Only halfway through, 2014 has already taken a heavy toll on the music world. Not the garden variety “death by misadventures” of relative unknowns, tragic as those might be. No, we’re talking revolutionary musicians who changed the course of music history, leaving an indelible mark on their chosen field.
This weekend, we awoke to the news that Tommy Erdelyi, aka Tommy Ramone, passed away at 62. The sole surviving original “brudda” from the Queens band that forever altered the course of rock n roll was gone. Instrumental to the sound of the Ramones, Erdelyi served not only as drummer, but also produced the first two classic records, The Ramones and Leave Home and co-produced It’s Alive, arguably one of the greatest live albums ever.
Just earlier in the day, news broke of bassist Charlie Haden’s passing. Haden, a towering figure in jazz, played with Ornette Coleman’s defining “free jazz” bands, as well as Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans’ former drummer Paul Motian. Perhaps prophetically and certainly bittersweet, Haden released his latest album, a collection of duets with Keith Jarrett earlier this year. The album, entitled Last Dance, ends with the two standards, "Every Time We Say Goodbye" and "Goodbye."
Soul and R&B legend Bobby Womack, who died at the end of June, would have a place in history if all he did were write “All Over Now,” which, of course, he did. But he also penned and sang “Across 110th Street” and produced Sly Stone’s groundbreaking album There’s A Riot Going On.
Reggae legend Desmond Dekker, who almost singlehandedly kicked off the ska revolution, passed away in May. Dekker’s hits “The Israelites,” “Honour Thy Father and Mother,” “Rudie Got Soul,” and the mighty “007 (Shanty Town)” from the film The Harder They Come established him as an icon of Jamaica's 1960s rude boy scene.
Add to those recent losses Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, whom Rolling Stone magazine called “the most important vocal duo in rock,” and Pete Seeger, an icon of the folk idiom; both men were towering figures who cast long shadows in American music. Scott Asheton, the original drummer for the legendary Stooges, Bob Casale of new wave pioneers DEVO, and Casey Kasem, who practically invented the radio countdown format, all left this mortal coil, proving that no part of the music world has been untouched in 2014.
Take another look at that list; it is a generation’s worth of legends, pioneers and hall of famers — a galaxy of stars that has been dimmed. One can only look longingly to the future and hope that, among the flotsam and jetsam that currently make up popular music, there are visionary musicians willing to take the baton and add their music and voices to the ages.
Recommended Reading:
THE RAMONES:
On The Road With The Ramones
Monte A. Melnick, Frank Meyer
Hey Ho Let's Go: The Story of the Ramones
Everett True
CHARLIE HADEN:
There is nothing specific on Haden yet, but upon receiving an NEA Jazz Masters award in 2012, Mr. Haden remarked, “This will also help me to complete various projects that I'm working on, including my book." Here’s hoping…
BOBBY WOMACK:
Midnight Mover
Bobby Womack
DESMOND DEKKER:
This Is Reggae Music: The Story of Jamaica's Music
Lloyd Bradley
- AMB Blog's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
