Hail and Farewell 2021

Clockwise, from upper right, Don Everly, Dusty Hill, Graeme Edge, Les McKeown,
Michael Nesmith, Jay Black, Robby Steinhardt and Charlie Watts

It is that time once again, where I pay tribute to those we lost over the past year, 2021. In deciding who to include, I’ve followed the same formula as the past few years.  Again, these are the ones that I know about, and I may very well have missed someone.  The second factor is that I must know about them musically.  I either know the person, their song(s), or their band.  They are not listed here unless I am familiar with at least one of those three things.  At the end of the day, I kind of hate to say this, but I stick to the ones that I have music for in my library.

The Reaper wasted no time and struck on New Years Day, 2021, taking from us Mick Bolton, keyboardist for Mott the Hoople.  Ian Hunter, leader of the band posted this, upon hearing of his friend’s death: “Oh dear… Condolences to the family and friends of Mick Bolton – an excellent musician and sweet, lovable man.”  He was 72 years old.

We lost Gerry Marsden two days later, on January 3^rd.  It was Gerry, and his Pacemakers, that took us on that Ferry Cross the Mersey in 1964 and brought the Merseybeat sound to the world.  He was 78.

Phil Spector passed away on January 16. He was a producer but is worth mentioning in this list.  He created something called the “Wall of Sound,” and it became something of a trademark in his productions.  He produced records for the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner, the Ramones, and the Beatles, to mention but a few.  He died in prison, serving a 19 year to life sentence for murder.  He was 81.

We lost Dusty Hill on July 28^th.  He was one of the two “long beards” in ZZ Top, the other being Billy Gibbons.  He was rarely ever seen without his trademark sunglasses and hat.  He was 72 years old and active to the end.

What can I say about Charlie Watt that hasn’t already been said?  He was the drummer for the Rolling Stones, a founding member in 1963, and active all the way to his death, on August 24, 2021.  That’s a 68-year run as a band member.  He played his last concert just a few weeks before his death at age 80, an amazing feat, especially for a drummer.

The youngest on the list this year is Sarah Harding, who died September 5^th.  She was a vocalist with the girl group, Girls Aloud.  With that group, she acquired an impressive twenty consecutive top-ten singles.  We lost her too soon to breast cancer.  She was only 39.

Jay Black succumbed to pneumonia on October 22, at the age of 82.  He was the voice of so many hits of the early and middle ‘60s with Jay and the Americans.  In 2006, he filed bankruptcy after owing the IRS over $500,000, due to his gambling addiction. He was forced to sell the rights to his music, and Jay and the Americans, to settle the debt.

Michael Nesmith left this earth on December 10^th.  He was already an accomplished musician when he landed the TV role as one of the Monkees.  He was always upset that the producers of the show had no respect for the actors and their potential musical talents and abilities.  Case and point were when Michael had written a song and he wanted the Monkees to do it.  The producers said no and would not relent.  He gave the song to Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Ponies to record, and they took his song, Different Drum, all the way up to no. 13 on the Billboard charts.  Michael Nesmith was 78.

Here is the complete list of those we lost in 2021…

Mick Bolton, (died Jan. 1) keyboardist for Mott the Hoople (1948-2021)

Gerry Marsden, (died Jan. 3) lead singer for Gerry and the Pacemakers (1942-2021)

Michael Fonfara, (died Jan. 8) keyboardist for the Electric Flag and Lou Reed (1946-2021)

Tim Bogert, (Jan. 13) bassist for Vanilla Fudge (1944-2021)

Sylvain Sylvain, (Jan. 13) guitarist for the New York Dolls (1951-2021)

Phil Spector, (Jan. 16) Producer for many including the Beatles and Beach Boys (1939-2021)

Hilton Valentine, (Jan. 29) guitarist for the Animals (1943-2021)

Mary Wilson, (Feb.8) vocalist for the Supremes (1944-2021)

Richie Albright, (Feb. 9) drummer for Waylon Jennings (1939-2021)

Mark Morales (Prince Markie Dee), (Feb. 18) rapper with the Fat Boys (1968-2021)

Bunny Wailer, (Mar. 2) singer & percussionist for the Wailers (1947-2021)

Alan Cartwright, (Mar. 4) bassist for Procol Harum (1945-2021)

B.B. Dickerson, (Apr. 4) bassist and vocalist for War (1949-2021)

Rusty Young, (Apr. 14) frontman for Poco (1946-2021)

Mike Mitchell, (Apr. 16) guitarist for the Kingsmen (1944-2021)

Les McKeown, (Apr. 20) lead singer for the Bay City Rollers (1955-2021)

Joe Long, (Apr. 21) bassist for the Four Seasons (1932-2021)

John Hinch, (Apr. 29) drummer for Judas Priest (1947-2021)

B.J. Thomas, (May 29) singer/songwriter (1942-2021)

John Lawton, (Jun. 29) singer for Uriah Heep (1946-2021)

Jeff LaBar, (Jul. 14) guitarist for Cinderella (1963-2021)

Robby Steinhardt, (Jul. 17) violinist/singer for Kansas (1950-2021)

Joey Jordison, (Jul. 26) drummer for Slipknot (1975-2021)

Dusty Hill, (Jul. 28) bassist for ZZ Top (1949-2021)

Paul Cotton, (Aug. 1) guitarist for Poco (1943-2021)

Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, (Aug. 7) multiple instruments & vocals for Kool & the Gang (1951-2021)

Don Everly, (Aug. 21) one half of the Everly Brothers (1937-2021)

Brian Travers, (Aug. 22) saxophonist for UB40 (1959-2021)

Charlie Watts, (Aug. 24) drummer for the Rolling Stones (1941-2021)

Ron Bushy, (Aug. 29) drummer for Iron Butterfly (1941-2021)

Rickie Lee Reynolds, (Sep. 5) guitarist for Black Oak Arkansas (1949-2021)

Sarah Harding, (Sep. 5) vocalist for Girls Aloud (1981-2021)

Alan Lancaster, (Sep. 26) bassist for Status Quo (1949-2021)

George Frayne, (Sep. 26) better known as Commander Cody (and His Lost Planet Airmen) (1944-2021)

Jem Targal, (Oct. 8) singer and bassist for Third Power (1947-2021)

Jay Black, (Oct. 22) frontman for Jay and the Americans (1938-2021)

Sonny Osborne, (Oct. 29) one half of the Osbourne Brothers (1932-2021)

Graeme Edge, (Nov. 11) drummer for the Moody Blues (1941-2021)

Michael Nesmith, (Dec. 10) guitarist for the Monkees (1942-2021)

Please join me on Wednesday, January 5th, from 7:00 to 9:15 PM (note the extra 15 minutes) at a Woman’s Touch as we pay a final tribute to those, we lost in 2021, and wish them a fond, Hail and Farewell.

"If there's a rock and roll heaven, well you know they've got a hell of a band."

                                                                              The Righteous Brothers, 1973