R.I.P.

Early in the year I remarked at how rotten this year had started, with so many important artists perishing in such a short period. I've been meaning to present some of their albums as a small tribute and thank-you for the music they gave us. At first I didn't want to clatter them together with similar pieces for Lemmy and David Bowie, then I had the trips to Italy, Spain and Greece and all the records I brought with me waiting for a listen. Unfortunately, the blows kept coming. Latest one, and quite unexpected, Prince - aged only 58. Without a doubt, the greatest R&B artist of the last 30 years. Now it seems impossible to write something for all those we lost in the short 4 month period between last Christmas and today - hopefully, but not likely, there won't be many more for the rest of the year. I'd like at least to mention them one by one:

Thank You For The Music

Prince,

David Bowie,

Lemmy (Motorhead)

Glen Frey (The Eagles)
Lonnie Mack (Blues guitarist)

Keith Emerson (Keyboard wizard of ELP and The Nice)

Sir George Martin (Beatles producer known as "The Fifth Beatle")

Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship)

Merle Haggard (Country music giant)

Dan Hicks (The Charlatans US, Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks)

Jimmy Bain (bassist, Rainbow)

Dale Griffin (drummer, Mott the Hoople)

Signe Toly Anderson (singer, Jefferson Airplane)

John Bradbury (drummer, The Specials)

Steve Wright (singer, The Easybeats)

Natalie Cole (R&B singer, daughter to Nat King Cole)

Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire)

Otis Clay (R&B singer)

Paul Bley (Jazz pianist)

Gato Barbieri (Jazz saxophonist)

Naná Vasconcelos (Jazz percussionist)
Pete Zorn (Steeleye Span,Albion Band,Richard Thompson)
Dennis Davis (drummer, worked with Bowie & Stevie Wonder)

Robbie Brennan (Skid Row -the Irish band with Gary Moore, not the US one) 

Vi Subversa (of the anarcho-feminist punk group The Poison Girls)

Jimmy Van Zant (Southern Rock, cousin to the Van Zant brothers of Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Black (Irish crooner of "Wonderful Life"fame)

Gib Guilbeau (The Flying Burrito Brothers)

Brad Kent, Canadian punk rocker (D.O.A., Avengers)

Joe Skyward (bassist, The Posies)

You will not be forgotten.