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Pop Smoke: Rapper shot dead on February 19, 2020

Bashar Barakah Jackson (July 20, 1999 – February 19, 2020) known as Pop Smoke, was an American rapper and songwriter. Pop Smoke was born on July 20, 1999, in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jamaican mother and a Panamanian father. He spent his childhood in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. He started dealing drugs, at a young age, and spent two years on house after being arrested on weapons charges. He began his music career in 2018 while hanging around other recording artists during their studio sessions. He started remixing popular songs within the New York City drill music scene,…
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Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for rock band Rush, died January 7, 2020.

Neil Peart (September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian musician and writer best known as the drummer and lyricist of the rock band Rush. He received numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1983. His drumming was renowned for its technical proficiency, and his live performances for their exacting nature and stamina. Neil Ellwood Peart was born in Hamilton, Ontario and grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario (now part of St. Catharines). In his teens, he floated between regional bands in pursuit of a career as a…
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15 Musicians who died in 2019

Several excellent musicians died in 2019, here we celebrate some of their lives and contributions to the world of music. January 29, 2019: James Ingram James Ingram died from brain cancer at his home in Los Angeles, aged 66. 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. Ingram is probably best known by most people for his hit collaborations with other vocalists. He scored a No. 1 hit on…
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Marie Fredriksson, from Roxette, died on December 9, 2019

Gun-Marie Fredriksson, known as Marie Fredriksson, (May 30, 1958 – December 9, 2019) was a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, pianist and painter, best known as the lead vocalist of soft rock duo Roxette, alongside Per Gessle. Roxette achieved international success in the late-1980s and early-1990s with their albums Look Sharp! (1988) and Joyride (1991), and had six top two hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “The Look”, “Listen to Your Heart”, “Dangerous”, “It Must Have Been Love”, “Joyride” and “Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)”. Gun-Marie Fredriksson was born in Sweden on May 30, 1958. She was the…
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Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977

Elvis Presley, often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll,” remains one of the most influential and celebrated figures in American music and pop culture. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935, Presley rose from humble beginnings to become an international icon whose impact on music, fashion, film, and culture endures to this day. His life and career encapsulate the transformative power of rock and roll and the complex social and cultural changes that characterized America in the 20th century. Early Life and Influences Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room…
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Ginger Baker the Legendary Cream drummer died October 6, 2019

Ginger Baker (August 19, 1939 – October 6, 2019) was an English drummer and a co-founder of the legendary rock band Cream. His work in the 1960s earned him the well-deserved reputation of “rock’s first superstar drummer”, while his individual style melded a jazz background with African rhythms. He is credited as having been a pioneer of drumming in such genres as jazz fusion and world music. Peter Edward Baker was born in Lewisham, South London and was nicknamed “Ginger” for his shock of flaming red hair. Baker began playing drums at about 15 years old, as an outlet for…
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George Michael died December 25, 2016

George Michael: A Trailblazing Pop Icon George Michael, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou on June 25, 1963, in East Finchley, London, was one of the most influential and beloved pop stars of the 1980s and 1990s. As a solo artist and as part of the duo Wham!, Michael achieved global fame, becoming known for his powerful voice, charismatic stage presence, and ability to blend multiple musical styles such as pop, soul, R&B, and dance. Beyond his music, Michael was a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and social causes, adding layers of depth to his public persona. His life, however, was marked…
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Ric Ocasek of The Cars died September 15, 2019

Ric Ocasek was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and painter, and the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and songwriter for the rock band the Cars. He was born Richard Theodore Otcasek on March 23, 1944, and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was 16 years old, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where his father worked as systems analyst with NASA at the Lewis Research Center. Richard graduated from Maple Heights High School in 1963 and briefly attended Antioch College and Bowling Green State University, but dropped out to pursue a career in music (good choice!). Ric Ocasek…
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Nipsey Hussle died March 31, 2019

Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le) (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), was born Ermias Joseph Asghedom and was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and community activist from Los Angeles, California. He emerged from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid-2000s and independently released his first mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1, to moderate local success, leading him to be signed to Cinematic Music Group and Epic Records. Ermias Joseph Asghedom (Nipsey Hussle) was born to Angelique Smith, an African-American woman, and Dawit Asghedom, an Eritrean immigrant, on August 15, 1985. He was raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood…
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Dr. John sadly died June 6 2019.

Dr. John (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019) was born Malcolm John Rebennack and was an American singer and songwriter. His music combined blues, pop, jazz, boogie-woogie and rock and roll. Malcolm (Mac) John Rebennack was born in New Orleans on November 20, 1941 of French heritage. Growing up in the 3rd Ward, he found early musical inspiration in the minstrel tunes sung by his grandfather and a number of family members who played piano. His father was the owner of an appliance store and record shop and exposed him as a young boy to jazz musicians King Oliver…
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