Here is another of our year-end features, a look back at someof the musical personalities who passed away during the year. There were quite a few significant people, though not many of them received a lot of media attention. In 2002, we seemed to lose more than our share of great jazz pianists. As usual, we'll work out way through the year chronologcally, and start with a couple of veteran jazz musicians who passed away at the end of 2001.

• Conte Candoli, jazz trumpeter, December 14, 2002, age 74.
  
• Ralph Sutton jazz pianist, December 30, 2001' 79.
  
• Juan Garcia Esquivel, Mexican composer of novelty songs revived on the "Swinging Bachelor Pad Music" albums, Jan. 3, age 81.
  
• John Jackson, bluesman, Jan. 20; 77.
  
• Peggy Lee, jazz and pop singer, Jan. 21; 81.
  
• Pete Bardens, British progressive rock musician, Jan. 22; 57 (lung cancer).
  
• Andy Kulberg, Blues Project, Seatrain, Jan. 30; 57.
  
• Henry Kloss, audio pioneer, the "K" in KLH, Jan. 31; 72.
  
• Remo Palmier, jazz guitarist, Feb. 2; 78.
  
• Nick Brignola, jazz saxophonist, Feb. 8; 65.
  
• Dave Van Ronk, folk music legend; Feb. 10; 65.
  
• Waylon Jennings, country music legend, Feb. 13; 64.
  
• Mick Tucker, drummer for Sweet, Feb. 14; 52.
  
• Arthur Lyman, created popular "exotic" music, Feb. 23; 70.
  
• Spike Milligan, created Goon Show on BBC, was influential to Beatles & Monty Python, Feb. 27; 83.
  
• Walter Bolden, jazz drummer, Feb.; 76.
  
• Harlan Howard, country songwriter, Mar. 3; 74.
  
• Shirley Scott, jazz pianist & organist; Mar. 10; 67 (heart disease, was "phen-fen" litigant)
  
• Joe Schermie, Three Dog Night bassist, Mar. 25; 57.
  
• Randy Castillo, rock drummer (Ozzy, Motley Crue) Mar. 26; 51
  
• Dudley Moore, actor, jazz pianist, Mar. 29; 66.
  
• John Speedy Kean, British rocker (Thunderclap Newman), Mar.; 57.
  
• James Dewar, Robin Trower vocalist, Mar.; 59.
  
• Layne Stanley (Alice in Chains) found dead Apr. 11; 34.
  
• Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez, pop & rap singer (TLC), Apr. 25.
  
• Otis Blackwell, rock composer wrote Elvis Presley hits, May 6; 70.
  
• Dee Dee Ramone, punk rock pioneer, June 5; 50.
  
• Matt Dennis, composer of "Angel Eyes" and other standards, June 21; 88.
  
• John Entwistle, Who bassist, June 27; 57.
  
• Russ Freeman, jazz pianist, June 27; 76.
  
• Timothy White, music writer, Billboard editor, June 27; 50.
  
• Rosemary Clooney, jazz and pop singer, June 29; 74.
  
• Ray Brown, jazz bass great, July 2; 75.
  
• Roscoe Gordon, R&B great ("Just a Little Bit"), July 11; 74.
  
• Seymour Solomon, founded Vanguard Records, July 18; 80.
  
• Alan Lomax, folklorist, record producer, July 19, 87.
  
• Dave Carter, contemporary folk singer-songwriter, July 19; 49.
  
• Little Jimmy King, bluesman, July 21; 35.
  
• Gus Dudgeon, British producer (Elton John, David Bowie), July 21; 59.
  
• Idrees Sulieman, jazz trumpeter, saxophoist, July 25; 78.
  
• Roy Kral, jazz singer, half of Jackie & Roy, Aug. 2; 80.
  
• Ron McCroby, jazz whistler, Aug. 5; 68.
  
• Wilbur Morris, jazz bassist, Aug. 8; 64.
  
• Mickey Houser, founder of Widespread Panic, Aug. 10; 40.
  
• Lionel Hampton, jazz great, Aug. 31; 94.
  
• Erma Flanklin, sister of Aretha, did original version of "Piece of my Heart," Sep. 7; 64.
  
• Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa, jazz pianist, Sep. 17; 76.
  
• Hank Levy, jazz saxophonist, Sep. 18; 73.
  
• Mickey Newberry, rock & country songwriter, Sep. 29; 62.
  
• Ellis Larkins, jazz pianist, Sep. 29; 79.
  
• Ray Coniff, trombonist, popular vocal-group leader, Oct. 12; 85.
  
• Bill Berry, jazz trumpeter, bandleader, Oct. 13; 72.
  
• Norbert Schultz, compser of "Lili Marleen", Oct. 14,; 91.
  
• Henri Renaud, French jazz pianist, producer, Oct. 17; 77.
  
• Beecher Ray Kirby, Grand Ole Opry Dobro great, Oct. 17; 90.
  
• Derek Bell; harpist for Chieftains, Oct. 17; 66.
  
• Adolph Green, lyricist for such standards as "Make Someone Happy", Oct. 24; 87.
  
• Richard Harris, actor, vocalist for "MacArthur Park", Oct. 25; 72.
  
• Tom Dowd, veteran producer & engineer -- John Coltrane to Allmam Bros., Oct. 27; 77.
  
• Jason Mizell, a/k/a Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, Oct. 30; 37.
  
• Lonnie Donegan, British skiffle pioneer, Nov. 3; 71.
  
• Billy Mitchell, member of the Clovers, Nov. 5; 71.
  
• Billy Guy, member of the Coasters, Nov. 12; 66.
  
• Sir Roland Hanna, jazz pianist, Nov. 12; 70.
  
• Hadda Brooks, blues pianist & vocalist, Nov. 21; 86.
  
• Stanley Black, popular British jazz musician and band leader, Nov. 26; 89.
  
• Mal Waldron, jazz pianist, Dec. 2; 76.
  
• Bob Berg, jazz saxophonist, Dec. 5; 51. (auto accident).
  
• Arvell Shaw, jazz bassist associated with Louis Armstrong, Dec. 5; 79.
  
• Joe Strummer (John Mellor), Clash founder, Dec. 21; 50.
  

• George Graham's 2002 Year-End Review
• The 2002 Musical Obituaries
• George Graham's Best of 2002 CD List

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This page last updated August 03, 2014