South African singer and apartheid activist Miriam Makeba has died at 76, after performing a concert in Italy. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. Makeba was an internationally known star, often referred to as “Mama Africa,” who spent 31 years in exile after protesting agains South African apartheid. The BBC has the story.
Musician Mark Watson, 48, died in Tampa Bay, Fl. on September 28, after a long battle with cancer. He played with Tempus Fugit and The Marks plus other bands and was also a studio musician. The Courier-Journal has the obituary.
Blues guitarist Phil Guy, brother of Buddy Guy, died pf pancreatic cancer on August 20, 2008. The Chicago Tribune has the story.
Artie Traum, 65, folksinger and producer, died in Woodstock, NY, on Sunday, August 20, from liver cancer. He was a veteran of the Greenwich Village folk music scene of the Sixties and recorded with and produced many of the biggest names in the folk/rock scene, including Bela Fleck and the Band.
Jazz and pop singer Jo Stafford died in Century City, California, on July 16 at 90. Stafford had a long and notable singining career, beginning in the early Forties and lasting until her retirement in 1966. Her most famous song, “You Belong To Me,” was penned by Louisvillian Chilton Price, with some credit to Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart.
Louisville guitarist and Leadbelly scholar Harry C. Lewman, 58, died on Tuesday, July 9. In addition to performing in the Louisville area for many years, he wrote and published Lead Belly, no stranger to the blues, a compendium of 31 of Leadbelly’s most famous songs, annotated and scored for guitar. The Courier-Journal has his obituary.
Mel Galley, 60, British guitarist for Trapeze, Whitesnake and Phenomena, has died of cancer. The British publication Express and Starhas the story.
Greg Cason died Sunday, June 8, according to an email from Marvin Maxwell. More details to follow.
R&B singer Sean Levert, the son of O’Jays singer Eddie Levert and the brother of late R&B icon Gerald Levert,collapsed in a Cleveland jail where he was serving time for failing to pay child support. He later died at the hospital. United Press International has more.
Neil Aspinall British road manager of The Beatles and executive of Apple Corp, died March 24, 2008 of lung cancer in New York City.