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Folk Musician Gordon Lightfoot died May 1, 2023

Gordon Lightfoot: The Folk Legend Who Painted Songs with Words Gordon Lightfoot is a name synonymous with folk music, a Canadian troubadour whose timeless melodies and evocative lyrics have captivated audiences for over six decades. Born Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. on November 17, 1938, in Orillia, Ontario, Lightfoot’s journey from a small-town kid to a globally recognized folk icon is nothing short of remarkable. In this exploration of his life and career, we delve into the remarkable story of a man whose songs have become an indelible part of the tapestry of folk music. Gordon Lightfoot’s humble beginnings in Orillia,…
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Harry Belafonte sadly died on April 25, 2023

Harry Belafonte: A Legacy of Music, Activism, and Humanitarianism Harry Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York City, was a legendary entertainer, singer, actor, and activist whose life’s journey was as diverse and impactful as his talents. From humble beginnings to international stardom, Belafonte’s remarkable career spanned several decades and left an indelible mark on the worlds of music, film, and social justice. This comprehensive biography will delve into the extraordinary life and the enduring legacy of the man known as the “King of Calypso.” Harry Belafonte’s parents were Caribbean immigrants, his…
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Acclaimed Jazz Piano Legend Ahmad Jamal died April 16, 2023

Ahmad Jamal (July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator. For six decades, he was one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. He was a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master and won a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for his contributions to music history. The world of jazz has been graced by the presence of countless luminaries, each leaving an indelible mark on the genre’s ever-evolving landscape. Among these legends stands Ahmad Jamal, a pianist and composer whose innovative style and profound contributions have left an indelible impact on…
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Parliament-Funkadelic’s Fuzzy Haskins died March 16, 2023

Fuzzy Haskins (June 8, 1941 – March 16, 2023) was born Clarence Eugene Haskins and was an American singer and a founding member of the groundbreaking and influential 1970s funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, also known as Parliament-Funkadelic. Clarence Eugene “Fuzzy” Haskins was born in Elkhorn, West Virginia, and grew up in New Jersey. In the late 1950s, he was a founding member of doo wop vocal group “The Parliaments” which was led by George Clinton. The group originated as a barbershop quintet in the back room of a barber shop on West 3rd Street in Plainfield, New Jersey. “The…
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Singer-songwriter Bobby Caldwell died March 14, 2023

Bobby Caldwell (August 15, 1951 – March 14, 2023) was born Robert Hunter Caldwell and was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Bobby Caldwell was born in Manhattan, but grew up in Miami, Florida. His mother sold real estate and one of her clients was reggae singer Bob Marley who became friends with Bobby. Growing up in Miami exposed Bobby Caldwell to a variety of music such as Haitian, Latin, reggae, and R&B, but he was particularly drawn to rock and roll, jazz, and rhythm and blues. When he was 12, Bobby started playing piano and guitar. Bobby Caldwell was…
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Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington died March 5, 2023

Gary Rossington (December 4, 1951 – March 5, 2023) was born Gary Robert Rossington in Jacksonville, Florida and was an American musician and songwriter and the last original member of legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, in which he played lead and rhythm guitar. Gary Rossington had a strong childhood interest in baseball and hoped to one day play for the New York Yankees. RHe later recalled that he was a “good ball player” butafter hearing the Rolling Stones in his early teens he became interested in music and ultimately gave up on his baseball aspirations. It was Gary Rossington’s…
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Legendary jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter died March 2, 2023

Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer who came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the jazz fusion band Weather Report. He recorded over 20 albums as a bandleader. Wayne Shorter was born in Newark, New Jersey and graduated from Newark Arts High School in 1952. He loved music and was encouraged by his father to take up the clarinet as a teenager. His his older brother Alan played alto…
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Pulp Bassist Steve Mackey died March 2, 2023

Steve Mackey (November 10, 1966 – March 2, 2023) was born Stephen Patrick Mackey and was an English musician and record producer best known as the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Pulp, which he joined in 1989. As a record producer, he produced songs and albums by M.I.A., Florence + the Machine, The Long Blondes and Arcade Fire. Steve Mackey was born in Sheffield, England and attended Hucklow First and Middle Schools with friend Richard Hawley, who he later played with as members of Pulp. He went to Hinde House Comprehensive in Sheffield before undertaking further studies at…
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R&B singer Chuck Jackson died February 16, 2023

Chuck Jackson (July 22, 1937 – February 16, 2023) was an American R&B singer who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He has performed with moderate success since 1961. His hits include “I Don’t Want to Cry”, “Any Day Now”, “I Keep Forgettin’”, and “All Over the World”. Chuck Jackson was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1937 and grew up in Latta, South Carolina singing in a gospel group before he moved to Pittsburgh when he was 13. Between 1957 and 1959, Chuck Jackson was a member of The…
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De La Soul Rapper Trugoy the Dove died February 12, 2023

Trugoy the Dove (September 21, 1968 – February 12, 2023) was born David Jude Jolicoeur, and was also known under the stage name Dave. He was an American rapper, producer, founding member and one third of the hip hop group De La Soul. Trugoy the Dove was born in Brooklyn, New York to Haitian-American parents, and grew up in the Long Island area of East Massapequa. Trugoy the Dove (David Jolicoeur), Vincent Mason and Kelvin Mercer were friends who attended the same high school in the Amityville area of Long Island during the 1980s and decided to form a rap…
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