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Sly Dunbar died January 26, 2026

Sly Dunbar was one of the most important and innovative drummers in the history of modern music. Best known as one half of the legendary rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, alongside bassist Robbie Shakespeare. Sly Dunbar reshaped the rhythmic foundations of reggae and Jamaican popular music while also influencing global pop, rock, funk, and electronic styles. Dunbar’s work powered thousands of recordings and defined the groove of multiple musical eras. His drumming was not simply accompaniment; it was architectural, futuristic, emotional, and revolutionary. Childhood and Early Influences Sly Dunbar was born Lowell Fillmore “Sly” Dunbar in Kingston,…
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The Scorpions Francis Buchholz died January 22, 2026

Francis Buchholz stands as one of the defining bassists of classic hard rock, a musician whose grooves powered some of the most recognizable anthems of the late 20th century. Best known as the long-serving bass guitarist of the German rock band Scorpions from 1973 until 1992, Buchholz helped shape a sound that crossed borders, languages, and political divisions. His work on international hits such as “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Wind of Change” remains iconic, not only for its musical impact but also for how it captured the spirit of an era. After leaving Scorpions, Buchholz continued to contribute…
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Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst died January 20, 2026

Rob Hirst stands as one of the most respected and influential drummers in Australian rock history. Best known as a founding member of the iconic band Midnight Oil. Hirst’s driving, tribal-influenced rhythms became inseparable from the group’s sound and political identity. For more than four decades, his work on drums, percussion, and backing, and at times lead, vocals helped define a band that was as much a force for social change as it was a musical powerhouse. Rob Hirst was born Robert George Hirst on September 3, 1955, in Camden, New South Wales, and grew up in a part of…
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The Man in Black, Johnny Cash died September 12, 2003

Johnny Cash was one of the most influential and enduring figures in American music. More than just a singer-songwriter, Cash became a cultural symbol, an artist who gave voice to the broken, the restless, and the morally conflicted. His music is deeply rooted in sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, themes that grew stronger and more profound in the later stages of his career. With his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the chugging, train-like rhythms of his band the Tennessee Three, and his stark, all-black wardrobe, Cash cultivated a persona that was rebellious, somber, and humble all at once. Known worldwide as…
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Siouxsie and the Banshees Kenny Morris died January 15, 2026

Kenny Morris occupies a distinctive and enduring place in the history of British post-punk. As the first studio drummer of Siouxsie and the Banshees, he helped define a new rhythmic language that rejected the flash and bombast of traditional rock drumming in favor of something starker, more atmospheric, and emotionally resonant. His minimalist style, anchored in tom-toms and almost devoid of cymbals, reshaped how drums could function in alternative music. Beyond his musical contributions, Morris was also a songwriter and painter, an artist whose sensibility crossed mediums and expressed the restless, experimental spirit of the post-punk avant-garde. Though his time…
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Refugee Camp All-Star John Forté died January 12, 2026

John Forté: A Life in Hip-Hop, Art, and Resilience John Forté was an American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and creative force whose influence extended far beyond the microphone. Best known for his work with the Refugee Camp All-Stars and his pivotal role in the creation of The Score by the Fugees. Forté helped shape one of the most important eras in 1990s hip-hop. His life story is one of extraordinary talent, devastating setbacks, and powerful reinvention, an arc that made him not only an artist, but a symbol of resilience. Early Life and Musical Foundations John Forté was born on…
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The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir died January 10, 2026

Bob Weir was an American musician, singer, and songwriter whose work reshaped the sound and spirit of American rock music, best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Weir’s career spanned more than six decades and helped define an entire musical culture rooted in improvisation, community, and artistic freedom. Early Life and Musical Awakening Bob Weir was born Robert Hall Weir on October 16, 1947, in San Francisco, California. Shortly after his birth, he was adopted and raised by Frederick and Eleanor Weir in the San Francisco Bay Area. Though his early life was marked by academic struggles…
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Children’s animation composer Guy Moon died January 8, 2026

Guy Moon was an American composer whose work helped define the sound of late-1990s and early-2000s children’s animation. Best known for his energetic, melodic, and emotionally expressive music on some of the most influential animated television series of the era, including The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, Cow and Chicken, and Johnny Test. His music blended classical training with modern cartoon sensibilities, creating scores that were playful yet sophisticated, comedic yet heartfelt. Over the course of his career, Moon became especially noted for his close collaboration with animator and showrunner Butch Hartman, and his work earned four Emmy Award nominations. Though…
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Songwriter Jim McBride died January 7, 2026

Jim McBride’s name may not always have been the first spoken when people listed the giants of country music, but few songwriters shaped the emotional language of the genre more deeply. Over a career spanning five decades, McBride wrote five number-one hits, ten Top 10 singles, and eighteen songs that reached the Top 40 on the country charts. His work defined the sound of multiple eras, from the outlaw-tinged 1970s to the polished radio country of the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2017, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame recognized his enduring influence, cementing his place among the architects of…
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The Cure’s Perry Bamonte died December 24, 2025

Perry Bamonte was an English musician and visual artist whose work occupies a distinctive place in the history of alternative music. Best known as a guitarist and keyboardist for the Cure during two significant eras, first from 1990 to 2005, and later from 2022 to 2025. Bamonte played a crucial role in shaping the band’s evolving sound during periods of transition, experimentation, and renewal. Beyond his work with the Cure, he was also the bassist for Love Amongst Ruin, a project that highlighted his melodic sensibilities and understated emotional depth. Across decades of music-making, Bamonte remained a quietly influential figure:…
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