Rock Star Death Notices - January 2019

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Indonesia's Seventeen - all but the singer perished in the Tsunami of December 2018

Indonesia's Seventeen - all but the singer perished in the Tsunami of December 2018

Cecil Taylor - D. 4-5-2018 - 89 - was an American pianist and poet - a pioneer of free jazz -his music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex improvisation often involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms. His technique has been compared to percussion.

Calvin Newborn - D. 12-1-2018 - 85 - American jazz guitarist - played on the first recordings of B.B. King, gave Howlin’ Wolf guitar lessons and over a lengthy career worked with Hank Crawford, Jackie Brenston, Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Fathead Newman and Earl Hines.

Pete Shelley - D. 12-6-2018 - 63 - heart attack -  English singer, songwriter and guitarist - formed legendary punk band The Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976.

Victor Hayden (The Mascara Snake) - D. 12-7-2018 - 70 - complications after being struck by a van - was an American painter and musician - cousin of Captain Beefheart - joined Beefheart’s Magic Band in 1969, and is credited with having played bass clarinet on the album Trout Mask Replica and produced the painting that was used as cover art for the 1974 Beefheart album Bluejeans & Moonbeams.

Yigal Bashan - D. 12-9-2018 - 68 - a legend of Israeli music - rose to national stardom as a teenager.

Nancy Wilson - D. 12-13-2018 - 81 - kidney cancer - jazz vocalist - three-time Grammy winner - her biggest hit was in 1964 with “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am”, which hit the Billboard chart at number 11 but also earned her a Grammy Award for best R&B recording.

Joe Osborn - D. 12-14-2018 - 81 - pancreatic cancer - legendary American studio bass guitar player for The Wrecking Crew - also played on hundreds of albums from America, Grass Roots, Neil Diamond and many others.

Galt MacDermot - D. 12-17-2018 - 89 - musical composer of “Hair” and “Two Gentelmen of Verona” - Hip-Hop inspiration of Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, J Dilla, Run-DMC and Public Enemy - died one day before his 90th birthday.

Muhammad Awal “Bani” Purbani - D. 12-22-2018 - bassist for Indonesian pop band Seventeen - died when stage was overtaken by a tsunami created by the nearby erupting volcano Anak Krakatau - at least 373 people died along with Seventeen vocalist’s Ifan Fajarsyah) wife - Ifan was the only surviving member.

Herman Sikumbang - D. 12-22-2018 - guitarist for Seventeen - also died in tsunami.

Windu Andi Darmawan - D. 12-22-2018 - drummer for Seventeen - also died in tsunami.

James Calvin Wilsey - D. 12-24-2018 - 61 - heart attack - was an American musician - played bass with San Francisco punk band the Avengers - best known as the lead guitarist for Stockton crooner Chris Isaak’s band Silvertone and was featured on Isaak’s albums Silvertone, Chris Isaak, Heart Shaped World, and San Francisco Days.

Honey Lantree - D. 12-24-2018 - 75 - female drummer and vocals with 60s British Invasion group the Honeycombs.

Ray “Eye Patch” Sawyer - D. 12-31-2018 - 81 - brief illness - lead vocals for 70’s band Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show - had the hit “Cover of Rolling Stone”.

Daryl “the Captain” Dragon - D. 1-2-2019 - 76 - renal failure - half of the 70’s hit duo The Captain & Tenille.