George Crumb was an American composer known for such compositions as Black Angels (1971). Black Angels is featured in “Confessions of a Vinyl Junkie” (2003), a list of records by David Bowie published in Vanity Fair.
Tag Archives: music
RIP Janet Mead (1938 – 2022)
Janet Mead was an Australian nun and singer known for singing “The Lord’s Prayer” (1973).
The song made Mead the first Roman Catholic nun to have a hit record in the United States since Jeanine Deckers (“The Singing Nun”), hit No. 1 with “Dominique” in late 1963.
RIP Elza Soares (1930 – 2022)
Elza Soares was a Brazilian singer known for her work in samba. Early in her career she covered samba classics such as “Mas que Nada” (1963) and “Chove Chuva” (1963).
Towards the end of her life she came with edgier work such as A mulher do fim do mundo (2015), Deus É Mulher (2018) and Planeta Fome (2019).
Meat Loaf (1947 – 2022)
Meat Loaf was an American singer noted for his grotesque stage persona. He is best known for interpreting two songs written by Jim Steinman: “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” (1977) and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (1993) .
Meat Loaf became 74.
Steinman died died last year.
RIP Margo Guryan (1937 – 2021)
Margo Guryan was an American singer-songwriter, author of “Sunday Mornin'” (1967), first recorded by Spanky and Our Gang and a year later by herself.
RIP Ronnie Wilson (1948 – 2021)
Ronnie Wilson was American musician, co-founder with his two brothers, of The Gap Band, known for such compositions as “Oops Up Side Your Head (1979), “Outstanding” (1982) and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (1982).
Charlie Wilson the only living member of the band.
I give you “Outstanding”
RIP Ernest Wilson (1951 – 2021)
Ernest Wilson was a Jamaican singer; known for interpreting such songs as “I Know Myself” (1974), a Channel One production and “Undying Love” (Studio One, 1968), released on in an extended mix on Studio One Showcase Vol. 1 (1999).
RIP William Shelby (1954 – 2021)
William Shelby was an American musician known for his work with Dynasty and Lakeside.
Dynasty is best known for their musical composition “I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) ” (1979).
Lakeside is best known for their musical composition “Fantastic Voyage” (1980).
I did not have time to research if Shelby was involved with these two recordings.
However, while researching “I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) ” (1979) I stumbled upon these other specimina of African-American musical compositions from the 1970s and 1980s that feature the word “freak” in their title: “I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You” (1975) is by Leon Haywood; “Le Freak” (1978) by Chic; “Super Freak” (1981) by Rick James and “I Need a Freak” (1983) by Sexual Harassment.
RIP Paddy Moloney (1938 – 2021)
Paddy Moloney was an Irish musician, best-known for his work with the The Chieftains.
He also arranged “Women of Ireland” for the film Barry Lyndon (1975).
RIP Dennis Thomas (1951 – 2021)
Dennis Thomas was one of the co-founders of Kool & the Gang.
It’s not clear to me how many writing credits Thomas has in the band’s oeuvre; but he did co-write “Jungle Boogie” (1973).