March was a pretty hectic month for the Reaper, who claimed the last of a great trio and a great duo.
Outside music deaths, we lost Stephen Hubbert, the actor and TV writer who played the masked Gimp who had to be brought out in Pulp Fiction. Apparently his role inspired the name for the image manipulation software GIMP. Also leaving us was actor James Tolkan, who played principal Mr Strickland in Back To The Future. Many people, good people, also paid their respects to Robert Mueller.
And I lost one of my dogs on March 30. He was 12 and riddled with arthritis. He had the sweetest character but was also a fierce protector. Putting down a dog is never easy, but that day doing so was an act of mercy…
The Last Walker
With the death at 83 of Gary Walker (or Gary Leeds), all three Walker Brothers are now gone. John left us in 2011, Scott in 2919. Gary was the youngest member of the trio, none of whom were actually brothers.
Born in California in 1942, Gary had already gained experience as a member of The Standells (leaving them before they had hits) and touring with major acts such P.J. Proby. In 1965 he joined the Walker Brothers, joining vocalists Scott Engel and John Maus. The group soon became one of the biggest pop sensations of the era, particularly in the UK, where their orchestral pop sound, dramatic image and good looks attracted a strong teenage following, without losing credibility.
The Walker Brothers scored several hits, including Make It Easy On Yourself, My Ship Is Coming In, and especially The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore (which featured just recently on Any Major Hits from 1966). Scott Walker’s powerful baritone dominated the group’s songs; Gary contributed as drummer/percussionist and occasional vocalist.
He had more outings as a solo singer, even during the Walker Brothers era. Many of them were produced by Scott Walker. Two of them reached the UK Top 30 in 1966.
After the Walker Brothers first split in 1967, Gary Walker formed his own band, Gary Walker & The Rain, which enjoyed some success in Japan. The Walker Brothers reunited in the mid-1970s, and had a big UK hit with No Regrets in 1975.
The Other Half
And talking of acts wiped out by the Reaper, both of soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts are now gone. Dash Crofts has died at the age of 85, Jim Seals departed in June 2022.
Born as Darrell George Crofts in Texas, in 1940, Dash grew up in a musical family and became proficient mullti-instrumentalist. His played with local bands when he met Seals. The two first worked together in The Champs, who had a global instrumental hit with Tequila before the two joined.
Seals and Crofts formed their own partnership in the late 1960s, with Crofts’ high tenor complementing Seals’ lower register. Both men also played instruments on their records; Crofts contributed drums, mandolin and keyboards.
Seals & Crofts found success in the early and mid-1970s with laid back hits like Summer Breeze (later covered to superb effect by The Isley Brothers), Diamond Girl, We May Never Pass This Way (Again), I’ll Play For You, Get Closer and the discofied You’re The Love, which featured on Any Major Disco Vol2. Pop Edition.
Both men were adherents of the Baháʼí faith, and their lyrics often reflected themes of unity, peace and spiritual searching.
By the end of the 1970s, their chart success had declined. They split amicably in 1983, and reunited in the 1990s and in 2004. Crofts released one solo album, titled Today, in 1998.
Crofts found a career outside music in breeding Arabian horses on his Texas farm, while Seals became a coffee farmer in Costa Rica.
The Activist
No sooner had I finished preparing the Any Major Peace anti-war mix than closing performer Country Joe McDonald died at the age of 84.
McDonald was one of the most distinctive protest voices of the 1960s, blending his folk, rock and blues with astute political satire. His defining moment was at Woodstock in 1969, where he and his band, The Fish (named after lead guitarist) Barry Melton), performed the anti-war anthem I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag. Introduced with his infamous “Fish Cheer”, now adapted to an expletive, the song was both witty and scathing in its condemnation of war and the political leadership that made war.
Born Joseph Allen McDonald in 1942 in Washington, D.C., and raised in California, he first gained prominence as the leader of Country Joe & The Fish, a band that emerged from the San Francisco psychedelic scene. They were among the nine acts who performed at both the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and at Woodstock.
After the breakup of his band in 1971, McDonald pursued a solo career that explored folk, country and historical themes, including tributes to soldiers and reflections on American identity. He was a dedicated activist for veterans, making it clear that his anti-war position targeted politicians, generals and the arms manufacturing complex, not the guys in the trenches.
McDonald was also an activist for environmental causes, such as Geenpeace and Save the Whale.
Throughout his career, McDonald had a reputation for independence, resisting commercial pressures in favour of artistic and political authenticity. In that way, he was the Boomer generation’s version of Woody Guthrie, the man to whom McDonald dedicated his debut solo album in 1969.
And that nickname, Country Joe? Apparently McDonald was thus dubbed because his namesake, Joseph Stalin, was known as “Country Joe” during World War II.
The Keys Man
Though he wasn’t the most visible member of Ambrosia, Christopher North’s keyboard work was central to Ambrosia’s blend of prog-rock and radio-friendly AOR.
North was a founding member of the band, alongside David Pack, Joe Puerta and Burleigh Drummond. Ambrosia broke through in 1975 with their eponymous debut album, which spawned the hit single Holdin’ On To Yesterday.
It won a Grammy for the sound engineering by Alan Parsons, who went on to produce their follow-up. In return, all four members of Ambrosia, including North, appeared on Parson’s debut album, Tales Of Mystery And Imagination. North also played organ and piano on Chuck Girard’s hit songs Galilee and Rock ‘n’ Roll Preacher (we lost Girard in August last year).
During the recording in 1977 of the Life Beyond L.A. album, North left the band, due to burnout, family obligations, and musical differences. The break didn’t last long — North re-joined in 1978 — but it meant that he didn’t play on the hit How Much I Feel.
He did, however, play on other Ambrosia classics, such as the majestic Biggest Part Of Me, with its lovely keyboard intro, and You’re The Only Woman, which features a nice organ solo by North.
Ambrosia split in 1982 and reunited in 1989; North remained a member until his death on March 30 at the age of 75.
The Producer
Born in London in 1944, producer Mike Vernon was one of the most influential figures in the development of British blues and blues-rock during the 1960s and 1970s, also as a label executive and recording studio owner.
Among his most notable early productions were recordings by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, including the landmark 1966 album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, which became a defining record of the genre and helped establish Clapton as a notable guitarist.
In 1968 Vernon founded the pioneering blues label Blue Horizon Records, which quickly became a platform for British and US blues artists. The label released influential recordings by acts such as Fleetwood Mac in its original Peter Green era, a young David Bowie, as well as American blues figures whom Vernon admired and championed.
Among the recordings he produced were Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross (a UK #1) and Black Magic Woman, Chicken Shack’s I’d Rather Go Blind (with future Mac star Christine McVie on lead vocals), and Dutch band Focus’ Hocus Pocus.
Later he produced acts like the Dr Feelgood, The Climax Blues Band, Level 42, and Roachford (including their 1989 hit Cuddly Toy)
Vernon was a member (as Eric Rondo) and producer of rock & roll revivalists Rocky Sharpe & The Replays, who had a hit in 1978 with a cover of The Edsel’s Rama Lama Ding Dong, and played percussions as a member of the funk band The Olympic Runners. In 1972, Vernon released a solo album, Moment Of Madness.
In the early 1970s, Vernon established his own recording facility, Chipping Norton Recording Studios, which went on to become a hit factory, with UK chart-toppers like Bay City Rollers’ Bye Bye Baby, Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street, Kajagoogoo’s Too Shy, Fairground Attraction’s Perfect and more.
The Hit Writer
The younger brother of actor Jon Voight and uncle of Angelina Jolie, Chip Taylor wrote two stone-cold pop classics: Wild Thing, the three-chord anthem made famous by The Troggs, and Angel Of The Morning, a hit first for Merrilee Rush and in 1981 for Juice Newton. Interestingly, he wrote the songs not for the acts who had the hits with them (see The Originals: The Classics and The Originals: The 1980s for more info on those songs).
Born James Wesley Voight in 1940, Chip first tried his hand at becoming a golfer, like his father, Elmer Voight. But he soon realised that he didn’t have dad’s talents, so Chip turned to music instead. He released a string of singles, as Wes Voight and as Chip Taylor, throughout the late 1950s and early ’60s, to little commercial success.
But he did get a job as a songwriter for a New York publisher, and in that capacity he wrote those two classics, originally recorded by Jordan Christopher & The Wild Ones and Evie Sands respectively. Other hits he wrote included The Troggs’ Any Way That You Want Me, The Hollies’ I Can’t Let Go, and Cliff Richard’s On My Word.
In the 1970s, Taylor had a moderately successful recording career of his own as a country singer before taking up professional gambling. He was a successful gambler, but the addiction was also destructive. He later founded a self-help programme for gambling addicts.
Decades later he returned with a string of critically well-received albums, and collaborated with artists such as Carrie Rodriguez.
Major Tom’s Drummer
The creator of the martial drums and dramatic high hats on David Bowie’s Space Oddity has checked out. Terry Cox was already making himself a name as the drummer of the seminal British folk band Pentangle when he backed David Bowie on his self-titled 1969 album.
Born in 1937 in London, Cox first emerged on the British jazz scene in the early 1960s. He worked with leading figures such as Tubby Hayes and John Renbourn, as well as with blues great Alexus Korner. It was through Renbourn that Cox became a founding member of Pentangle in 1967.
As the drummer of Pentangle, Cox helped create a sound that fused traditional folk with jazz sophistication and improvisational flair. He would later back the band’s singer Bert Jansch and Renbourne on some solo efforts. Pentangle double-bassist Danny Thompson died in September last year.
After Pentangle’s initial split in 1973, Cox continued his work as a session drummer. He backed the likes of The Bee Gees, Elton John, the recently late Tucker Zimmerman, Linda Lewis, Scott Walker, Long John Baldry, Lynsey de Paul, Rick Springfield, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Cleo Laine and others.
The Metal Axeman
There were ten Motörhead members over the band’s existence of 40 years. With the death of long-time guitarist Phil Campbell, only four of them are still alive, and only one of them with a service of more than four years (drummer Mikkey Dee).
Campbell, variously also known as Zööm or Wizzö, joined the heavy metal legends in 1984, alongside fellow guitarist Michael “Würzel” Bursto, and remained till their break-up following Lemmy’s death in 2015. Their first appearance with Motörhead was in a February 1984 appearance in the British comedy TV series The Young Ones, which also was Phil Taylor’s final appearance in his first stint with the group.
Previously Campbell had founded a heavy metal band Persian Risk in 1979. After Motörhead he released some solo material and led Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, which included his three presumably legitimate sons.
The Rock & Roll Revivalist
On stage and TV appearances by British rock & roll revivalists Showaddywaddy, Trevor Oakes was seen playing the saxophone, but on record that instrument was played by a session musicians — Oakes played the guitar.
Oakes was a founding member of the band, which scored ten UK Top 10 hits between 1974-78 — one of many. Showaddywaddy was a fusion of two bands, Choise (which included Oakers and frontman Dave Bartram) and the Golden Hammers, which resulted in an eight-member band, with two lead singers, two guitarists, two bassists and two drummers.
Showaddywaddy’s thing was to revive old rock & roll hits with a glam sensibility, but their original material was written mostly by Oakes and Bartram, though their 1975 #13 hit Sweet Music was credited to the whole band.
Oakes retired from the band in 2009, due to ill health.
The Session Singer-Songwriter
In the late 1970s, session singer Tom Bahler wrote a song intended for Frank Sinatra, titled She’s Out Of My Life (which was not, he insisted about his ex-girlfriend Karen Carpenter). Sinatra never recorded it, but Michael Jackson did, and had a massive hit with it.
Before that, Bahler had written the Bobby Sherman hit Julie, Do Ya Love Me and Cher’s Living In A House Divided.
As a session singer, Bahler moved in the Wrecking Crew circles, most notably doing backing vocals for The Partridge Family. He and brother John tried their luck at a band called The Love Generation, with little success.
By the mid-1970s, Bahler was in Quincy Jones’ circle (hence the Jackson connection), and as such he arranged a couple of tracks on the Off The Wall album (Girlfriend and It’s The Falling In Love), and on some Quincy Jones albums, wrote for Quincy client George Benson, and was an associate producer of the We Are The World single.
The Nearly Stone
He might have become a Rolling Stone, but Ronnie Wood got the nod over Wayne Perkins to replace Mick Taylor. Still, Perkins got to play on a number of Stones tracks on the Black And Blue sessions, including Fool To Cry, Memory Motel, Hand Of Fate and Worried About You. The latter two featured his guitar solos; Worried About You would be held over for the 1981 Tattoo You album.
Alabama-born Perkins got to know the Stones through Eric Clapton, with whom he had become friends during his time with Leon Russell in the mid-1970s. Although still only 23-24 when he recorded with the Stones, Perkins was already experienced.
Starting out on the Muscle Shoals scene, he was invited by his friend Ronnie van Zandt to join Lynyrd Skynyrd. Perkins declined. Instead he formed the Smith Perkins Smith band (with brothers Steven and Tim Smith), releasing an album in 1972 and becoming Island Records’ first US act.
For label mates Bob Marley & The Wailers, Perkins did guitar overdubs on the 1973 album Catch a Fire, including on the classics Stir It Up and Concrete Jungle.
While having a fling with Joni Mitchell, he played on her 1974 album Court And Spark, most memorably providing the guitar solo on Car On A Hill (Larry Carlton did the bulk of the guitar work on the album).
Throughout the 1970s and ’80s Perkins did session work for the likes of P.F. Sloan, The Gap Band, Millie Jackson, John Prine, Dr Hook, Lynyrd Skynyrd (on one track, after all), Mac Davis, Delbert McClinton, Levon Helm, Glenn Frey, The Oak Ridge Boys, Al Green, Albert King, and others.
He released solo albums in 1995 and 2006.
The Tex-Mexer
As far as I can tell, the death at 85 of Augie Meyers has now wiped all members of the classic line-up of the Sir Douglas Quintet as well as Tex-Mex superband Texas Tornados.
As a member of the Sir Douglas Quintet, which Meyers co-founded with frontman Doug Sahm, his distinctive organ can be heard on hits like She’s About A Mover, Mendocino and Nuevo Laredo. After the band ended, Meyers recorded a string of solo albums. Over the years he backed acts like Bob Dylan, Tom Jones, Raul Malo and Tom Waits as a studio musician.
In 1990, Meyers co-founded the critically acclaimed Texas Tornados with Sahm, Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiménez and Miller “Speedy” Sparks. The latter two died last year.
As always, this post is reproduced in illustrated PDF format in the package, which also includes my personal playlist of the featured tracks. PW in comments.
Gary Walker, 83, singer, drummer, percussionist of The Walker Brothers, on March 1
The Walker Brothers – My Ship Is Coming In (1965)
Gary Walker – You Don’t Love Me (1966)
The Walker Brothers – No Regrets (1975)
Yukkie B, 56, Dutch rapper, on March 1
Bob Power, 74, hip hop and nu-soul producer and engineer, on March 1
Lonnie Liston Smith – Obsession (1990, as engineer)
Erykah Badu – On And On (1997, as co-producer)
J. Strauss, singer and musician with Swedish alt.rock band Morlocks, on March 1
Mike Vernon, 81, English producer, label executive and recording studio owner, on March 2
Fleetwood Mac – Albatross (1968, as producer)
Chicken Shack – I’d Rather Go Blind (1969, as producer)
Rocky Sharpe & The Replays – Rama Lama Ding Dong (1978, as member and producer)
Roachford – Cuddly Toy (1988, as producer)
Tom Bahler, 82, songwriter, arranger, session singer and author, on March 2
Partridge Family – I Think I Love You (1970, on backing vocals)
Gram Parsons – Kiss The Children (1973, on backing vocals)
George Benson – Love X Love (1980, on backing vocals)
Len Garry, 84, English musician with Beatles precursor The Quarrymen, on March 2
Cicero Blake, 90, soul singer, on March 3
Cicero Blake – Sad Feeling (1964)
Roy Book Binder, 82, blues musician, on March 3
Roy Book Binder – Waiting For A Train (1988)
Denney Goodhew, 73, jazz multi-instrumentalist, on March 4
Jacques Michel, 84, Canadian singer- songwriter, on March 5
Lee Turner, 89, pianist with vocal group The Dream Weavers, on March 5
The Dream Weavers – It’s Almost Tomorrow (1955, on piano)
Benjamin Biller, 46, bassist of German metal band Darkness, on March 5
Franco Vito Gaiezza, 66, Italian musician and writer, on March 6
Country Joe McDonald, 84, singer, songwriter, film composer, on March 7
Country Joe & The Fish – I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To Die Rag (1967, also as writer)
Country Joe & The Fish – Hang On (1970, also as writer)
Country Joe McDonald – I’m So Tired (1973, also as writer)
Walter Martino, 72, drummer of Italian rock band Goblin Legacy, on March 7
David Brigati, 85, pop singer, on March 7
Joey Dee & the Starliters – Peppermint Twist (Part 1) (1961, as member on lead vocals)
The Rascals – Finale-Once Upon A Dream (1968, as unofficial member on lead vocals)
Donny Fattah, 76, bassist of Indonesian rock band God Bless, songwriter, on March 7
Augie Meyers, 85, musician, songwriter, producer, label owner, on March 7
Sir Douglas Quintet – She’s About A Mover (1965, as member on organ)
Sir Douglas Quintet – Mendocino (1969, as member on organ)
Texas Tornados – (Hey Baby) Que Paso (1990, as member and co-writer)
Dilworth Karaka, 75, guitarist of NZ reggae band Herbs, songwriter, announced March 8
Dave Dobbyn with Herbs – Slice Of Heaven (1986)
Shane Rout, 53, drummer of Australian metal band Blood Duster, on March 8
Zeph Ellis (Dot Rotten), 37, British rapper, on March 8
Ed Sheeran feat. Dot Rotten – Goodbye To You (2011)
Gabba, guitarist of British punk band Chaos UK, announced March 9
Tommy DeCarlo, 60, singer of Boston (2007-26), on March 9
Blake Emmons, 81, Canadian country singer and TV presenter, on March 9
Zalek, 30, Colombian reggaeton singer, traffic collision on March 10
Fred Vigorito, 82, jazz musician and composer, on March 10
Bernie Lynch, 72, singer, musician, songwriter of Australian pop band Eurogliders, on March 12
Eurogliders – Heaven (Must Be There) (1984, also as co-writer and co-producer)
Iulian Vrabete, 70, bassist of Romanian rock band Holograf, on March 12
Keith Ingham, 84, British jazz pianist and bandleader, on March 12
John Alford, 54, British actor, singer, convicted sex offender, on March 13
Nashi Young Cho, 46, German jazz-folk musician and composer, traffic collision on March 13
Phil Campbell, 64, Welsh metal guitarist (Motörhead 1984-2015), on March 13
Persian Risk – Calling For You (1981, as member)
Motörhead – Deaf Forever (1986)
Wayne Perkins, 74, rock and R&B session guitarist, on March 14
Smith Perkins Smith – Save Me (1972, as member)
Joni Mitchell – Car On A Hill (1974, on guitar)
Rolling Stones – Worried About You (1981, guitar solo)
Paul Geremia, 81, blues musician, on March 14
Cinzia Oscar, 63, Italian singer and stage actress, on March 15
Dick Foley, 85, member of folk group The Brothers Four, on March 15
The Brothers Four – Greenfields (1960)
Irmeli Mäkelä, 83, Finnish pop singer, on March 15
Dolores Keane, 72, Irish folk singer, founding member of De Dannan, on March 16
John Prine with Dolores Keane – In A Town This Size (1999)
Bettina Köster, 66, German musician, singer, songwriter, producer, on March 17
Mania D. – Track 4 (as member [sort of] on saxophone)
Trevor Oakes, 79, the co-founder and guitarist of UK pop band Showaddywaddy, on March 18
Showaddywaddy – Sweet Music (1974, also as co-writer)
Showaddywaddy – When (1977)
Terry Cox, 89, British folk and rock drummer, on March 19
Pentangle – Travelling Song (1968, as member)
David Bowie – Space Oddity (1969, on drums)
Elton John – Rotten Peaches (1971, on drums)
Louie Louie, 63, Puerto Rican singer, musician, producer and actor, on March 20
Louie Louie – Sittin’ In The Lap Of Luxury (1990)
Daniel Buira, 54, drummer of Argentine rock band Los Piojos, on March 21
Steve Houben, 76, Belgian jazz saxophonist and flautist, on March 21
Ronnie Bowman, 64, bluegrass singer and bassist, traffic collision on March 22
Lonesome River Band – Sittin’ On Top Of The World (1991, as member)
Jerry Dee Lewis, rapper with hip hop pioneers Cold Crush Brothers, on March 23
Cold Crush Brothers – At The Dixie (1983)
Chip Taylor, 86, songwriter, singer, label owner, on March 23
The Troggs – Anyway That You Want Me (1966, as writer)
Merillee Rush & The Turnabouts – Angel Of The Morning (1968, as writer)
Chip Taylor – Early Sunday Morning (1975, also as writer)
Shinichiro Sato, 61, drummer of Japanese alt.rock band The Pillows, on March 23
Gino Paoli, 91, Italian singer-songwriter and politician, on March 24
Mina – Il Cielo In Una Stanza (1960, as writer)
Gino Paoli – Sapore di Sale (1963, also as writer)
Gameboy Tetris, 40, rapper with Estonian hip hop group 5miinust, suicide on March 24
Dash Crofts, 87, half of Seals & Crofts, songwriter, on March 25
Seals & Crofts – See My Life (1969)
Seals & Crofts – Diamond Girl (1973, also as co-writer)
Seals & Crofts – Goodbye Old Buddies (1976)
Mick Roberts, 57, singer of English indie-rock band Bridewell Taxis, on March 25
The Bridewell Taxis – Honesty (1990)
Ross the Boss, 72, heavy metal guitarist (Manowar, The Dictators), on March 26
Manowar – Gloves Of Metal (1983, as founding member and co-writer)
Ahmad Kaabour, 70, Lebanese singer, on March 26
Ahmad Kaabour – Ounadikom (2009)
Jon Dee Graham, 67, rock singer, guitarist and songwriter (The Skunks), on March 27
Jon Dee Graham – Big Sweet Life (1999)
Marinella, 87, Greek singer, on March 28
DJ Dan, 57, house music DJ and producer, on March 28
Matt Krupanski, drummer of hardcore band BoySetsFire, on March 28
Greg Elmore, 79, drummer of Quicksilver Messenger Service, on March 29
Quicksilver Messenger Service – Fresh Air (1970)
Quick Silver Messenger – Gypsy Lights (1975)
David Riondino, 73, Italian singer-songwriter, actor, comedian, on March 29
Christopher North, 75, keyboardist of soft-rock band Ambrosia, on March 30
Ambrosia – Holdin’ On To Yesterday (1975)
Chuck Girard – Rock n’ Roll Preacher (1975, on piano)
Ambrosia – You’re The Only Woman (1980)
Ambrosia – I Just Can’t Let Go (1997)
Walt Maddox, 88, singer with doo wop band The Marcels, on March 30
The Marcels – Summertime (1961)
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