Paying our final respects to Native-American poet/activist John Trudell, Motorhead founder Lemmy (pictured above, Dec. 28), actor Leonard Nimoy, singer/songwriter Brianna Lea Pruett, jazz icon Allen Toussaint and many, many more that we lost in 2015.
BY FRED MILLS
I quote myself from years’ previous: Having performed this annual ritual for years now, I’ve learned to take a quiet comfort in pulling together notes and combing the internet to learn names, dates, causes of death – and the artistic achievements that prompt us to memorialize the people in the first place. So as you scan down the list of those who did leave us this year, pause when you reach an artist who was particularly special to you, and meditate momentarily on why he or she was special. The list isn’t comprehensive, but it does dovetail into virtually every musical genre and discipline (it additionally includes a handful of non-musicians), and it touches equally upon the obscure and the well-known. For the sake of clarity, particularly if it’s a more obscure artist, in some instance we’ve added the affiliation/group or genre.
And after you pay your own last respects, pledge to seek out those artists who are still with us and who are important to you, and let them know in some way how much you appreciate them. (Note: linked names indicate a published obituary at BLURT.)
Read also:
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2014
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2013
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2012
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2011
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2010
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2009
*BLURT’s farewell to music passings of 2008
January, 2015
Andrae Crouch – Jan. 8
Tim Drummond (Neil Young) – Jan. 10
Anita Ekberg – Jan. 11
Kim Fowley – Jan. 16
Ian Allen (Negativland) – Jan. 17
Origa Vitalevna – Jan. 17
Dallas Taylor (CSNY) – Jan. 18
A$AP Yams – Jan. 18
Ward Swingle – Jan. 19
Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream) – Jan. 20
Don Covay – Jan. 31
February, 2015
The Jacka – Feb. 2
Thom Wilson (producer) – Feb. 8
Steve Strange (Visage) – Feb. 12
Lesle Gore – Feb. 16
Clark Terry – Feb. 21
Leonard Nimoy – Feb. 27
March, 2015
Orin Keepnews (jazz producer) – March 1
Jimmy Greenspoon (Three Dog Night) – March 11
Mike Porcaro (Toto) – March 15
Andy Fraser (Free) – March 16
A.J. Pero (Twisted Sister) – March 20
Helen Landis – March 22
Lil’ Chris – March 23
Jeremy Brown (Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts) – March 30
Serena Von Orbit (Potential Weight) – March 31
April, 2015
Bill Arhos (Austin City Limits) – April 11
Percy Sledge – April 14
Lois Lilienstein (Sharon, Lois & Bram) – April 22
Jack Ely (Kingsmen) – April 28
Ben E. King – April 30
May, 2015
Errol Brown (Hot Chocolate) – May 6
Chinx – May 17
B.B. King – May 14
Ortheia Barnes-Kennerly (jazz) – May 15
Darius Minwalla (Posies) – May 21
Louis Johnson (Johnson Brothers) – May 21
Dennis Sheehan (U2 tour manager) – May 27
June, 2015
James Last – June 10
Ornette Coleman – June 11
Jim Ed Brown (country) – June 11
Randy Howard (country) – June 11
Wendell Holmes (blues)– June 19
James Horner (composer) – June 22
MC Supreme – June 13
Chris Squire – June 26
July, 2015
Val Doonican – July 1
Red Lane (country songwriter) – July 2
Charanjit Singh (electronic) – July 3
John Vickers (opera) – July 10
Joan Sebastian (Mexican singer/songwriter) – July 12
Buddy Buie (songwriter) – July 18
Dieter Moebius – July 20
Steve Rodriguez (Dragons) – July 21
Justin Lowe (After the Burial) – July 21
Daron Norwood (country)– July 23
Bobbi Kristina Brown – July 26
Vic Firth (jazz) – July 26
Lynn Anderson (country) – July 31
August, 2015
Cilla Black – Aug. 1
Sean Price – Aug. 8
Bob Johnston (producer) Aug. 14
Joy Beverley (Beverley Sisters) – Aug. 21
September, 2015
Brianna Lea Pruett – Sept. 2
Judy Carne (“Laugh-In”) – Sept. 3
Dennis Greene (Sha Na Na) – Sept. 5
Bryn Merrick (Damned) – Sept. 12
Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon) – Sept. 13
Yogi Berra – Sept. 22
Frankie Ford – Sept. 28
October, 2015
Billy Joe Royal – Oct. 6
Gail Zappa – Oct. 7
Koopsta Knicca – Oct. 9
Larry Rosen (jazz producer) – Oct. 9
Robbin Thompson (Steel Mill) – Oct. 10
Steve MacKay (Stooges) – Oct. 10
Carey Lander (Camera Obscura) – Oct. 11
John Jennings – Oct. 16
Richard Rosebrough (Memphis/Ardent Studios/Big Star associate) – Oct. 18
Corey Wells (Three Dog Night) – Oct. 20
Joe Moss (Smiths manager) – Oct. 22
Diane Charlemagne – Oct. 28
Michael Carlucci (Winter Hours) – Oct. 30
Al Molinari (“Happy Days”) – Oct. 30
November, 2015
Tommy Overstreet – Nov. 2
Andy White (Beatles) – Nov. 9
Allen Toussaint – Nov. 10
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor (Motorhead) – Nov. 11
Nick Alexander (Eagles of Death Metal merch manager) – Nov. 13
P.F. Sloan – Nov. 15
Ramona Jones (“Hee Haw”) – Nov. 17
David VanLanding (Michael Schenker Group) – Nov. 17
Cynthia Robinson (Sly & the Family Stone) – Nov. 23
Buddy Moreno – Nov. 29
December, 2015
Scott Weiland – Dec. 3
Holly Woodlawn – Dec. 6
Bonnie Lou (rockabilly) – Dec. 8
John Trudell – Dec. 8
Mick Lynch (Stump) – Dec. 17
Peter Broggs (reggae) – Dec. 19
William Guest (Gladys Knight & the Pips) – Dec. 24
John Bradbury (Specials) – Dec. 28
Nick Combe (Gallon Drunk) – Dec. 22
Meadowlark Lemon – Dec. 28
Stevie Wright (Easybeats) – Dec. 30
Natalie Cole – Dec. 31
Wayne Rogers (“M.A.S.H.”) – Dec. 31
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