William “Whop” Frazier
1943 – December 22, 2011
Whop Frazier was a Washington DC blues singer and bassist who was a popular draw throughout the city and surrounding area blues clubs for many years. Over the years, he played with Carl Anderson, the Bad Influence Band and his own Whop Frazier & Friends By Choice. William “Whop” Frazier died of lung and bone cancer on December 22, 2011. He was 68.
David Gold
DOB Unknown – December 22, 2011
David Gold was the founder and lead singer/guitarist for Ontario, Canada doom metal band, Woods Of Ypres. Formed as a trio in 2002, the band released a handful of critical and fan favorite albums on Gold’s own Krankenhaus Records. Their black and dark metal songs, which have been described as a “metallised Pink Floyd, helped build a legion of fans over the years. In 2010, just as rumors of the group’s demise were circulating, they signed with Earache Records who is scheduled to release their latest offering in January 2012. David Gold was reportedly killed in a car accident in Ontario, Canada on December 22, 2011. He was 31.
Thanks to Mike Woodford for the assist.
Merv Conn (Born Mervin Cohen)
February 19, 1920 – December 20, 2011
Merv Conn was a Washington DC area accordionist and singer who entertained audiences big and small for several decades. Conn was still in his teens when he first learned to play the accordion, and in a very short time, he was playing parties and on local radio stations. During the mid ’40s, he opened an accordion school, which at its peak, employed five teachers and taught as many as 300 students a week. In 1964, he became the official live musician of the Washington Senators professional baseball team, entertaining crowds over the PA system between innings. Due to his proximity to the U.S. Capital, Conn often performed at embassy events and even played private shows for Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, and Harry S. Truman. Over the years, his repertoire swelled to over 1000 songs. Merv Conn was 91 when he died of complications of prostate cancer on December 20, 2011.
Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.
Johnny Silvo (Born John Woods)
1936 – December 18, 2011
Johnny Silvo was a folk singer who fronted the Johnny Silvo Folk Four during the late ’60s. The group also included Sandy Denny who went on to bigger fame with Fairport Convention. Silvo continued entertaining crowds and making records until recent years. He passed away on December 18, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.
Cesária Évora
August 27, 1941 – December 17, 2011
Known to fans as the “Barefoot Diva,” Cesária Évora, was a gifted singer from the island nation of Cape Verde which sits off the cost of Western Africa. Singing traditional Cape Verde songs in the native language of Portuguese since a young age, it wasn’t until Évora caught the ear of a French producer in 1988 that she was invited to Paris to cut a record. The result, La Diva Aux Pieds Nus, was released later that year to praise from adoring friends back home and new ones in Paris. Over the next several years, she built a sizable following in France and beyond, while critics compared her remarkable voice to that of Billie Holiday. By the mid ’90s, Évora had fans around the world and had been nominated for no fewer than three Grammys. She was awarded one for Best World Music Album for 2003’s Voz d’Amor. Évora continued to perform until suffering a heart attack in May of 2010. In September of 2011, it was announced that she was retired from singing due to poor health. On December 17, 2011, Cesária Évora died of what was reported as cardiorespiratory insufficiency and hypertension. She was 70.
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