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http://nodepression.com/article/memoriam-2016-0 
  
In Memoriam: 2016 
by Hyperbolium 
December 26, 2016  
![http://test-nodep.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/styles/large/s3/ralphstanley.jpg?itok=NUSUvh5X]()  
Dr. Ralph Stanley, 1927-2016  
  
Some of the musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, managers, agents, broadcasters, journalists, industry executives, and studio and club owners who passed away in 2016. Please contribute any missing entries in the comments. 
Listen to a selection of these artists on Spotify 
January 
Tony Lane, art director (Rolling Stone) and album cover designer 
Brad Fuller, composer and music director (Atari) 
Paul Bley, jazz pianist 
Jason Mackenroth, rock drummer (Mother Superior, Rollins Band) 
Long John Hunter, blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter 
Georgette Twain Seiff, hall-of-fame banjo player 
Robert Stigwood, manager and film producer 
Nicholas Caldwell, R&B vocalist (The Whispers) and songwriter 
Elizabeth Swados, writer, composer and theater director 
Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, jazz and salsa trumpeter 
Pat Harrington Jr., actor and comedy recording artist 
Kitty Kallen, vocalist (“It’s Been a Long, Long Time”) 
Troy Shondell, pop vocalist (“This Time (We’re Really Breaking Up)”) 
Otis Clay, soul vocalist (“Trying to Live My Life Without You”) 
Red Simpson, country vocalist and songwriter 
Brett Smiley, glam rock vocalist (“Va Va Va Voom”) 
Ed Stewart, television presenter (Top of the Pops) 
David Bowie, vocalist and songwriter 
Joe Moscheo, gospel vocalist (The Imperials) and industry executive 
Giorgio Gomelsky, club owner, manager, producer and label owner 
Hoyt Scoggins, country and rockabilly vocalist and songwriter 
René Angélil, impresario and manager (Celine Dion) 
Noreen Corcoran, actress (Bachelor Father) and vocalist 
Pete Huttlinger, guitar virtuoso 
Gary Loizzo, pop vocalist and guitarist (The American Breed) 
Clarence “Blowfly” Reid, musician, songwriter and producer 
Mic Gillette, brass player (Tower of Power) 
Dale Griffin, rock drummer (Mott the Hoople) 
Ramblin’ Lou Schriver, radio broadcaster and concert promoter 
Glenn Frey, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist (The Eagles) 
Andrew Johnson, album cover artist (The The) 
Jimmy Bain, rock bassist (Dio, Rainbow) 
Joe Esposito, road manager (Elvis Presley) 
Colin “Black” Vearncombe, vocalist and songwriter 
William E. Martin, songwriter, screenwriter and voice actor 
Signe Toly Anderson, vocalist (Jefferson Airplane) 
Paul Kantner, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist (Jefferson Airplane) 
Billy Faier, banjo player 
February 
Maurice White, vocalist, songwriter and producer 
Leslie Bassett, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer 
Bobby Caldwell, keyboardist (Terry Knight and the Pack) 
Joe Dowell, pop vocalist (“Wooden Heart”) 
Jimmy Haskell, arranger, composer, producer and bandleader 
Ray Colcord, film and television composer, producer and musician 
Dan Hicks, vocalist and songwriter 
Sam Spence, composer (NFL Films) 
Obrey Wilson, soul vocalist (“Hey There Mountain”) 
Rick Wright, country guitarist (Connie Smith) 
Roy Harris, British folk vocalist 
Kim Williams, country songwriter (“Three Wooden Crosses”) 
L.C. Ulmer, blues musician 
Denise “Vanity” Matthews, vocalist (Vanity 6), actress and evangelist 
Ray West, Emmy and Oscar-winning sound engineer (Star Wars) 
Paul Gordon, keyboardist and composer 
Brendan Healy, actor and musician (Goldie, Lindesfarne) 
Vi Subversa, vocalist and guitarist (Poison Girls) 
Charlie Tuna, radio broadcaster (KHJ, KROQ, KIIS, KBIG) 
Sonny James, country vocalist and songwriter 
Lennie Baker, vocalist and saxophonist (Sha Na Na) 
John Chilton, jazz trumpeter and music historian 
Craig Windham, radio broadcaster (NPR) 
March 
Gayle McCormick, vocalist (Smith ”Baby It’s You”) 
Martha Wright, vocalist and actress (South Pacific) 
Gavin Christopher, R&B vocalist and songwriter 
Joey Feek, country vocalist (Joey + Rory) 
Chip Hooper, agent (Phish, Dave Matthews Band) 
Ireng Maulana, jazz guitarist 
Joe Cabot, jazz trumpeter 
Bruce Geduldig, synthesist and filmmaker (Tuxedomoon) 
Timothy Makaya, jazz guitarist 
Ross Hannaford, rock guitarist (Daddy Cool) 
Ron Jacobs, radio broadcaster (Boss Radio KHJ, American Top 40) 
Sir George Martin, producer 
Jon English, musician and actor 
Ray Griff, country vocalist 
John Morthland, music journalist 
Naná Vasconcelos, Latin jazz percussionist 
Ernestine Anderson, jazz vocalist 
Keith Emerson, progressive rock keyboardist 
Gogi Grant, pop vocalist 
Ben Bagdikian, educator, journalist and media critic 
Ben Edmonds, music journalist 
Louis Meyers, promoter (co-founder of SXSW) and manager 
Tommy Brown, R&B vocalist (The Griffin Brothers) 
Lee Andrews, doo-wop vocalist and father of Questlove 
Frank Sinatra Jr., vocalist and actor, son of Frank Sinatra 
Steve Young, country vocalist and songwriter (“Seven Bridges Road”) 
David Egan, songwriter and pianist 
Terry James Johnson, drummer (Bar-Kays) and clinical psychologist 
Phife Dawg, rapper (A Tribe Called Quest) 
James Jamerson Jr., R&B bassist (Chanson) 
Jimmy Riley, reggae musician (The Sensations and the Uniques) 
David Baker, symphonic jazz composer, musician and educator 
Wally Crouter, Canadian radio legend (CFRB) 
Patty Duke, actress and vocalist 
Andy Newman, pianist (Thunderclap Newman) 
Larry Payton, drummer (Brass Construction) 
April 
Gato Barbieri, jazz saxophonist 
Don Francks, jazz musician and actor 
Bill Henderson, jazz vocalist and actor 
Carlo Mastrangelo, doo-wop and progressive rock vocalist 
Dorothy Schwartz, pop vocalist (The Chordettes) 
Leon Haywood, soul and funk vocalist 
Dennis Davis, rock drummer (David Bowie) 
Merle Haggard, country vocalist, guitarist and songwriter 
Jimmie Van Zant, southern rock musician, cousin of Ronnie Van Zant 
Earl Solomon Burroughs, songwriter (“Great Balls of Fire”) 
Jim Ridley, editor, critic and journalist (Nashville Scene) 
Tony Conrad, experimental musician 
Doug Banks, radio broadcaster (KDAY, KFI, KDIA) 
Emile Ford, pop musician and sound engineer 
David Gest, producer and former husband of Liza Minnelli 
Gib Guilbeau, country-rock musician (Nashville West) 
Filthy McNasty, nightclub owner 
Mariano Mores, Argentine tango composer, pianist and conductor 
Phil Sayer, British voice artist (“Mind the Gap”) 
Vandy Anderson, radio broadcaster (KULF, KGBC) 
Elliot Spitzer, radio executive (WLIR-FM) 
Lord Tanamo, ska and mento musician 
Richard Lyons, culture jammer (Negativland) 
Pete Zorn, multi-instrumentalist (Richard Thompson Band) 
Victoria Wood, actress, vocalist and songwriter 
Lonnie Mack, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter (“Wham”) 
Prince, vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist 
Billy Paul, R&B vocalist (“Me & Mrs. Jones”) 
Remo Belli, jazz drummer and inventor of the synthetic drumhead 
Harrison Calloway, musician and bandleader (Muscle Shoals Horns) 
May 
Candye Kane, blues and swing vocalist and songwriter 
John Stabb, punk rock vocalist (Government Issue) 
Peter Behrens, drummer (Trio) 
Tony Gable, percussionist and graphic designer 
Julius La Rosa, pop vocalist 
Buster Cooper, jazz trombonist 
Bill Backer, jingle writer (“I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”) 
Tony Barrow, press officer (The Beatles) 
Emilio Navaira, tejano and country vocalist, guitarist and songwriter 
Guy Clark, singer and songwriter 
John Berry, punk rock guitarist (Beastie Boys) 
James King, bluegrass musician 
Nick Menza, rock drummer (Megadeth) 
Marshall Jones, bassist (Ohio Players) 
Floyd Robinson, country vocalist and songwriter (“Makin’ Love”) 
June 
Alan Wise, promoter and manager (Factory Records) 
Muhammed Ali, boxer and spoken word artist (“I Am the Greatest”) 
Mac Cocker, radio broadcaster (Australia’s Double J) 
Mark Parenteau, radio broadcaster (WBCN) 
Dave Swarbrick, violinist, vocalist and songwriter 
Bobby Curtola, Canadian teen idol (“Hand in Hand With You”) 
Dan Sorkin, radio broadcaster (WCFL, KFRC, KSFO) 
Brian Rading, rock bassist (Five Man Electrical Band) 
Christina Grimmie, vocalist and songwriter (The Voice) 
Chips Moman, songwriter and producer 
Henry McCullough, rock guitarist (Spooky Tooth, Wings) 
Charles Thompson, jazz pianist and organist 
Attrell Cordes, hip-hop, soul and R&B artist (P.M. Dawn) 
Tenor Fly, rapper and ragga vocliast 
Bill Ham, manager, producer and songwriter (ZZ Top) 
”Dandy” Dan Daniel, radio broadcaster (WMCA, WYNY, WCBS) 
Wayne Jackson, R&B trumpeter (Mar-Keys, Memphis Horns) 
Freddy Powers, country songwriter and producer 
Leo Brennan, Irish musical patriarch 
Harry Rabinowitz, conductor and composer (I, Claudius) 
Dr. Ralph Stanley, mountain music banjoist, vocalist and songwriter 
Bernie Worrell, keyboardist and composer (Parliament-Funkadelic) 
Mack Rice, songwriter (“Mustang Sally” “Respect Yourself”) 
Scotty Moore, rock ‘n’ roll guitarist 
Rob Wasserman, bassist 
Don Friedman, jazz pianist 
July 
Teddy Rooney, actor, musician and son of Mickey Rooney 
Bob Goldstone, music industry executive (Thirty Tigers) 
William Hawkins, poet and songwriter 
Danny Smythe, rock drummer (The Box Tops) 
Vaughn Harper, radio broadcaster (WBLS “The Quiet Storm”) 
Carole Switala, vocalist and puppeteer (Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood) 
Steve Young, musician (Colourbox, MARRS) and songwriter 
Johnny Craviotto, rock drummer and drum maker 
Charles Davis, jazz saxophonist 
Bonnie Brown, country vocalist (The Browns) 
Alan Vega, vocalist, songwriter (Suicide) and visual artist 
Claude Williamson, jazz pianist 
Gary S. Paxton, vocalist, songwriter and producer 
Fred Tomlinson, vocalist and songwriter (“The Lumberjack Song”) 
John Pidgeon, rock music writer and BBC radio executive 
Lewie Steinberg, R&B bassist (Booker T. & the M.G.’s) 
George Reznik, jazz pianist 
Marni Nixon, playback vocalist (West Side Story) and actress 
Roye Albrighton, vocalist and guitarist (Nektar) 
Allan Barnes, jazz saxophonist (The Blackbyrds) 
Sandy Pearlman, writer, producer and manager (Blue Oyster Cult) 
Lucille Dumont, vocalist, songwriter and television star 
Nigel Gray, record producer (The Police, Siouxsie and the Banshees) 
Penny Lang, folk musician 
August 
Ricci Martin, musician, entertainer and son of Dean Martin 
Patrice Munsel, coloratura soprano 
Richard Fagan, country songwriter 
Pete Fountain, jazz clarinetist 
B.E. Taylor, pop vocalist and songwriter ("Vitamin L") 
Ruby Winters, soul vocalist (“Make Love to Me”) 
Padraig Duggan, folk musician (Clannad, The Duggans) 
Glenn Yarbrough, vocalist and songwriter 
David Enthoven, manager and record label executive 
Ruby Wilson, blues vocalist 
Connie Crothers, jazz pianist 
Bobby Hutcherson, jazz vibraphonist 
Preston Hubbard, bassist (Roomful of Blues, Fabulous Thunderbirds) 
Lou Pearlman, producer and manager (Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC) 
Irving Fields, pianist, composer and bandleader (Bagles and Bongos) 
Matt Roberts, rock guitarist (3 Doors Down) 
Tom Searle, guitarist (The Architects) 
Louis Stewart, jazz guitarist 
Headley Bennett, reggae saxophonist 
Derek Smith, jazz pianist 
Gilli Smythe, vocalist (Gong) 
Toots Thielemans, harmonica player, guitarist and whistler 
Rudy Van Gelder, recording engineer (Bluenote) 
Monty Lee Wilkes, sound engineer (The Replacements, Nirvana) 
Hubert Dwane “Hoot” Hester, country and bluegrass fiddler 
September 
Fred Hellerman, folk singer, songwriter and guitarist (The Weavers) 
Kacey Jones, singer, songwriter and humorist 
Jerry Heller, agent, promoter and manager (N.W.A.) 
Bud Isaacs, steel guitarist 
Lewis Merenstein, producer (Van Morrison, Gladys Knight) 
Clifford Curry, R&B vocalist (“She Shot a Hole in My Soul”) 
Prince Buster, ska singer-songwriter and producer 
”Crazy” Eddie Antar, electronics retailer 
Chris Stone, studio owner (The Record Plant) 
Leonard Haze, rock drummer (Y&T) 
Don Buchla, pioneering synthesizer designer 
Jerry Corbetta, vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter (Sugarloaf) 
Trisco Pearson, R&B vocalist (Force M.D.’s) 
Charmian Carr, actress and vocalist (The Sound of Music) 
Micki Marlo, vocalist (“What You’ve Done To Me” “Little By Little”) 
John D. Loudermilk, songwriter and vocalist (“Tobacco Road”) 
Richard D. Trentlage, jingle writer (Oscar Mayer, McDonald’s) 
Rob Meurer, vocalist and songwriter (Christopher Cross) 
Stanley “Buckwheat Zydeco” Dural Jr, zydeco accordionist 
Kashif, R&B vocalist, instrumentalist, producer and songwriter 
Jean Shepard, country vocalist and songwriter 
Joe Clay, rockabilly vocalist and guitarist 
Royal Torrence, soul vocalist (Little Royal and the Swingmasters) 
Nora Dean, reggae and gospel vocalist (“Barbwire”) 
Oscar Brand, folk vocalist and songwriter, radio host (WNYC) 
Michael Casswell, session guitarist (Brian May) 
October 
Joan Marie Johnson, pop vocalist (The Dixie Cups) 
Caroline Crawley, vocalist (Shelleyan Orphan, This Mortal Coil) 
Rod Temperton, keyboardist and songwriter (“Thriller”) 
Peter Allen, radio broadcaster (Metropolitan Opera) 
Don Ciccone, pop vocalist (The Critters) and songwriter 
Leo Beranek, acoustic engineer and co-founder of BB&N 
Robert Bateman, songwriter and vocalist (Satintones) 
Sonny Sanders, songwriter, arranger and vocalist (Satintones) 
Robert Edwards, R&B vocalist (The Intruders) 
Ted V. Mikels, filmmaker and record label owner 
Phil Chess, producer and record company executive 
Chris Porter, americana vocalist, songwriter and guitarist 
Mitchell Vandenburg, americana bassist and songwriter 
Dave Cash, radio broadcaster (Radio London, BBC Radio 1) 
Herb Kent, radio broadcaster (WVON, WJJD and V103) 
Pete Burns, vocalist and songwriter (Dead or Alive) 
Bobby Vee, pop vocalist 
Hazel Shermet, actress and singer (Henrietta Hippo) 
John Zacherle, TV host, recording artist and radio broadcaster 
Ron Grant, film and television composer (Knot’s Landing) 
Tammy Grimes, actress and vocalist (The Unsinkable Molly Brown) 
Curly Putman, country songwriter (“Green, Green Grass of Home”) 
November 
Bap Kennedy, vocalist and songwriter 
Bob Cranshaw, jazz bassist 
Kay Starr, pop and jazz vocalist 
Jean-Jacques Perrey, electronic music producer 
Laurent Pardo, bassist (Elliott Murphy’s Normandy All-Stars) 
Sir Jimmy Young, radio host (BBC Radio 1 and 2) and vocalist 
Al Caiola, guitarist, composer and arranger 
Leonard Cohen, vocalist, songwriter, poet and novelist 
Raynoma Gordy Singleton, songwriter and ex-wife of Barry Gordy Jr. 
Billy Miller, magazine publisher (Kicks) and label owner (Norton)  
Leon Russell, vocalist, pianist and songwriter 
Holly Dunn, country vocalist and songwriter 
David Mancuso, disc jockey and private party host (The Loft) 
Mose Allison, jazz pianist, vocalist and songwriter 
Cliff Barrows, musical director (Billy Graham crusades) 
Milt Okun, producer, arranger, conductor and publisher 
Don Waller, music journalist and vocalist 
Mentor Williams, songwriter (“Drift Away”), producer and engineer 
Sharon Jones, soul vocalist (The Dap Kings) 
Hod O’Brien, jazz pianist 
Craig Gill, rock drummer (Inspiral Carpets) 
Al Broadax, television and film producer (Yellow Submarine) 
Florence Henderson, actress and vocalist 
Pauline Oliveros, composer, educator and accordionist 
Tony Martell, record industry executive (CBS Records) 
Ray Columbus, vocalist, songwriter, manager and television host 
Carlton Kitto, jazz guitarist 
December 
Mickey Fitz, punk rock vocalist (The Business) 
Mark Gray, country vocalist and songwriter (“Take Me Down”) 
Herbert Hardesty, saxophonist (Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew) 
Wayne Duncan, bassist and vocalist (Daddy Cool) 
Mohamed Tahar Fergani, Algerian vocalist, violinist and composer 
Greg Lake, vocalist, bassist and songwriter (King Crimson, EL&P) 
Palani Vaughan, Hawaiian vocalist and songwriter 
George Mantalis, pop vocalist (The Four Coins) 
Valerie Gell, rock ‘n’ roll vocalist and guitarist (The Liverbirds) 
Bob Krasnow, record executive and co-founder of the R’n’R HOF 
Joe Ligon, gospel vocalist (Mighty Clouds of Joy) 
Barrelhouse Chuck, blues vocalist, songwriter and pianist 
Jim Lowe, songwriter (“The Green Door”) and radio broadcaster 
Ahuva Ozeri, Israeli singer-songwriter 
Betsy Pecanins, blues singer and songwriter 
Päivi Paunu, vocalist and Eurovision contestant (“Muistathan”) 
Bunny Walters, Maori pop vocalist (“Brandy”) 
Fran Jeffries, vocalist, dancer and actress (The Pink Panther) 
Bob Coburn, radio broadcaster (“Rockline,” KLOS) 
Léo Marjane, French vocalist (“Seule ce soir”) 
Gustavo Quintero, Columbian singer-songwriter 
Gordie Tapp, radio broadcaster and television performer (Hee Haw) 
Andrew Dorff, country songwriter (“My Eyes”) 
Dick Latessa, actor and Tony winner (Hairspray) 
Sam Leach, concert promoter (The Beatles) 
Betty Loo Taylor, jazz pianist 
Frank Murray, manager (The Pogues) and tour manager 
Mick Zane, rock guitarist (Malice) 
Rick Parfitt, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist (Status Quo) 
George Michael, pop vocalist and songwriter 
George S. Irving, musical theater and voice actor 
Alphonse Mouzan, jazz drummer 
Pierre Barouh, lyricist (A Man and a Woman), composer and actor 
Debbie Reynolds, actress and vocalist 
  
 
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