Music - In Memoriam

Susan Omand looks back at just a few of the people from the music business that we lost last year...

I’ve written In Memoriam lists at the start of a new year for several years now. This time, twenty names, some more familiar than others but, when you consider their work, you realise what an impact they had in their own specific field and on the work of others. This is by no means an exhaustive list - every year there seem to be always far too many, so these are just a few from the music industry that I thought were worth a mention.

In Memoriam...

Eddie Clarke, 67, Motörhead guitarist and the last of the original line-up

Dolores O'Riordan, 46, singer-songwriter and guitarist with The Cranberries

Jim Rodford, 76, musician who worked with Argent, The Kinks, The Zombies

Mark E. Smith, 60, singer-songwriter with The Fall

Avicii, 28, dance DJ

John Morris, 91, film composer who soundtracked The Elephant Man, Young Frankenstein and Dirty Dancing

Neil Harris, 63, founding member of Sham 69

Zdenek Mahler, 89, Czech screenwriter of the film Amadeus

Scott Hutchison, 36, Scottish singer-songwriter, frontman of Frightened Rabbit

Reggie Lucas, 65, American songwriter who wrote most of the songs for Madonna's debut album

D. J. Fontana, 87, American Hall of Fame rock drummer for Elvis Presley's band

Vinnie Paul, 54, Pantera drummer

Joe Jackson, 89, father and band manager of the Jackson 5

Ed King, 68, guitarist with Lynyrd Skynyrd

Aretha Franklin, 76, soul diva.

Lindsay Kemp, 80, English dancer, choreographer and actor known for his work with David Bowie and Kate Bush

Tony Hiller, 91, Brotherhood of Man songwriter and producer

Maartin Allcock, 61, multi-instrumentalist and record producer who worked with Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Robert Plant

Charles Aznavour, 94, French-Armenian singer who had hits with "She" and "The Old Fashioned Way"

Montserrat Caballé, 85, Spanish opera singer who sang Barcelona with Freddie Mercury

Scott English, 81, wrote Jeff Beck's "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and Amen Corner's "Bend Me, Shape Me"

Pete Shelley, 63, singer-songwriter and guitarist with Buzzcocks

Ray Sawyer, 81, singer-songwriter with Doctor Hook (he was the one with the eyepatch)