respect...
august 2008
Pervis Jackson
b. Pervis Jackson, 17th May 1938, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
d. 18th August 2008, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
The bass vocalist with The Detroit Spinners, Pervis Jackson, has died. He was 70.
Pervis had been suffering from cancer.
Pervis' widow, Claudreen Jackson said her husband, died about 2 a.m. on Monday at Sinai-Grace.
She said the 70-year-old bass singer had been diagnosed two days previously with brain and liver cancer.
The doctors found tumors late in July, but were unsure at the time if they were malignant.
Pervis formed the bass vocal foundation for the Detroit based group. He was, additionally, one of the original members of the group.
His vocals can be distinctively heard on the Spinners tune 'Games People Play', with Pervis singing the line '12:45'.
Pervis last performed with other members of the group during July in California.
Jerry Wexler
b. Gerald 'Jerry' Wexler, 10th January 1917, New York City, New York State, U.S.A.
d. 15th August 2008, Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A.
Music producer, Jerry Wexler, has died at his home in Siesta Key, Florida, 15th August 2008, at the age of 91, from congestive heart failure. His life support machine had been turned off after his family were consulted.
check this link for a biography here on Jerry Wexler
Isaac Hayes
b. Isaac Lee Hayes Jnr., 20th August 1942, Covington, Tennessee, U.S.A.
d.10th August 2008, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Isaac Hayes has died at his home in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 65.
Shelby County Police were called to Mr Hayes' home after his wife found him unconscious on the floor near a still-running treadmill.
He was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, where he was pronounced dead at 2:08pm.
The cause of death was not immediately known.
"Family members believe at this point it is a medical condition that might have led to his death," a police spokesman said, adding Mr Hayes was being treated for "a number of medical issues".
Mr Hayes had suffered a stroke in 2006.
Isaac Hayes full biography at Soulwalking
july 2008
Hiram Bullock
b. 11th September 1955, Osaka, Japan
d. 25th July 2008, New York, U.S.A.
The jazz guitarist, Hiram Bullock has died. He was 53. Hiram was suffering from throat cancer.
Hiram was a member of Paul Shaffer's The Worlds Most Dangerous Band and The 24th Street Band.
He had worked with Marcus Miller, Carla Bley, David Sanborn, Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Burt Bacharach, Roberta Flack, Spyro Gyra, Eric Clapton, James Brown, Sting, Miles Davis, Phyllis Hyman, The Brecker Brothers, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Pete Townsend, Ruben Rada and Gil Evans, amongst others.
In 1986 Hiram released his first album for Atlantic Records called 'From All Sides', followed by the albums 'Give It What You Got' in 1987, and 'Way Kool' in 1990.
Kae Williams Jnr
b. Kae Williams Jr.(a.k.a. Ulysses Kae Williams Jr.), 7th March 1956, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
d. 11th July 2008, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Kae Williams Jnr, founder of the group Breakwater, has died. He was 52.
Breakwater signed to the Arista imprint and released two albums.
The first album, 'Breakwater' (1978), included 'Work It Out', 'You Know I Love You', 'No Limit' and 'Feel Your Way'.
Two years later, 'Splashdown' (1980) was the bands second album, which included 'Say You Love Me Girl', produced by Kae Williams and Rick Chertoff.
The group split up after leaving Arista.
Kae Williams became a freelance pianist, songwriter and producer.
'Say You Love Me Girl' was issued in the U.K. for the first time in 1986.
Following Breakwater, Kae moved to New York and took up session work, an early project being 'Rescue Me' for Sybil Thomas.
He also met Jacques Fred Petrus who offered him session keyboard work with Change, The Richie Family (co-writing 'I'll Do My Best For You') and B.B.& Q. (writing 'Imagination').
In 1981 he joined Timmy Allen from the group Change and other top session players to record an album as Hi-Gloss (including 'You'll Never Know') for the Prelude label.
He also wrote, arranged and produced all the songs on 'B.B.& Q.' ('Genie'), albums for Mason ('Mason'), and then half a solo album for Curtis Hairston, 'Curtis Hairston' (1986) who sang lead.
He then moved back to Philadelphia where to date he has worked with artists including Mason, lan Foster, the late Phyllis Hyman, the late George Howard, Miki Howard and other local acts.
kae williams snr.
Kae's father was Ulysses Kae Williams (1921-1987). He wrote 'Get A Job' for the group The Silhouettes.
Kae's family are, daughter, Renee Lovett; sons, Kae, III and Curtis Hartley, Jr. and a host of other loving relatives and many special friends.
The funeral service was held on Friday 18th July, 11 a.m. Viewing 9 to 11 a.m. at the Canaan Baptist Church, 5430 Pulaski Avenue, Phila. PA. Int. White Chapel Cem.
Earl Nelson
b. Earl Lee Nelson (a.k.a. Jackie Lee), 8th September 1928, Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.A.
d. 12th July 2008
Less than a year after the passing of Bob Relf, his singing partner in the duo Bob and Earl, Earl Lee Nelson, has died. He was 79.
Under his earlier name, Earl recorded a song called 'The Duck', using the pseudonym Jackie Lee.
Earl was a member of The Hollywood Flames, who recorded, 'Buzz Buzz Buzz' and the song 'Gee'.
Under the name Earl Nelson And The Pelicans, he recorded 'I Bow To You', and recoreded with The Voices, although Earl will be most fondly remembered as part of the duo Bob and Earl, recording 'Harlem Shuffle' and 'Baby It's Over'.
I would like to thank Mrs. Kelli S. Wafer for passing this information on to me. She is Earl's grand daughter. Respect to the family.
june 2008
Bill Coday
b. 10th May 1942, Coldwater, Mississippi, U.S.A.
d. 7th June 2008, Methodist University Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Bill Coday has passed away. He was 66.
His wife Anna stated that he was due to return to the recording studio on the Monday after his passing. Bill's funeral was sadly held on the same day.
Born in 1942 in Coldwater, Mississippi, Bill Coday spent his early years in Blytheville, Arkansas.
He relocated to Chicago in the early 1960's.
In 1963, he moved to Chicago, and in 1969 was discovered by the singer, and then Crajon label-owner, Denise LaSalle, while performing at the Black Orchid club under the name of Chicago Willie.
'Sixty Minute Teaser' was followed by the ballad 'You're Gonna Want Me' and 'Get Your Lie Straight'.
The latter track was later picked up by the Galaxy imprint, and was followed by two singles for that label, notably, 'When You Find A Fool, Bump His Head' (1971).
The same year Bill released 'Get Your Lies Straight' and his career really took off.
In 1972, a final release for Crajon, 'I'm Back To Collect', was coupled with a re-working of O.V. Wright's 'Jury Of Love (8 Men, 4 Women)', which was also recorded at the Royal Studios.
After Galaxy, Coday recorded a good single, 'I Don't Want To Play This Game', for Epic in 1975, which later featured on that label's 'Lost Soul' compilation album.
Bill then went on to record for Epic Records and Echo Records.
Four other previously unissued Coday sides appeared in the 80's on a now very rare Japanese Vivid Sound album, which also included the best of his released material.
He later set up his own label B & J records based in Memphis, Tennessee.
'You're Gonna Want Me' appeared on the 1992 UK Ace CD compilation of Galaxy masters, 'All Night Long They Played The Blues', four other of his Crajon / Galaxy tracks are on the 1993 UK Ace compilation 'Bad, Bad Whiskey', and his 1975 Epic 'Lost Soul' set is repeated on a 1994 part reissue of that collection under the same title from US Sony / Legacy.
In 1999, 'Put Me In The Mood' was released containing the highly popular 'She's In a Midnight Mood (In The Middle Of The Day)', which received extensive airplay on Jazz FM in the U.K.
'Memories' followed in 2000 on Ecko Records, followed by 'Love Gangster' in 2002.
Bill's funeral arrangements were handled by Wolfe Funeral Home on 7th Street in West Memphis.
Bo Diddley
b. Otha Ellas Bates, a.k.a. Ellas McDaniel, 30th December 1928, McComb, Mississippi, U.S.A.
d. 2nd June 2008, Archer, Florida, U.S.A.
Musician Bo Diddley has died at the age of 79. He died of heart failure in Florida, and had suffered a heart attack in August 2007, three months after suffering a stroke which affected his ability to speak.
Bo was a member of The Hipsters and Langley Avenue Jive Cats and was a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee, Mississippi Musicians Hall Of Fame Inductee, Washington Area Music Association's Hall Of Fame Inductee, Blues Hall Of Fame Inductee and North Florida Music Association's Hall Of Fame Inductee.
Bo Diddley rose to fame in 1955 and his hits included 'Who Do You Love', 'Before You Accuse Me', and 'Mona'.
His own style of guitar playing, he called the 'Bo Diddley beat' influenced rockers from Buddy Holly, to Bruce Springsteen and U2.
Born Ellas Otha Bates in Mississppi in 1928, he changed his name to McDaniel when he was adopted by his mother's cousin.
He moved with his new family to the South Side of Chicago where he acquired his Bo Diddley nickname at school.
In his teens, he trained as a boxer while regularly playing guitar on street corners when not in school. He built his first rectangular guitar, that was to become his hallmark, while still a student.
Later Bo performed at regular gigs at the 708 Club during 1951.
By 1955, he had signed to Leonard Chess's Checker label.
His first single, the classic 'Bo Diddley', reached number one on the R & B charts.
Bo's greatest pop successes came in 1959 when 'Say Man' hit the Top 20, and in 1962 when 'You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover' entered the Top 50.
Playing live, his group featured Jerome Green, Otis Spann, Billy Boy Arnold, Frank Kirkland, and, later, his half-sister 'The Duchess'.
Bo Diddley toured extensively throughout the 1960s and 70's.
He played with The Clash in 1979, introducing his sound to a new generation.
In the late 1980s, he toured with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood as The Gunslingers and released the album 'Live at the Ritz'.
In 1989, Bo appeared with baseball star Bo Jackson in a TV commercial for sports shoes, and in 1996, he released his first major album in two decades, 'A Man Amongst Men', with guest artists that included Ron Wood, Keith Richards and The Shirelles.
He also made some cameo appearances in movies playing a pawnbroker in the Eddie Murphy film 'Trading Places' and in 1998 he appeared in 'Blues Brothers 2000'.
may 2008
Jimmy McGriff
b. James Harrell McGriff Jnr., 3rd April 1936, Germantown, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
d. 24th May 2008, Voorhees, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Jimmy McGriff has died. He was 72 and was suffering from multiple sclerosis.
Jimmy was a master of the Hammond B3 Organ and also played bass, saxophone, drums, vibes and the piano.
He played alongside various artists in his career, including Charles Earland, Don Gardner, Arthur Prysock, Junior Parker, Buddy Rich, David 'Fathead' Newman and Carmen McRae.
Jimmy learned the piano by the age of five and as a teenager, he had learned to play vibes, alto sax, drums and the bass.
After joining the Army, he served as an MP during the Korean War and he later became a police officer in Philadelphia for two years.
Later educated by Richard 'Groove' Holmes, they recorded together on two occasions in 1973 for two Groove Merchant records.
Jimmy bought his first Hammond B-3 organ in 1956 and studied at New York's Juilliard School of Music.
He recorded a series of popular albums for the Sue label between 1962 and 1965 and when producer Sonny Lester started his Solid State record label in 1966, he recruited Jimmy.
Jimmy briefly retired from the music industry in 1972, and worked on his horse farm in Connecticut.
He returned to recording later in the decade, releasing several albums that suited the emerging fusion market at the time.
Jimmy later worked with Hank Crawford and experimented with the Hammond B3 into the new millennium, touring overseas on occasion.
april 2008
Al Wilson
b. 19th June 1939, Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.A.
d. 21st April 2008, Fontana, Nr. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Soul Singer Al Wilson has died. He was 68.
Reports state that he died due to kidney failure in a hospital in Fontana, a city about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
Al Wilson was not only a talented vocalist, he was also a drummer.
He moved from Mississippi to California in the late '50's, and sang with a group called The Rollers between 1960 to 1962, a San Bernardino-based quartet whose major claim to fame came in 1961 with 'The Continental Walk'.
Al was, also, a former member of the Jewels.
He was a member of Johnny Harris & the Statesmen in the mid-'60's, and then signed with Soul City in the late '60's.
Al then turned to solo recording, signing to the Soul City imprint, a label owned by the singer Johnny Rivers.
Al released his first single, 'The Snake', in 1968.
His biggest release arrived in 1974 with 'Show and Tell'.
The song spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hit 100 singles chart in January 1974 and was originally recorded by Johnny Mathis.
His song 'I've Got A Feeling (We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again)' reached number 3 in the R & B charts.
Al's last chart appearance came in 1979 with 'Count The Days'.
Lawrence Lloyd Brown Sr.
b. 5th November 1944, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
d. 6th April 2008, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Lawrence Lloyd Brown Sr., an original member of the group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, died on the 6th April 2008. He was 63.
He died on Sunday 6th of a respiratory condition, according to the Mitchum-Wilson Funeral Home.
Lawrence was still performing with the Blue Notes until January 2008, when he became ill while singing at a show in Chester.
Within the group set-up of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Lawrence remained the second tenor.
march 2008
Sean LeVert
b. 28th September 1968, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
d. 30th March 2008, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
Younger son of O'Jays lead singer Eddie LeVert, Sean LeVert, has died. He was 39.
His older brother, Gerald Levert, met an untimely death due to an accidental overdose of over the counter and prescription drugs in November of 2006.
Sean died, late evening, Sunday the 30th of March at the Lutheran Hospital after being
transported to the facility from the Cuyahoga County Jail.He had gone to the jail infirmary complaining he was sick and had been hallucinating reports state.
At the time Sean had been sentenced to one year and 10 months in jail for failing to pay $89,025 in child support.
He was a member of the family singing combo LeVert, who scored with 'Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop (Goes My Mind)' and the larger hit 'Casanova' (which was nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for best R & B performance by a duo or group with vocal and was also nominated for best R&B song).
Steven Howlett (a.k.a. Froggy)
b. Steven Howlett, 8th November 1948, United Kingdom.
d. 28th March 2008, United Kingdom.
The 'Mafia' Soul deejay, Froggy has passed away. He was 59 and died from a brain haemorrage.
He was married three times he is survived by a brother, two daughters and a son.
At this point in time, details are very scarce, although I have received confirmation from a site visitor who signed the guestbook at the website, along with reports arriving via Peter Young at Smooth FM and Ralph Tee at Expansion Records in the U.K.
If any site visitor has any further details, certainly regarding where Froggy passed away, and his place and date of birth, that would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
To the U.S. site visitor, unless you are a Soul artist whose heyday arrived during the Seventies and Eighties (and toured the U.K.), Froggy's name won't mean that much to you.
To the U.K. punter (especially the London based Soul fan) Froggy's deejay mixing talents became part of the rich tapestry of the U.K.'s Soul heritage.
Froggy was one of the first deejays that laid the artistic foundations regarding the careers of many budding deejay superstars of the late Eighties and early Nineties.
He was one of the first deejays to take his show on the road, supporting the likes of Robbie Vincent, Chris Hill and much of the Kent Soul Deejay Mafia. The man would seamlessly weave one dancer into another and singlehandedly turned that act into a work of art.
Froggy appeared several times on Robbie Vincent's legendary Radio London Soul Show back in the day and was still very busy on the deejay circuit in recent times. He will certainly be missed immensly by many a Soul colleague out there.
Another piece of the U.K. Soul jigsaw goes missing, sadly at the prematurely youthful age of 54.
He was cremated at City of London Crematorium on Friday 11th April 2008. There were around 150 people in attendance.
Very many thanks to Maurina Harrison for her help with the biographical information here.
Froggy in 1969
february 2008
Buddy Miles (a.k.a. George Miles)
b. 5th September 1947, North Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A.
d. 26th February 2008, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
Probably best remembered for this song 'Them Changes', the drummer and singer Buddy Miles has died. He was 60.
He passed away on Tuesday the 26th of February from congestive heart failure at his home in Austin, Texas.
Buddy fronted The Buddy Miles Express and was a member of Electric Flag and Band Of Gypsys.
At the age of 12, Buddy was playing in his father's jazz combo and within a couple of years he became in demand as a session musician, working with various R & B groups, including Ruby and the Romantics and the Delfonics.
He also worked with Jimi Hendrix, The Bebops, Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, Barry White, The Ink Spots, Wilson Pickett, David Bowie, George Clinton, Carlos Santana and Bootsy Collins.
During the late Seventies Buddy's career stalled due to convictions for grand theft and auto theft.
He served time in the California Institution for Men at Chino, and at San Quentin State Prison.
Buddy stayed in prison until 1985 and formed bands at both institutions.
...also passed away this month....
Static Stephen Garrett (singer, songwriter and producer)b. 1976, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.
d. 25th February 2008, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.
Possible brain aneurysm. He co-wrote Aaliyah's 'Are You That Somebody'. Stephen also wrote songs for Nicole Wray, Brandy and Destiny's Child. He was a member of Playa.
december 2007 / january 2008
Anthony Joseph Ben
b. 2nd August 1942, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.
d. 4th January 2008, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.
Anthony Joseph Ben passed away Friday 4th January 2008, in the Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo.
He was 65. The eldest of three children, Tony was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Michael and sister, Robin.
An accomplished percussionist, Tony moved to Los Angeles in 1972, and soon began touring and recording at Capital Records with the singing group The Sylvers.
Later he joined the group, Ronnie Laws and Pressure, with whom he recorded for the Blue Note Label.
The Ronnie Laws group opened for various artists including War, The Jazz Crusaders, Roy Ayers, Tower of Power, Sarah Vaughn, Grover Washington and Freddie Hubbard.
Later he joined the group A Taste of Honey and recorded 'Boogie Oogie Oogie' with the duo.
Subsequently he toured with Donna Summer, Dionne Warwick, the Commodores, the Spinners, Frankie Vallie, Smokey Robinson, Lou Rawls amongst others.
An automobile accident led to glaucoma, a condition that resulted in the loss of most of his vision. He was diagnosed as 'legally blind', attending the Braille Institute and additionally accompanied Stevie Wonder live.
Tony reunited with Frances Cranon Stubblefield, his high school sweetheart in 1995 and they shared twelve years together prior to his passing.
Oscar Peterson
b. Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, 15th August 1925, Delisle Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
d. 23rd December 2007, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Oscar Peterson has died from kidney failure. He Was 82.
Pianist and composer, Oscar recorded, 'Canadiana Suite'.
He also fronted The Oscar Peterson Trio and was an inductee in the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame.
...also passed away this month....
Clyde Otis (songwriter and producer)
b. 1924, Prentice, Mississippi, U.S.A. d. 8th January 2008, Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Clyde was 83 years old. He worked with Brook Benton, who recorded 'It's Just A Matter Of Time' and 'Endlessly'. He produced Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Rich, Sonny James, Timi Yuro and The Diamonds.
Ike Turner
b. Ike Wister Turner, 5th November 1931, Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S.A.
d. 12th December 2007, San Marcos, California, U.S.A.
Producer, pianist, guitarist and singer, Ike Turner, has passed away. He was 76.
He died at his San Marcos home. Cause of death has yet to be determined.
Ike was a member of The Kings Of Rhythm and The Ike And Tina Turner Revue.
He played with Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats', on the song 'Rocket 88', considered by many to be the first Rock & Roll Record.
Ike also played with Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, Buddy Guy and Otis Rush during his career.
He was singing coach to Blues singer Janis Joplin, along with a young guitarist named Jimi Hendrix was also a one-time member of The Kings of Rhythm.
When she was 18, Ike met, and later married, Tina Turner (then known as Annie Mae Bullock).
At their peak, the duo scored a massive chart hit with 'River Deep, Mountain High', which reached the mainstream charts as well as topping the R & B Chart.
This relationship was overshadowed by his drug-induced abusive treatment of her, which led Tina Turner to eventually seek a divorce in 1976..
Following the divorce, Ike succumbed to cocaine addiction, and was jailed in California in the mid 1980's for drug-related offences.
The duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, although Ike was still in prison at the time.
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