Rock Guitarist, Ten Years After Alvin Lee is best remembered as the lead guitarist and singer with the blues-rock band Ten Years After. Lee’s performance at the Woodstock Festival was captured on film in the documentary of the event, and his electrifying guitar work helped catapult him to stardom. The band had continued success in the 1970s, and Lee went on to perform with acts like Bo Diddley and Mick Taylor. Lee died on March 6 in Spain. According to his website, he died from “unforeseen complications following a routine surgical procedure.”
Mindy McCready, 37 American Country Singer Malinda Gayle “Mindy” McCready was an American country music singer. Active from 1995 until her death on February 17, she recorded a total of five studio albums. Her debut album, 1996’s Ten Thousand Angels, was released on BNA Records and was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA, while 1997’s If I Don’t Stay the Night was certified Gold. 1999’s I’m Not So Tough, her final album for BNA, was less successful, and she left the label. A self-titled fourth album followed in 2002 on Capitol Records.
Peter Banks, 65 Original Yes Guitarist Peter Banks was an English guitarist, and the original guitarist for the progressive rock band Yes. The BBC’s Danny Baker and Big George often called Banks “The Architect of Progressive Music.” After leaving Yes, Banks supported Blodwyn Pig for a brief period in late 1970, and guested as session musician on an album by Chris Harwood. In 1971 Banks formed Flash, with Tony Kaye on keyboards. Banks was found dead of heart failure on March 8 in his home in London.
Bobby Rogers, 73 The Miracles Singer & Motown Songwriter Bobby Rogers was an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records’ first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 until 2011. He was inducted along with the other members of the Miracles with the exception of Smokey Robinson in 2012 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition to his work in The Miracles, Rogers was a Motown songwriter; his most notable composition, authored with bandmate Smokey Robinson, was The Temptations’ first hit single, “The Way You Do the Things You Do.”
Claude King, 90 Country Singer, “Wolverton Mountain” Claude King was an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for his million selling 1962 hit, “Wolverton Mountain.” In 1963, King scored three country hits with “Sheepskin Valley,” “Building a Bridge,” and “Hey Lucille!” The hits continued in 1964 with “Sam Hill,” and in 1965 he was back in the Top 10 with “Tiger Woman,” co-written with Merle Kilgore; his singles continued to make the country charts through 1972. King died of a lengthy illness at his home in Shreveport on March 7.
OBITUARIES
Alvin Lee, 68
Stompin’ Tom Connors, 77 Prolific Canadian Folk Artist Thomas Charles “Stompin’ Tom” Connors, OC was one of Canada’s most prolific and well-known country and folk singer/ songwriters. Focusing his career exclusively on his native Canada, Connors is credited with writing more than 300 songs and has released four dozen albums, with total sales of nearly 4 million copies. Connors died at age 77 in his home in Ballinafad, Ontario on March 6, of renal failure. Stompin’ Tom Connors is survived by his wife, Lena, four children and several grandchildren.
Van Cliburn, 78 First Classical Artist to Sell a Million Copies
Harvey Lavan “Van” Cliburn, Jr. was an American pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 at the age of 23, when he won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War. Cliburn then toured domestically and overseas for many years. He played for royalty, heads of state, and every U.S. president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Barack Obama. His recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 was the first album by a classical artist to sell more than one million copies.
Onno van Ravensteijn, 49 Dutch Journalist, Co-Owner Strength Records Onno van Ravensteijn, better known as Onno Cro-Mag, was a respect Dutch journalist, punk enthusiast and the co-owner of Strength Records. The following message was posted on the Strength Records Facebook page: “With sadness in my heart I write that Onno van Ravensteijn [“Cromag”] has passed away due to a heart attack. A unique, warm, honest and colorful person. A legend with a heart of gold and a friend.” Onno van Ravensteijn launched Strength Records in late 2011 with Roger Miret of Agnostic Front.
APRIL 2013 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 5