PASSINGS : B.W. Stevenson; Had Hits as Singer and Songwriter

B. W. Stevenson, 38, a singer-songwriter best known for his pop hit “My Maria.” He first began performing in 1970 after serving in the armed forces, and in 1972 he signed with RCA records, which released a self-titled debut album that produced his biggest hits. Stevenson first moved to Nashville, Tenn., in 1987 to pursue a songwriting career with Tom Collins Music. Stevenson, born Louis Charles Stevenson III, was known as B. W., which stood for Buckwheat. He also wrote “Shambala,” a hit record by Three Dog Night. In Nashville on Thursday after heart surgery.