Rolling Obituary Thread: 2020

semi-anonymised anyway -- younge is not called out by name can be identifed

spencer davis, 81

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/spencer-davis-gimme-some-lovin-dead-dies-1234810794

didn't realize he was *that* much older than Steve Winwood (9 yrs)

He was already an old hand on the club scene when he hired the Winwood Bros. Had thought it a little funny that Jimmy Miller got the wheels rolling for Traffic by having Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi do overdubs on "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm A Man", their last two hits w/Steve (both of which still bang, BTW).

tony lewis of the outfield, 62

You know, I've heard their hit so many times but never seen so much as a picture of the band. Just watched the "Your Love" video for the first time, and he looks like he could be in Tears for Fears, which is not what I was expecting.

I can't make this claim for any of their other albums, but Play Deep is really fuckin good.

The guitarist died in 2014, so basically The Outfield is all gone now (survived by their on-again/off-again drummer).

Kevin O'Meara, musician and visual artist, 40. https://avantmusicnews.com/2020/10/21/rip-kevin-omeara/

A great guy and a great artist I only knew in passing.

re: Kevin, I saw some "MISSING" posts almost a week ago on social media... very sad news.

quibi, 6.5 months

The Amazing Randi

Wow! I had no idea he was around. Years ago he brought me onstage as an assistant.

Oh man, I had a lot of imaginary conversations with the amazing randi. RIP.

In official ILXspeak, I think it's apt to say:

BYE DERE

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/arts/dance/marge-champion-dead.html

Marge Champion, dancer/actor/choreographer, 101.

um, RIP Spencer Davis

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/arts/spencer-davis-dead.html

Drummer Viola Smith, 107.

https://i.imgur.com/feqhrRN.png

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/viola-smith-swing-eras-fastest-girl-drummer-in-the-world-dies-at-107/2020/10/23/770c3758-154a-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

JR White, a guy I met a few times, who was in somewhat popular mod-aughts surf punk band GIRLS

https://pitchfork.com/news/chet-jr-white-formerly-of-girls-dead-at-40/

The wonderful Jerry Jeff Walker, 78.

https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/country-songwriting-legend-jerry-jeff-walker-has-died/

Awww, RIP

There's a great Jerry Jeff Walker story that Steve Earle told (or I think actually told *me* when I talked to him). There was a period in the '70s that he was living in Nashville, still as a teen iirc, trying to break into the industry. He said that for whatever reason Walker had not only had his driver's license taken away, but was not allowed to get a new one, full stop. So every time Jerry Jeff Walker would come into town he'd call up Earle in the middle of the night to drive him around places and get into trouble. There was one night Earle got a late call to come pick up Walker, and after grabbing him Walker had him go pick up a buddy, who turned out to be Neil Young.

I went to a Chicago radio station early one morning in 1993 because there was a rumor Pete Townshend might show up to do an interview. I was hoping I could meet Pete. I shared an elevator with a man carrying a guitar so I introduced myself. It was Jerry Jeff Walker.

— Jason Narducy (@SplitSingleband) October 24, 2020

Kevin McCarra, football journalist. https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2020/oct/25/kevin-mccarra-a-pioneer-who-changed-football-journalism-former-guardian-football-correspondent-dies

Not many football writers have their own thread on ilx, he deserved his.

Frank Bough, bejumpered soothing grandma's TV host who at the age of FIFTY FIVE got sacked over a coke 'n' hookers newspaper sting operation.

RIP. I starred in an advert for the Multiple Sclerosis Society with Frank when I was three, back in the late 70s. My dad had MS, and the clip was supposed to open with me playing football with Frank, who hosted the footie at the time IIRC, and then Frank turns to camera and says, for full emotionally manipulative effect, "Stevie can't play football with his dad because his dad is in a wheelchair". But shortly after they'd set the cameras up and filmed some test footage of me just playing in the front garden, I had febrile convulsions, which I got a lot as a kid, and my mum had to race me to hospital. They carried on filming the advert with my dad, who spoke about the disease in a very posh telephone voice far removed from how he actually spoke, which we mercilessly teased him for every time he screened the Super 8 copy of the advert he got the production company to run off for him (it's up in my loft now). So I never got to play footie with Frank, but my dad said he was very nice (he never mentioned any cocaine shenanigans but he was a dark horse, my dad, and would probably have kept it quiet if he had).

Frank Bough, bejumpered soothing grandma's TV host who at the age of FIFTY FIVE got sacked over a coke 'n' hookers newspaper sting operation.

An obvious candidate for Up-the-Arse Corner there.... too soon?

Selina looks into it.

no article that i can see yet but numerous poets i know are reporting that diane di prima has died

Was coming here to post that. Let us heed her exhortation: 'ALL POWER/ TO JOY, which will remake the world.'

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-coal-murray/coal-baron-murray-a-trump-ally-who-fought-environmental-regulation-dead-at-80

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqt5iE1vhFw

Jerry Jeff Walker
https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/jerry-jeff-walker-remembered-by-lyle-lovett-lucinda-williams-dan-rather-and-many-many-others/

Ned already posted something earlier, I see.

Rest in peace to Outlaw Country legend Billy Joe Shaver, who has died at the age of 81. https://t.co/jS0fI5IOlH pic.twitter.com/n4eQCsshKF

— SiriusXM (@SIRIUSXM) October 28, 2020

well fuck

Going to be that guy and ask, who will complete the triple?

Aw. That guy is so good. I saw him play a show once and mid-set he opened up his shirt to show the giant heart-shaped scar where he recently had heart surgery.

Also, shot someone in the face for allegedly picking a fight with him a few years ago.

Tracy Smothers, 58

xxp kinda feel like Willie Nelson would make the most sense but I'm not ready for that

fuck you for suggesting it tbh

Willie smokes way too much weed to ever die

He's keeping young, hanging out with Karen O.

and, amazingly, still dropping pretty good music! there's a case to be made that no musical artist in the recording era has been as productive or maintained such a high level quality over the course of so long a career.

for fuck's sake the dude writes Crazy in 1961 and then drops this about sixty years later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyqjMpKHsrE

I love Willie and his music! He's a friend and supporter of the boss of the farm where I used to work. He digs the product, iykwim.

Bobby Ball, or Robert Winston, whatever

This is not Bobby Ball. pic.twitter.com/4kOQF9WjU7

— Tim Gatt (@TimGatt) October 29, 2020

looking forward to the Cannon & Little Show at Skegness. Sorry too soon, another comedy duo mercilessly halved by the Rona.

I saw Bobby in the 70's doing Jack and the Beanstalk at Bradford Alhambra. Which i enjoyed much more than when my parents took me back to the same venue for The Dubliners.