Tag Archive: musicians who died in 2020

Uriah heep and Ozzy Osbourne drummer Lee Kerslake died September 19, 2020

Lee Kerslake (April 16, 1947 – September 19, 2020) was an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Uriah Heep and for his work with Ozzy Osbourne in the early 1980s. Lee Kerslake was born in Dorset, England, and at the age 11, he began playing drums and got his first professional gig with the Gods in 1969, going on to record three albums with the band. He…
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Toots and the Maytals Toots Hibbert died September 11, 2020 from COVID-19 (coronavirus)

toots hibbert

Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert (December 8, 1942 – September 11, 2020) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter and the lead vocalist for the reggae and ska band Toots and the Maytals. A reggae pioneer, he performed for six decades and helped establish some of the fundamentals of reggae music. Toots Hibbert’s 1968 song “Do the Reggay” is widely credited as the start of the genre name reggae. His band’s album True Love won a Grammy Award in…
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Kool and the Gangs Ronald Bell died September 9, 2020

Ronald Nathan Bell (November 1, 1951 – September 9, 2020) was a composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, saxophonist and co-founding member of Kool & the Gang. The band recorded nine No. 1 R&B singles in the 1970s and 80s, including its No. 1 pop single “Celebration”. The group is honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Ronald Bell sadly died at his home in the United…
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Peter Green co-founder of Fleetwood Mac died July 25 2020

peter green

Peter Allen Greenbaum (October 29, 1946 – July 25, 2020), better known as Peter Green was an English blues rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and his songs, such as “Albatross”, “Black Magic Woman”, “Oh Well”, “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)” and “Man of the World”, appeared on singles charts worldwide, and several have been adapted and…
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Southern Rock Pioneer and Fiddle player Charlie Daniels died July 6 2020

charlie daniels

Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020), known as Charlie Daniels, was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who played Southern rock, country, and bluegrass music. He was best known for his number-one country hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”. Charles Edward (Charlie) Daniels was born October 28, 1936, in Wilmington, North Carolina, and was raised listening to various musical styles including Pentecostal gospel, local bluegrass bands, and the rhythm & blues…
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Composer and arranger Johnny Mandel died June 29 2020

Johnny Mandel

John Alfred Mandel (November 23, 1925 – June 29, 2020), known as Johnny Mandel, was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. He worked with many musicians including Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O’Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diane Schuur and Shirley Horn, and won five Grammy Awards – from 17 nominations. John Alfred “Johnny” Mandel was born in Manhattan on November 23, 1925. His father, Alfred, was…
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Jamaican guitarist for Toots and the Maytals and Paul Simon, Hux Brown died June 18, 2020

Lynford Brown (December 4, 1944 – June 18, 2020), known as Hux Brown, was a Jamaican guitarist who featured on many successful rocksteady and reggae records in the 1960s and 1970s, and was later a member of Toots and the Maytals. Lynford “Hux” Brown was born in Port Antonio, Jamaica. He was nicknamed “Fordie”When at school, then “Fordux”, which eventually became “Hux”. He formed a band, the Vikings, before moving to Kingston where he joined…
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UFO guitarist Tonka Chapman died June 9, 2020

Tonka Chapman

Paul William “Tonka” Chapman (June 9, 1954 – June 9, 2020) was a Welsh rock guitarist known as Tonka Chapman and best known for his work in bands such as UFO, Waysted and Lone Star. Paul Chapman was well known by his nickname “Tonka”, allegedly given to him because of his indestructible qualities. Tonka Chapman’s first notable band was when he replaced Gary Moore as guitarist in Skid Row in December 1971, but his time…
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Pointer Sister Bonnie Pointer died June 8, 2020

bonnie pointer

Patricia Eva “Bonnie” Pointer (July 11, 1950 – June 8, 2020) was an American singer, and founding member of the legendary vocal group, The Pointer Sisters, as well as a solo performer. Bonnie Pointer and her youngest sister June began singing together in their father’s West Oakland Church of God in California. They formed The Pointers, also known as The Pair, in 1969. After their sister Anita joined the duo that same year, they changed…
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KISS, Meat Loaf and WASP guitarist Bob Kulick died on May 29, 2020

Bob Kulick

Robert J. (Bob) Kulick (January 16, 1950 – May 29, 2020) was an American guitarist and record producer, best known for his studio work with KISS and shock-rock heavy metal band W.A.S.P. Robert J. (Bob) Kulick was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was the older brother of another former KISS lead guitarist Bruce Kulick. In late 1972 Bob Kulick took a chance and auditioned for the lead guitar spot in a new band called…
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