US music sites are reporting the deaths of two soul music luminaries… though there are few details on both passings.
Reports suggest that drummer NATE NEBLETT has died. Neblett was a founding member of both the Nite-Liters and New Birth but went on to become a top, in-demand session drummer playing on records by people like Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Tavares, The Supremes, Gary Bartz and O.C. Smith.
For a time Nate was also part of the Funkadelic axis; indeed his wife Mallia was a member of Parlet.
The second recent soul passing is keyboardist BERNADETTE RANDLE … best known for her work with all the artists on the All Platinum roster. She played on records by the Sugarhill Gang, Ray, Goodman & Brown, Shirley and Co and was a key member of studio band The Rimshots. Bernadette also played on sessions with Candi Staton, Etta James and Solomon Burke and recorded several solo albums.
In later life Ms Randle became a leading advocate for elderly health care and became part part of the national Consortium of Church Music Directors. She was 69 when she died.
