the AMP Issue 22

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies."
— Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

In This Issue... [17 pages, approx 20ish minutes to read] You'll Get...

• the LIST— Musical Artists who died in 2023 

• the 100 GREATEST SINGER SONGWRITERS of All Time— Robbie Robertson

• PS from PS— Lost and Found

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Here’s the playlist

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• the LIST— Musical Artists who died in 2023 

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When is the death of a talented musical artist not a loss? 

Never. 

And while it is very real that their loved ones and fans around the world miss them up-close and personal... They are each alive and well for us because of the gift of their music. 

Legacy. It's called. Just as if we were beneficiaries named in their last will and testament. The gift of a Cheeseburger in Paradise... too many bottles of Anchor Steam Up on Cripple Creek... or still trying to figure out what in hell the famous grandy scratch-scratch of Belefonte's woman piaba and man piaba was all about.

So a suggestion: Scan the list of the musical artists who died this year. There will be names you know and their songs you remember. But grab an unknown to you artist or two, and Goggle or ChatGP them. Go listen to their work. Become one of their beneficiaries... And become a part of having them live on. Forever.

Singers, Songwriters and Musicians Who Died in 2023... and whose music will live on and on through you.

Colin Burgess
He was 77 years 1 month old when he died this year
Born 16 November 1946 Died 16 December 2023
Original drummer with AC/DC, formed in 1973   

Bob Johnson
He was 79 years 8 months 27 days old when he died this year
Born 18 March 1944 Died 15 December 2023
Guitarist, played with folk rock band Steeleye Span   

Essra Mohawk
She was 75 years 7 months 18 days old when she died this year
Born 23 April 1948 Died 11 December 2023
Singer (folk jazz) / songwriter / session vocalist, worked with Frank Zappa   

Jeffrey Foskett
He was 67 years 9 months 24 days old when he died this year
Born 17 February 1956 Died 11 December 2023
Singer / guitartist / session musician, long-term collaborator with The Beach Boys   

Jimmy Ayoub
He was 70 years 3 months 22 days old when he died this year
Born 18 August 1953 Died 10 December 2023
Original drummer with rock band Mahogany Rush   

Denny Laine
He was 79 years 1 month 6 days old when he died this year
Born 29 October 1944 Died 5 December 2023
Vocalist / guitarist, played with The Moody Blues / Wings   

Myles Goodwin
He was 75 years 5 months 10 days old when he died this year
Born 23 June 1948 Died 3 December 2023
Lead singer / guitarist with rock band April Wine   

Shane MacGowan
He was 65 years 11 months 5 days old when he died this year
Born 25 December 1957 Died 30 November 2023
Lead singer with The Pogues / The Popes   

Scott Kempner
He was 69 years 9 months 23 days old when he died this year
Born 6 February 1954 Died 29 November 2023
Guitar player with The Dictators   

Geordie Walker
He was 64 years 11 months 8 days old when he died this year
Born 18 December 1958 Died 26 November 2023
Guitar player with Killing Joke   

Jean Knight
She was 80 years 9 months 27 days old when she died this year
Born 26 January 1943 Died 22 November 2023
Singer (soul), who had a hit song in 1971 with Mr Big Stuff   

Chad Allan
He was 80 years 7 months 23 days old when he died this year
Born 29 March 1943 Died 21 November 2023
Original lead singer with The Guess Who   

Charlie Dominici
He was 72 years 5 months 1 day old when he died this year
Born 16 June 1951 Died 17 November 2023
Singer, performed as lead vocalist on Dream Theater's debut album   

Peter Solley
He was 75 years 29 days old when he died this year
Born 19 October 1948 Died 17 November 2023
Keyboard player / producer (progressive rock / pop rock)   

George Brown
He was 74 years 10 months 1 day old when he died this year
Born 15 January 1949 Died 16 November 2023
Co-founder, drummer and songwriter with Kool & The Gang   

Warren Gradus
He was 78 years 2 months 5 days old when he died this year
Born 24 August 1945 Died 29 October 2023
Vocalist with doo-wop group The Belmonts  

Wilburn Steven Rice
He was 84 years 6 months 9 days old when he died this year
Born 19 April 1939 Died 28 October 2023
Singer and songwriter (country)   

Steve Riley
He was 67 years 9 months 2 days old when he died this year
Born 22 January 1956 Died 24 October 2023
Drummer (rock / metal), played with W.A.S.P. / L.A. Guns   

Mervin Shiner
He was 102 years 8 months 3 days old when he died this year
Born 20 February 1921 Died 23 October 2023
Singer / guitar player (honky-tonk / country)  

Dwight Twilley
He was 72 years 4 months 12 days old when he died this year
Born 6 June 1951 Died 18 October 2023
Singer / songwriter (pop rock) who had a hit song in 1975 with I'm On 

Carla Bley
She was 87 years 5 months 6 days old when she died this year
Born 11 May 1936 Died 17 October 2023
Composer / pianist / bandleader (jazz / free jazz)   

Rudolph Isley
He was 84 years 6 months 10 days old when he died this year
Born 1 April 1939 Died 11 October 2023
Singer / songwriter with soul band The Isley Brothers   

Peter Oakman
He was 79 years 9 months 17 days old when he died this year
Born 12 December 1943 Died 29 September 2023
Bassist, played with Joe Brown / Lonnie Donegan  

Terry Kirkman
He was 83 years 9 months 11 days old when he died this year
Born 12 December 1939 Died 23 September 2023
Singer / songwriter with The Association   

Katherine Anderson
She was 79 years 8 months 4 days old when she died this year
Born 16 January 1944 Died 20 September 2023
Singer with girl group The Marvelettes who had the 1961 hit song Please Mr Postman   

Roger Whittaker
He was 87 years 5 months 22 days old when he died this year
Born 22 March 1936 Died 13 September 2023
Singer / songwriter (pop / folk) known for his trademark whistling   

Bruce Guthro
He was 62 years 5 days old when he died this year
Born 31 August 1961 Died 5 September 2023
Singer / songwriter, vocalist with Runrig  

Larry Chance
He was 82 years 10 months 17 days old when he died this year
Born 19 October 1940 Died 5 September 2023
Lead singer with doo-wop group The Earls  

Gary Wright
He was 80 years 4 months 9 days old when he died this year
Born 26 April 1943 Died 4 September 2023
Singer / songwriter / keyboardist, who had the 1976 hit songs Dream Weaver and Love Is Alive 

Steve Harwell
He was 56 years 7 months 26 days old when he died this year
Born 9 January 1967 Died 4 September 2023
Lead vocalist with Smash Mouth   

Jimmy Buffett
He was 76 years 8 months 7 days old when he died this year
Born 25 December 1946 Died 1 September 2023
Singer / songwriter (country / pop), who had the hit song Margaritaville in 1977

Jack Sonni
He was 68 years 8 months 21 days old when he died this year
Born 9 December 1954 Died 30 August 2023
Guitar player, worked with Dire Straits   

Len Chandler
He was 88 years 3 months 1 day old when he died this year
Born 27 May 1935 Died 28 August 2023
Singer / songwriter (folk)   

Bernie Marsden
He was 72 years 3 months 17 days old when he died this year
Born 7 May 1951 Died 24 August 2023
Guitarist (rock / blues), played with Whitesnake   

Bob Feldman
He was 83 years 2 months 9 days old when he died this year
Born 14 June 1940 Died 23 August 2023
Songwriter / vocalist, member of The Strangeloves   

Ray Hildebrand
He was 82 years 7 months 28 days old when he died this year
Born 21 December 1940 Died 18 August 2023
Singer / songwriter with pop duo Paul & Paula  

Bobby Eli
He was 77 years 5 months 15 days old when he died this year
Born 2 March 1946 Died 17 August 2023
Multi-instrumentalist / session musician / songwriter, worked for Gamble and Huff  

Gary Young
He was 70 years 3 months 14 days old when he died this year
Born 3 May 1953 Died 17 August 2023
Drummer, played with indie rock band Pavement   

Ron Peno
He was 68 years 16 days old when he died this year
Born 26 July 1955 Died 11 August 2023
Lead singer with alt rock band Died Pretty   

Robbie Robertson
He was 80 years 1 month 4 days old when he died this year
Born 5 July 1943 Died 9 August 2023
Guitarist, played with The Band / Bob Dylan   

Rodriguez
He was 81 years 29 days old when he died this year
Born 10 July 1942 Died 8 August 2023
Singer / songwriter   

David LaFlamme
He was 82 years 3 months 2 days old when he died this year
Born 4 May 1941 Died 6 August 2023
Singer / violinist with It's A Beautiful Day   

John Gosling
He was 75 years 5 months 29 days old when he died this year
Born 6 February 1948 Died 4 August 2023
Keyboardist, played with The Kinks (1970 - 1978)  

Sinead O'Connor
She was 56 years 7 months 18 days old when she died this year
Born 8 December 1966 Died 26 July 2023
Singer / songwriter, who had the 1990 hit song Nothing Compares 2 U, written by Prince   

Randy Meisner
He was 77 years 4 months 18 days old when he died this year
Born 8 March 1946 Died 26 July 2023
Bassist / singer, founding member of the Eagles   

Vince Hill
He was 89 years 3 months 6 days old when he died this year
Born 16 April 1934 Died 22 July 2023
Singer (traditional pop)   

Tony Bennett
He was 96 years 11 months 18 days old when he died this year
Born 3 August 1926 Died 21 July 2023
Singer (swing / jazz / traditional pop)   

Jane Birkin
She was 76 years 7 months 2 days old when she died this year
Born 14 December 1946 Died 16 July 2023
Singer / actress, who had the 1969 hit song Je t'aime... Moi non plus 

George Tickner
He was 76 years 9 months 27 days old when he died this year
Born 8 September 1946 Died 5 July 2023
Guitar player, founding member of Journey  

Mo Foster
He was 78 years 6 months 11 days old when he died this year
Born 22 December 1944 Died 3 July 2023
Bass player (session / touring)   

Teresa Taylor
She was 60 years 7 months 8 days old when she died this year
Born 10 November 1962 Died 18 June 2023
Drummer, played with Butthole Surfers  

Lee Clayton
He was 80 years 7 months 14 days old when he died this year
Born 29 October 1942 Died 12 June 2023
Singer / songwriter (country)   

Jack Earls
He was 90 years 9 months 20 days old when he died this year
Born 23 August 1932 Died 12 June 2023
Singer (rockabilly / country)   

Tony McPhee
He was 79 years 2 months 13 days old when he died this year
Born 24 March 1944 Died 6 June 2023
Guitarist / vocalist with blues rock band Groundhogs   

Astrud Gilberto
She was 83 years 2 months 7 days old when she died this year
Born 29 March 1940 Died 5 June 2023
Singer, best known for her performance on the song The Girl From Ipanema in 1964   

George Winston
He was 74 years 3 months 24 days old when he died this year
Born 11 February 1949 Died 4 June 2023
Pianist (folk / rhythm and blues)   

Cynthia Weil
She was 82 years 7 months 14 days old when she died this year
Born 18 October 1940 Died 1 June 2023
Lyricist, who together with husband Barry Mann were award winning songwriters  

Jack Lee
He was 71 years 2 months 1 day old when he died this year
Born 25 March 1952 Died 26 May 2023
Guitar player / songwriter with The Nerves   

Reuben Wilson
He was 88 years 1 month 17 days old when he died this year
Born 9 April 1935 Died 26 May 2023
Organist (acid jazz / soul jazz)   

Joy McKean
She was 93 years 4 months 11 days old when she died this year
Born 14 January 1930 Died 25 May 2023
Singer / songwriter (country)   

Tina Turner
She was 83 years 5 months 28 days old when she died this year
Born 26 November 1939 Died 24 May 2023
Singer (rhythm and blues / soul / pop), who had the hit song What's Love Got To Do With It   

Sheldon Reynolds
He was 63 years 8 months 10 days old when he died this year
Born 13 September 1959 Died 23 May 2023
Guitarist, played with The Commodores / Earth Wind & Fire  

Ed Ames
He was 95 years 10 months 12 days old when he died this year
Born 9 July 1927 Died 21 May 2023
Singer (pop) and member of vocal quartet The Ames Brothers   

Pete Brown
He was 82 years 4 months 24 days old when he died this year
Born 25 December 1940 Died 19 May 2023
Vocalist / poet / lyricist, co-wrote many songs for Cream / Jack Bruce

Andy Rourke
He was 59 years 4 months 2 days old when he died this year
Born 17 January 1964 Died 19 May 2023
Bass player with The Smiths   

Algy Ward
He was 63 years 10 months 6 days old when he died this year
Born 11 July 1959 Died 17 May 2023
Bassist, played with Tank / The Damned  

John Giblin
He was 71 years 2 months 18 days old when he died this year
Born 26 February 1952 Died 14 May 2023
Bassist (multi-genre), worked with many big UK artists both live and in the studio   

Francis Monkman
He was 73 years 11 months 3 days old when he died this year
Born 9 June 1949 Died 12 May 2023
Keyboard player, founding member of progressive bands Curved Air and Sky   

Rolf Harris
He was 93 years 1 month 10 days old when he died this year
Born 30 March 1930 Died 10 May 2023
Entertainer / singer, who had a hit song with Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport in the early 1960s   

Stu James
He was 77 years 9 months 26 days old when he died this year
Born 14 July 1945 Died 10 May 2023
Lead singer with 60s band The Mojos   

Jon Povey
He was 80 years 8 months 19 days old when he died this year
Born 20 August 1942 Died 9 May 2023
Keyboard player with the Pretty Things  

Linda Lewis
She was 72 years 7 months 6 days old when she died this year
Born 27 September 1950 Died 3 May 2023
Singer / session musician (pop / soul)   

Gordon Lightfoot
He was 84 years 5 months 14 days old when he died this year
Born 17 November 1938 Died 1 May 2023
Singer / songwriter / guitarist (folk pop)   

Broderick Smith
He was 75 years 2 months 13 days old when he died this year
Born 17 February 1948 Died 30 April 2023
Singer / songwriter (country rock), member of The Dingoes  

Johnny Fean
He was 71 years 5 months 11 days old when he died this year
Born 17 November 1951 Died 28 April 2023
Guitarist with Celtic rock band Horslips   

Tim Bachman
He was 71 years 8 months 27 days old when he died this year
Born 1 August 1951 Died 28 April 2023
Guitarist / vocalist, founding member of Bachman Turner Overdrive   

Claude Gray
He was 91 years 3 months 3 days old when he died this year
Born 25 January 1932 Died 28 April 2023
Singer / songwriter (country)   

Wee Willie Harris
He was 90 years 1 month 2 days old when he died this year
Born 25 March 1933 Died 27 April 2023
Singer (rock and roll)  

Mike Gregory
He was 76 years 5 months 20 days old when he died this year
Born 7 November 1946 Died 27 April 2023
Bassist, played with 60s bands The Escorts / The Swinging Blue Jeans

Harry Belafonte
He was 96 years 1 month 24 days old when he died this year
Born 1 March 1927 Died 25 April 2023
Singer (calypso / pop) / actor   

Billy 'The Kid' Emerson
He was 97 years 4 months 4 days old when he died this year
Born 21 December 1925 Died 25 April 2023
Singer / songwriter / piano player (rock and roll)  

Ralph Humphrey
He was 78 years 11 months 7 days old when he died this year
Born 11 May 1944 Died 18 April 2023
Drummer, played with Frank Zappa's band The Mothers Of Invention   

Otis Redding III
He was 59 years 4 months 1 day old when he died this year
Born 17 December 1963 Died 18 April 2023
Guitarist, member of The Reddings, son of singer Otis Redding  

April Stevens
She was 93 years 11 months 19 days old when she died this year
Born 29 April 1929 Died 17 April 2023
Singer (traditional pop), also performed in a duo with her brother Nino Tempo   

Ahmad Jamal
He was 92 years 9 months 14 days old when he died this year
Born 2 July 1930 Died 16 April 2023
Pianist / bandleader (jazz)   

Mark Sheehan
He was 46 years 5 months 16 days old when he died this year
Born 29 October 1976 Died 14 April 2023
Singer / guitarist with The Script   

Cliff Fish
He was 73 years 8 months 1 day old when he died this year
Born 13 August 1949 Died 14 April 2023
Bassist / founding member of Paper Lace who had the 1974 hit song Billy Don't Be A Hero  

Ian Bairnson
He was 69 years 8 months 4 days old when he died this year
Born 3 August 1953 Died 7 April 2023
Guitarist / session musician, played with The Alan Parsons Project / Pilot / Kate Bush   

John Regan
He was 71 years 5 months 10 days old when he died this year
Born 28 October 1951 Died 7 April 2023
Bass player / session musician, worked with Peter Frampton / Ace Frehley 

Lasse Wellander
He was 70 years 9 months 20 days old when he died this year
Born 18 June 1952 Died 7 April 2023
Guitarist, long-term collaborator with ABBA   

Paul Cattermole
He was 46 years 30 days old when he died this year
Born 7 March 1977 Died 6 April 2023
Singer with dance pop band S Club 7  

Vivian Trimble
She was 59 years 10 months 11 days old when she died this year
Born 24 May 1963 Died 4 April 2023

Ray Shulman
He was 73 years 3 months 22 days old when he died this year
Born 8 December 1949 Died 30 March 2023
Bassist / songwriter with progressive rock band Gentle Giant   

'Sweet' Charles Sherrell
He was 80 years 21 days old when he died this year
Born 8 March 1943 Died 29 March 2023
Bassist, played with James Brown / Al Green  

Brian 'Brizz' Gillis
He was 47 years 10 months 18 days old when he died this year
Born 11 May 1975 Died 29 March 2023
Singer with pop / hip-hop band LFO   

Ryuichi Sakamoto
He was 71 years 2 months 11 days old when he died this year
Born 17 January 1952 Died 28 March 2023
Keyboard player with influential electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra

Howie Kane
He was 77 years 9 months 20 days old when he died this year
Born 6 June 1945 Died 26 March 2023
Vocalist with Jay and The Americans   

Ray Pillow
He was 85 years 8 months 22 days old when he died this year
Born 4 July 1937 Died 26 March 2023
Singer (country)  

Keith Reid
He was 76 years 5 months 4 days old when he died this year
Born 19 October 1946 Died 23 March 2023
Lyricist / songwriter with Procol Harum, co-writer of their 1967 hit song A Whiter Shade Of Pale   

Peter Shelly
He was 80 years 23 days old when he died this year}
Born 28 1943 Died 23 March 2023
Singer / Songwriter (pop)

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Source: Billboard's Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2023, by Anna Chan. 

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• the 100 GREATEST SINGER SONGWRITERS of All Time— Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson Died the 9th of August, 2023. He was 80 years old.

Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, film composer, producer, actor, and author. Robertson is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for The Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. 

Robertson's work with The Band was instrumental in creating the Americana music genre. Robertson has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Band, and has been inducted to Canada's Walk of Fame, both with The Band and on his own. He is ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitarists. As a songwriter, Robertson is credited for writing The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up on Cripple Creek, Broken Arrow, Somewhere Down the Crazy River, and many others. He has been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Songwriters. 

As a film soundtrack producer and composer, Robertson is known for his collaborations with director Martin Scorsese, which began with the rockumentary film The Last Waltz (1978), and continued through a number of dramatic films, including Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), Casino (1995), The Departed (2006), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and The Irishman (2019). He has worked on many other soundtracks for film and television.

in partnership with  the Jim Parker Songwriter Series

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• PS from PS— Lost and Found

Of the too many artists on the list that we lost in 2023, there were 4 I found that caught  my attention: Denny Laine, Tony McPhee, Benny Marsden and Rodriguez. Each of them played a part in my musical growth and development, and each have had their unique effects on me at different times in my life.

The first one the Moody Blues and the Go Now from 1965. I remember hearing it on the radio and loved the way the vocal harmonies blended. The style of the song was something I'd never heard before and it changed the way I thought about music. It was the first time I became aware of production values and what could be done in the studio.

In my teenage years I discovered Progressive Rock with the Groundhogs' Crosscut Saw, and realized that music could have an emotional effect on me. On people. Their songs were angry. They meant business. They set out to affect the world. That took me on a long journey discovering all aspects of prog rock— or classic rock as it is now called— and boy the Hogs were loud. My ears rang for days after seeing them play at a local college.

Then into the 80s, Whitenake, Fool For You Loving. The sound of Benny's guitar! And that's when I found out that music was a great way to get girls. I was then a DJ on radio in the UK. Just being around the  bands and musicians was always fun. Started my love affair with radio, and being able to talk about music and meet the musicians that played all the hits.

As music and I evolved, I came to care passionately about Singer Songwriters. Rodriguez— Sugarman as he became known— stands way far out. If you have not watched the movie Searching for Sugarman make an easily-to-keep resolution to watch it. You'll find it a fascinating story and some truly amazing songs. 

As I've grown older, I've learned to appreciate lyrics more. The stories. And how songs can affect me emotionally. They can make me laugh and cry. Happy and sad. And lots  in between. Music is power. I simply love music. 

____________________

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