The Thread Where Musicians Go to Die

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Former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist James Woolley has died, aged 50.


Woolley was a member of Nine Inch Nails from 1991-94, when the band released influential album ‘The Downward Spiral’ and mini-album ‘Broken’.


News of his death was revealed on Facebook by Woolley’s ex-wife Kate Van Buren, with whom the musician had three children. Van Buren didn’t reveal the cause of Woolley’s death, saying: “I wanted our friends to know. Please keep the Woolley family and all his loved ones in your prayers.”


Before joining Nine Inch Nails, Woolley played in Die Warzau, featuring NIN drummer Chris Vrenna. Woolley replaced Lee Mars as keyboardist in 1991, playing on the first Lollapalooza tour and the later shows for Nine Inch Nails’ album ‘Pretty Hate Machine’.


Although he played with Nine Inch Nails in the studio for ‘The Downward Spiral’ and appeared in the videos for the singles ‘Wish’ and ‘March Of The Pigs’, it’s not thought that any of Woolley’s contributions went on to ‘The Downward Spiral’.


Woolley left Nine Inch Nails in 1994 for family reasons, replaced by Saw soundtrack composer Charlie Clouser.


Following his departure from Nine Inch Nails, Woolley played in 2wo with Judas Priest singer Rob Halford and Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5, before forming his own band VOID. VOID didn’t release any albums, with Woolley suffering from severe spinal problems.


Woolley also worked on sound effects for The Simpsons, with Van Buren joking: “Those fart sounds were authentic.”


Former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist James Woolley dies aged 50 | NME.COM

 

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Matt Roberts, ex-guitarist for 3 Doors Down, dies at 38 - CNN.com

 

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RIP -- Toots Thielemans. Probably the greatest harmonica player ever.

Best known for his harmonica playing in the movie -- Midnight Cowboy.

 

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Recording artist, songwriter, humorist and record producer Kacey Jones, who waged a nearly three-year battle with cancer through an entirely holistic approach, succumbed to the illness Thursday afternoon while in hospice care in Nashville. She was 66.

Born Gail Zeiler in Gilroy, California, her music career began at an independent label in the San Francisco Bay area. She relocated to Nashville in 1986 after a song she co-wrote, "I'm the One Mama Warned You About," became a Top 10 country hit for Mickey Gilley a year earlier. Also in 1986, Jones formed the comical country trio Ethel and the Shameless Hussies with friends Valerie Hunt and Becki Fogle. The trio recorded their sole album, Born to Burn in 1988 on the MCA label, with famed producer Jimmy Bowen. In addition to having her songs recorded by artists ranging from Cledus T. Judd to David Allan Coe, her successful solo career, which included releases on Curb Records, yielded nearly a dozen albums showcasing her singular gift for hilarity in song. From 1997's Men Are Some of My Favorite People, to later releases on her own IGO Records, which included the 2009 comedy-chart-topping Donald Trump's Hair, she remained a comic force, aiming her genius lyrics at numerous targets.

Singer-Comedian Kacey Jones Dead at 66

 

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Leonard Haze, original drummer for legendary Bay Area rock band Y&T, passed away Sunday evening, September 11 at his home in Hayward, California. He was 61 years old.


Haze had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for several years, making breathing difficult. Even so, he had fought to keep playing drums, performing regularly with his band, HAZEXPERIENCE, and joining Y&T on stage at the Fillmore in San Francisco in both 2015 and 2016. HAZEXPERIENCE was scheduled to open for Y&T at the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma November 18 and November 19, and had been in the midst of recording an EP of new material.


Original Y&T Drummer LEONARD HAZE Dead At 61

 

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Jerry Corbetta of Sugarloaf, best known for their 1970 smash, “Green-Eyed Lady,” died on Sept. 16 in Denver. He was 68.

He’d been diagnosed with Pick’s disease, which slowly destroys the nerve cells in the brain similarly to Alzheimer’s disease. The condition forced him into retirement upon diagnosis in 2009.

Originally a drummer, where he gained fame around Denver as a child, he switched to keyboards in his teen years, serving in a couple of bands with guitarist Bob Webber, one of which became the Moonrakers and cut four singles in the mid-‘60s. The second, Chocolate Hair, featured Corbetta, Webber and another ex-Moonraker, bassist Bob Raymond. They eventually picked up drummer Bob MacVittie and got signed to Liberty Records.

But before their debut could be released, the label requested the band change their name due to the potential for “Chocolate Hair” to be seen as racially insensitive. They decided to honor their Colorado roots and name themselves after Sugarloaf Mountain, which is near Boulder, Colo.

Jerry Corbetta, Lead Singer for Sugarloaf, Dies

 

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Eleanor Barooshian (April 2, 1950–September 2016), also known as Eleanor Baruchian and as Chelsea Lee,[1] was a member of the band The Cake (formed in New York in 1966).[2] In 1967, Barooshian appeared in You Are What You Eat,[3] a documentary film produced by Peter Yarrow of folk group Peter, Paul & Mary. In the film, Barooshian performed the Sonny & Cher hit "I Got You Babe" with Tiny Tim. She sang the male part while Tiny sang the female.[1] Yarrow cast them after seeing them perform at Steve Paul's The Scene in New York.[4]


Following the break-up of The Cake in 1968, Barooshian and fellow Cake member Jacobs toured with Dr John and subsequently moved to the UK, where they became part of Ginger Baker's Air Force. Barooshian also recorded an album in Japan with Tetsu Yamauchi.


The Kevin Ayers song "Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)" from the LP Joy of a Toy (1970) was written about Barooshian.


She died in September 2016 at the age of 66.


Eleanor Barooshian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

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An Atlanta rapper was killed Wednesday in a fiery crash on I-285 in south Fulton County, according to his official Twitter account.


While the Fulton Medical Examiner’s office has not identified the victim in the crash, the rapper’s brother and a manager confirmed Carlos “Shawty Lo” Walker, known for the hit “Dey Know,” died in the accident on the I-285 southbound ramp to Cascade Road. Shawty Lo was also a member of the Atlanta rap group D4L, who scored a hit with “Laffy Taffy.”


After initially describing the crash as a hit-and-run, “it has been confirmed now that it was a single car accident,” Fulton police spokeswoman Cpl. Maureen Smith said.


The crash happened about 2:20 a.m. and temporarily blocked the ramp to Cascade Road.


According to police, a white Audi went over a guardrail, hit two trees and burst into flames. The driver, described as a man about 40 years old, was ejected from the Audi and pronounced dead on the scene, Smith said. Two women, also in the car, were injured and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.


Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo dead after fiery car crash | www.ajc.com

 

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John D. Loudermilk, 82, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the author of enduring songs like "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye," "Tobacco Road" and "Indian Reservation," has died.


Over the last 60 years, Loudermilk's compositions have been recorded by an eclectic collection of artists that ranges from George Hamilton IV to David Lee Roth. "His uncommon brain was filled with amazing words and powerful music — or vice versa," his friend, songwriter Bobby Braddock wrote in a Facebook post.


In 1961, when discussing his approach to songwriting, Loudermilk told The Tennessean, "I'm looking for the most different thing I can find. Everybody's writing 'I love you truly.' You've got to find something new. I talk to drunks at the bus station, browse through kiddie books at the public library (and) get phrases from college kids and our babysitter. You've got to be looking all the time."


John D. Loudermilk was born March 31, 1934 in Durham, N.C. As a boy, he learned how to play guitar. After high school, when he was working for a television station, he discovered the works of Kahlil Gibran and was inspired to start writing. One of the poems Loudermilk wrote was called "A Rose and a Baby Ruth." He set it to music and performed it on the air. A fellow North Carolinian, college student George Hamilton IV, recorded the song in 1956; it became a Top 10 hit on the pop charts. A few months later, rock 'n' roller Eddie Cochran also experienced chart success with one of Loudermilk's songs: "Sittin' on the Balcony," which Loudermilk had written and recorded under the name "Johnny Dee." Loudermilk's version of the song cracked the Top 40; Cochran's, the Top 20.


http://www.tennessean.com/story/ent...ongwriter-john-d-loudermilk-dead-82/90826022/

 

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One of the pioneers of acid house has died. DJ Spank-Spank was one of three founders of Chicago house legends Phuture, alongside DJ Pierre and Herb J, who released the groundbreaking 12-minute single Acid Tracks in 1987.

DJ Spank-Spank – real name, Earl Smith Jr – suffered a stroke in May, but the cause of his death was not apparent. The news was initially broken via a tweet, since deleted, from Chicago DJ The Black Madonna, but it has since been confirmed on Phuture’s official Facebook page.

The post read: “To our Acid House family and Music family at large we are very sorry to say that our friend and partner DJ Spank Spank has passed away. Spank is (was) a legend. We will for certain continue the work he’s started on his final album project and his innovations in music. Please for now: Pray for his family and DJ Pierre his brother. Allow them time to grieve. We will come back with news. Much love.”

Acid house legend DJ Spank-Spank of Phuture dies

 

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Rod Temperton, the British songwriter best known for Michael Jackson's Thriller and Rock With You, has died.


Temperton died in London last week at the age of 66 after "a brief aggressive battle with cancer", Jon Platt of Warner/Chappell music publishing said.


Temperton's other hits included Off The Wall and Baby Be Mine for Jackson and Boogie Nights for his band Heatwave.


"His family is devastated and request total privacy at this, the saddest of sad times," Mr Platt said.


Temperton, whose private funeral has taken place, was nicknamed The Invisible Man because of his low profile.


Those paying tribute include Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers, who tweeted: "Your genius gave us a funkier world!"


Rod Temperton: Thriller songwriter dies aged 66 - BBC News

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

R.I.P. Rod Temperton

He also wrote songs for George Benson, Herbie Hancock, The Brothers Johnson, Rufus, The Manhattan Transfer, The Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, Michael McDonald, Donna Summer...and many more....

In 1986 Temperton was nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar for "Miss Celie's Blues," which he cowrote with Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie for the 1985 Steven Spielberg film, "The Color Purple".

 

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Joan Marie Johnson Faust, one of the founding members of The Dixie Cups, the New Orleans singing group who reached the top of the national charts in the 1960s with “Chapel of Love” and “Iko Iko,” has died. She was 72.

One of the group’s co-founders, Barbara Ann Hawkins, said Faust died in New Orleans earlier this week of congestive heart failure.

Faust, Hawkins and her sister Rosa Lee Hawkins were the three original members of The Dixie Cups, who famously knocked The Beatles out of the top spot on the recording charts in 1964 with their hit “Chapel of Love” and went on to become New Orleans music legends.

“Joan brought a lot of joy to the group and had us laughing all the time,” Barbara Hawkins said of Faust, who was only with the group for its first few years. “She was a really kind-hearted person.”

Joan Marie Johnson Faust, founding member of The Dixie Cups, dies

 

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Bobby Vee, best known for hits including Rubber Ball, Take Good Care of My Baby and The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, has died at the age of 73.


Vee's son Jeff Velline confirmed the singer had died on Monday.


Vee released more than 25 albums in his career, retiring in 2011 after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.


His big break came about in 1959 at the age of 15 when he filled in for Buddy Holly after his death in a plane crash.


Ritchie Valens and Jiles P Richardson, known as The Big Bopper, were also killed in the incident in Iowa, along with the pilot, Roger Peterson.


A call went out for local acts to replace Holly at his scheduled show at the Moorhead National Guard Armory. Vee and his band, which had only formed two weeks previously, volunteered.


Vee, born Robert Velline, also gave a young Bob Dylan his start.


Dylan played briefly with Vee's band and he was the one who suggested Velline change his last name to Vee.


Bobby Vee and the Shadows were signed in the autumn of 1959 and Vee had his first hit in the Billboard charts in 1960 with Devil or Angel.


A slew of hits followed, including The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, Come Back When You Grow Up, Please Don't Ask about Barbara and Punish Her.


Vee and his wife, Karen, were married for more than 50 years. She died of kidney failure in 2015, aged 71. The couple had four children.


Bobby Vee: 1960s pop singer dies at the age of 73 - BBC News

 

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Kay Starr, the self-described hillbilly singer who crisscrossed jazz, country, pop, blues and rock ’n’ roll in the 1950s with hits like “Wheel of Fortune” and “Rock and Roll Waltz,” died on Thursday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 94.

The cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease, her daughter and only immediate survivor, Katherine Yardley, said.

Ms. Starr, whose career began when she was a teenager and continued into her 80s, was a rarity: a singer who blossomed in the big-band era of the 1930s and 1940s, hit it big as a pop and country artist, and scored one of her biggest hits in the emerging rock scene of the mid-1950s.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/04/a...er-with-crossover-appeal-dies-at-94.html?_r=0

 

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Veteran jazz bassist Bob Cranshaw, known for his hundreds of sessions with everyone from Tony Bennett to Milt Jackson and Oscar Peterson, died Wednesday at age 83 after a battle with stage 4 cancer. Cranshaw's family announced the news on the GoFundMe page where they previously raised money for his treatment.

"It is with great sadness that I share with you all the news that my step-father Bob passed away yesterday at 12;48PM EST. He died peacefully and without pain, in his home in Manhattan surrounded by loved ones," read the note from the family. "The entire family is filled with gratitude to all of you who have contributed to this campaign, and have sent love and healing vibes our way! We are overwhelmed by the outreach received over the last 24 hours and apologize that we are not able to connect with everyone directly. We need some time to process."

Jazz Bassist Bob Cranshaw Dies at 83

 

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Eddie Harsch, a former keyboardist with the Black Crowes, has died. He was 59 years old. No cause of death was given.

Harsch, who was born in Toronto, played with the Black Crowes from 1991 through 2006, performing on such albums as 1992’s The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (their only No. 1 LP), 1994’s Amorica (which hit No. 11) and 1996’s Three Snakes and One Charm (which reached No. 15).

During one of the Black Crowes’ breaks, he played in the Detroit-based jam band Bulldog. Most recently, he was the keyboardist in the Magpie Salute, the band formed by ex-Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson that also includes guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Sven Pipien, other past members of the Crowes.

“It is with the saddest of hearts that we bid farewell to our dear friend Eddie Harsch,” Robinson says in a statement. “Eddie was a brilliant musician, with a beautiful heart. We should remember Eddie for his music, his great sense of humor and his positive outlook on life. We ask that everyone please respect the privacy of Eddie’s family at this time. Let’s honor him by celebrating his musical contributions to the world, and by sending positive thoughts and prayers to him and his family. Our hearts will forever remain with our musical brother.”

Former Black Crowes Keyboardist Eddie Harsch Dies

 

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Country singer Holly Dunn, known for her No. 1 singles “Are You Ever Gonna Love Me,” “You Really Had Me Going” and Top 10 hit “Daddy’s Hands,” has lost her battle with ovarian cancer. She was 59 years old.

In 1986, Dunn released her self-titled debut album after years of working as a demo singer in Nashville. The sweet and nostalgic “Daddy’s Hands” was her first hit, climbing to No. 7 on the Billboard charts. 30 years later, the track still earns regular country airplay and became her signature hit.

During her career, Dunn released ten albums and charted nineteen singles. In 2003, she made the decision to leave Nashville and retire from country music. Dunn resigned from her membership with the Grand Ole Opry and moved to New Mexico to focus on her love of creating Southwestern inspired art.

In March, the Texas native revealed her diagnosis publicly and asked her fans for prayers.

“Back in March of this year, I was diagnosed with a rare, very aggressive form of ovarian cancer,” Dunn explained in a recent interview with Hallels. “If you read the statistics, it is very bleak. Good thing I don’t believe in statistics! I had surgery and now I am having chemo treatments. I have since grown more tumors and it is going to be more of a battle than I anticipated, but I have a huge faith in the healing power of God and the healing power within me that originates from my God. I look towards a future when I am completely healed and cancer free. I ask for prayers of strength and courage as this journey continues.”

According to WSMV-TV, funeral arrangements are currently pending. Wide Open Country sends our condolences to Dunn’s family, friends and fans.

'Daddy's Hands' Singer Holly Dunn Dies at 59

 

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According to his son, John, renowned jazz musician Mose Allison, of Tippo, Mississippi, has just passed away. He had just celebrated his 89th birthday on November 11.

After 65 years of touring Mose Allison had retired from live performance.

Mose Allison was honored as one of the 2013 Jazz Masters by the National Endowment for the Arts at Lincoln Center on January 14, 2013. He was also honored with a blues marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in his home town of Tippo, Mississippi.

Mose Allison Dies At Age 89 - HottyToddy.com

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

According to his son, John, renowned jazz musician Mose Allison, of Tippo, Mississippi, has just passed away. He had just celebrated his 89th birthday on November 11.

After 65 years of touring Mose Allison had retired from live performance.

Mose Allison was honored as one of the 2013 Jazz Masters by the National Endowment for the Arts at Lincoln Center on January 14, 2013. He was also honored with a blues marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in his home town of Tippo, Mississippi.

Mose Allison Dies At Age 89 - HottyToddy.com

R.I.P. Mose....

here are just 2 examples of his reach & influence....

The Clash covering his tune "Look Here"

Frank Black (Black Francis) of the Pixies wrote Allison as a tribute to Mose...