Nick Curran & Some recent Rock and Roll pioneer deaths

Nick Curran was not a Rock and Roll pioneer, in fact he was only 35 when he dies of cancer on October 6. But he did play with the original spirit and style. Besides his solo work he managed to also do some scorching guitar work with Ronnie Dawson, Kim Lenz and the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

NICK CURRAN ~ "TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN";


KIM LENZ ~ "ZOMBIE FOR YOUR LOVE":


Another great guitarist, Mikey Baker, 1950's & 60' Rock & Roll and R&B guitarist and singer, both solo for the Savoy, King, Atlantic, Vik, MGM and RCA-Victor Record labels and with Sylvia Robinson as Mikey & Sylvia. He also played with The Drifters, Ray Charles, Ivory Joe Hunter, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Louis Jordan, Champion Jack Dupree and Coleman Hawkins. He also played in touring band for Alan Freed's "Rock n' Roll Dance Party" with Big Al Sears, Freddie Mitchell and Sam "The Man" Taylor. Baker was hugely influential on blues and rockabilly guitarists in the 1960's in Britain and Europe where he toured extensively, later moving to France. ~ 87

MICKEY BAKER ~ "SPINNIN' ROCK BOOGIE";


MICKEY BAKER ~ "WHISTLE STOP";


MICKEY BAKER & COLEMAN HAWKINS;


Jon Lord ~ Keyboardist for 1960's and 1970's Hard Rock heavy weights Deep Purple ("Smoke on the Water", "Space Truckin'", "Hush") ~ 71
DEEP PURPLE ~ "SMOKE ON THE WATER";


Larry Reinhardt ~ American rock guitarist with 1960's Proto Heavy Metal Band Iron Butterfly ~ 63 ~ also Lee Dorman Iron Butterfly bassist ~ 70


Johnny Perez ~ Drummer for 1960's Texas garage band The Sir Douglas Quintet ("She's about a mover" ~ 69
THE SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET ~ "SHE'S ABOUT A MOVER";


BB Cunningham ~ Singer/Keyboardist with 1960's Garage Band The Hombres ("Let it out (Let it all hang out))" and Jerry Lee Lewis ~ 70

Eddie Bertrand ~ Guitarist w/ 1960's Surf band The Bel Airs ("Mr Moto")
THE BEL AIRS ~ "MR. MOTO";


Big Jim Sullivan ~ British session guitarist from the 1960's on. Played with; Dave Berry's 1964 hit "The Crying Game", Alexis Korner's and Blues Incorporated's, P.J. Proby's 1964 hit "Hold Me", Billy Fury, Frank Ifield, Adam Faith, Frankie Vaughan, Helen Shapiro, Freddie and the Dreamers, Cilla Black, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield, Georgie Fame, Bobby Darin, Little Richard, Dell Shannon, The Walker Brothers, Donovan, David Bowie, Engelbert Humperdinck, Benny Hill, The New Seekers, Thunderclap Newman, Long John Baldry, Marmalade, Small Faces, The Tremeloes. He was also the resident guitarist at TV shows "Top of the Pops" and "Ready Steady Go!" ~ 71
DAVE BERRY ~ "THE CRYING GAME";


BILLY FURY ~ "NOTHING SHAKING BUT THE LEAVES ON THE TREES";


THE WALKER BROS ~ "BABY YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME" & "THE SUN AIN'T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE";


Bill Dees ~ Guitarist and songwriter with Rot Orbison in their original band "The Five Bops", co-wrote "Pretty Woman" and "It's Over", worked on the Orbison movie "The Fastest Gun Alive". Also worked with Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Skeeter Davis, Glen Campbell, Billy Joe Royal, Frank Ifield, Mark Dinning and Gene Pitney ~ 73

ROY ORBISON ~ "OH, PRETTY WOMAN";


ROY ORBISON ~ "IT'S OVER";


Eddie "Guitar" Burns ~ Detroit blues musician from the 1950's on who recorded with Chess, Checker, Red Bird and Delmark Records ~ 84

JIMMY McCRACKLIN; 1950's California R&B pianist/singer with hits like "The Walk" on Chess Records ~ 91
JIMMY MCCRACKLIN & RY COODER ~ "THE WALK";


Maurice Davis ~ 71 ~ American trumpeter (The Funk Brothers)
Bob Babbitt ~ 74 ~ American bass guitarist (The Funk Brothers)

~ The Funk Brothers were of course the house band for Motown Records. Babbitt was not the main bassist for Motown though, that was the legendary James Jamerson.

SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES ~ "GOING TO A GO-GO";


Bill Tillman, 65, American saxophonist (Blood, Sweat & Tears),
BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS ~ "AND WHEN I DIE";


James "Sugar Boy" Crawford ~ New Orleans R&B songwriter. Wrote "Iko Iko" hit by The Dixie Cups ~ 77
THE DIXIE CUPS ~ "IKO IKO";


Cleve Duncan ~ Singer with 1950's Doo-Wop group the Penguins ("Earth Angel" & "Pledge of Love") and The Viceroys and The Radiants as well as backup singer w/ Frank Zappa ~ 77
THE PENGUINS ~ "EARTH ANGEL";


Vincent Carrella ~ Singer with Doo Wop group Randy & The Radiants did the original version of "Denise" later covered by Blondie as "Denis"

Inez Andrews ~ Singer with 1950's Gospel Group The Caravans ~ 83

THE CARAVANS WITH REV JAMES CLEVELAND;


Fontella Bass ~ Gospel, R&B and Jazz singer from the 1960's & 1970's with hits on Chess like "Rescue Me", "You'll Never Know", "I Can't Rest", later recorded with The Art Ensemble of Chicago" ~ 72

FONTELLA BASS ~ "RESCUE ME";


Marva Whitney; Singer with James Brown's band, as well as solo, known as "Soul Sister"

MARVA WHITNEY ~ "IT'S MY THING";


Major Harris ~ Singer w/R&B Vocal Group The Delfonics ("Didn't I blow you mind this time" & "La La La Means I Love You") ~ 65
THE DELFONICS ~ "DIDN'T I BLOW YOUR MIND THIS TIME";


Dave Brubeck ~ Jazz Pianist who introduced new poly-rhythms to jazz from the Mid-East and was one of the leaders of the West Coast Cool Jazz sound of the late 1950's and early 1960's with sax players Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan and trumpet player Chet Baker. ~ 91

DAVE BRUBECK ~ "TAKE 5";


DAVE BRUBECK ~ "TAKE THE A-TRAIN";


Ted Curson ~ American Jazz trumpet player w/Charles Mingus ~ 77
CHARLES MINGUS SEXTET ~ "TAKE THE A TRAIN";


John Tchicai ~ Black Danish born Jazz Sax Free Jazz Sax Player, w/Albert Ayler, John Coltrane and Archie Shepp ~ 72
ALBERT AYLER ~ "ANGELS";


Frode Thingnæs ~ Norwegian Jazz Trombonist, composer and Jazz Pioneer who recorded the first jazz album in Norway ~ 72

Pete La Roca ~ American Jazz drummer w/ John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Marian McPartland, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Mose Allison and Chic Corea as well as with his own bands. Retired and became a lawyer, later suing after one of his solo albums was released under Corea's name instead of his own. ~ 74

David S. Ware ~ Free Jazz sax player w/Cecil Taylor and later with his own Quartet ~ 62
DAVID WARE ~ "CRYSTAL PALACE";


Jose Curbelo ~ Cuban-born American Big Band Jazz musician and manager from 1939 to the 1970's, played with Xavier Cugat and Titi Puente ~ 95

Terry Callier ~ Jazz/Folk singer guitarist from the 1960's on. Also songwriter for 1960's psyche band H.P. Lovecraft and R&R band The Dells ~ 67

HP LOVECRAFT ~ "THE WHITE SHIP";


Scott McKenzie ~ American singer ("San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)") and songwriter ("Kokomo" covered by The Beach Boys) ~ 73
SCOTT MCKENZIE ~ "SAN FRANSISCO";


Mike Auldridge ~ Dobro player with Bluegrass The Seldom Scene from the 1960's on. Previously played with Cliff Waldron's Band, later played with Emmy Lou Harris and Lyle Lovett ~ 73

THE SELDOM SCENE ~ "LAY DOWN SALLY";


Doc Watson. A blind Folk & Old Time Country singer & guitarist from the 1950's on. Father of guitarist Merle Watson;

Doc Watson ~ "Deep River blues";


Martin Fay ~ Fiddler & Bones player with Irish Folk Band The Chieftains ~ 76
THE CHIEFTAINS & VAN MORRISON ~ "STAR OF THE COUNTRY";




Rollin Sullivan ~ Country singer with 1940's & 50's Country duo Lonzo & Oscar ~ 93

LONZO & OSCAR ~ "MOVIN' ON";


Kitty Wells ~ Country singer from the 1940's to the 1960's (It wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", "I can't stop loving you") ~ 92
KITTY WELLS ~ "IT WASN'T GOD WHO MADE HONKY TONK ANGELS";


Louis Nunely ~ Singer with 1950's & 60' vocal group The Anita Kerr Singers (who sang backups for Brenda Lee, Perry Como, Pat Boone, Rosemary Clooney, Bobby Vinton, Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, Floyd Cramer, Al Hirt, Ann-Margret, Red Foley, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Faron Young, Chet Atkins, Rod McKuen, and Webb Pierce. In 1999 he joined the current gospel version of The Jordanaires ~ 81

RED FOLEY & THE ANITA KERR SINGERS w/ SPEEDY HAWORTH ~ "HEARTS OF STONE";


THE ANITA KERR SINGERS (W/MARTY ROBBINS INTRO) ~ "SOMEBODY STOLE MY GAL";

Some more early Rock n' Roll figures pass on

Some Rockers;

Sean Bonniwell ~ Singer/keyboards w/1960's garage punk group The Music Machine. Did the classic "Talk Talk";

The Music Machine ~ "Talk talk";



Gene Kurtz ~ 1960's Bassist/songwriter with Roy Head on "Treat her right" ~ 69

Roy Head & The Traits ~ "Treat her right";



Kim Brown ~ Singer/guitarist for 1960's English/Finnish garage bands The Renegades and The Cadillacs ~ 61

The Renegades ~ "Brand new Cadillac";



Bob Brunning ~ English Rock and Blues bassist w/ John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown ~ 68

Some early R&B figures;

Hubert Sumlin ~ blues Guitarist on many of Howlin Wolf's 1950's hits on Chess Records ~ 80

Howlin Wolf w/Hubert Sumlin & Willie Dixon~ "Smokestack Lightning";



Jimmy Norman ~ American R&B singer/songwriter/producer. Worked with Irma Thomas, Jimi Hendrix, The Coasters, Bob Marley. Co-wrote "Time is on my side" ~ 74

Jimmy Norman ~ "Here comes the night";



Freddie Ferrara ~ 1950's Doo Wop singer w/The Del-Satins, The Brooklyn Bridge

The Del Satins ~ "Remember";



Marv Tarplin ~ American guitarist and songwriter with Motown R&B group The Miracles. Although Tarplin stayed in the background, Robinson referred to him as his "secret weapon". He also worked on Smokey Robinson's solo records as well as Marvin Gaye and the Supremes ~ 70

The Miracles ~ "The tracks of my tears";




Wardell Quezergue ~ New Orleans 1950's & 60's R&B songwriter/producer w/ hits with Professor Longhair, “Iko Iko” by the Dixie Cups, “Barefootin’ ” by Robert Parker, “Groove Me” by King Floyd, “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight. ~ 81

Dixie Cups ~ "Iko Iko";



Sylvia Robinson ~ American 1950's R&B singer with Mikey Baker in Mickey & Sylvia. Later a record producer and record company co-founder of Sugar Hill Records ~ 75

Mickey and Sylvia ~ "No good lover";



George "Mojo" Buford ~ Blues harmonica player with Muddy Waters ~ 81

Muddy Waters & Mojo Buford ~ "Got my Mojo workin";



Jessy Dixon ~ American gospel singer ~ 73

Leonard Dillon ~ Singer with 1960's and 70's Jamaican ska and rocksteady group The Ethiopians ~ 68

The Ethiopians ~ "Train to Skaville";



Some folk and country figures;

Country Johnny Mathis ~ Not be confused with the pop singer, this Mathis was a country singer songwriter from the early 1950's to the 1960's recording for a number of labels as well as writing hit songs for Johnny Paycheck, Web Pierce and George Jones. ~ 77

Liz Anderson ~ 1950's Country singer and mother of singer Lynn Anderson ~ 81

Johnnie Wright ~ Country singer from the 1950's and 60's as part of Johnny And Jack with Jack Anglin until Anglin's death in a car accident in 1963. It was a benefit for Anglin's widow that Patsy Cline was returning from when her plane crashed killing her as well as Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. Wright married Kitty Wells and was a songwriter with hits into the 1970's including "Seasons in the sun. ~ 97

Johnny & Jack ~ "I get so lonely" (w/ Ray Price and an intro by Roy Acuff);



Herbert "Bert" Jansch ~ Scottish folk rock guitarist both solo and with UK group Pentangle from 1968 to 1972 and then continuing on as a solo artist. He also played Banjo, Dulcimer, Concertina and Recorder. His guitar work is highly influential on British guitarists from Jimmy Page to Niel Young, Donovan, Nick Drake and later Johnny Marr. ~ 67

Pentangle ~ "Traveling song" & "Let no man steal your thyme";



Some jazzbos;

Sam Rivers ~ Bebop and Free Jazz sax, clarinet and flute player solo and w/Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams, Anthony Braxton ~ 86

Al Vega ~ Boston based Jazz pianist w/Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Billy Holiday ~ 90

Billy Bang ~ Violinist with Sun Ra 63

Sun Ra Arkrestra in Egypt;



Paul Motian ~ Jazz drummer w/Bill Evans, also played with Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, Joe Castro, Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Don Cherry, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz and even Arlo Guthrie (Motian performed briefly with Guthrie in 1968-69, and performed with the singer at Woodstock) ~ 80