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Died On This Date (December 14, 2025) Carl Carlton / Popular ’70s R&B Singer

themusicsover December 14, 2025 No Comments

Carl Carlton, the soulful singer whose smooth tenor lit up radio playlists in the late 1970s and early 1980s with hits like “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She Built, She Built),” died on September 27, 2023. He was 69.

Born on May 21, 1953, in Detroit, Carlton came of age in a city where soul music was a way of life. He began recording as a teenager and quickly showed a gift for blending streetwise swagger with polished pop instincts, a combination that made him a natural fit for the era when R&B regularly crossed over to the mainstream. After early singles in the late ’60s and early ’70s, his career found its defining moment with Carl Carlton in 1980, the album that delivered “She’s a Bad Mama Jama,” written by Johnny Gill and produced by Leon Sylvers III. The song became a massive hit, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and turning Carlton into a household name almost overnight.

But Carlton was no one-hit-wonder. Tracks like “I Wanna Be Your Main Squeeze” and “This Feeling’s Rated X-Tra” showed his range as a vocalist who could handle funk, romantic soul, and radio-friendly R&B with equal confidence. His voice had an easy warmth and a sly edge, the kind that sounded just as comfortable riding a dancefloor groove as it did delivering a slow-burn ballad.

As musical trends shifted, Carlton continued to perform and record into the 2010s, remaining a respected presence on the soul and R&B circuit. For fans, his work remains tightly linked to a moment when funk basslines, crisp production, and undeniable hooks ruled the airwaves, and when a great voice could still cut through everything else.

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Died On This Date (November 21, 2025) Jellybean Johnson / Founding Drummer For The Time

themusicsover November 21, 2025 No Comments

Jellybean Johnson
November 19, 1956 – November 21, 2025

**Photo Credit: Steven R. Wolf via Wikimedia**

Jellybean Johnson, born Garry George Johnson has died at the age of 69. By doing so, Minneapolis has lost one of its core architects, the drummer and guitarist whose groove helped define the city’s identity.

Johnson was a founding member of The Time and a vital part of the Flyte Tyme collective with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. His playing powered the band’s standout moments, including “The Bird,” where his blend of live drums and programmed rhythm locked in the swagger that became a Minneapolis trademark.

As a producer and songwriter, he had just as much impact. He co-produced “Black Cat” for Janet Jackson, a rare crossover that topped both the pop and rock charts. He worked closely with Alexander O’Neal, including on “Criticize,” one of the signature R&B hits of the era. In every setting he brought the same instinctive feel, a sense of what a song needed and when to push harder or lay back.

Johnson’s friends have described him as steady, humble, and fiercely loyal. He never demanded the spotlight, but his touch was everywhere. Musicians trusted him because he knew how to make a track breathe. Fans felt him even when they didn’t see his name in the credits.

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The Music’s Over’s Favorite Albums of 2016

themusicsover December 30, 2016 No Comments

We lost an unprecedented number of musical greats in 2016. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of amazing music to celebrate this year.

**Here are The Music’s Over’s Top 50 Albums of 2016.**

1. David Bowie – Blackstar

2. Gojira – Magma

3. Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me

4. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker

5. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct

6. Red Fang – Only Ghosts

7. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression

8. Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor’s Guide To Earth

9 (A). S U R V I V E – Rr7349

9 (B). Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (of S U R V I V E) – Stranger Things: A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack

10. Brian Fallon – Painkillers

11. Crippled Black Phoenix – Bronze

12. Anthrax – For All Kings

13. Charles Bradley – Changes

14. El Caco – 7

15. Megadeth – Dystopia

16. Metal Church – XI

17. James Hunter Six – Hold On!

18. Tower – Tower

19. Anciients – Voice Of The Void

20. Jeremy & The Harlequins – Into The Night

21. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake

22. The Last Shadow Puppets – Everything You’ve Come To Expect

23. The Rolling Stones – Blue & Lonesome

24. Crowbar – The Serpent Only Lies

25. The Monkees – Good Times!

26. Heliotropes – Over There That Way

27. John Doe – The Westerner

28. Loretta Lynn – Full Circle

29. Alice Bag – Alice Bag

30. Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat

31. White Lung – Paradise

32. Kyng – Breathe In The Water

33. Aaron Lee Tasjan – Silver Tears

34. Fates Warning – Theories Of Flight

35. Savages – Adore Life

36. Mudcrutch – 2

37. Luke Bell – Luke Bell

38. Summer Cannibals – Full Of It

39. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree

40. The Shrine – Rare Breed

41. Alejandro Escovedo – Burn Something Beautiful

42. Fea – Fea

43. Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown

44. Fleshtones – The Band Drinks For Free

45. William Bell – This Is Where I Live

46. Paul Cauthen – My Gospel

47. I Don’t Cares – Wild Stab

48. Shovels & Rope – Little Seeds

49. Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation

50. Parquet Courts – Human Performance

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Died On This Date (April 21, 2016) Prince / Musical Genius

themusicsover April 21, 2016 1 Comment

Prince Rogers Nelson
June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016

Photo by David Plastik - Click To Order Quality Prints - Discount code: 10OFF — Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Prince was his given name, and that’s all he needed to become one of the most well-known, influential, innovative and gifted musicians, songwriters, singers, producers, and performers pop music has ever known. Born and raised in the Minneapolis area, Prince would eventually come to represent what was known as the Minneapolis sound – a marriage of funk, rock, synth pop, new wave, and dance. He released his first album, For You, in 1978 and what followed was an astonishing run of 39 albums over the course of 35 years. Some double, and even triple, albums. But it was 1984’s soundtrack to his film, Purple Rain, that first sent Prince into the stratosphere. It was his first album to top the Billboard album charts and went on to sell a staggering 13 million in the US alone. Purple Rain is often regarded as one of the top five greatest albums ever made – of any genre. He was far from done though, as he went on to be recognized with 32 Grammy nominations, winning seven throughout his career. In all, Prince scored four #1 albums in the US, and an additional 12 landed in the Top 10. As a performer, there were very few who could match him when it came to captivating his audiences. That was put on international display when he did the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2007. As torrential rains hammered the stage like no other time in Super Bowl history, Prince took the storm and made it his stage prop to gloriously add an exclamation point to his final song, “Purple Rain.” Rumor has it that when the show’s director asked out of concern what they should do to protect him, the band, and the dancers from being electrocuted, Prince replied, “can you make it rain harder?” Since 2014, Prince released four new albums, and legend has it that he has enough finished material in his vault to keep releases coming for years if not decades to come. Whether they will ever see the light of day is debatable. On April 21, 2016, Prince was found unconscious in an elevator within his studio complex, Paisley Park. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead on the scene. He was just 57. Cause of death was not immediately known, but foul play or suicide were not initially suspected.

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Died On This Date (February 4, 2016) Maurice White / Founder of Earth, Wind & Fire

themusicsover February 4, 2016 No Comments

Maurice White
December 19, 1941 – February 4, 2016

Maurice-White Maurice White was the founder and co-lead singer of the highly influential R&B band, Earth, Wind & Fire. Formed in Chicago in 1969, the band went on to sell over 100 million albums, making them one of the most successful bands of the 20th century. For over four decades, the group dazzled audiences around the world thanks in part to their dynamic horn section and energetic live shows. White was born in Memphis, Tennessee and gravitated toward music at an early age along with childhood friend, Booker T Jones. As a teenager, White moved to Chicago where he found work as a session drummer for the legendary label, Chess Records. He played on numerous records by the likes of Etta James, Muddy Waters, the Impressions, and Buddy Guy. In 1966, he joined Ramsey Lewis Trio with whom he recorded nine albums and received his first Grammy for the single, “Hold It Right There.” Three years later, he formed Earth, Wind & Fire and went on to produce most of the their albums. In all, the group earned six Grammys along with countless other awards and accolades. During the ’80s, White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Due to that, he ultimately retired from touring in 1994, but continued to oversee the band’s business side while producing their records and those by others. His most notable successes outside of Earth, Wind & Fire were releases by the Emotions and Deniece Williams. The stunning list of other collaborators includes Barbra Streisand, Weather Report, Neil Diamond, and Minnie Riperton. Maurice White was 74 when he passed away on February 4, 2016. Cause of death was not immediately released but likely attributed to his long battle with Parkinson’s.

Funk

We lost an unprecedented number of musical greats in 2016. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of amazing music to celebrate this year.

Here are The Music’s Over’s Top 50 Albums of 2016.

1. David Bowie – Blackstar

2. Gojira – Magma

3. Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me

4. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker

5. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct

6. Red Fang – Only Ghosts

7. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression

8. Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor’s Guide To Earth

9 (A). S U R V I V E – Rr7349

9 (B). Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (of S U R V I V E) – Stranger Things: A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack

10. Brian Fallon – Painkillers

11. Crippled Black Phoenix – Bronze

12. Anthrax – For All Kings

13. Charles Bradley – Changes

14. El Caco – 7

15. Megadeth – Dystopia

16. Metal Church – XI

17. James Hunter Six – Hold On!

18. Tower – Tower

19. Anciients – Voice Of The Void

20. Jeremy & The Harlequins – Into The Night

21. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake

22. The Last Shadow Puppets – Everything You’ve Come To Expect

23. The Rolling Stones – Blue & Lonesome

24. Crowbar – The Serpent Only Lies

25. The Monkees – Good Times!

26. Heliotropes – Over There That Way

27. John Doe – The Westerner

28. Loretta Lynn – Full Circle

29. Alice Bag – Alice Bag

30. Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat

31. White Lung – Paradise

32. Kyng – Breathe In The Water

33. Aaron Lee Tasjan – Silver Tears

34. Fates Warning – Theories Of Flight

35. Savages – Adore Life

36. Mudcrutch – 2

37. Luke Bell – Luke Bell

38. Summer Cannibals – Full Of It

39. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree

40. The Shrine – Rare Breed

41. Alejandro Escovedo – Burn Something Beautiful

42. Fea – Fea

43. Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown

44. Fleshtones – The Band Drinks For Free

45. William Bell – This Is Where I Live

46. Paul Cauthen – My Gospel

47. I Don’t Cares – Wild Stab

48. Shovels & Rope – Little Seeds

49. Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation

49. Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation

50. Parquet Courts – Human Performance

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**Here are The Music’s Over’s Top 50 Albums of 2016.**