Obituary
Thom Bell, Philadelphia Soul Icon, Dies at 79
Thom Bell, the iconic pioneer of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s, passed away on Thursday (Dec. 22) in Bellingham, Washington. He was 79 years old. The news was first reported by Philly R&B radio station 105.3 WDAS-FM, with host Patty Jackson saying, “We remember Thom Bell: record producer, arranger and songwriter known for his work with Linda Creed, Gamble and Huff, the many hits, the creators of Philly soul.” The station also paid special tribute to the late musician on its website by sharing a video of the Stylistics’ 1972 Bell-produced single “People Make the World Go Round.” Bell’s attorney confirmed his passing to Billboard, saying, “Thom Bell left an indelible and everlasting mark on the history of popular music, but even more so, he will be remembered by all who knew him as a ki...
Rick Anderson, The Tubes Bassist, Dies at 75
The Tubes has lost another member. Rick Anderson, bassist and founding member of the San Francisco rock band, died at 75 on Dec. 16, the group shared in a statement on social media. “We lost our brother on 12/16/22,” the band captioned a series of photos on Sunday (Dec. 18). “Rick brought a steady and kind presence to the band for 50 years. His love came through his bass. RIP.” The statement did not offer any additional details regarding Anderson’s death, which comes after the April passing of Re Styles, who sang with the group. The Tubes formed on March 22, 1972, in San Francisco, and was the combined forces of two Phoenix bands that came from the city to California in 1969. The first band, called The Beans, included Anderson as well as other members Bill Spooner, Vince Welnick and Bob Mc...
Martin Duffy, Keyboardist in Primal Scream and Felt, Dead at 55
Martin Duffy, who played keyboard in Primal Scream, Felt, and Charlatans, has died at the age of 55. According to Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, Duffy died on Sunday from a brain injury he suffered after falling at his home in Brighton. Duffy joined Felt in 1985 the age of 16, after responding to a flyer posted at a Virgin record store. Over a prolific four-year period through 1989, Felt released seven albums, including the widely-regarded titles like Ignite the Seven Cannons, The Seventeenth Century, and Forever Breathes the Lonely Word. After fulfilling their record contract, Felt broke up in 1989. Related Video Having contributed to Primal Scream’s first two albums, Duffy was made a permanent member in the band in 1991, just in time for the release of their seminal record Screamadelic...
Terry Hall, Singer of The Specials, Dead at 63
Terry Hall, lead singer of influential UK ska band The Specials, has died at the age of 63. The band announced Hall’s death on Monday (December 19th): “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced.” “Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls,” the statement continued. “His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.” Related Video Hall joined The Specials shortly after their formation in 1977, replacing original vocalist Tim Strickland. The band initially went by the...
Dino Danelli, The Rascals Founder and “One of the Greatest Drummers of All Time,” Dead at 78
Dino Danelli, a founding member of The Rascals and one of the foundational drummers of early rock and roll, is dead at the age of 78. His passing was announced in a Facebook post by friend and Rascals historian Joe Russo. Russo didn’t cite an exact cause of death, but noted, “His primary challenges were coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure, but there were many others.” Born in 1944 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Danelli co-founded the Young Rascals in 1965 with guitarist Gene Cornish, keyboardist and vocalist Felix Cavaliere, and singer Eddie Brigati. Together they scored a No. 1 hit with a cover of Rudy Clark and Arthur Resnick’s “Good Lovin’,” and they matched the feat with the original tune “Groovin’.” Advertisement Related Video In 1968 the band rechristened themselv...
Angelo Badalamenti, Twin Peaks Composer, Dead at 85
Angelo Badalamenti, the renowned composer known for his work on Twin Peaks and several other David Lynch projects, has died at the age of 85. According to the fan site Welcome to Twin Peaks, several of Badalamenti’s family members confirmed his passing on Monday, December 12th. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. The Brooklyn native began working with Lynch after being brought on as a singing coach for Isabella Rossellini on the 1986 film Blue Velvet. He ended up serving multiple roles on Blue Velvet, including composing its score, serving as the music supervisor, and appearing in the film as a jazz lounge pianist. Advertisement Related Video Badalamenti soon became Lynch’s go-to composer, creating the music for Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive. For his work on Tw...
Georgia Holt, Actress, Singer and Cher’s Mother, Dies at 96
Georgia Holt, the seven times-married mother of Cher who spent time as a model, actress and singer-songwriter, has died, her daughter announced Saturday night (Dec. 10) on Twitter. She was 96. “Mom is gone,” Cher wrote. A rep for the Oscar-winning singer-actress confirmed Holt’s death to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday morning. No details of Holt’s death were immediately available. Holt appeared briefly in such films as A Life of Her Own (1950), Grounds for Marriage (1951), Father’s Little Dividend (1951) and Artists and Models (1955) and on TV shows like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and, as a “Jacques Marcel” model, on I Love Lucy (in the hilarious 1956 episode “Lucy Gets a Paris Gown”). Holt...
Helen Slayton-Hughes, Ethel Beavers on Parks and Recreation, Dead at 92
Helen Slayton-Hughes, whose sly humor enlivened statehouse bureaucracy on Parks and Recreation, is dead at the age of 92. Her family confirmed her death in a Facebook post on December 8th. “Helen passed away last night,” the statement read. “Her pain has ended but her fierce spirit lives on. Thank you for the love and support of her and her work.” Born October 30th, 1930, Slayton-Hughes broke into Hollywood in the 1980 film Mafia on the Bounty when she was 50 years old. She became a sitcom staple with scene-stealing appearances in New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Arrested Development, Rutherford Falls, Fresh Off the Boat, That’s So Raven, and Parenthood, plus more dramatic parts on The West Wing and True Blood, and she also booked such movies ...
Jet Black, Founding Drummer of The Stranglers, Dies at 84
Jet Black, one of the co-founders and the original drummer in beloved British new wave/punk band The Stranglers has died at 84. “It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our dear friend, colleague and band elder statesman Jet Black,” the band wrote in a statement on Thursday (Dec. 8). “Jet died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Fond adieu, fly straight JB.” In a lengthy tribute, the band said that Black (born Brian John Duffy on Aug. 26, 1938 in Essex, England) died on Tuesday (Dec. 6) of unspecified causes. “As the ‘elder statesmen’ of the group, Jet was already a successful businessman in the Guildford area when The Stranglers formed in 1974,” they wrote. “Jet owned a fleet of ice cream vans, one of which, as many fans will fondly remember, was used to tour the UK in...
An Appreciation of Stax Records’ Jim Stewart: ’One of the Great Label Chiefs of the 20th Century’
Steve Greenberg, founder/CEO of S-Curve Records, produced “The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1959-1968,” and box sets devoted to Stax artists Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. He wrote album notes for “Stax ’68: A Memphis Story.” Below, he reflects on a 30-year friendship with Stax co-founder Jim Stewart, who died Dec. 5. I first met Jim Stewart when I was producing the 9-CD Complete Stax/Volt Singles:1959-1968 box, which came out in 1991. While consulting with him over the phone about the project, he mentioned that legendary Stax songstress Carla Thomas still lived in Memphis, and that he’d really love a chance to work with her again on a record—something he hadn’t done in over 20 years. Almost immediately, I flew down to Memphis, meeting Jim and Carla at the stately Peabody H...
Jim Stewart, Founder of Stax Records, Dies at 92
Jim Stewart, the founder of Stax Records, the iconic Memphis, TN label that launched the careers of Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, the Bar-Kays and many others, and shaped the sound of soul music, died Monday (Dec. 5) at the age of 92. Stax Records (formerly Satellite) was founded in 1957 by sibling Stewart and Estelle Axton, and would go on to trigger the “Soul Explosion,” a movement that rumbles on to this day. Born July 29, 1930, in Middletown, TN, Stewart relocated to Memphis as a young man. He served for two years in the armed forces, then tried his hand at music. Playing in a band wasn’t his strong suit, but Stewart would forge a home and career with music. An allrounder, he was a producer and engineer in the studio, a record label executive, a promotions man on the go, and, importantly...
Hamish Kilgour, Founding Member of The Clean, Dead at 65
Hamish Kilgour, the New Zealand musician who co-founded the pioneering indie rock band The Clean, has died at age 65. Representatives for the band confirmed the drummer was found dead after being reported missing in November. A cause of death was not revealed. “With very heavy hearts, we can confirm that Hamish Kilgour has passed away in his home country of New Zealand,” The Clean’s US label Merge Records said in a statement shared with Pitchfork. Kilgour and his brother David founded The Clean in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1978. Their most famous lineup included bassist Robert Scott, and after signing to fledgling indie label Flying Nun, the trio helped establish the “Dunedin Sound,” complete with David’s angular guitar and Hamish’s robotic drumming. The Clean’s debut single, “Tally Ho!,” ca...
