August 5
Shaun Martin | 45
Grammy-winning producer and musician, known for playing keyboards in jazz fusion group Snarky Puppy, and for his work with Kirk Franklin, Erykah Badu, and Chaka Khan.
August 6
Maurice Williams | 86
Doo-wop lead singer best known for his 1960 hit "Stay" recorded with his group the Zodiacs.
August 7
Jack Russell | 63
Founding frontman of glam rock band Great White, best known for their hit 1989 cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten Twice Shy."
August 13
Greg Kihn | 75
Lead singer and founder of the Greg Kihn Band who had hits in the early 1980's with "The Breakup Song" and "Jeopardy."
September 2
Pat Lewis| 76
Soul singer who recorded backing vocals for Motown and performed with artists including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, and Isaac Hayes, in addition to her solo career during which she released the moderate hit "Can't Shake It Loose" in 1966.
September 5
Herbie Flowers | 86
Bassist of T. Rex and session multi-instrumentalist who recorded with numerous artists including Elton John, David Bowie, and most famously Lou Reed, playing the bassline on "Walk on the Wild Side."
"Screamin'" Scott Simon | 75
Pianist in the nostalgic early rock & roll revival group Sha Na Na for more than fifty years who also co-wrote “Sandy” for the movie musical Grease.
September 6
Sergio Mendes | 83
Influential boss nova and jazz artist, who scored international hits, primarily with his group Brasil '66, best known for the hit "Mas Que Nada."
Will Jennings | 80
Lyricist who co-wrote hits including Joe Cocker's "Up Where We Belong," Steve Winwood's "Higher Love," Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."
September 8
Zoot Money | 82
Singer, bandleader, and keyboardist—known for playing the Hammond organ—who was a figure in the 1960's British R&B movement and had connections with many of the prominent British Invasion acts of the era.
September 10
Frankie Beverly | 77
Singer, songwriter and producer best known for his work with soul and funk band Maze whose popular songs included "Golden Time of Day" and "Joy and Pain."
September 13
Tommy Cash | 84
Country singer and younger brother of Johnny Cash who scored a few top 40 hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including "Six White Horses," "One Song Away" and "Rise and Shine".
September 15
Tito Jackson | 70
Singer and guitarist in the Jackson 5 who also recorded as a solo artist and worked as a session musician and producer.
*Inductee, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
September 17
JD Souther | 78
Singer-songwriter influential in the Southern California rock scene of the 1970s, who wrote numerous hit songs including 1979's "You're Only Lonely." He also collaborated on hits for other artists including the Eagles' “Best of My Love," "Heartache Tonight," and “New Kid In Town,” and the duets "Her Town Too" with James Taylor and “Prisoner in Disguise,” “Sometimes You Can’t Win” and “Hearts Against the Wind" with Linda Ronstadt.
September 19
Nick Gravenites | 86
Blues musician who was influential in the 1960's San Francisco rock scene, working with Elvin Bishop, Paul Butterfield, Janis Joplin, Big Brother & the Holding Company, and Quicksilver Messenger Service, and who formed the Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield.
September 28
Kris Kristofferson | 88
Singer-songwriter and actor who was an essential figure in the outlaw country movement, known for writing hit songs that became hits for other artists, including Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee", and Johnny Cash's "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and for his country music supergroup the Highwaymen.
September 24
Cat Glover | 62
Singer, choreographer, dancer, and rapper, best known for her work with Prince, including the 1987 “Sign o’ the Times” tour and concert film and the 1988 “Lovesexy” tour.
October 7
Cissy Houston | 91
Two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel singer and mother of Whitney Houston, who formed vocal group the Sweet Inspirations with Dee Dee Warwick and Doris Troy, singing backup for Otis Redding, Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick, Van Morrison, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Johnny Neel | 70
Musician, singer, and songwriter who played an important role in the formation of Southern rock, and is best known for playing in the Dickey Betts Band and on the Allman Brothers Band’s second reunion.
Nell Smith | 17
Teenage music prodigy best known for her collaborations with the Flaming Lips.
October 12
George Chambers | 88
Singer and bassist for psychedelic soul band the Chambers Brothers, best known for their 1968 hit "Time Has Come Today."
October 17
Liam Payne | 31
Singer and former member of boy band One Direction.
October 20
Barbara Dane | 97
Folk, blues, and jazz singer and musician who used music to promote her progressive political activism.
October 21
Paul Di'Anno | 66
Heavy metal singer who served as lead singer of Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981.
October 23
Jack Jones | 86
Grammy-winning pop singer whose hits included “Lollipops and Roses,” “Wives and Lovers” and “The Impossible Dream" and who sang the theme for the TV show, The Love Boat.
October 24
DJ Clark Kent | 58
Hip-hop producer, sometimes called “God’s Favorite DJ," known for his crew of DJ's the Supermen, and who worked with artists including Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G.
October 25
Phil Lesh | 84
Bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead.
*Inductee, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
October 28
Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal | 91
Trumpeter best known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club.
November 3
Quincy Jones | 91
Multi-award winning music mogul whose work as a producer, composer, arranger, conductor, musician and band leader has spanned from jazz to pop music, including his production of Michael Jackson's Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.
*Inductee, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
November 9
Lou Donaldson | 98
Jazz alto saxophonist who played an influential role blending jazz and soul into a genre he called "swinging bebop."
Ella Jenkins | 100
Folk singer-songwriter known as the "First Lady of Children's Music."
November 12
Roy Haynes | 99
Influential jazz drummer who performed with major jazz artists including Charlie Parker, Lester Young and Sarah Vaughan.
November 13
Shel Talmy | 87
Producer who helped form the sound of the British Invasion in the 1960's with his work on the Kinks' hits “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night,” as well as the Who's “My Generation” and “I Can’t Explain." He also produced hits by Manfred Mann and the Easybeats, and David Bowie’s early singles.
November 14
Aashish Khan | 84
Indian classical musician who collaborated with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, particularly on the 1968 soundtrack album, and Harrison's solo debut Wonderwall Music.
Dennis Bryon| 75
Drummer who played with the Bee Gees from 1974 to 1980, whose work includes the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
Vic Flick | 87
Guitarist best known for playing the famous guitar riff in the "James Bond Theme," who also played on Petula Clark's "Downtown," Peter and Gordon's "World Without Love," and Tom Jones' “It's Not Unusual” and “What’s New Pussycat?”
Peter Sinfield | 80
Co-founding member and primary lyricist of King Crimson, who also produced Roxy Music's debut album, and wrote for Cher, Celine Dion and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
November 18
Charles Dumont | 95
Singer and composer who wrote songs for French singers Jaques Brel, Juliette Gréco, and most famously Edith Piaf's "Non, je ne regrette rien."
Colin "Smiley" Peterson | 78
Drummer for the Bee Gees in the late 1960's, whose work includes the albums Horizontal and Odessa.
November 19
Saafir | 54
Dancer for Digital Underground who became a member of the rap group Golden State Project.
November 20
Andy Paley | 72
Producer and musician who worked with a variety of artists including Brian Wilson, Little Richard, the Ramones, Madonna, Jonathan Richman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, Debbie Harry, and NRBQ. He also worked as a composer for animated TV series including SpongeBob SquarePants, Ren & Stimpy, and Digimon.
November 24
Bob Bryar | 44
Longest-tenured drummer of rock band My Chemical Romance who played between 2004 and 2010.
November 29
Will Cullen Hart | 53
Co-founder of music collective Elephant 6 and member of psychedelic rock groups the Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System.
November 30
Steve Alaimo | 84
Singer, songwriter, and producer who started out as a teen idol in the early 1960's and hosted and co-produced Dick Clark's musical variety show Where the Action Is. He also discovered soul duo Sam & Dave and co-founded the label TK Records, which released hits including Betty Wright’s “Clean Up Woman,” Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell,” Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do for Love," and five #1 singles by KC & the Sunshine Band.
December 17
Alfa Anderson | 78
Beginning as a backing singer for 1970's band Chic, she became one of the group's lead singers in 1978, singing on the disco hits, "Le Freak", "Good Times", and "I Want Your Love".
Michael Brewer | 80
Best known as one half of the music duo Brewer & Shipley, who's 1971 one-hit-wonder, "One Toke Over the Line", stirred controversy for it's implied references to marijuana.
December 18
Robert Bruce "Slim" Dunlap | 73
Guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known as lead guitarist for The Replacements from 1987 to 1991, as well as for his solo work.
December 20
Sugar Pie DeSanto | 89
An R&B singer and songwriter, who began her career in Johnny Otis' and James Brown's revues, later had solo success singing and writing for Chess Records, including the 1965 hit "Do I Make Myself Clear", a duet with Etta James. She was also known for her exciting stage performances that included energetic dancing and back flips.
December 24
Richard Perry | 82
Successful music producer and founder of Planet Records, he helmed hits for artists like The Pointer Sisters, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, and many others.
