Rock Star Death Notices - Rökktober 2011

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Willie

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Pearl Thuston Brown - Died 8-29-2011 (Jazz) She was 84 years old - Born in Kansas City, MO, U.S. - Singer and pianist - Worked with Lionel Hampton.

Revo Jogisalu - Died 8-30-2011 - Skin cancer (Rap) Born 7-9-1976 in Tallinn, Estonia - Was a member of Toe Tag and A-Ruhm.

Mildred Colton Rogers - Died 8-31-2011 - Born 8-29-1914, in Alberta, Canada - Played violin, saxophone, piano and banjo - Was a member of The Reno Banjo Band, The Rhythm Airs and The MC’s.

Finn Martin - Died 9-2-2011 in Leipzig, Germany - Fell 65 feet during a performance when a rope broke as he played the saxophone while vertically sliding down the facade of a building at a street festival (Jazz - Pop - Funk) He was 49 years old - Born in Sweden - Sang and played saxophone, flute, keyboards and percussions - (He did, “Senza” and “The Launch”) - Worked with Salif Keita, Mory Kante, Angelique Kidjo, Cheb Mamy and Manu Dibango.

Walter Smith (Walter J. Smith) - Died 9-2-2011 in Glenmoore - Brain cancer (Rock - Country - Blues - Folk) He was 62 years old - Singer - Was a member of The Rodeo Beatniks (They did, “Wait Quickly” and “As Good As Your Kiss”).

Brooke Ostrander (William Brooke Ostrander) - Died 9-3-2011 (Rock) Keyboardist - Was a member of Rainbow who became Wicked Lester which featured Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons - Worked with Steven Stills.

Hilde Heltberg - Died 9-4-2011 - Cancer (Pop) Born 9-30-1959 in Oslo, Norway - Singer and guitarist - (She did, “Elske fritt” and “Noe Med Deg”) - Worked with Uncle John’s Band and X-tra.

Omoregbe Okpenyen (aka Bayo Ade) - Died 9-4-2011 in Benin City, Edo State - Killed by kidnappers after a ransom was paid; his father collapsed and died immediately after hearing the news of his son (Juju) He was 55 years old - Singer and musician - (He did, “Amebo”) - Led Bayo Ade & His Super Miliki Sound (They did, “Iya Ni Wurs”).

Kathy Johnston - Died 9-4-2011 - Leukemia (Rock) Guitarist and percussionist - Was a member of WWI Women With Instruments, Black Dresses, They Should Have Been Blondes and Mydolls (They did, “It’s Too Hot for Revolution” and “Pilgrimage”).

Albie Wycherley (aka Jason Eddie) (Albert Edward Wycherley) - Died 9-5-2011 in Liverpool, England - Illness (Freak Beat - Rock) Born 6-26-1943 in Prestatyn - Singer and accordionist - (He did, “Whatcha Gonna Do” and “Singing The Blues” as Jason Eddie) - Led Al Trent And The Centremen, Jason Eddie And The Centremen and The Jason Eddie Sound - Brother of singer, Billy Fury.

Wardell Quezergue (aka Creole Beethoven) (Wardell Joseph Quezergue) - Died 9-6-2011 in Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. - Born 3012-1930 in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. - Producer, arranger and band leader - Led The Royal Dukes Of Rhythm - Worked with Dave Bartholomew, Professor Longhair, Dr. John and Fats Domino - Founded Nola Records.

Pavel Vrba - Died 9-7-2011 in Prague, Czech Republic - Stroke (Pop - Rock) Born 4-16-1938 in Brno, Czechoslovakia - Songwriter - He wrote lyrics for about 2000 songs - His songs have been recorded by Olympic (“Jasna zprava”), Blue Effect (“Rajky”), Lesek Semelka (“Saty z satku”), Bohemia (“Zatisi peronnich listku”), Marta Kubisova (“Lampa”), Vera Spinarova, Petra Janu, Petr Spaleny, Helena Vondrackova and Petr Novak.

Eddie Marshall (Eddie Marshall Jr.) - Died 9-7-2011 in San Francisco, CA, U.S. - After a heart attack (Jazz) Born 4-13-1938 in Springfield, MA, U.S. - Drummer - Was a member of The Fourth Way and Almanac - Worked with with Stan Getz, Bobby McFerrin, Dionne Warwick, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Bobby Hutcherson, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Etta James - Grandson of drummer, Kaiser Marshall and son of pianist, Eddie Marshall Sr.

Tom Illius (Thomas J. Illius)- Died 9-7-2011 in Los Angeles, CA, U.S. - Born 8-30-1928 in Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. - Was an agent for The William Morris Agency representing Charo, Bill Cosby, Tony Orlando, Debbie Reynolds, Jim Nabors, Mickey Gilley, Englebert Humperdinck, Della Resse and Jerry Lewis - Managed The Poni-Tails.

Antonio Rosas Seixas (aka Manito) - Died 9-9-2011 - Cancer of the larynx (Rock - Funk) Born 4-3-1944 - Keyboardist and saxophonist - Was a member of The Jordans, Os Incríveis and Saxomania.

Graham Collier (James Graham Collier) - Died 9-9-2011 in Crete - Heart failure (Jazz) Born 2-21-1937 in Tynemouth, northern England - Played trumpet and double bass - Led Graham Collier Music - Worked with Jimmy Dorsey and Harry Beckett.

Ralph Ameduri (Ralph J. Ameduri Jr.) - Died 9-10-2011 in Lakeland, FL, U.S. - Shot while taking a break from a gig (Punk - Bluegrass) He was 45 years old - Bassist - Worked with The Legendary Joint Chiefs and Thomas Wynn And The Believers.

Don Wayne (Donald William Choate Wayne) - Died 9-12-2011 in Nashville, TN, U.S.- Cancer - Born 5-30-1933 in Nashville, TN, U.S. - Singer and guitarist -  (He did, “Poor Little Jimmy”) - His songs have been recorded by Cal Smith (“Country Bumpkin”), Hank Snow, Lefty Frizzell, Burl Ives and George Morgan (“Lonesome Waltz”) - Nashville Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame Inductee.

Wade Mainer - Grandfather of Bluegrass - Died 9-12-2011 - Congestive heart failure (Bluegrass - Gospel) Born 4-21-1907 in Buncombe County, North Carolina, U.S. - Sang and played banjo - Was a member of J. E. Mainer’s Mountaineers, The Smilin’ Rangers (They did, “Mountain Sweetheart” and “Ramshackle Shack”) and The Sons Of The Mountaineers (They did, “Old Ruben” and “Since I Met My Mother-In-Law”) - He was the husband of singer, Julia Brown.

Wilma Lee Cooper (Wilma Lee Leary) - Died 9-13-2011 in Sweetwater, Tenn., U.S. - After a stroke (Country - Bluegrass - Gospel) Born 2-7-1921 in Valley Head, W.Va., U.S. - Singer - Was a member of The Leary Family and Wilma Lee And Stoney Cooper & The Clinch Mountain Clan (They did, “Come Walk With Me” and “Big Midnight Special”) - Wife of fiddler and singer, Dale T. “Stoney” Cooper and mother of singer, Carol Lee Cooper.

DJ Mehdi (Mehdi Faveris-Essadi) - Died 9-13-2011 in Paris, France (Hip Hop) Born 1-20-1977 in Hauts-de-Seine, France - (He did, “I Am Somebody” and “Signatune”) - Worked with Different Teep,  Daft Punk, Cassius, Club 75, MC Solaar, Futura 2000, The Asian Dub Foundation, Chromeo, Ideal J and Mafia K’1 Fry - Produced 113 and Karlito.

Keith Conant (Keith Abbott Conant) - Died 9-15-2011 in Chicago, Ill., U.S. - Heart attack (Classical) Born 1-18-1962 in Rockville Centre, NY, U.S. - Violist - Was a member of The Lyric Opera Of Chicago Orchestra and Chicago’s Rembrandt Chamber Players - Worked with The Smashing Pumpkins, Mannheim Steamroller, Reverend Louis Farrakhan, Carrie Underwood and Jackie Evanko - He can be heard on the soundtrack for Home Alone 2.

Willie Big Eyes Smith (Willie Smith) (aka Little Willie Smith) - Died 9-16-2011 - Stroke (Blues) Born 1-19-1936 in Helena, Arkansas, U.S. - Sang and played harmonica and drums - Was a member of The Rocket Four and The Legendary Blues Band - Worked with Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Pinetop Perkins, Big Bill Morganfield and Muddy Waters.

Johnny Raducanu - Died 9-18-2011 in Bucharest, Romania (Jazz) Born 12-1-1931 in Braila, Romania - Played piano and double bass - Worked with Art Farmer, Guido Manusardi, Slide Hampton and Friedrich Gulda - Was President of The Romanian Jazz Federation.

Robert Whitaker - Died 9-20-2011 - Born 1939 in The United Kingdom - Photographer - Best known for The Beatles butcher album cover for Yesterday And Today and Cream’s, Disraeli Gears album - His photographs include those of Mick Jagger, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Seekers and Salvador Dali.

Frank Driggs - Died 9-20-2011 in Manhattan, NY, U.S. - Natural causes - Born 1930 - Producer, Jazz historian and archivist - He had worked with the recordings of Bukka White, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday, Earl Hines, Leadbelly, Glenn Miller and Fletcher Henderson.

John Larson - Died 9-22-2011 in Warsaw, Indiana, U.S. - Complications of cancer (Rock) He was 61 years old - Trumpet player - Was a member of Ides of March (They did, “Vehicle” and “Time For Thinking”).

John Du Cann (John Cann) - Died 9-22-2011 - Possible heart attack (Rock) Born 1950 in England - Guitarist and singer - (He did, “Don’t Be A Dummy”) - Worked with The Sonics, The Attack (They did, “Hi Ho Silver Lining”), Andromeda, Daemon, Hard Stuff, Thin Lizzy and Atomic Rooster (They did, “Death Walks Behind You” and “Head In The Sky”).

Vesta Williams (Mary Vesta Williams) - Died 9-22-2011 in El Segundo, CA, U.S. (R&B) Born 12-1-1957 in Coshocton, Ohio, U.S. - Singer - (She did, “Congratulations” and “Special”) - Worked with Chaka Khan, Anita Baker and Sting.

Jumpin Jack Neal (Jack Oliver Neal Sr.) - Died 9-22-2011 (Rockabilly) Born 11-7-1930 in Norfolk County, VA, U.S. - Bassist - Was a member of Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps (They did, “Race With The Devil” and “Be Bop A Lula”) - Rockabilly Hall Of Fame Inductee.

Dolores Hope (Dolores L. DeFina) (aka Dolores Reade) - Died 9-23-2011 in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, CA, U.S. - Natural causes (Jazz) Born 5-27-1909 in Harlem, New York, New York, U.S. - Singer - (She did versions of, “I Only Have Eyes For You” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”) - Wife of comedian, Bob Hope.

Clarence Johnson - Died 9-23-2011 in Olympia Fields - Illness (Doo-Wop - Soul) He was 69 years old - Singer - Was a member of The Chanteurs, The Hi-Lites and The Chi-Lites - Produced Patty And The Love-Lites, Tony Ransom and Heaven And Earth.

Paul Kirby - Died 9-25-2011 in Tennessee, U.S. - Cardiac arrest (Rock - Cowpunk) He was 48 years old - Singer and guitarist - Was a member of Rebel Bite, Walk The West (They did, “Sheriff Of Love”) and The Cactus Brothers - Son of songwriter, Dave Kirby.

Jessy Dixon - Died 9-26-2011 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. - Illness (Gospel)  Born 3-12-1938 in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. - Singer and pianist - (He did, “I Am Redeemed” and “It’s All Right Now”) - Led The Jessy Dixon Singers - Worked with Paul Simon, The Original Chimes, Phil Upchurch and Earth, Wind And Fire - His songs have been recorded by Amy Grant, Randy Crawford, Cher, Diana Ross and Natalie Cole.

Cuby Muskee (Harry Muskee) - Died 9-26-2011 in Rolde, Netherlands - Complications of cancer (Blues - Jazz) Born 6-10-1941 in Assen, Netherlands - Singer - Was a member of The Mixtures, The Old Fashioned Jazz Group, Cuby & The Blizzards (They did, “Stumble and Fall” and “Appleknockers Flophouse”), Red White ‘n Blue, The Harry Muskee Band, The Muskee Gang and Muskee - Worked with Alexis Korner and Eddie Boyd.

Johnnie Wright (Johnnie Robert Wright Jr.) - Died 9-27-2011 in Madison, TN, U.S. (Country) Born 5-13-1914 in Mount Juliet, TN, U.S. - Singer - (He did, “Hello Vietnam”) - Was a member of Johnnie Wright & The Harmony Girls and The Tennessee Mountain Boys (They did, “Walkin’, Talkin’, Cryin’, Barely Beatin’ Broken Heart”) - He was half of the duo, Johnnie & Jack (They did, “Poison Love) - Husband of singer, Kitty Wells.

Country Johnny Mathis - Died 9-27-2011 - Complications from pneumonia (Country - Gospel) Born 9-28-1923 in Maud, Texas, U.S. - Singer, songwriter and guitarist - He was half of the duo, Jimmy And Johnny (They did, “If You Don’t Somebody Else Will” and “Please Talk To My Heart”) - His songs have been recorded by George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Webb Pierce, Ray Price, Elvis Costello, Wanda Jackson and Tammy Wynette.

Joel DIBartolo - Died 9-27-2011 - He was 65 years old Bassist - Worked with TV’s, The Tonight Show Band for 18 years and also worked with Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, The Buffalo Philharmonic, The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, John Abercrombie and Ernie Watts - Was a director of Jazz Studies and an associate professor of string bass at NAU.

Peter Sykes - Died 9-27-2011 - Brain hemorrhage (Rock) Guitarist - Was a member of This Many Boyfriends.

Leonard Dillon (aka Jack Sparrow) - Died 9-28-2011 in Kingston, Jamaica - Lung and prostate cancer (Reggae) Born 12-9-1942 in Port Antonio, Jamaica - Singer - (He did, “Bull Whip”) - Was a member of The Ethiopians (They did, “Hong Kong Flu” and “Nyah Nuh Want Nuh Baptism”) - Worked with Bob Marley, Prince Buster, Vincent Chin, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Joe Gibbs, Bob Andy, The Silvertones and Rupie Edwards.

Lojze Slak - Died 9-29-2011 in Ljubljana, Slovenia - Bone cancer (Folk) Born 7-23-1932 in Jordankal, Mirni Peci, Slovenia - Accordionist - Was a member of The Slak Brothers

Sylvia Robinson (Sylvia Vanterpool) - The mother of hip hop - Died 9-29-2011 in Edison, NJ, U.S. - Congestive heart failure (R&B) Born 3-6-1936 in New York City, NY, U.S. - Singer and guitarist - (She did, “Pillow Talk”) - She was half of the duo, Mickey & Sylvia (They did, “Love Is Strange”) - Worked with Hot Lips Page and Ike & Tina Turner - Produced The Moments, Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five, The Whatnauts and The Sugarhill Gang - Co-founder and CEO of Sugar Hill Records.

Marv Tarplin (Marvin Tarplin) - Died 9-30-2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. (Soul) Born 6-13-1941 in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. - Guitarist - Was a member of The Miracles (They did, “The Tracks Of My Tears” and “Going To A Go-Go”) - Worked with The Primettes, The Four Tops and Marvin Gaye (“Take This Heart Of Mine” and “One More Heartache”).

Maxim Soria - Died 9-30-2011 - Motorcycle accident (Rock) Drummer - Was a member of Valencia.

David Bedford (David Vickerman Bedford) - Died 10-1-2011 (Rock - Classical - Avant-garde) Born 8-4-1937 in Hendon, London, England - Composer, keyboardist and arranger - Worked with Mike Oldfield, The Whole World, Deep Purple, Elvis Costello, Madness and The Proms - Grandson of composers, Herbert Bedford and Liza Lehmann - Son of singer, Lesley Duff - Brother of conductor, Steuart Bedford.

Steve Mach - Died 10-2-2011 in Brooklyn, Baltimore, MD, U.S. - Shot by police who mistook his pellet gun for a real one (Rock) He was 52 years old - Bassist - Was a member of The Vamps (They did, “Shakedown”) and Skin And Bones (They did, “Cover Me With Roses” and “Hey Stupid “) - Was a stage manager and promoter for CBGB’s.

Mikko Laine - Died 10-2-2011 in Baarlo, Holland - A vehicle carrying stage equipment ran over him as he slept backstage at the ProgPower Europe festival (Rock) He was 30 years old - Guitarist - Was a member of Sole Remedy.