Musician

Died On This Date (May 13, 2011) Jack Richardson / Canadian Record Producer

Jack Richardson
July 23, 1929 – May 13, 2011

Jack Richardson was a respected Canadian record producer who was ultimately honored by having the Juno Awards’ Producer of the Year Award named  after him.  He was also an instructor at the most prestigious music schools in Canada.  While working for an ad agency in 1968, Richardson created a bottle-cap reimbursement campaign for the Canadian Coca-Cola company.   Those who purchased designated Cokes could collect the bottle caps and ultimately redeem them for a promotional album, A Wild Pair, which featured the Guess Who on one side and the Staccatos (later known as the Five Man Electrical Band) on the other.  The campaign was so successful that the album reportedly would have achieved gold status had it been an “official” release.   Richardson went on to produce several Guess Who albums and singles including their biggest hits, “These Eyes” and “American Woman.”   He also produced Bob Seger’s landmark album, Night Moves, as well has hit albums by the likes of Alice Cooper, Poco, Badfinger, and the Irish Rovers.  His son, Garth Richardson is an in-demand producer as well who has worked with Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and System Of A Down.  Jack Richardson was 81 when he passed away on May 13, 2011.

Thanks to Roch Parisien for the assist.

Died On This Date (May 12, 2011) Lloyd Knibb / Longtime Drummer For The Skatalites

Lloyd Knibb
March 8, 1931 – May 12, 2011

Lloyd Knibb is best remembered as the longtime drummer for influential Jamaican ska band, the Skatalites.  Helping to form the group in 1964, Knibb was their for the early development of ska, a form of Caribbean music that included elements of calypso, mento, American jazz, and R&B that was the foundation of reggae.  The Skatalites’ biggest hit was “Guns Of Navarone.”   Knibb began his career during the 1940s when he played in various Jamaican jazz bands. That lead to session work for legendary producer Coxsone Dodd and recordings for the likes of reggae pioneers, Duke Reid and Prince Buster.  He provided the back beat for the Skatalites from their inception in 1964 until their break up just a year later, and then from their much heralded 1983 reunion at Reggae Sunsplash until the time of his death.  He performed his last show with the band in April of 2011.  On May 12, 2011, Lloyd Knibb died of liver cancer.  He was 80.

Thanks to Eric Foss at Secret Stash Records for the assist.

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Died On This Date (May 8, 2011) Cornell Dupree / Jazz and R&B Guitar Great

Cornell Dupree
December 19, 1942 – May 8, 2011

Cornell Dupree was a respected jazz and R&B guitarist who, over the course of his career, played on records by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Joe Cocker, and Brook Benton.  In his early years, Dupree could be found playing in the legendary Atlantic Records house band.  He was also a founding member of the much respected jazz funk combo, Stuff.  Besides those listed above, Dupree also recorded with such greats as Fats Domino, Sam Cooke, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett.  Additionally, Dupree released several of his own albums, his most popular being 1994’s Bop ‘n’ Blues.  Cornell Dupree had been suffering from emphysema and had been waiting for a lung transplant when he passed away on May 8, 2011.  He was 68.

Died On This Date (May 7, 2011) John Walker / Lead Singer of the Walker Brothers

John Walker (Born John Maus)
November 12, 1943 – May 7, 2011

John Walker was a the co-lead singer of the Walker Brothers, a popular California-born “British” rock band during the ’60s.  Ironically, the band moved to England while British bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were taking over America.  As a sort of rock version of the Righteous Brothers, the band became immensely popular in England, with a fan club that once counted more members than even the Beatles’. During the early ’60s, Walker began building a name for himself throughout the hip Hollywood night spots while working with the likes of Phil Spector, the Monkees, and Ritchie Valens in the studio.  Meanwhile, he was forming the Walker Brothers with co-lead singer Scott Walker (born Noel Scott Engel) and drummer Gary Walker (born Gary Leeds) while playing in the house band at Gazzari’s on the Sunset Strip.  The band soon moved to England where they helped fill a void that was created when the popular British bands were trying to conquer America.  Over the course of their run, the Walker Brothers reportedly sold some 20 million records with hits like “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore,” “My Ship Is Comin’ In,” and “Love Her.”  In recent years, Walker regularly toured the UK as part of nostalgia tours.  In December of 2010, he was diagnosed with liver cancer.  John Walker was 67 when he died of cancer on May 7, 2011.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at number1albums for the assist.

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Died On This Date (May 3, 2011) Odell Brown / Jazz Musician; Wrote Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”

Odell Brown Jr.
1938 – May 3, 2011

Odell Brown was a jazz organist who is best remembered for penning the Marvin Gaye hit, “Sexual Healing.”  Brown was just 4 years old when he began playing the keyboards – mostly old classical pieces – until he found his groove with jazz.  By the mid ’60s, he had settled in Chicago where he formed Odell Brown & the Organizers which was touted by no less than Billboard magazine as the Best New Group in 1966.  He built a sizable following during the late ’60s and early ’70s for his live performances at which he played what could be classified as soul-jazz or jazz-funk.   One such audience member was Gaye who couldn’t get one of his numbers out of his head, so he put some words to it, and “Sexual Healing” was born.  Released in 1982, the single was a Top 5 hit around the world and has since been covered by the likes of Michael Bolton, Phish, Soul Asylum, and Sarah Connor.  Sadly however, Brown was bottoming out at the time – he watched his song win a Grammy at a Skid Row bar in Los Angeles.   He eventually got his life and career back on track and moved to the Minneapolis area where he continued to record and perform.  Over the course of his career, Brown worked with Johnny Nash, Minnie Riperton, and Curtis Mayfield.  Odell Brown was 70 when he passed away on May 3, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.