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16 musicians who died in 2017

Several excellent musicians passed away in 2017, here we celebrate some of their lives and contributions to the world of music. February 12, 2017: Al Jarreau Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and musician who received a total of seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more. Al Jarreau earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ripon College in Wisconsin in 1962, and a master’s in vocational rehabilitation from the University of Iowa in 1964. Afterward he moved to San Francisco, where he worked as a rehabilitation counselor for…
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Donny Hathaway died January 13, 1979

Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) (known as Donny Hathaway) was an American jazz, blues, soul and gospel singer, songwriter, arranger and pianist. He born in Chicago and raised by his grandmother, a professional gospel singer, on a housing project in St. Louis. Aged three he began singing in a church choir with his grandmother and also started studying the piano. In 1963 he graduated from Vashon High School and then studied music on a scholarship at Howard University, Washington, D.C.. It was here where he met and became close friends with Roberta Flack. During 1967, after receiving several job offers in the…
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David Cassidy died November 21, 2017

David Cassidy, who shot to fame in The Partridge Family, before going on to become a teen pop idol in the 1970s, has died aged 67. David Bruce Cassidy (April 12, 1950 – November 21, 2017) was an actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He first became famous playing Keith Partridge, the son of Shirley Partridge, in the 1970s musical-sitcom The Partridge Family. This role led to him becoming one of the biggest teen idols and pop singers of the 1970s. He later had a career in both acting and music. David Cassidy was born in New York City in 1950,…
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AC/DC’s Malcolm Young died November 18, 2017

Malcolm Young (January 6, 1953 – November 18, 2017) was a Scottish-Australian musician, songwriter, and co-founder, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of legendary hard rock, heavy metal band AC/DC. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland to William and Margaret Young on January 6, 1953 and the family moved to Australia in 1963, when Malcolm was 10. Except for a brief absence in 1988, Malcolm was with AC/DC from its beginning in November 1973 until he retired in 2014 for health reasons. Malcolm Young was 20 when he formed AC/DC with his younger brother Angus in 1973. The line-up was Angus…
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Fats Domino died October 24, 2017

Fats Domino was born Antoine “Fats” Domino Jr, (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017) was an American pianist and singer-songwriter and probably the most influential rock and roll performers of the 1950s and 60s, has died of natural causes aged 89. He was born at home with the help of his grandmother, a midwife, and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, the eighth and last child of Antoine Caliste Domino, a well-known violinist, and Marie-Donatille Gros. The family was of French Creole background and Louisiana Creole French was Fats first language. His name was originally, incorrectly given as Anthony on…
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Tom Petty died October 2, 2017.

Thomas Earl (Tom) Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) as born in Gainesville, Florida, the first of two sons of Earl and Kitty Petty. He was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, and best known as the lead singer of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He was also a member and co-founder of the late 1980s super group the Traveling Wilburys, with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison. His interest in rock and roll began at the age of ten when he met Elvis Presley on the set of the film Follow That…
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Legend Bob Marley sadly died May 11, 1981.

Bob Marley: The Legend of Reggae Bob Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley and is an enduring symbol of reggae music and a cultural icon. His contributions to music, politics, and social change transcended borders, making him one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Marley’s powerful lyrics, fused with the pulsating rhythms of reggae, conveyed messages of love, unity, and resistance to oppression, which continue to resonate worldwide. This essay delves into Bob Marley’s life, musical career, philosophy, and lasting impact on global culture. Early Life and Introduction to Music Bob Marley was born on February 6,…
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John Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980.

John Lennon, born John Winston Lennon on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England, was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century music and pop culture. A singer, songwriter, and peace activist, Lennon rose to global fame as a founding member of The Beatles, a band whose impact on music, society, and culture is still felt today. His career spanned beyond The Beatles, as he became an outspoken activist for peace and a solo artist whose work continues to inspire generations. Lennon’s life was marked by creativity, rebellion, and an unwavering desire to change the world through art, though it…
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Grant Hart from Hüsker Dü Died September 14, 2017

Grant Hart, Hüsker Dü Drummer and Singer, Dies from Liver Cancer at 56. Grantzberg “Grant” Vernon Hart (March 18, 1961 – September 14, 2017) was an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-songwriter for the alternative, hardcore punk rock band Hüsker Dü. Grant Hart was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the youngest of three children born to a credit union employee and a shop teacher. When he was 10, his older brother was killed by a drunk driver and Grant inherited his brother’s drum kit and records. He began playing in a number of bands as a teenager….
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Troy Gentry died on September 8, 2017

Troy Gentry (April 5, 1967 – September 8. 2017), of country duo Montgomery Gentry, has died following a helicopter crash in New Jersey, he was 50. Gentry was born in Lexington, Ky., on April 5, 1967 but called Nashville home. He was married with two children. Musicians Eddie and Troy, who were both natives of Kentucky, began performing in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery’s brother, John Michael Montgomery. In 1999 they formed Montgomery Gentry which was known for its Southern rock influences. They collaborated with other artists such as Charlie Daniels, Toby Keith and members…
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