Music Obituaries: November 2018

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Every month I pause and look back at the musicians and music-related individuals who passed away in the preceding month. I do it because I love music, and because not everybody gets the news coverage that someone like Whitney Houston received. Here are the people who sang their final song in November. Dave Rowland (died November 1, stroke, age 72): a one-time member of the country vocal quartet the Four Guys, he went on to success as the "Dave" in Dave & Sugar with hits like "The Door Is Always Open." Roy Hargrove (died November 2, cardiac arrest, age 49): Grammy-winning (2003's Directions in Music: Live At Massey Hall) jazz trumpet player. Glenn Schwartz (died November 2, illness, age 77): the guitarist who preceded Joe Walsh in the James Gang, he was also a member of Pacific Gas & Electric ("Are You Ready"). Hugh McDowell (died November 6, cancer, age 65): a cellist in the great band ELO. However, he was not part of the "official" list of inductees for the band when ELO was put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fancis Lai (died November 7, natural causes, age 86): a film music score composer who won an Academy Award in 1971 for his music in Love Story. Roy Clark (died November 15, pneumonia, age 85): Country Music Hall of Famer. Instrumental great, country singer and comedian, and longtime host of the TV series Hee Haw. Trevor McNaughton (died November 20, respiratory failure, age 77): a member of the Jamaican band the Melodians, who had a hit with the song "Rivers of Babylon" (which was later covered by the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Boney M). McNaughton co-wrote the song based on Psalm 137. Casey Anderson (died November 26, natural causes, age 92): a country music songwriter who co-wrote hits with his then-wife Liz Anderson. He was also the father of "Rose Garden" singer Lynn Anderson. Farewell, and thank you for the music. "Rivers of Babylon" by the Melodians, featuring the late Trevor McNaughton: