NECK. THE MOST SUCCESSFUL VERSION WAS MADE BY PADDY REILLY (72 WEEKS IN THE CHARTS). "THE FIELDS OF ATHENRY" WAS ALSO A SPORTING ANTHEM FOR THE GALWAY HURLING TEAM, RUGBY TEAMS AND THE GLASGOW CELTIC.
JESSICA WILLIAMS (73) / AMERICAN JAZZ PIANIST AND COMPOSER. STARTED PLAYING PIANO AT 4. AS A TEENAGER WITH RICHIE COLE, BUCK HILL, MICKEY FIELDS. IN 1976 WITH "PHILLY JOE" JONES, LEX HUMPHRIES, IN 1977 TO SF, HOUSE PIANIST AT THE KEYSTONE KORNER. WORKED WITH STAN GETZ, EDDIE HARRIS, TONY WILLIAMS, BOBBY HUTCHERSON, CHARLIE HADEN, LEROY VINEGAR, VICTOR LEWIS, RAY DRUMMOND.
TRACI BRAXTON (50) / AMERICAN SINGER, ACTRESS AND MEDIA PERSONALITY. FROM A FAMILY OF PASTORS, RAISED IN STRICT RELIGIOUS VALUES. SANG SOLO AND WITH THE BRAXTONS, THE BAND SHE FORMED WITH HER SISTERS TONI, TOWANDA, TRINA, TAMAR (TONI IS A BESTSELLING STAR - OVER 70 MILLION RECORDS). TRACI BRAXTON MADE TWO SOLO ALBUMS, OF WHICH CRASH & BURN REACHED #11 ON THE BILLBOARD R&B AND #1 ON THE HEATSEEKERS CHARTS
BARRY BAILEY (90) / AMERICAN ROCK GUITARIST AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE SOUTHERN ROCK BAND ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (ARS). THEY MADE 16 ALBUMS AND PLAYED BIG FESTVALS LIKE KNEBWORTH, TEXXAS JAM, CANADA JAM (FOR 110,000 PEOPLE) OR THEIR OWN CHAMPAGNE JAM (ALSO THE TITLE OF THEIR MOST SUCCESSFUL ALBUM) WITH SANTANA AND THE DOOBIE BROTHERS AND AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR JIMMY CARTER (ALL IN 1978).
MARCH 15
DENNIS GONZÁLEZ (67) / AMERICAN JAZZ TRUMPETER, ARTIST, POET, WRITER, EDUCATOR, RADIO HOST FROM TEXAS. PLAYED DIFFERENT TRUMPETS AND FLUTE, SYNTHESIZER, DRUMS, BARITONE SAXOPHONE. INTERESTED MAINLY IN AVANT-GARDE JAZZ AND FREE JAZZ. IN 1979 FOUNDED THE DALLAS ASSOCIATION FOR AVANT-GARDE AND NEO IMPRESSONISTIC MUSIC (DAAGNIM) AND THE RECORD LABEL DAAGNIM. FOR OVER 20 YEARS HOSTED THE MUSIC PROGRAM MILES OUT. IN 2001 FORMED A TRIO CALLED YELLS AT EELS WITH SONS AARON (DOUBLE BASS) AND STEFAN (DRUMS, VIBRAPHONE) WHO ALSO PLAY GRINDCORE MUSIC. TO SEE THEIR PORTRAITS DENNIS LIKED, GO TO MORE JAZZ TRUMPET AND HARD AGAIN SUBPAGES HERE. DENNIS GONZÁLEZ RECORDED WITH JOHN PURCELL, CHARLES BRACKEEN, MALACHI FAVORS, ANDREW CYRILLE, NELS CLINE, ALEX CLINE.
BARBARA MAIER GUSTERN (87) / AMERICAN VOCAL COACH AND SINGER. HAD A MASTER'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. SANG IN MUSICALS. STUDENTS INCLUDED DEBBIE HARRY (BLONDIE), DIAMANDA GALAS, KATHLEEN HANNA (BIKINI KILL, LE TIGRE). SHE WAS SHOVED TO THE GROUND BY A WOMAN IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE IN AN UNPROVOKED ACT OF SENSELESS VIOLENCE, HIT IN THE HEAD, SUFFERING SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE AND FIVE DAYS LATER DIED IN THE HOSPITAL.
MARCH 25
TAYLOR HAWKINS (50) / AMERICAN ROCK, PUNK ROCK AND PROGRESSIVE ROCK MUSICIAN KNOWN AS THE DRUMMER FOR FOO FIGHTERS (EIGHT ALBUMS 1991-2021) AND THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME ARTIST WITH THEM. IN FOO FIGHTERS PLAYED WITH PAT SMEAR FROM THE HARDCORE PUNK LEGEND GERMS, LATER NIRVANA AND DAVE GROHL FROM HARDCORE PUNK SCREAM, LATER NIRVANA. TAYLOR HAWKINS ALSO PLAYED GUITAR, PIANO, SANG AND WAS A SONGWRITER. FIRST IN THE PROGRESSIVE EXPERIMENTAL BAND SYLVIA (EARLY 1990s), THEN TOURING WITH SASS JORDAN AND ALANIS MORISSETTE. SINCE 2004 IN HIS OWN TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS (THREE ALBUMS). IN 2021 SUPERGROUP NHC WITH CHRIS CHANEY AND DAVE NAVARRO FROM JANE'S ADDICTION. HIS OTHER PROJECT WAS THE BIRDS OF SATAN. HAWKINS PLAYED HIS LAST SHOW WITH FOO FIGHTERS AT THE LOLLAPALOOZA ARGENTINA ON MARCH 20, 2022.
PHILIP JECK (69) / ENGLISH EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSER AND MULTIMEDIA ARTIST. IN HIS COMPOSITIONS USED TURNTABLES, VINYL RECORDS, LOOPERS AND EFFECTS. MADE INSTALLATIONS. COMPOSED FOR LIVE BALLET, OPERA, THEATRE PERFORMANCES. WORKED WITH GAVIN BRYARS, DAVID SYLVIAN, JAKI LIEBEZEIT, JAH WOBBLE, FENNESZ, JANEK SCHAEFER, FAITH COLOCCIA. PHILIP JECK'S WORK WITH LOL SARGENT FROM 1993 VINYL REQUIEM WAS FOR 180 RECORD PLAYERS, 12 SLIDE-PROJECTORS AND 2 MOVIE-PROJECTORS.
MARCH 26
TINA MAY (60) / ENGLISH JAZZ VOCALIST. MADE 26 ALBUMS AS A LEADER, MOSTLY FOR 33 RECORDS. WORKED AND RECORDED WITH RAY BRYANT, TONY COE, ENRICO PIERANUNZI, NIKKI ILES, STAN SULZMAN, HUMPHREY LYTTELTON, STAN TRACEY AND HIS SON CLARK TRACEY (TINA MAY'S HUSBAND) WHO IS A DRUMMER, BANDLEADER, COMPOSER.
KEATON PIERCE (31) / AMERICAN ROCK VOCALIST, LEAD SINGER OF POST-HARDCORE / ALTERNATIVE ROCK TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH. MADE SELF-TITLED EP (2014), AND TWO ALBUMS: NERVE ENDINGS (2015) AND HAVEN'T BEEN MYSELF (2016), ALL FOR EPITAPH RECORDS. 2019-2020 FOUR SURPRISE EPs TITLED "I'M HARD TO LOVE BUT SO ARE YOU". 2017 CONTRIBUTED A COVER OF "IN THE NAME OF LOVE" TO PUNK GOES POP VOL. 7 COMP. ON FEARLESS RECORDS, 2018 COVERED THE BEATLES' "LET IT BE" FOR SONGS THAT SAVED MY LIFE COMP. ON HOPELESS RECORDS AND SUB CITY RECORDS.
MARCH 28
MIRA CALIX (52) / REAL NAME CHANTAL PASSAMONTE, AUDIO AND VISUAL ARTIST, MAINLY ELECTRONIC, ALSO CLASSICAL, VOCALIST, DJ. BORN IN DURBAN, NATAL IN SOUTH AFRICA, IN 1991 MOVED TO LONDON. WORKED FOR 4AD AND WARP RECORDS. SIGNED TO WARP. COMMISSIONS INCLUDED THE LONDON SINFONIETTA, BANG ON A CAN, THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, SYDNEY FESTIVAL, NATIONAL ARTS COMPANY. TOURED WITH RADIOHEAD, GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR, BOARDS OF CANADA, AUTECHRE.
MARCH 30
NATHANIEL IAN WYNTER (67) / AKA NATTY WAILER, JAMAICAN MUSICIAN. PLAYED BASS AND KEYBOARDS. WORKED AND RECORDED WITH BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS. ALSO WITH KING TUBBY, PETER TOSH, ASTON "FAMILY MAN" BARRETT, LINVAL THOMPSON, DENNIS BROWN. WITH HIS OWN BAND THE REGGAE VIBES TOURED AND MADE TWO ALBUMS LIFTED (2000) AND DESTINY (2013).
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