Music artists who have died, and those you missed the most..... (page 4)

Matty

Edwin Starr - Now why did he pass away without making any major news bulletin? That's really sad, he knocked out some cracking chewns.

War - It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker, War - Friend only to the undertaker.

DIM

John Lennon

Billy MacKenzie (lead singer of post punk punk Associates)

Musically dead, praying for a miracle:

Bob Dylan (with the exception of "things have changed")

The Cure (anything post 1992)

Morrissey (never made a bad album in my opinion, but has been label-less since 1997)

Radiohead

blondie

Edwin Starr died as the Iraqi war campaign was dominating the news. I did see it mentioned and as being ironic since one of his best known songs was anti-war.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,12809,929234,00.html

Edwin Starr

Soul singer whose protest single, War, has been constantly revived

Dave Laing
Friday April 4, 2003 The Guardian

Among the chants and songs accompanying this year's anti-war marches a reprised relic first sung by African American soul musician Edwin Starr, who has died, apparently of a heart attack, aged 61, was well represented.

"War!" - moving on to "Huh! Whatizzit good for? Absolutely nothing!" - was inspired, in 1970 by the growing opposition within the United States to its war on Vietnam. Tamla Motown's Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong had composed War with the Temptations in mind. But, concerned about its effect on the group's middle American following, Tamla boss Berry Gordy decided it was too risky for the Temptations, so Whitfield brought War to Starr.

His almost hoarse vocal tone and energetic, emphatic performance caught the public mood. The song became a number one hit in 1970. Soon afterwards, it reached the top 10 in Britain and elsewhere in Europe. The record was nominated for a Grammy as best r 'n' b performance. And, 16 years later, Bruce Springsteen had a hit with a new version .

Starr was born Charles Edwin Hatcher in Nashville, Tennessee, and attended college in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1957, came his first group, the Future Tones, which recorded a single. But after graduation he was called up for military service and was posted to Europe, where he sang in clubs when off-duty. By the time he was discharged, he had decided to make music his career. He joined the group led by organist Bill Doggett, later singing with the Holidays.

Hatcher, now renamed Edwin Starr at the suggestion of Doggett's manager Don Briggs, made his solo recording debut in 1965 for Detroit record company Ric-Tic. His skill as a lyricist with an ear for topical metaphor was evident on Agent Double-O- Soul, a rousing dance song that cashed in on the 1960s vogue for spy movies. It was an r 'n'b chart top 10 hit, as was his next record comprising two more Starr compositions Stop Her On Sight (SOS) and Headline News. In another song from this period, Soul Master, he claimed that "I'm the guy they named soul after."

One ingredient of Starr's hits was the accompaniment provided by moonlighting musicians from the rival Tamla Motown. In 1968, Ric-Tic and its recording artists were purchased for $1million by Motown's Gordy, partly to stop the moonlighting. Almost immediately Starr recorded what many aficionados regard as his best record, Twenty-Five Miles.

He was next assigned by Gordy to work with songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield, creator of numerous hits for Motown vocal group the Temptations. And the result was War. Starr's next record, the derivative Stop The War Now, was a minor hit, as was the uncontroversial Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On. He later turned to film music and his final Motown work was the score for the film Hell Up In Harlem (1973). Rap artists such as Ice T and Tone Loc subsequently sampled Starr's soundtrack music.

After leaving Motown, Starr continued to tour and perform in the US and Europe. His substantial British following brought two top 10 hits here in 1979, the disco-styled Contact and Happy Radio. In 1983, he settled in the West Midlands.

During the next two decades he became an established part of the British soul music and show business worlds. He was a favourite of the northern soul dance scene, being voted number one in Blues & Soul magazine's northern soul poll. He gave 50 performances last year, touring with Martha Reeves (of Martha and the Vandellas) in the Motown nostalgia show Dancing In The Streets.

In 2001, he played at the WOMAD world music festival in the Canary Islands. And he made numerous broadcasts with Jools Holland, Jonathan Ross and others. He sung at Liza Minelli and David Gest's wedding, and had been booked for their anniversary party - although the Iraq war led to its cancellation.

Starr collaborated with the Stock-Aitken-Waterman production team on the charity recording of Let It Be by Ferry Aid in 1985. More recently, he sang with Leeds-based group Utah Saints on their hit revival of Funky Music, appearing with them at the Glastonbury Festival in 2000. In the previous year, he had sung War with Bruce Springsteen onstage at the Birmingham NEC. War, he told an interviewer was "still the definitive message song. Some people say politics and music don't mix, but I don't think most people feel that because two and a half million people bought the record."

He is survived by his longterm partner Jean and by his son and daughter from earlier relationships.

· Charles Edwin Hatcher (Edwin Starr), singer and songwriter, born January 21 1942; died April 2 2003

DIM

Hilary -

I saw Arthur Lee and Love in Seattle last summer.....these kids in indie rock bands could learn a thing or two from the man. Really really funny guy. An audience member said:

"Hey Arthur, its great to have you back!!"

Arthur's reply:

"Its great to be back! Its great to be BLACK as a matter a fact!"

classic night, i'll never forget it. That first album is finally available, remastered on import for cheap $$!

hillary_step

Dim,

lol...Arthur, with whom I spent an insane and vigorously eccentric weekend with many years ago is a very creative man. Some people create art and some are art, Arthur is the latter. "Forever Changes' has to be one of the top 50 popular music recordings of all time and should be standard source material for lyricists and embryonic philosophers. I actually have a LP that Arthur gave me recorded from the master tapes of a performance live at the Whisky-A-Go-Go at 'Loves' first regrouping in the mid 70's, on which Brian MaClean appears. MaClean died some while ago. One of 'Loves' earlier drummers, forget his name, became a JW.

Keep well - HS

freedom96

Elvis, not only for his music, but for his caring and giving nature.

John Denver, for his love of the outdoors, love, and long lasting melodies.

Karen Carpenter, beautiful voice, timeless songs.

SpiceItUp

Cobain

Joplin

Hendrix

Morrison

Lennon

and more but those are the ones that initially come to mind

thegentleman

Jason Matthew Thirsk - Bassist for Pennywise

Dennis Danell- Guitarist for Social Distortion

Patsy Cline

sandy

Patsy Cline Ritchie Valens Buddy Holly Billie Holiday E lvis John Lenon Roy Orbison Judy Garland Karen Carpenter Karen Carpenter certainly did have an amazingly, beautiful and flawless voice. I remember hearing her Bio somewhere and she never had to redo anything in the studio. Her style and technique was pefect. Patsy Cline also had a beautiful and powerful sound. I never heard anyone sing with such emotion. Her music is timeless.

ikhandi

Lisa left eye Lopez

Music artists who have died, and those you missed the most.....

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