Posts Tagged Eulogy
Archive
September 30, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Lonnie Smith
Lonnie Smith has died. He was 79. He referred to himself as “Dr.” Lonnie Smith. No one questioned it. We all liked his medicine. Lonnie Smith arrived on the back of a wave of Hammond organists – Jimmy Smith and Brother Jack McDuff his obvious forebears. Smith would release solo albums and collaborate with many […]Archive
September 15, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Norm Macdonald
Norm Macdonald had died. He was 61. He was diagnosed with cancer nearly a decade ago. He kept it quiet – telling only a few close friends. He wanted privacy. He wanted the comedy to continue when and as it did. He wanted that untainted. Norm Macdonald was a comedy genius, a comedian’s comedian – […]Archive
September 11, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Warren Storm
Warren Storm has died. The drummer and singer was a legend. In the business for over 60 years, Storm had several careers within music. He was a session drummer for blues and R’n’B stalwarts including Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester, Lightnin’ Slim and Charles Sheffield. He was a jukebox singer making weepies for cheap and quick […]Archive
August 29, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry has left earth – he was possibly only ever here from time to time, but in the way we calculate time that amounted to 85 years. No cause of death is given as yet but my guess is he simply decided to go live elsewhere. To sum up Perry’s achievements and influence […]Archive
August 28, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba has died. Covid caused his death, he was 82. The actor and martial artist, born Shinichi Chiba made his name first in his home country, Japan and then to wider audiences – he moved to Hollywood and was involved in several TV and film projects, both on screen and behind the scenes as […]Archive
August 15, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith has died. She was 68. She has asked for cause of death to not be announced until a week after her passing. How sad. What a talent. What a genius songwriter – one of the under-appreciated talents across the last four decades. I listened a lot to Griffiths albums and songs across the […]Archive
June 28, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Gift of Gab
Gift of Gab has died. He was just 50. The Bay Area rapper was a legend in underground hip-hop – known for his work as one half of Blackalicious, as part of the Quannum Projects collective and for releasing material under his stage name as a solo act. Born Timothy Jerome Parker, he formed Blackalicious […]Archive
June 19, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Janet Malcom
Janet Malcolm has died. She was 86. I only ever wrote about Janet Malcolm as part of a university essay – that is where I met her work. I’m so pleased to have met with it, the best of her work stays with me forever. She wrote several books – many of them great, two […]Archive
June 18, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Fane Flaws
Fane Flaws has died. Sad news indeed, a creative giant – a force – one of New Zealand’s greatest ever multi-discipline artists has left the studio. Fane was a musician, visual artist, filmmaker, creator of music videos and co-author of books. He was a prolific multimedia experimenter – and he created some of the greatest […]Archive
May 22, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Roger Hawkins
Roger Hawkins has died. The legendary session drummer was 75. A member of The Swampers, a supergroup of session stalwarts, the backbone of the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, Hawkins was one of most tasteful, dependable players – no ego in dominance, all empathy for the tune. Even if you don’t recognise the name you have […]Archive
May 20, 2021 by Simon Sweetman