In Memoriam - Page 25

Iron Butterfly bassist Lee Dorman has passed away at the age of 70. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reports that Dorman was found dead in his vehicle and that no foul play is suspected, though a coroner’s investigation is under way. Dorman spent over 30 years with Iron Butterfly and was a fairly consistent member throughout the band’s numerous splits...

Bassist B.B. Cunningham has died after a shooting at an apartment complex where he was working as a security guard. He was 70 years old. A versatile musician, Cunningham was the lead singer for ’60s group The Hombres and penned their hit “Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)” before becoming a session player in the Memphis area where...

John Stockfish, the original bassist for Canadian folk artist Gordon Lightfoot, has passed away of natural causes in his hometown of Windsor, Ontario. He was 69. Stockfish trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music, but honed his chops by touring North America and Europe with Tommy Danton and the Echoes. It was in 1965 that he connected with Lightfoot led...

Cuban bassist Charles Flores has passed away, after a two year battle with cancer. Flores’ career included work with a host of Latin and jazz superstars including Michel Camilo, with whom he had played with since joining the pianist’s trio in 2002. It was with Camilo that Flores won a Grammy for the album Live at the Blue Note. “It...

We’re sad to report the passing of Bob Birch, longtime bassist for Elton John and session musician. Birch, who was 56, reportedly took his own life near his home in Los Angeles. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Birch started out as an alto saxophonist before the sounds of Motown made him switch to bass in middle school. He worked the Detroit...

Another bass legend has left us with the passing of Funk Brother Bob Babbitt, as the iconic bassist succumbed to complications from a brain tumor which was discovered last year. He was 74. Along with fellow low-ender James Jamerson, Babbitt was the foundation for the Motown Sound and played on over 200 Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hits. His undeniable...

Tomáš ?elechovský, bassist for the Czech symphonic metal band Symphonity, has passed away after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Hailing from Brno, ?elechovský listed his musical influences as ranging from The Beatles and The Beach Boys to Frank Zappa and Tom Waits, though Led Zeppelin was always his favorite. The bassist joined Symphonity in 2004, while the band...

Bassist John Koko has passed away at the age of 51, due to complications from a lifelong heart condition. He was a member of The Makaha Sons and had been a fixture of performing and promoting Hawaiian music. Koko started his musical career at just 12 years old when he joined Na Leo O Nanakuli. Later, the Hawaiian native started...

John Harrison, the bassist and one of the founding members for the British rock band Hawkwind, has passed away following a long battle with Huntington’s disease. He was just two days shy of reaching 70 years old. Harrison died on May 26th, 2012, but the announcement of his passing was delayed, eventually being reported by way of the Hawkwind’s official...

Legendary bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn has died in Tokyo early this morning, following a night of shows at the Tokyo Blue Note. According to reports, Dunn passed away in his sleep. The bassist, who was 70 years old, was a member of Booker T. and the M.G.’s and session bassist for Stax Records. He was also a member of the...

The news of the passing of Beastie Boy member Adam Yauch hit the web on Friday, with a massive outpouring that followed on the social web. What wasn’t mentioned as often was that Yauch held down the low end in addition to being a rapper in the group. Yauch, aka MCA, had been battling cancer for some time. He was...

Bassist Lloyd Brevett, the pioneering upright player and founding member of the Jamaican ska group The Skatalites, passed away yesterday after being treated for seizures due to a stroke he suffered in March. He was 80. Brevett is one of the central figures in bringing ska music from Jamaica to the world, as one of the original members of The...