The sad news of the recent death of MARVA WHITNEY has thrown into stark relief the number of great soul, jazz and funk musicians that have passed in 2012.

Amongst those who have died this year are : – JIMMY McCRACKLIN (best known for his 1957 R&B hit ‘The Walk’); guitarist and vocalist TERRY HUFF; LINDA HOWARD (of 70s/80s Motown girl group HIGH INERGY); jazz icon, DAVE BRUBECK; 1990’s Motown recording artist, DEE HARVEY; guitarist MICKEY BAKER (best known for his ‘Love Is Strange’ collaboration with SYLVIA ROBINSON); EARL “SPEEDO” CARROLL (lead singer of doo-wop group, THE CADILLACS); sweet-voiced MAJOR HARRIS; writer/singer/guitarist and all round good guy, TERRY CALLIER; R B GREAVES (best known for his 1969 hit ‘Take A Latter Maria’); legendary Motown producer, FRANK WILSON; ODYSSEY vocalist LILLIAN LOPEZ; BURT BACHARACH (and many others too) collaborator, HAL DAVID; Chicago producer, CARL DAVIS; Motown Funk Brother, bassist BOB BABBIT; JOSE BERTRAMI – member of Brazilian fusion trio AZYMUTH; 70s soul man, LOU PRIDE; HERB REED – mainstay of THE PLATTERS; disco diva and much more… DONNA SUMMER; CHUCK BROWN (Washington’s legendary Go-Go musician); Memphis bass legend , DONALD DUCK DUNN; session guitarist CHARLES PITTS (it’s his riffs on ‘Shaft’); MEMPHIS HORNS man, ANDREW LOVE; JIMMY ELLIS (lead singer of THE TRAMMPS); WHITNEY HOUSTON (hugely-missed); the soulful DAVID PEASTON; soul TV pioneer, DON CORNELIUS; the irreplaceable and legendary ETTA JAMES; R&B pioneer, JOHNNY OTIS; WALTER GAINES ( member of Motown’s THE ORIGINALS);and JIMMY CASTOR – soul’s unique troglodyte.

Access our news archive for obituaries and appreciations of many of these wonderful artists and entrepreneurs – all of them have enriched our musical lives.