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Dick Dale, The King of Surf Rock Guitar, died March 16, 2019

Dick Dale, The King of Surf Rock Guitar, died on March 16, 2019, after twenty years battling multiple illnesses and a lifetime of health issues. His unique and dynamic way of playing shaped a genre and inspired musicians including the Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix. Dale was himself inspired and influenced by the Arabic scales and sounds he grew up listening to, and he combined the sounds of his father’s native Lebanon with a lot of reverb and wildly fast tempos. Dick Dale defined surf rock. Richard Anthony Monsour (May 4, 1937 – March 16, 2019), was known as Dick…
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The Prodigy’s Keith Flint died March 4, 2019

Keith Flint (September 17, 1969 – March 4, 2019) was an English singer, musician and dancer for the electronic music band The Prodigy and sang on their two 1996 UK number one singles, “Firestarter” and “Breathe”. He was also the lead singer of his own band Flint. Keith Charles Flint was born in Redbridge, London, England, to Clive and Yvonne Flint, on September 17, 1969 and initially raised in East London before his parents moved the family to Springfield, Essex in the mid-1970s. He described his childhood as unhappy and he argued with his parents who separated when he was…
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André Previn, composer and pianist, died February 28, 2019

André Previn, KBE (April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was born Andreas Ludwig Priwin and was an American musician, born in Germany. André Previn’s career in Hollywood, was as an arranger and composer, in jazz he was a pianist-interpreter and arranger of songs from the “Great American Songbook,” he was also a piano-accompanist to singers of jazz standards, a trio pianist, and a classical music pianist, conductor and as composer. Andreas Ludwig Priwin was born in Berlin into a Jewish family, the last of three children of Charlotte (née Epstein) and Jack Previn (Jakob Priwin), who was a lawyer,…
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Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis died February 25, 2019

Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis was born in Tottenham in north London in 1955 and has died after a short illness aged 64. Mark David Hollis (January 4, 1955 – February 25, 2019) was an English musician and singer-songwriter and co-founder, lead singer and main songwriter of Talk Talk. He wrote or co-wrote most of Talk Talk’s music including their hits “It’s My Life” and “Life’s What You Make It”. Not much is known about his early life, as he was reluctant to be interviewed throughout his career and had a tendency to make up stories when he was interviewed. He…
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James Ingram sadly died January 29, 2019.

James Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and record producer. He was also a multi Grammy nominated artist, a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Oscar nominee for the Best Original Song. James Edward Ingram was born in Akron, Ohio, and attended Akron’s East High School and the University of Akron. Ingram was a promising enough athlete and was offered a track scholarship but he opted for music. At 18 year old he joined the Akron band Revelation Funk, whose achievements included playing as opening act for the Ohio Players, and in 1973 Ingram…
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12 Musicians who died in 2018

Several excellent musicians passed away in 2018, here we celebrate some of their lives and contributions to the world of music January 11, 2018: Fast Eddie Clarke Edward Allan Clarke (known as Fast Eddie) (October 5, 1950 – January 10, 2018), the last remaining member of the classic Motörhead line-up, died aged 67. He began playing the guitar at an early age and by 15 had already played in several local bands. In 1973 he turned professional, joining blues prog rock band, Zeus, as lead guitarist. In 1974, Zeus and Fast Eddie recorded an album called The Second Coming. After leaving…
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Pete Shelley (The Buzzcocks) died December 6, 2018, aged 63

Pete Shelley (The Buzzcocks) died aged 63. He was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist who formed the Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976, and was the lead singer and guitarist from 1977 when Devoto left. The Buzzcocks released the classic “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” in 1978. They broke up in 1981, and reformed in 1989.

Ray Owen from Juicy Lucy sadly Died October 31, 2018

Ray Owen died on October 31, 2018 from bone cancer and complications from it, aged 71. Ray Owen (July 14, 1947 – October 31, 2018) lived in London and first play in a band at a hospital where he worked. He was heard by a producer who put him with The Misunderstood, who were an American psychedelic rock band originating from Riverside, California in the mid-1960s. The band moved to London early in their career, and although they recorded only a handful of songs before being forced to disband, they are considered highly influential in the then-emerging genre. Juicy Lucy…
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Michael Hutchence died on November 22, 1997

Michael Hutchence, born on January 22, 1960, in Sydney, Australia, was a charismatic singer, songwriter, and actor best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band INXS. With a career spanning over two decades, Hutchence left an indelible mark on the music world with his unique voice, enigmatic presence, and influence on both music and culture. His life, however, was also marked by personal struggles, ultimately ending tragically with his untimely death in 1997. This essay explores Hutchence’s early life, his rise to fame with INXS, his distinct musical style, personal life, controversies, and lasting legacy in the world…
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Otis Rush sadly died September 29, 2018

Otis Rush Jr. (April 29, 1935 – September 29, 2018) was an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. His distinctive guitar style featured a slow-burning sound and long bent notes. With qualities similar to the styles of other 1950s artists Magic Sam and Buddy Guy, his sound became known as West Side Chicago blues and was an influence on many musicians, including Michael Bloomfield, Peter Green and Eric Clapton. Rush was left-handed and played left handed, however, his guitars were strung with the low E string at the bottom, upside-down from typical guitarists. He often played with the little finger of…
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