Notable deaths of 2011: Music
Notable music deaths of 2011 (Paul Hawthorne / Getty Images)
Dobie Gray was a smooth balladeer and soul singer who scored his biggest hit in the early 1970s with “Drift Away.” He worked increasingly as a songwriter, mainly in a country vein. He was 71. Full obituary
Notable music deaths of 2011 (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
Heavy D helped shaped rap music as the frontman of Heavy D and the Boyz, which fused New Jack Swing with reggae. He later became a record executive and had a successful acting career. He was 44. Full obituary
Notable music deaths of 2011 (File photo)
Roger Williams was of the most popular instrumentalists of the mid-20th century and hit No. 1 on the pop charts in 1955 with his arpeggio-strewn “Autumn Leaves.” Between 1955 and 1972, he had 22 hit singles -- including “Born Free” -- and 38 hit albums. He was 87. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Lawrence Lucier / Steinway & Sons via Getty Images)
The Scottish singer-guitarist influenced rock and folk greats including
Notable deaths of 2010 (Jim Dyson / Getty Images)
Robinson owned Sugar Hill Records. The label released “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979. It’s considered the first mainstream hip-hop hit. She also had a solo hit with “Pillow Talk” in 1973. She was 76. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)
The Chicago bluesman, the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, performed with the founders of the art form: Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Tommy McLennan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big
Notable deaths of 2010 (Joe Brier / McClatchy-Tribune)
Nick Ashford and his wife Valerie Simpson made up the songwriting and performing team of Ashford & Simpson, which had success at Motown with classics such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand.” Above, an Ashford & Simpson performance in 1984. He was 70. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)
Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s first No. 1 hit was
Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives)
Bob Flanigan, top center, helped form the group at Butler University in 1948 with Hal Kratzsch, left, Don Barbour, bottom and Ross Barbour, right. Between 1953 and 1958, the Four Freshmen won the DownBeat magazine Readers Poll as best vocal group of the year five times.He was 82. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 ()
“Cherry Pie” and “Heaven” were among the hits the metal rock band Warrant had with songs Jani Lane wrote. With his long blond hair and tight leather outfits, he embodied the excess of 1980s “hair metal” rock bands. He was 47. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (John Scarpati)
Tom Garvin was a popular accompanist for vocalists Carmen McRae,
Notable deaths of 2010 ()
Marshall Grant, who worked as
Notable deaths of 2010 (Wayne Risher / Associated Press)
A founding member of the band America, Dan Peek’s soft-rock trio had big hits in the 1970s with “A Horse With No Name,” “Ventura Highway” and “Sister Golden Hair.” Above, Peek, center, with bandmates Dewey Bunnel, right, and Gerry Beckley in 1976. He was 60. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)
The saxophonist for
Notable deaths of 2010 (Hillery Smith Garrison / Associated Press)
A founding member of the Coasters, Gardner was also lead singer of the R&B group, whose hits included “Yakety Yak,” “Charlie Brown” and “Poison Ivy.” Above, Gardner, left, with Earl Carroll, Billy Guy and Will Jones. He was 83. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Gilles Petard / Redferns)
The singer and poet “set the template’"for rap music. He combined social and political commentary with spoken words and musical grooves in ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ and other songs. He was 62. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Mischa Richter)
The playwright and Broadway director, who won two
Notable film and television deaths of 2010 ()
The singer gained fame with her 1974 hit, “Poetry Man.” She received wide acclaim for her self-titled album, which showed off her multi-octave range and musical versatility. She had suffered a
Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)
Raised in poverty in the
Notable deaths of 2010 (Tom Hindman)
The influential steel guitarist played with Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. He was one of the architects of the “Bakersfield sound” of country music, a louder, more rhythmically propulsive version of the music coming out of Nashville in the ‘50s. He co-wrote the hit “Crazy Arms,” which became a No. 1 hit in 1956. He was 82. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Manning)
The entertainer who came out of Bakersfield helped open doors for a California strain of country music. He charted more than 50 country hits from the 1950s to the 1970s. He created the template for the Nashville Sound, according to one music historian. He was 85. Full obituary
Notable deaths of 2010 (File photo)
The West Coast rapper created the blend of singing-rapping known as G-funk. Born Nathaniel D. Hale in
Notable deaths of 2010 ()
She dated
Notable deaths of 2010 (Columbia)
George Shearing, a top British jazz pianist, came to the U.S. in 1946, then hit on a musical formula that established him in the jazz world and made him one of its leading artists for half a century. Above, Shearing at a party with
The composer won five
Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Dave Hogan / Getty Images)
Horton sang “Please Mr. Postman” with the Marvelettes. She was just 15 when she recorded
With his brother and singing partner Ira, Charlie Louvin created a harmonizing sound that inspired the likes of
Don Kirshner guided the careers of songwriters, launched
Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Joshua Prezan t/ Washington Post)
In a career that spanned seven decades, Margaret Whiting, who was mentored by Johnny Mercer, recorded more than 700 songs, including “That Old Black Magic” and “Come Rain or Come Shine,” and had a dozen gold records. She was 86. Full obituary (File photo)