{"id":9468,"date":"2016-12-19T14:31:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-19T14:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2016\/12\/19\/in-memoriam-2016\/"},"modified":"2016-12-19T14:31:00","modified_gmt":"2016-12-19T14:31:00","slug":"in-memoriam-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/in-memoriam-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"In Memoriam 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

By NPR Staff<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

\"Prince.\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Music suffered heavy losses in 2016, a year like no other in recent memory. We bid unexpected farewells to the very brightest stars \u2014 David Bowie and Prince \u2014 but we also lost masters from every corner of the music world, from classical composers and jazz greats to world music superstars, soul singers, country giants, prog-rock pioneers and record producers. They left us with unforgettable sounds and compelling stories. Hear their music and explore their legacies here.<\/p>\n

(Credits: Tom Huizenga, producer; Mark Mobley, editor; Brittany Mayes, designer)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kevin Winter\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Prince<\/h3>\n

June 7, 1958 \u2014 April 21, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

We may never see another total talent like Prince<\/a> again. He was the product of terrific genes, music education and a post-Beatles, post-Hendrix studio audacity. As a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer, guitar shredder, producer, philanthropist and music business innovator, he knew few creative limits. And his transcendently erotic, genre-spanning music made us all believe freaks ran the universe.\u2014Jason King<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"David<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Terry O’Neill\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

David Bowie<\/h3>\n

Jan. 8, 1947 \u2014 Jan. 10, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

David Bowie<\/a> was an open channel through whom music changed in myriad ways. The patron saint of freaks and rebels, a champion of the marginalized, Bowie was a total artist who didn’t dabble but triumph in fashion, theater and film. He challenged himself and us up to and through his final masterpiece, Blackstar<\/em>.\u2014Ann Powers<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Pierre<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Brice Toul\/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pierre Boulez<\/h3>\n

March 26, 1925 \u2014 Jan. 5, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Once an enfant terrible who suggested blowing up opera houses, the French composer<\/a> created complex, fantastically colorful and surprisingly sensual music with new acoustic and electronic sounds. As a first-tier conductor and music director of the New York Philharmonic, he eventually embraced most of the canon, performing familiar works with analytical clarity.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Maurice<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rob Verhorst\/Redferns\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Maurice White<\/h3>\n

Dec. 19, 1941 \u2014 Feb. 4, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Memphis-born musical visionary Maurice White<\/a> did humanity a major favor by founding 1970s superstar act Earth, Wind & Fire \u2014 which brimmed with talent like bassist Verdine White, falsetto singer Philip Bailey and tenor White himself. Delivering exuberantly funky R&B joints like “Sing a Song” and “September,” EWF redefined the soul band as the ultimate sensual rhythm machine.\u2014Jason King<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Leonard<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Leonard Cohen<\/h3>\n

Sept. 21, 1934 \u2014 Nov. 7, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The most elegant poet<\/a> and philosopher of the rock era was also one of its most sensual and funniest. If “Hallelujah” was his signature hymn, his hundreds of other songs teemed with as much divinity, grounded in erotic detail and a deep appreciation of human vulnerability. He also looked great in a suit.\u2014Ann Powers<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Juan<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Mark Ralston\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Juan Gabriel<\/h3>\n

Jan. 7, 1950 \u2014 Aug. 28, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Mourned in his native Mexico as a national hero<\/a>, he told stories that resonated with Latin music fans from the tip of South America to North America. He was iconic because of his legendary insistence on going his own way. \u2014Felix Contreras<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Merle<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Frazer Harrison\/Getty Images for Stagecoach<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Merle Haggard<\/h3>\n

April 6, 1937 \u2014 April 6, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The hardscrabble poetry of his songs<\/a> spoke of plain truths and lessons learned, and was set to music both rowdy and reflective. His evocative storytelling left a long shadow across country music and picked up fans as disparate as Johnny Cash and The Grateful Dead.\u2014Felix Contreras<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Glenn<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Karl Walter\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Glenn Frey<\/h3>\n

Nov. 6, 1948 \u2014 Jan. 18, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Mixing the pop smoothness with the rock grit, Frey<\/a> co-wrote and sang many of The Eagles’ biggest hits, including “Take It Easy,” “Lyin’ Eyes” and “Heartache Tonight.” Between the band’s initial 1980 breakup and its first reunion in 1994, Frey became a solo star \u2014 with hits such as “The Heat Is On” and “Smuggler’s Blues” \u2014 and launched an acting career.\u2014Stephen Thompson<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Sharon<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kristian Dowling\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Sharon Jones<\/h3>\n

May 4, 1956 \u2014 Nov. 18, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

A music business afterthought for much of her life, the funky and ingratiating Brooklyn soul singer broke out in the last 20 years to become one of the most electrifying performers in the business. With the aid of her band The Dap-Kings, Jones<\/a> was an era-straddling thriller whose appeal crossed generations.\u2014Stephen Thompson<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Ralph<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Karl Walter\/Getty Images for Stagecoach<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Ralph Stanley<\/h3>\n

Feb. 25, 1927 \u2014 June 23, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

A high tenor, banjo player and titan of American mountain music<\/a>, he and his brother Carter Stanley were bluegrass originators. Late in his career, he sang an unforgettable “O Death” in O Brother, Where Art Thou? While the lyrics asked that he be spared, the authority and quiet intensity of his voice demanded Death acquiesce for many years.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Esma<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Hayley Madden\/Redferns\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Esma Red\u017eepova<\/h3>\n

Aug. 8, 1943 \u2014 Dec. 11, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

She was the voice of a people, the Roma (historically known as Gypsies). This Macedonian singer<\/a>, educator and humanitarian was one of the first international stars to sing in the Romany language. She gained particular fame she didn’t seek when a song of hers was licensed for the opening of Borat<\/em>. But her legacy continues through hundreds of recordings and dozens of children she fostered.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Papa<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

STR\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Papa Wemba<\/h3>\n

June 14, 1949 \u2014 April 24, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The Congolese superstar<\/a> with the high, happy, easygoing voice was influential in mixing African and Western pop styles, and reached an international audience through the world music movement of the ’80s and ’90s. His dapper fashion gave rise to a wave of young men known as sapeurs<\/em> \u2014 the Society of Atmosphere-setters and Elegant People.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Edwin<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Gerardo Mora\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pulse nightclub shooting<\/h3>\n

June 12, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Ghost Ship warehouse fire<\/h3>\n

Dec. 2, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Dozens of people died this year in Orlando<\/a> and Oakland<\/a> doing one of the things they enjoyed most \u2014 dancing among family, friends and strangers. That they would die so young in places problems shouldn’t matter made a difficult year even tougher. The music won’t stop, but neither will the memories, vigilance and love.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Jane<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Dustin Chambers\/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jane Little<\/h3>\n

Feb. 2, 1929 \u2014 May 15, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

For more than 71 years she played double bass<\/a> in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, a span that included the visionary tenure of music director Robert Shaw. At 87 years old, during a concert, she collapsed while playing her instrument, which was a foot taller than she was. The song on her music stand? “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Mose<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Washington Post\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Mose Allison<\/h3>\n

Nov. 11, 1927 \u2014 Nov. 15, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

In an age when most pop moved away from jazz, Mose Allison<\/a> had the ears of rock stars, including The Who, The Clash and Elvis Costello. Yet he never lost a jazz audience devoted to his quietly sophisticated playing, witty writing and charmingly glancing, bluesy singing.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Gato<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jack Vartoogian \/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Gato Barbieri<\/h3>\n

Nov. 28, 1932 \u2014 April 2, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Hard to imagine going from avant-garde to Last Tango in Paris<\/em> to smooth jazz in a single, eventful career, but he did it all with style and grace. Argentina’s gift<\/a> to the tenor sax made amazing records and championed Latin folk before it was cool. \u2014Felix Contreras<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Paul<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Hans Harzheim\/ECM<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Paul Bley<\/h3>\n

Nov. 10, 1932 \u2014 Jan. 3, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Here’s one measure of Paul Bley<\/a>‘s talent: The supporting musicians on his debut recording were Charles Mingus and Art Blakey. Bley in turn helped launch the careers of Ornette Coleman and Pat Metheny. Bley could hear all the directions music could take, out into the realms of what came to be called “free jazz” \u2014 a ’60s movement in which he was a central figure.\u2014Tom Cole<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Guy<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Guy Clark<\/h3>\n

Nov. 6, 1941 \u2014 May 17, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Lyle Lovett put it well at a Nashville memorial for this Texas troubadour: “Guy Clark<\/a> was my friend before I ever met him.” So many songwriters learned by listening to his pristine, humble, gruffly sung tunes. Echoing through three generations of country and Americana stars, Clark shaped the way they philosophize about the plain stuff of life.\u2014Ann Powers<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Tony<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Mike Coppola\/Getty Images for Max Mara<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Tony Conrad<\/h3>\n

March 7, 1940 \u2014 April 9, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Tony Conrad<\/a> wasn’t so much a violinist but a mediator between worlds. Whether jamming with Faust and the Theatre of Eternal Music in the ’70s, or later with Jim O’Rourke and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, he always understood the essential being of sound as one continuous note.\u2014Lars Gotrich<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Peter<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Evening Standard\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Peter Maxwell Davies<\/h3>\n

Sept. 8, 1934 \u2014 March 14, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Called the “harlequin of British music<\/a>,” the artistically restless composer was inspired by modernists like Pierre Boulez, ancient English choral traditions and eventually the austere landscape of his beloved Orkney Islands. He left a genre-spanning trove of works running from the expressionistic to the serene and even ceremonial, as in 2004 he became Master of the Queen’s Music.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Keith<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Ullstein Bild\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Keith Emerson<\/h3>\n

Nov. 2, 1944 \u2014 ca. March 11, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The first time I saw Keith Emerson<\/a>, it was 1971, and he was standing on top of his Hammond L-100 thrusting daggers into the keys. He was a madman making a wild mix of classical and rock in Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s wistful tales of prophets and “the fate of all Mankind.”\u2014Bob Boilen<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Nikolaus<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Roland Schlager\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Nikolaus Harnoncourt<\/h3>\n

Dec. 6, 1929 \u2014 March 5, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Too many candy-coated Mozart performances in the 1950s forced the Austrian cellist to create and conduct his own orchestra \u2014 Concentus Musicus Wien. From that moment, Harnoncourt<\/a> became a dominant force in the early music movement, championing Monteverdi and Bach. Eventually, with the world’s great orchestras at his command, he presided over repertoire from Beethoven to Gershwin.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Bobby<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Fin Costello\/Redferns\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Bobby Hutcherson<\/h3>\n

Jan. 27, 1941 \u2014 Aug. 15, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Forget the fact that he had few peers on his instrument and instead consider his intense musicality<\/a> and faultless swing. Then you have essentially crystallized his entire career, especially his impressive Blue Note output.\u2014Felix Contreras<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Paul<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Paul Kantner<\/h3>\n

March 17, 1941 \u2014 Jan. 28, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

San Francisco music journalist Joel Selvin called Paul Kantner<\/a> “the soul” of Jefferson Airplane, the “contrarian” who “kept everything off balance.” Kantner co-founded the band and co-wrote songs including “Wooden Ships.” There was a strong anti-authoritarian strain that ran through his music and his life. As Selvin put it, “He never bought the Mercedes and moved to the suburbs.” Kantner stayed in the city whose sound he helped define.\u2014Tom Cole<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Greg<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Chuck Fishman\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Greg Lake<\/h3>\n

Nov. 10, 1947 \u2014 Dec. 7, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Guitar Svengali Robert Fripp got attention as mastermind of the first King Crimson, and keyboard Dumbledore Keith Emerson stole the show in Emerson, Lake and Palmer. But Greg Lake<\/a> was the voice that went from quietly melodious to full-throated on “In the Court of the Crimson King.” He wrote “Lucky Man,” a standout on ELP’s debut, at just 12 years old, and created the beautiful and enduring “I Believe in Father Christmas.”\u2014Tom Cole<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Joe<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rick Diamond\/Getty Images for IEBA<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Joe Ligon<\/h3>\n

Oct. 11, 1936 \u2014 Dec. 11, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The Mighty Clouds of Joy were led by a voice of thunder. Joe Ligon<\/a> was a stalwart of the hard gospel style who took some flak from the faithful for performing on Soul Train<\/em>, but also managed to score a disco hit, delivering a message of salvation where it wasn’t often heard.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Neville<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Erich Auerbach\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Neville Marriner<\/h3>\n

April 15, 1924 \u2014 Oct. 2, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The widely admired English conductor<\/a> introduced Mozart to untold millions when he led the ensemble he founded, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, for the Oscar-winning movie Amadeus<\/em>. Over five decades he made hundreds of sturdy recordings of repertoire from Vivaldi to Bartok, fronting orchestras in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Stuttgart.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Producer<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

George Martin<\/h3>\n

Jan. 3, 1926 \u2014 March 8, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

As producer and arranger and with The Beatles, George Martin<\/a> changed what anyone thought was possible in rock music. “George Martin made us what we were in the studio,” John Lennon said. “He helped us develop a language to talk to other musicians.”\u2014Bob Boilen<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Scotty<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Scotty Moore<\/h3>\n

Dec. 27, 1931 \u2014 June 28, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Scotty Moore<\/a> wanted to be a jazz guitarist but became one of the most revered of all rock ‘n’ roll sidemen. He was working at Sun Studio in Memphis when owner Sam Phillips asked him to audition an unknown named Elvis. Moore’s crisp fills and biting solos on “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Heartbreak Hotel” have become parts of history.\u2014Tom Cole<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Marnie<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Hiroyuki Ito\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Marni Nixon<\/h3>\n

Feb. 22, 1930 \u2014 July 24, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Eliza Doolittle in London, Anna in Siam, Maria on Manhattan’s West Side \u2014 they had different famous faces onscreen but sang with the same voice. Marni Nixon<\/a> had an unparalleled career as a Hollywood “ghost singer,” but also left a distinguished legacy of stage and recording work, especially in contemporary classical music.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Russell<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Maria Jeanette\/Deutsche Grammophon<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Russell Oberlin<\/h3>\n

Oct. 11, 1928 \u2014 Nov. 25, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The pioneering countertenor<\/a> was a leading force in the American early music movement of the 1950s and possessed a singularly identifiable voice. Rather than using falsetto to sing in the alto range, Oberlin’s voice settled naturally high, affording him a full-bodied tone devoid of the hooty quality of many countertenors.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Pauline<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jack Vartoogian \/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pauline Oliveros<\/h3>\n

May 30, 1932 \u2014 Nov. 24, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Known for her aesthetic called “deep listening,” Oliveros<\/a> thought nothing of dropping into a vacant cistern with her accordion to record an album. The Texas-born composer embraced improvisation, music of American Indians and experimented early with electronics, deconstructing Puccini in Bye Bye Butterfly<\/em>, which doubled as a bold statement on the lack of women composers.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Phife<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Andrew H. Walker\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Phife Dawg<\/h3>\n

Nov. 20, 1970 \u2014 Mar. 22, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Can’t really imagine alt-hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest without Malik Taylor aka Phife Dawg<\/a> aka Phife aka the Five Foot Assassin. Trini-blooded Phife delivered high tenor rhymes that acted as counterpoint to Q-Tip’s sagacious flow. Unafraid to wax political, Phife also helped afford the Native Tongues pioneers an affable street cred. Never the flashiest MC, he remains a timeless icon of post 90s East Coast hip-hop.\u2014Jason King<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Prince<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Larry Ellis\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Prince Buster<\/h3>\n

May 24, 1938 \u2014 Sept. 8, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Young boxer Cecil Bustamente Campbell<\/a> became a pioneer of ska and rocksteady and one of the first Jamaican musicians to break worldwide. As famous as he was in the ’60s thanks to songs like “Al Capone” and “Madness is Gladness,” he had a second wave of fame in the ’70s and ’80s as groups like The Specials and Madness seized upon his music.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Einojuhani<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Martti Kainulainen\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Einojuhani Rautavaara<\/h3>\n

Oct. 9, 1928 \u2014 July 27, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

The eclectic Finn, who said his brief stint in Manhattan taught him more than his teachers, was a musical experimenter. Blessed by his revered predecessor Jean Sibelius, Rautavaara<\/a> dabbled in atonal techniques, neoclassical elegance, elements of American jazz \u2014 even recording birdcalls for his popular Cantus arcticus<\/em>. His later mystic phase attracted a new contingent of admirers.\u2014Tom Huizenga<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Leon<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GAB Archive\/Redferns\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Leon Russell<\/h3>\n

April 2, 1942 \u2014 Nov. 13, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

A musician’s musician, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer worked with the greats \u2014 Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, George Harrison and countless others \u2014 in a career that spanned 60 years. Though Russell<\/a>‘s biggest hits came in the early ’70s, he enjoyed a major comeback in 2010 through a hit album with Elton John, whose own work he’d helped inspire.\u2014Stephen Thompson<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"An<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Asif Hassan\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Amjad Sabri<\/h3>\n

Dec. 23, 1976 \u2014 June 22, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

At just 45, in the prime of his life and career, the clarion-voiced Sabri<\/a> was gunned down while making his way to a TV performance during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for killing this especially accomplished and promising member of a devout and revered musical family devoted to an ancient, honorable and tolerant tradition.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

Jean Shepard. Elmer Williams\/Getty Images<\/strong> hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/strong><\/div>\n

Elmer Williams\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jean Shepard<\/h3>\n

Nov. 21, 1933 \u2014 Sept. 25, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

There’d be no Kacey Musgraves \u2014 maybe even no Loretta Lynn \u2014 without Jean Shepard<\/a>. A pioneer who sang of female independence starting in the 1950s, she was the first woman to reach a half century as a Grand Old Opry member and championed traditional country until the end of her long, inspiring life.\u2014Ann Powers<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Sam<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NFL Films<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Sam Spence<\/h3>\n

March 29, 1927 \u2014 Feb. 6, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

In 1966, the ascendant NFL took on a thrilling new sound, as Sam Spence<\/a> began scoring NFL Films highlights with orchestral music fit for swinging spy films and spaghetti westerns. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “Fly, Eagles Fly” sound quaint next to the modern onslaughts of “The Over the Hill Gang,” “Wild Bunch” and “The Pony Soldiers.”\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Elizabeth<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Andrew H. Walker\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Elizabeth Swados<\/h3>\n

Feb. 5, 1951 \u2014 Jan. 5, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Coming to Broadway directly between West Side Story and Rent, Elizabeth Swados<\/a>‘s Runaways had a similarly galvanizing run and even younger cast. After interviewing actual runaways, Swados wrote the music, lyrics, and book, choreographed and directed the celebrated show. She was also a novelist, children’s book author, memoirist and inspiration to countless younger theater artists.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Rod<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Frank Micelotta\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rod Temperton<\/h3>\n

Oct. 9, 1949 \u2014 ca. Oct. 5, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Pop’s British Invasion remained an occupying force \u2014 even if you didn’t know that “Thriller,” “Rock With You,” “Off the Wall,” “Boogie Nights,” “The Groove Line” and “Always and Forever” were written by one self-effacing Englishman<\/a> who shunned celebrity while making peerless music.\u2014Mark Moble<\/em>y<\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Toots<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rick Nederstigt\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Toots Thielemans<\/h3>\n

April 29, 1922 \u2014 Aug. 22, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Toots Thielemans<\/a> heard a Louis Armstrong record and went from studying mathematics in his native Belgium to playing jazz on the most unlikely instrument: the harmonica. And what’s even more unlikely, given how hard he blew, is that he suffered from asthma all his life. He was a favorite sideman of Quincy Jones, who called him “my Uncle Bebop.” Thielemans was also a good guitarist who developed a technique of whistling while he played.\u2014Tom Cole<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Rudy<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Francis Wolff<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rudy Van Gelder<\/h3>\n

Nov. 2, 1924 \u2014 Aug. 25, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Rudy Van Gelder<\/a> defined the sound of jazz, from the late ’50s into the 21st century, as the man on the other side of the studio glass. He started recording his high school friends in his parents’ living room and went on to steer more than 20,000 recordings by the likes of Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver. Van Gelder felt that each musician’s contributions should be heard clearly \u2014 his gift to them and us.\u2014Tom Cole<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Nana<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jordi Vidal\/Redferns\/Getty<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Nana Vasconcelos<\/h3>\n

Aug. 2, 1944 \u2014 March 9, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Rhythm was just one of his gifts<\/a>. Beautiful melodies would often come soaring from his voice, from his earliest days with the chill jazz label ECM to big stadiums with Pat Metheny.\u2014Felix Contreras<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Alan<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Alan Vega<\/h3>\n

June 23, 1938 \u2014 July 16, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

There was a terrifying side to an Alan Vega<\/a> performance but there was also a wink of humor. He was half of an electric minimalist punk duo called Suicide with partner Martin Rev. They made confrontational art in a band not well-loved but ultimately memorable and important.\u2014Bob Boilen<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Bernie<\/p>\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Manfred Werner<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Bernie Worrell<\/h3>\n

Apr. 14, 1944 \u2014 June 24, 2016<\/em><\/p>\n

Hugely influential funk and rock keyboard player<\/a> best known as the top and bottom of Parliament-Funkadelic. His lumbering, fuzzed-out bass lines and high, keening solos gave George Clinton’s band galactic power and kicked Talking Heads into a higher gear. In a band or as a solo artist, he made synths sing and dance.\u2014Mark Mobley<\/em><\/p>\n

Back To Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Article continues after sponsorship<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n