Musician Deaths That Should Have Been More Memorable.
By Edtrader Oct. 16th, 2021
There have been so many musicians who left this world but left behind an impact. Ones that are studied and their lives celebrated. However, there are so many that are overlooked.
There have been so many musicians who left this world but left behind an impact. Ones that are studied and their lives celebrated. However, there are so many that are overlooked.
#6. Minnie Riperton.
When music stars stand up and speak for breast cancer, they are following in the footsteps of Minnie Riperton. Minnie began her career singing backup for legends like Etta James, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Walters. She would later reach gold status with her solo album, Perfect Angel. The last single from that album, Lovin' You, even made it to #1.
Unfortunately, her career was cut short by breast cancer. After finding out she was hit with this horrible disease, she continued to tour. But most importantly, she became a spokesperson for breast cancer and black women. Outside of interviews, her biggest TV outreach efforts were commercials and a Tonight Show appearance. On August 24th, 1976 (guest host Flip Wilson), she was very open about her cancer. This was a time when that wasn't an everyday thing. In return for her services as the first black national spokesperson, President Jimmy Carter presented her with the American Cancer Society Courage Award.
Despite surgeries, the cancer spread, and she passed away. She was in her husband's arms and listening to a song Stevie Wonder recorded for her. Following her death, her husband, Richard Rudolph, founded The Minnie Riperton Fund in her honor. Which has since brought in over a million dollars towards breast cancer research.
Unfortunately, her career was cut short by breast cancer. After finding out she was hit with this horrible disease, she continued to tour. But most importantly, she became a spokesperson for breast cancer and black women. Outside of interviews, her biggest TV outreach efforts were commercials and a Tonight Show appearance. On August 24th, 1976 (guest host Flip Wilson), she was very open about her cancer. This was a time when that wasn't an everyday thing. In return for her services as the first black national spokesperson, President Jimmy Carter presented her with the American Cancer Society Courage Award.
Despite surgeries, the cancer spread, and she passed away. She was in her husband's arms and listening to a song Stevie Wonder recorded for her. Following her death, her husband, Richard Rudolph, founded The Minnie Riperton Fund in her honor. Which has since brought in over a million dollars towards breast cancer research.
#5. Alan Jackson Jr (1935-1975)
Not the son of the country music legend! But rather the greatest soul and R&B drummer ever. There are very few 'black' classic songs from 1965–1975 that Al didn't provide the beats for. Some of the bigger names he's played for include Al Green, Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave, Albert King, Tina Turner, Bill Withers, and white artists like Eric Clapton.
When one looks at the evolution of the music industry, Stax Records is one of the top players. A place where soul, R&B, and blues music could get a studio that recorded what they wanted to play. But more importantly, race didn't play a factor in the music. The MGs, including Al, were a group of session musicians that did the music for most of the artists that came through the studio. Including the artist listed above.
One of the things that makes him stand out from other drummers is how small his drum kit is. Usually one bass drum, one rack and two rack toms, and two 18-inch cymbals. Fellow MG players commented that he could easily sit in on anything being played. And quickly fit the appropriate grove.
He's a drummer that most fans don't know of, but musicians feel his influence. Cementing him to newer generations with articles in today's music magazines like Modern Drummer and Drummer World. Unfortunately, in 1975, he was killed by an unknown shooter. Allegedly the boyfriend of his soon-to-be divorced wife.
Not the son of the country music legend! But rather the greatest soul and R&B drummer ever. There are very few 'black' classic songs from 1965–1975 that Al didn't provide the beats for. Some of the bigger names he's played for include Al Green, Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave, Albert King, Tina Turner, Bill Withers, and white artists like Eric Clapton.
When one looks at the evolution of the music industry, Stax Records is one of the top players. A place where soul, R&B, and blues music could get a studio that recorded what they wanted to play. But more importantly, race didn't play a factor in the music. The MGs, including Al, were a group of session musicians that did the music for most of the artists that came through the studio. Including the artist listed above.
One of the things that makes him stand out from other drummers is how small his drum kit is. Usually one bass drum, one rack and two rack toms, and two 18-inch cymbals. Fellow MG players commented that he could easily sit in on anything being played. And quickly fit the appropriate grove.
He's a drummer that most fans don't know of, but musicians feel his influence. Cementing him to newer generations with articles in today's music magazines like Modern Drummer and Drummer World. Unfortunately, in 1975, he was killed by an unknown shooter. Allegedly the boyfriend of his soon-to-be divorced wife.
4. Joe Meek. (1929-1967)
In the music business, a record producer is just as important as the artists themselves. Joe Meek was one of the first music producers to experiment with more than just recording a band and putting it on record. Joe Meek first gained experience as an audio engineer for an independent radio production company. Lending his talents to Parolphone Records to engineer a single for Humphrey Lyttelton.
He would go on to design and run the Lansdowne studio that did the first James Bond themes. Tired of other people's studios, he founded his own studio. Creating many recording techniques that are still used today. Things such as recording instruments separately. Making his own spring equipment to do reverb on vocals by using a spring unit. All of this was processed on his home-made audio equipment.
Other studios were tightly held by straight-forward producers. But Meek was really carefree in his realm. Noted musicians like Jimmy Page cited Joe as an influence on the sound of their famous bands. Regretfully, he turned down the chance to produce one of The Beatles albums.
Another first that Joe was responsible for was writing and producing an instrumental track titled Telstar. With a backing band, The Tornadoes, this was the first British group to reach #1 on the US charts. A French composer filed a lawsuit, claiming the song was really his. That kept Joe from making any money off of his hit. The suit would go in Joe's favor. But that wouldn't come until after his death.
He did all of this at a time when homosexuals such as himself could be arrested in Britain. Do You Come Here Often also by The Tornadoes is often cited as the first out-and-about gay song. Joe committed suicide in 1967 after killing his landlord.
His work has nevertheless carried on through the years. In 1993, a line of audio processing equipment was named Joemeek after his legacy. The Music Producers Guild created the Joe Meek Award for producers that excel in innovation. In 2008, there was a recovered stash of Meek's. A chest full of unreleased recordings of the likes of David Bowie, Tom Jones, and Ritchie Blackmore. Which saw a sale of 400,000 British pounds.
In the music business, a record producer is just as important as the artists themselves. Joe Meek was one of the first music producers to experiment with more than just recording a band and putting it on record. Joe Meek first gained experience as an audio engineer for an independent radio production company. Lending his talents to Parolphone Records to engineer a single for Humphrey Lyttelton.
He would go on to design and run the Lansdowne studio that did the first James Bond themes. Tired of other people's studios, he founded his own studio. Creating many recording techniques that are still used today. Things such as recording instruments separately. Making his own spring equipment to do reverb on vocals by using a spring unit. All of this was processed on his home-made audio equipment.
Other studios were tightly held by straight-forward producers. But Meek was really carefree in his realm. Noted musicians like Jimmy Page cited Joe as an influence on the sound of their famous bands. Regretfully, he turned down the chance to produce one of The Beatles albums.
Another first that Joe was responsible for was writing and producing an instrumental track titled Telstar. With a backing band, The Tornadoes, this was the first British group to reach #1 on the US charts. A French composer filed a lawsuit, claiming the song was really his. That kept Joe from making any money off of his hit. The suit would go in Joe's favor. But that wouldn't come until after his death.
He did all of this at a time when homosexuals such as himself could be arrested in Britain. Do You Come Here Often also by The Tornadoes is often cited as the first out-and-about gay song. Joe committed suicide in 1967 after killing his landlord.
His work has nevertheless carried on through the years. In 1993, a line of audio processing equipment was named Joemeek after his legacy. The Music Producers Guild created the Joe Meek Award for producers that excel in innovation. In 2008, there was a recovered stash of Meek's. A chest full of unreleased recordings of the likes of David Bowie, Tom Jones, and Ritchie Blackmore. Which saw a sale of 400,000 British pounds.
#3. Bert Berns (1929-1967) Ahmet Erteguns (1923-2006)
These two have a unique connection. Bert Berns has been nicknamed 'The Man Behind 51 Pop Hits'. Bert is one of the most overlooked songwriters and producers of all time. His name goes under the radar, but Sir Paul McCartney himself said that Bert's name should be elevated to its rightful place.
After a bout with rheumatic fever, he was plagued with heart problems. So, his life was all but certain to be short. But he filled it with a long-lasting legacy. His first career was that of a mambo dancer. It's good enough that he found employment in Cuba. Returning to the States, he found work at a brill company. Based on a 50-dollar-a-week salary, Bert began his career writing for Robert Mellin Music. Which his pen wrote classics like Twist And Shout for the The Isley Brothers. Which was also a hit for The Beatles. Cry Baby and Piece Of My Heart which Janis Joplin and her band had hits with. Rolling Stone magazine placed him as #64 on the 100 greatest songwriters of all time.
Eventually, he earned his way up to being a stock producer for Atlantic Records. Where he continued to write and produce hits for Solomon Burke, Ben E. King, The Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett, and The Drifters (wrote Under The Boardwalk), With the rise of British bands recording his songs, he found his services were needed in London. Being the first American producer to work in England.
After a few years with Atlantic Records, he formed his own record company, Bang Records. Using his talents for the likes of Van Morrison and Neil Diamond. Behind the scenes, he has been caught playing The Godfather the home game. As his ex-partners hired mafia henchmen to 'push his buttons'. While Bert countered by bringing in his mob friend, Thomas Eboli. The future boss of the Genovese family.
His biggest connection to the history of music was that he introduced Jimmy Page to Atlantic Records. Namely, Ahmet Erteguns who was co-founder and then president of Atlantic. Ahmet was the one who signed Led Zeppelin a few months after Bert's death. Ahmet's death led to another milestone in history. In 2007, a tribute to Ahmet had Led Zeppelin perform their only full concert since their 1980 breakup.
After a bout with rheumatic fever, he was plagued with heart problems. So, his life was all but certain to be short. But he filled it with a long-lasting legacy. His first career was that of a mambo dancer. It's good enough that he found employment in Cuba. Returning to the States, he found work at a brill company. Based on a 50-dollar-a-week salary, Bert began his career writing for Robert Mellin Music. Which his pen wrote classics like Twist And Shout for the The Isley Brothers. Which was also a hit for The Beatles. Cry Baby and Piece Of My Heart which Janis Joplin and her band had hits with. Rolling Stone magazine placed him as #64 on the 100 greatest songwriters of all time.
Eventually, he earned his way up to being a stock producer for Atlantic Records. Where he continued to write and produce hits for Solomon Burke, Ben E. King, The Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett, and The Drifters (wrote Under The Boardwalk), With the rise of British bands recording his songs, he found his services were needed in London. Being the first American producer to work in England.
After a few years with Atlantic Records, he formed his own record company, Bang Records. Using his talents for the likes of Van Morrison and Neil Diamond. Behind the scenes, he has been caught playing The Godfather the home game. As his ex-partners hired mafia henchmen to 'push his buttons'. While Bert countered by bringing in his mob friend, Thomas Eboli. The future boss of the Genovese family.
His biggest connection to the history of music was that he introduced Jimmy Page to Atlantic Records. Namely, Ahmet Erteguns who was co-founder and then president of Atlantic. Ahmet was the one who signed Led Zeppelin a few months after Bert's death. Ahmet's death led to another milestone in history. In 2007, a tribute to Ahmet had Led Zeppelin perform their only full concert since their 1980 breakup.
#2. Johnny Ace. (1929-1954)
Gaining the most traction with the malt shop favorites My Song, The Clock, and Pledging My Love. Johnny was the first music artist to have an R&B song score big on the Billboard charts. In fact, he was the first R&B artist to win Billboard's triple crown. Meaning a song was #1 in its genre, most played on jukeboxes, and most sold in stores.
But he ultimately will have the 'What could have been' tag on his name. He died from an accident that was totally his fault. As a joke, he would often fire off this 22-caliber revolver. Poor road signs across the country had bullet holes. On December 25th, 1954, he was performing at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas. Big Mama Thornton's bass player told the story that Johnny held this gun to his head, thinking it was empty. Then, bang, he was dead.
White musicians the likes of Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, and David Allen Coe claim him to be an influence on them. With company like that, how can anyone deny he was an influence on music?
Gaining the most traction with the malt shop favorites My Song, The Clock, and Pledging My Love. Johnny was the first music artist to have an R&B song score big on the Billboard charts. In fact, he was the first R&B artist to win Billboard's triple crown. Meaning a song was #1 in its genre, most played on jukeboxes, and most sold in stores.
But he ultimately will have the 'What could have been' tag on his name. He died from an accident that was totally his fault. As a joke, he would often fire off this 22-caliber revolver. Poor road signs across the country had bullet holes. On December 25th, 1954, he was performing at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas. Big Mama Thornton's bass player told the story that Johnny held this gun to his head, thinking it was empty. Then, bang, he was dead.
White musicians the likes of Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, and David Allen Coe claim him to be an influence on them. With company like that, how can anyone deny he was an influence on music?
#1. Klaus Nomi. (1944 - 1983)
Klaus Sperber, aka Klaus Nomi, was a German-born countertenor. Klaus is someone who would be on the same page as such performance artists as David Bowie. David would even hire Nomi to sing backup on his SNL performance. He was able to mix opera, shock rock, synthpop, and avant-garde in a musical situation that still leaves his fans in awe. Klaus was clearly going bald, but he used hairstyles that would use his receding hairline for effect. He gained a following and had the potential to grow in whatever direction he wanted to go. However, he would be one of the first celebrities to die of a new disease called AIDS.
As the disease progressed, outbreaks of Kaposi's sarcoma began to show on his neck. He incorporated a baroque period outfit with a full collar that would cover those sores. Klaus passed away on August 6th, 1983, at the Sloan Kettering Hospital Center in New York. There are a few fans who say it's possible he faked his death. But overall, he's a figure who left his fans wanting more. And saddened that they will never get that. Recently, he was the subject of a documentary entitled Nomi's Song.
His impact is still felt today, as the likes of Lady Gaga channel him as an inspiration. Also, the fashion world often recites his name. Such fashion experts as Jean-Paul Gaultier keep his impact solid in that world.
Klaus Sperber, aka Klaus Nomi, was a German-born countertenor. Klaus is someone who would be on the same page as such performance artists as David Bowie. David would even hire Nomi to sing backup on his SNL performance. He was able to mix opera, shock rock, synthpop, and avant-garde in a musical situation that still leaves his fans in awe. Klaus was clearly going bald, but he used hairstyles that would use his receding hairline for effect. He gained a following and had the potential to grow in whatever direction he wanted to go. However, he would be one of the first celebrities to die of a new disease called AIDS.
As the disease progressed, outbreaks of Kaposi's sarcoma began to show on his neck. He incorporated a baroque period outfit with a full collar that would cover those sores. Klaus passed away on August 6th, 1983, at the Sloan Kettering Hospital Center in New York. There are a few fans who say it's possible he faked his death. But overall, he's a figure who left his fans wanting more. And saddened that they will never get that. Recently, he was the subject of a documentary entitled Nomi's Song.
His impact is still felt today, as the likes of Lady Gaga channel him as an inspiration. Also, the fashion world often recites his name. Such fashion experts as Jean-Paul Gaultier keep his impact solid in that world.