Rory Gallagher’s former drummer Ted McKenna dead at 68
Paul J. White photo By Steve Newton Sad news for rock fans today. The music world is reeling right now at reports that drummer Ted McKenna–best known for his work […]
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Category Archives: obituaries
That time Motörhead’s “Fast” Eddie Clarke told me he just wanted to be a member of a really hot band
By Steve Newton The heavy-metal world is still in mourning after yesterday’s news that former Motörhead and Fastway guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke has passed away from pneumonia at the age […]
Rock producer Chris Tsangarides, known for his work with Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, and the Tragically Hip, dead at 61
By Steve Newton Sad news to report today. Chris Tsangarides–who produced such albums as Thin Lizzy’s Thunder and Lightning, Gary Moore’s Back on the Streets, and the Tragically Hip’s Fully […]
Rock and roll died today: Chuck Berry passes away at age 90
By Steve Newton The man often looked to as the originator of rock ‘n’ roll, Chuck Berry, died today at the age of 90. The singer-songwriter and guitar legend–best known […]
That time Greg Lake told me that what attracted diehard Emerson, Lake & Palmer fans to the band was “music”
By Steve Newton As you may have already heard, Greg Lake–one-third of the legendary seventies prog-rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer–died of cancer yesterday at the age of 69. I […]
Loved me some Leon
By Steve Newton Just when it seems like 2016 couldn’t get much worse–what with the recent death of Leonard Cohen and the election of Donald Trump–here comes some more sad […]
Blues-rock guitar great Lonnie Mack, idol of Stevie Ray Vaughan, dies at 74
By Steve Newton The music world is still in heavy mourning, trying to come to grips with the shocking news of Prince’s death today. But the pop legend from Minneapolis wasn’t […]
Prog-rock legend Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer dies at 71
By Steve Newton It’s a very sad day for fans of progressive rock. Keith Emerson, founding member and keyboardist for British trio Emerson, Lake & Palmer, died last night […]
Eagles singer-guitarist Glenn Frey dies at 67
By Steve Newton It’s been a rough few weeks for music fans with the deaths of Lemmy Kilmister and David Bowie, and things aren’t getting any better. Legendary country-rock band […]
Mott the Hoople drummer Dale “Buffin” Griffin dies from Alzheimers at 67
By Steve Newton The drummer from one of my fave bands of the ’70s has passed away. Dale “Buffin” Griffin, a founding member of Mott the Hoople, died peacefully in […]
Remembering David Bowie in the seventies
By Steve Newton Talk about a shocker. Got up at the usual 7 this morning, realized there was no instant coffee–and no wife awake to make me a latte–so […]
Metal world mourns death of Motörhead mainman Lemmy Kilmister
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT. COM, DEC. 28, 2015 By Steve Newton The heavy-metal world is in mourning tonight as one of its most beloved figures has passed away. Lemmy Kilmister, […]
Bass-guitar legend Chris Squire of Yes dead at 67
By Steve Newton Sad news for music fans today. Chris Squire, bassist for British prog-rock legends Yes, passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, last night. He had been suffering from a […]
R.I.P. B.B. King: the nicest bluesman I ever met
By Steve Newton As you’ve most likely heard by now, B.B. King, the beloved “King of the Blues”, passed away last night at the age of 89. He was receiving […]
Former Elf and Rainbow bassist Craig Gruber dies of prostate cancer at 63
Rainbow 1975, L-R: Soule, Dio, Gruber, Blackmore, Driscoll By Steve Newton Craig Gruber, former bassist for ’70s rock acts Elf and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, passed away yesterday after a battle […]
Lynyrd Skynyrd founding member Bob Burns dies in car crash at 64
By Steve Newton Sad news for Southern-rock fans–and Lynyrd Skynyrd freaks, in particular. Original Skynyrd drummer Bob Burns–who played drums on the band’s first two albums–died last night after a single-car […]
Sax great Bobby Keys was much more than a sideman for the Stones
Bobby Keys passed away this morning at the age of 70 after battling cirrhosis. He was best known as the saxophonist for the Rolling Stones, having blasted out that unforgettable […]
Remembering the Commodore’s Drew Burns: Best. Promoter. Ever.
By now most everyone who follows the Vancouver music scene has heard the sad news about the passing of local concert-biz legend Drew Burns. The longtime proprietor of the Commodore Ballroom died […]
Marilyn Burns, star of the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, dies at 65
Some sad news out of Texas today. Marilyn Burns–star of the groundbreaking fright flick Texas Chain Saw Massacre–died yesterday in her Houston home of undisclosed causes. She was 65. Burns […]
R.I.P. Johnny Winter, one of the world’s all-time greatest guitarists, dead at 70
Just heard in a tweet from Nanaimo blues-rocker David Gogo that blues legend Johnny Winter has died. The awful news was first broken a few hours ago by Jenda Derringer, […]
News of Angel City singer Doc Neeson’s death gets the Newt sadly typing
Just noticed an e-mail from fellow Vancouver rock writer “Big Al” MacInnis relaying the sad news that Doc Neeson, the singer from Angel City–or the Angels, as they were called in […]
H.R. Giger rocked my world with the Alien monster and the Brain Salad Surgery cover
I was shocked and saddened to hear that revered Swiss artist H.R. Giger passed away yesterday at the age of 74, apparently after a fall. I got my first look at his […]
Blue Öyster Cult cofounder Allen Lanier dead at 67
Lanier (far left) in a B.O.C. promo shot from the ’70s, which they ruled. ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 15, 2013 Sad news for fans of one of the greatest […]
Former David Bowie bassist Trevor Bolder dies of cancer at 62
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MAY 21, 2013 First we got the sad news yesterday that former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek had died from cancer at the age of 74. Now […]
Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell dead at 56
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 28, 2009 By Steve Newton Original Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell died early this morning at his home in Orange Park, Florida, apparently due to […]
Legendary guitar creator Les Paul dies
Ir ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 13, 2009 Les Paul, famed guitar player and creator of the solid-body Gibson guitar that bears his name, died today (August 13) at the […]
Metal legend Ronnie James Dio dead at 67
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MAY 16, 2010 Heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with Rainbow and Black Sabbath, passed away today at the age of […]
