Any Major Dude With Half A Heart

The Grim Reaper took it relatively easy the past month, but a few greats left us in September. I”ve already paid tribute to Hal David, but I was particularly saddened by the deaths of Lilian Lopez, lead singer of Odyssey, and Andy Williams, whose Christmas album is a holiday staple in our house. I was surprised to learn that until this month Oscar of Lonzo & Oscar still was with us; their I”m My Own Grandpa from the 1940s is a favourite of mine in the comedy song category.

Fans of The Originals will have a couple of songs to enjoy. From Joe South, who also wrote Games People Play, we feature Rose Garden, and from Sugar Boy Crawford we have a song which who wrote and first recorded, but would later become a hit as Iko Iko.

And in tribute to Motown songwriter and producer Frank Wilson we have Brenda Holloway”s original of You”ve Made Me So Very Happy, later appropriated by Blood, Sweat & Tears. Wilson was the man behind many Motown classics, including The Supremes” Love Child, Stoned Love and Nathan Jones, Stevie Wonder”s Castle In The Sand, The Four Tops” Still Waters (Love), Eddie Kendrick”s Keep On Truckin” and others.

The file deletions are becoming increasingly aggressive. So the songs listed below may be or may not be included in the file. The file is password-protected; you can find the PW in the comments section.

Hal David, 91, lyricist with Burt Bacharach a.o., on September 1
Dusty Springfield – This Girl”s In Love With You (1968)
Bobbie Gentry – I’ll Never Fall In Love Again (1969)
Carpenters – Bacharach David/Medley (1971)
Ronald Isley & Burt Bacharach – A House Is Not A Home (2003)

Sean Bergin, 64, South African jazz saxophonist and flautist, on September 1
Sean Bergin – You Ain’t Gonna Know Me (2006)

Vance Bockis, 51, singer-bassist of doom metal band The Obsession, on September 1

Mark Abrahamian, 46, guitarist of Starship (after 2001), on September 2

Lilian Lopez, 76, lead singer of Odyssey, on September 4
Odyssey – If You’re Looking For A Way Out (1980)
Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots (1981)

Joe South, 72, country and pop singer-songwriter, on September 5
Joe South – Rose Garden (1968)

Rollin “˜Oscar” Sullivan, 93, country musician (Lonzo and Oscar), on September 7
Lonzo & Oscar ““ Poppin” Bubble Gum (1948)

Dorothy McGuire, 84, member of The McGuire Sisters, on September 7
McGuire Sisters – Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight (1954)
McGuire Sisters – Rhythm ‘n’ Blues (Mama’s Got The Rhythm, Papa’s Got The Blues) (1955)

Roberto Silva, 92, Brazilian samba musician, on September 9

Steven Springer, 60, Trinidad-born guitarist, on September 10

Johnny Perez, 69, songwriter and drummer for the Sir Douglas Quintet, on September 11
Sir Douglas Quintet – Stagger Lee

Homer Joy, 67, country songwriter, on September 11
Dwight Yoakham & Buck Owens – Streets of Bakersfield (1988)

Obo Addy, 76, Ghanaian drummer, on September 13

Rebecca Dorsey, 54, actress and jazz singer, on September 14

James “˜Sugar Boy” Crawford, 77, R&B singer, on September 15
Sugar Boy Crawford & the Cane Cutters – Jock-A-Mo (1954)

José Curbelo, 95, Cuban-born jazz musician, on September 21

Andy Williams, 84, American singer and TV entertainer, on September 25
Andy Williams – Music To Watch Girls By (1966)
Andy Williams – The Look Of Love (1967)

Billy Barnes, 85, American composer and lyricist, on September 26

Frank Wilson, 71, songwriter and producer for Motown, on September 27
Brenda Holloway – You’ve Made Me So Very Happy (1967, as co-writer and producer)
Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations -Try It Baby (1967, as producer)
Four Tops ““ (It”s The Way) Nature Planned It (1972, as co-writer and producer)

Eddie Bert, 90, American jazz trombonist, on September 28
Woody Herman and his Orchestra – Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me (1943)
Charles Mingus Quintet – All The Things You Are In C Sharp (1955)

Larry Cunningham, 74, Irish country singer, on September 28

Hebe Camargo, 83, Brazilian samba and bolero singer, on August 29
Hebe Camargo РVoc̻ Quer Voltar (1952)

Raylene Rankin, 52, Canadian singer with the Rankin Family, on September 30
The Rankin Family – Rise Again (1993)

GET IT

 * * *

Previous In Memoriams

Keep up to date with dead pop stars on Facebook