# Dead Singers and Musicians thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603 "2016-01-29T19:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/1 "2016-01-29T19:37:01Z")
I was shushed by a moderator for posting a bunch of dead musician deaths. So here is a big ol’ thread detailing a bunch of those not already posted by other members. John Berry - Idaho (band) singer/guitarist Pete Huttlinger - guitarist, worked with John Denver and LeAnn Rimes Kitty Kallen - singer Gary Loizzo - The American Breed singer Red Simpson - country singer/songwriter Brett Smiley - Singer/songwriter Jānis Vaišļa - Pirates of the Sea musician Alec Wishart - musician for Hogsnort Rupert ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/2 "2016-01-29T19:44:45Z")
What is the point? What are the criteria? Just about every singer and musician ever born before 1940 is dead. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/3 "2016-01-29T19:50:04Z")
Pete Huttlinger’s death is getting attention on guitar messageboards. He was a great player - here he does a great version of Superstition on solo fingerstyle guitar: [Pete Huttlinger "Superstition" - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WpQToVwgEfU) I wasn’t a big enough follower to start a thread on him, but with a thread like this, will tip my hat. As others have noted in the bigger-star threads, the next few years are going to be tough for us rock n’ rollers. A thread for sidemen and lesser-known acts is okay by me… ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/4 "2016-01-29T19:52:10Z")
It should say _recent_ musician deaths. And also the first post should say “dead musician threads” not “dead musician deaths.” ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/5 "2016-01-30T17:46:18Z")
British singer-songwriter Black, known for the hit tune “Wonderful Life,” has shuffled off the mortal coil. ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/6 "2016-01-31T00:31:37Z")
Jean Stapleton back with Archie busting eardrums “those were the days”. RIP ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/7 "2016-01-31T00:34:25Z")
> [@jerry\_smissingfinger](#): > > Jean Stapleton back with Archie busting eardrums “those were the days”. RIP If you’re getting that from Facebook, she died three years ago. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/8 "2016-01-31T07:01:32Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > If you’re getting that from Facebook, she died three years ago. yeah archie oconnor died too ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/9 "2016-01-31T20:20:51Z")
Paul Kantner, guitarist and founder of Jefferson Airplane, on 1/28/16. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/10 "2016-01-31T22:19:14Z")
How much more obscure do you want to get? Swiss flautist Aurele Nicolet just died. ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/11 "2016-01-31T22:50:45Z")
The drummer for the bad that played at my senior prom in 1972 died. Would that be the kind of musician we’re looking to note here? ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/12 "2016-02-01T16:51:48Z")
Holy crap, the SAME DAY Jefferson Airplane member Paul Kantner died, another one died, too: Signe Toly Anderson ---
**Author:** ![Salad\_Smell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Salad\_Smell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salad_Smell)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/13 "2016-02-01T16:52:21Z")
Everyone’s dead. The one that hurts me the most is Jay Reatard, who was turning into a phenomenal pop songwriter when he took the gas pipe. [Jay Reatard - "See/Saw" - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2DFsW_2T5g) ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/14 "2016-02-01T16:56:48Z")
Chris Squire, bassist for Yes, died a couple of months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/15 "2016-02-01T18:48:31Z")
> [@justmeetee](#): > > The drummer for the bad that played at my senior prom in 1972 died Fuck fuck fuck. This one hurts. ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/16 "2016-02-01T22:42:37Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > If you’re getting that from Facebook, she died three years ago. Sorry did not see in the thread title that we are talking about recently deceased musicians. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/17 "2016-02-01T23:29:08Z")
Speaking of Jerry’s missing finger, you know who else is dead, right? Recent is a relative term. RIP, Jerry. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/18 "2016-02-02T00:09:01Z")
> [@Cardboard](#): > > Hogsnort Rupert Up until I saw this, I’d always considered “Hoobastank” the worst possible band name. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/19 "2016-02-03T13:34:34Z")
From a NYTimes article behind their paywall that is focused on Lady Gaga’s Bowie Tribute. The Grammys producer, Ken Ehrlich, comments that he focused on a solo tribute featuring her because she was already booked for a slot, and because there were so many requests from other artists “some appropriate and some not” that it was simpler to stick with a solo approach. The last paragraph states: [QUOTE=NYTimes] Mr. Ehrlich, who has been involved with the Grammys since 1980, said it was always a rush to book the performances for the show in the couple of months between the nominations and the broadcast. But this year has been particularly difficult with the deaths of so many music figures over the last few weeks, including Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, Natalie Cole, Glenn Frey of the Eagles and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane. Mr. Ehrlich said he expected to pay tribute to Mr. Frey in some way, and also that he had already booked a multi-artist tribute to B. B. King, who died last May. [/QUOTE] Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603/20 "2016-02-04T01:04:57Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Speaking of Jerry’s missing finger, you know who else is dead, right? Recent is a relative term. > RIP, Jerry. Seems like yesterday:sad [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-singers-and-musicians-thread/744603.md?page=2)