obits
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Reggae Legend and Dub Pioneer, Dies at 85
Lee “Scratch” Perry, the highly influential reggae musician and producer, has died at the age of 85. Jamaica Observer reports that Perry died at Noel Holmes Hospital in the coastal town of Lucea. No cause of death has been reported. Born in March 1936 in Kendal, Jamaica as Rainford Hugh Perry, Perry’s music career began in the 1950s and in 1968, he’d form his own label, Upsetter Records. With Upsetter, Perry would pioneer dub music, which focused on remixing existing songs to create new instrumental or vocal versions. Perry’s best-known personal work includes “Dreadlocks in Moonlight,” “People Funny Boy,” “Jungle Lion,” “Curly Locks,” “City Too Hot” and “I Am A Mad Man.” On top of his solo output, over the course of his 60-year career, Perry would go on to produce a number of notable artis...
Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones Drummer, Dies at 80
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80. A statement obtained by SPIN from a Watts spokesperson can be seen below: “’It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family. Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation. “We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.’” The Stones shared the news on their social media accounts as well. A few weeks ago, Watts dropped off the Stones’ upcoming U.S. tour due to an undisclosed medical procedure. Prior to this, Watts didn’t miss a Stones gig. ...
Nanci Griffith, ‘Love at the Five and Dime’ Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 68
Nanci Griffith, the Grammy-winning and self-described “folkabilly” singer-songwriter, died on Friday in Nashville at the age of 68. Griffith’s management company, Gold Mountain Entertainment, confirmed the news of her passing to SPIN. “It was Nanci’s wish that no further formal statement or press release happen for a week following her passing,” the company said in a statement. Born on July 6, 1953 in Austin, Texas, Griffith is best known for songs like “Love at the Five and Dime,” “Outbound Plane” and “From a Distance,” a song that would later become a hit for Bette Midler. Her first album, There’s a Light Beyond These Woods, was released in 1978 and she’d go on to record 18 albums. The Griffith co-written song “Outbound Plane” became a hit for Suzy Bogguss in 1991. “A beautiful soul that...
Dusty Hill, ZZ Top Bassist, Dies at 72
Dusty Hill, the bassist for legendary Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top, has died at the age of 72. The surviving members shared the news in a post on their Facebook page on Wednesday. “We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX. We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the ‘Top’. We will forever be connected to that ‘Blues Shuffle in C,’” the post said. “You will be missed greatly, amigo,” which was signed by Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard. Hill had been with the band since 1970. A few days ago, the band announced on Facebook that Hill would be taking a break from the band’s current tour ...
Joey Jordison, Former Slipknot Drummer, Dies at 46
Joey Jordison, the founding drummer and co-songwriter of Slipknot, has died at the age of 46. Jordison’s family announced the news in a statement. Jordison died in his sleep on Monday, July 26. See the full statement from Jordison’s family below: We are heartbroken to share the news that Joey Jordison, prolific drummer, musician and artist passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 26th, 2021. He was 46. Joey’s death has left us with empty hearts and feelings of indescribable sorrow. To those that knew Joey, understood his quick wit, his gentle personality, giant heart and his love for all things family and music. The family of Joey have asked that friends, fans and media understandably respect our need for privacy and peace at this incredibly difficult time. The family will hold a privat...
Joey Jordison, Former Slipknot Drummer, Dies at 46
Joey Jordison, the founding drummer and co-songwriter of Slipknot, has died at the age of 46. Jordison’s family announced the news in a statement. Jordison died in his sleep on Monday, July 26. See the full statement from Jordison’s family below: We are heartbroken to share the news that Joey Jordison, prolific drummer, musician and artist passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 26th, 2021. He was 46. Joey’s death has left us with empty hearts and feelings of indescribable sorrow. To those that knew Joey, understood his quick wit, his gentle personality, giant heart and his love for all things family and music. The family of Joey have asked that friends, fans and media understandably respect our need for privacy and peace at this incredibly difficult time. The family will hold a privat...
Biz Markie, Legendary ‘Just a Friend’ Rapper, Dies at 57
Biz Markie, the legendary rapper who is one of the genre’s biggest personalities since its early breakthrough, has died at the age of 57 in Baltimore, SPIN has confirmed with his manager, Jenni Izumi. Here’s the statement obtained by SPIN: It is with profound sadness that we announce, this evening, with his wife Tara by his side, Hip Hop pioneer Biz Markie peacefully passed away. We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years. He leaves behind a wife, many family members and close friends who will miss his vibrant personality, constant jokes an...
Jeff LaBar, Cinderella Guitarist, Dies at 58
Jeff LaBar, the guitarist best known for his work in the glam metal band Cinderella, has died at the age of 58. His publicist confirmed the news in a statement following an Instagram post by LaBar’s son, Tantric guitarist Sebastian LaBar. My father, my hero, my idol, passed away today,” the younger LaBar wrote. “I’m currently at a loss for words. I love you pop!” The surviving members of Cinderella released a statement of their own, which you can see below: Heavy hearts cannot begin to describe the feeling of losing our brother Jeff. The bond between us over decades of creating music and touring the world is something that we as a band uniquely shared. Those memories with Jeff will be forever alive in our hearts. It’s unimaginable that one of our band brothers has left us. We’re sending hi...
Bryan St. Pere, Hum Drummer, Dies at 52
Bryan St. Pere, the drummer for ’90s favorites Hum, has died at the age of 52. The band confirmed the news of St. Pere’s passing in a statement on their social media platforms. St. Pere joined the Champaign, Illinois-based band in 1990 and performed on the band’s cult single “Stars” prior to the band’s breakup in 2000. St. Pere didn’t rejoin the band for their 2015 reunion tour, but he featured on the band’s surprise 2020 album, Inlet, which landed on our list of the best albums of 2020 (so far) and was their first album in 22 years. According to the band, the death was sudden. Here’s the full statement from the band and the social media post where they announced the news: It is with very heavy hearts and tear filled eyes that we share the news that our beloved friend and bandmate, Bryan S...
Jon Hassell, Famed Avant-Garde Composer, Dies at 84
Jon Hassell, the influential composer and trumpet player who pioneered the “fourth world” has died at the age of 84. His family confirmed the news of his death in a statement on his social media platforms. “After a little more than a year of fighting through health complications, Jon died peacefully in the early morning hours of natural causes,” Hassell’s family wrote. In April 2020, a GoFundMe page was set up to help the composer and, as his family said in the statement of his death, the donations “will allow the tremendous personal archive of his music, much unreleased, to be preserved and shared with the world for years to come.” The Fourth World was described by Hassell as “a unified primitive/futuristic sound combining features of world ethnic styles with advanced electronic technique...
Gift of Gab, Blackalicious Rapper, Dies at 50
Timothy J. Parker, the Blackalicious rapper known as Gift of Gab, has died. Parker passed away on June 18, 2021 at the age of 50. The acclaimed rapper known for his nonpareil lyrical flow was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2014, undergoing dialysis several times a week even while on tour. On the last night of his Blackalicious tour, January 31, 2020, things were looking bright for Parker when he underwent a kidney transplant procedure successfully. Gift of Gab was one half of the Bay Area-based hip-hop duo with DJ/Producer Chief Xcel while Blackalicious itself was part of rap collective Quannum Projects, of which Parker was also a founding member. “It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother, Timothy J. Parker a.k.a. The Gift of Gab,” Quannu...
Veteran Screen Actor Clarence Williams III Has Died
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: CBS Photo Archive / Getty Clarence Williams III, an actor with credits that stretch back to the late 1960s, has passed away. Williams found fame early but is perhaps most notable for playing intense and eccentric characters while in possession of a most unique voice. As shared in a report from Deadline, Williams, a native of New York City, found fame as the imposing yet suave police detective Linc Hayes on the hit series, The Mod Squad. The show began its five-season run in 1968, establishing Williams as a star to watch out for. In the later stages of his career, Williams made unforgettable turns as Prince’s father in Purple Rain, and hammed it up alongside Dave Chappelle in the stoner cult classic, Half Baked. Williams also starred in 52 Pick-Up, Reindee...
