Winston Riley
1946 – January 19, 2012
Winston Riley was an influential and pioneering reggae musician, singer, and producer. Born in Kingston, Riley was just 16 when he formed his first group, the Techniques. The vocal outfit went on to work with such producers as Byron Lee and Duke Reid before splitting up in 1968. It was then that Riley formed his own record label and began producing other artists. Over the next several years, he worked with the likes of the Escorts, Alton Ellis, and Johnny Osbourne. One of his early productions, 1971′s “Double Barrel” as recorded by Dave and Ansel Collins, is considered one of Jamaica’s first international hits for reaching #1 on both the British and Dutch charts. In fact, Riley is widely considered one of the first people to introduce reggae to England. He also produced one of reggae’s most influential albums, the 1979 General Echo release, The Slackest. The list of artists who can give Riley some credit for their success includes Gregory Isaacs, Buju Banton, Sister Nancy, Cutty Ranks, and Frankie Paul. In August of 2011, Riley was stabbed, and then a month later, he was shot in the head. As of the early months following the incidents, police had not apprehended any suspects nor determined motive. On January 19, 2012, Winston Riley died of complications from the shooting. He was 65.
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Bobby Robinson was a pioneering R&B and later, hip-hop record producer, as well as a longtime record store owner. He opened Bobby’s Record Shop in 1946, making it the first Black-owned business on Harlem’s famous 125th Street. The store and cultural landmark remained open until he was forced to close in 2008 due to his landlord’s desire to raze and rebuild at that spot. As a producer, Robinson had a hand in creating a string of R&B and hip-hop hits that stretched from the early ’50s through the mid ’80s. The list of greats that he enjoyed success with includes Gladys Knight & The Pips, 
Esme Barrera was an Austin, Texas music lover who became a familiar face throughout the city’s fabled music venues and just about anywhere music could be heard. Barrera worked with special needs students at a local elementary school, but still found time to work part-time at Austin’s venerable record store, Waterloo Records. She also volunteered as a counselor at a summer music camp known as Girls Rock Austin. After ringing in the New Year at a nearby club, Barrera reportedly walked home alone. At 2:45 am, her badly beaten body was discovered by a friend inside her home. She died of her injuries a short time later. Initial reports indicated that the incident may have been related to other attacks reported in the area that same day. A suspect was not immediately apprehended though composite sketches were distributed throughout the area. Barrera’s brutal death quickly spread throughout the indie rock world and condolences soon followed. Indiana singer Ted Leo tweeted “I was privileged to briefly know an inspirational person from Austin, Tx., who was murdered this NYE. Her name was Esme & she’ll be missed.” YACHT posted, “The world’s lost a shining light, music cheerleader, and great human. Our hearts go out to the friends and family of Esme Barrera. No words,” while Okkervil River tweeted info on how fans can contribute to cover funeral costs. Esme Barrera was 29 years old when she passed away. [UPDATE] In December of 2012, the Austin Police Department announced that the Esme Barrera case was officially closed due to the “death of the offender.” Police reportedly discovered the prime suspect dead of apparent self-asphyxiation in his own apartment a few weeks following Barrera’s death. The alleged perpetrator was found with a plastic bag over his head. He was also a suspect in at least five other similar attacks on women in the area.
Dave Devereaux was the owner of Force Of Habit Records, a popular independent record store in the Mission District area of San Francisco, California. As a teenager, Devereaux moved with his family from Montreal, Canada to Southern California where he became obsessed with hard rock and punk, with Metallica, AC/DC and the Ramones being among his favorites. He also did some DJing, which is when he came up with the nickname of Braindead Dave. Devereaux eventually settled in San Fransisco, opening Force Of Habit in 2004, after building a worldwide customer following on eBay. The store, which specialized in rare punk, vinyl and collectables, quickly became a local hang-out for area teens and music lovers of all ages. One such loyalist was Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys fame who liked to pick through the shop’s 7″ single bins. Devereaux liked to support the local music scene as well, often showcasing live bands at his store. On July 5, 2011, paramedics discovered 41-year-old Dave Devereaux dead in his apartment. Authorities initially speculated that he passed away either on that day or the one prior, while early autopsy tests proved inconclusive. Foul play was not suspected, and according to online reports, Devereaux had been suffering from gastroesophageal problems in recent months.