Music Obituaries: July 2016

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At some point it just has to stop. Sure, we're all heading for the graveyard, but dang doesn't it seem like the list has been longer than usual this year? We're up to our eighth Rock and Roll Hall of Famer dying! Here are the music-related people we lost in July 2016: Bob Goldstone (died July 3, bicycle accident, age 65): the co-owner of Nashville's Thirty Tigers, a multi-purpose entertainment organization the deals with management, songwriting publishing, and promotion. Danny Smythe (died July 6, unknown cause, age 67): the drummer in the legendary 60s band the Box Tops, the group that gave us songs like "Soul Deep" and "The Letter." Jerry Greer (died July 10, drowned, age 19): the son of country singer Craig Morton. Steve Young (died July 13, unknown cause, age unknown): co-founder of the 80s dance band M/A/R/R/S and co-writer of their legendary hit "Pump Up the Volume." (He's the second music person named "Steve Young" to die this year. "Seven Bridges Road" writer Steve Young died in March.) Johnny Craviotto (died July 13, unknown cause, age 68): in addition to being Arlo Guthrie's drummer for many years, he was the founder of the Craviotto Drum company. Bonnie Brown (died July 16, lung cancer, age 77): the youngest member of the country Hall of Fame trio the Browns. Shortly after the announcement of their induction into the Hall of Fame last year Jim Ed Brown died of lung cancer, and at the medallion luncheon Bonnie announced that she, too, had the disease. She is the third Country Music Hall of Fame member to die this year (after Sonny James and Merle Haggard). Alan Vega (died July 16, complications of a stroke, age 78): the founder and guitarist in the protopunk outfit Suicide, considered one of the most influential bands on punk (starting some half a decade before punk). Gary S. Paxton (died July 17, liver disease/complications of heart surgery, age 77): talk about a full career! He began as the lead singer on the Hollywood Argyles' sole hit, "Alley Oop," became a country songwriter ("Woman [Sensuous Woman]" by Don Gibson), and later a gospel singer/songwriter. Lewis Steinberg (died July 21, cancer, age 82): Rock and Roll Hall of Famer #8 was the original bassist in Booker T. & the MG's, playing on their classic song "Green Onions." Pete Mitchell (died July 24, unknown cause, age 74): the final lead guitarist in the Texas Troubadours in the long and storied career of Ernest Tubb. Roye Albrighton (died July 26, long illness, age 67): the guitarist in the English prog rock band Nektar. Allan Barnes (died July 26, heart attack, age 66): saxophonist for the R&B/jazz band the Blackbyrds, who had a million-selling song in 1975 with "Walking in Rhythm." Sandy Pearlman (died July 26, complications of a stroke, age 72): rock record producer who produced albums by acts such as Black Sabbath, the Clash, and Blue Öyster Cult. Jack Davis (died July 27, natural causes, age 91): the co-founder of MAD Magazine was also a prolific album cover artist, designing album covers for the Cowsills, Johnny Cash, and nine Homer & Jethro LPs. Melvin Goins (died July 30, unknown cause, age 83): one of the last first-generation bluegrass performers, he went from a member of the Stanley Brothers band to a longtime performer with his brother and as a solo artist. He was on tour in Canada when he passed. Farewell, and thank you for the music. Here's the big hit from the Blackbyrds, "Walking in Rhythm," featuring the late Allan Barnes on saxophone: