COMMENTS

57 responses to “Open Thread Update: The Rock Legends We Miss Most”

1. Elvis
   Michael Hutchence – INXS
   Greg Allman
   Tom Petty

   Reply to Nancy McCallum

2. I will always miss Freddy Mercury, I hope wherever he is , he’s happy and has a full band .

   Reply to Willa Corbett

3. I grew up watching, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” I became so impressed with Rick Nelson that for my 12th birthday I bought a $35 guitar and started music lessons. Unbeknownst to me, my music teacher gave me the first 4 chords that changed my life. They were to, “Poor Little Fool.” I still play guitar today. I miss Rick.

   Reply to Ellen

4. I saw the Beatles in 1964 and I’m still going to shows.
   Terry Reid passed away last week. I saw him warm up for the Rolling Stones 2 weeks before Altamont.
   Jimmy Page asked him to join his band (Led Zeppelin)…Terry said no thanks and suggested Robert Plant.
   Still getting over losing Jeff Beck in 2024. The Yardbirds had 3 great guitar players, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Beck. 2 became superstars and Jeff just kept getting better and better.
   RIP my friend
   Patrick Minnick

   Reply to Patrick Minnick

   1. damn – the yardbirds!

      Reply to Virge

5. Jimmy Buffett and Dan Fogelberg.

   Reply to David Halbach

6. Whether Bach, Basie or a Beatle, the loss of any musician who shared their gift is meaningful. John Lennon & George Harrison. My first concert was The Beatles, Shea Stadium, ’65 & ’66. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison. Saw them many times at Fillmore East. Brian Jones, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Prince, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Greg Lake & Keith Emerson, who I knew briefly through a friend who managed their NY office. Ars longa. Vita brevis.

   Reply to Marsha Green

7. This will probably date me but I miss Nat “King” Cole. His smooth renditions of Mona Lisa, L-O-V-E, Unforgettable and others were a pleasure to listen to.
   It was said of him that his voice was like honey and, in my mind, it truly was.

   Reply to Larry Montgomery

8. Tom Petty. Miss that guy every day.

   Reply to Jan Haig

9. Otis Redding; I was a teenager, had just seen him in concert that summer, my first concert without being chaperoned by the older brother/cousins. It all came back to me 2 years ago when I visited the Stax Records museum in Memphis. Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix, Luther Vandross, Roberta Flack, Minnie Riperton, Barry White, Isaac Hayes, Phyliss Hyman, Janis Joplin, Rick James, John Lennon, George Harrison, Prince, Michael Jackson, the Brothers Gibb, Chuck Mangione, Leonard Bernstein. RIP!

   Reply to Bernadette Session

10. Minnie Riperton. We will never know the music we didn’t get to hear because she was cut down in the prime of her career.

    Reply to Cherie Molino

11. Roy Orbison, Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers, Jim Croce.

    Reply to Janice

12. LutherVandross , he was such a talented young man. I listened to his music everyday. No one has come along since that can truly measure up to his voice and his passion.

    Reply to Deborah Towler

13. Luther Vandross, one of the GOATs of R&B. Songs like “If This World Were Mine” and “Dance with my Father” go straight to your heart & soul.

    Reply to Susanne D

    1. I grew up watching, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” Rick Nelson impressed me so much with his music, I bought a $35 guitar with some of my 12th birthday money and started taking guitar lessons. Unbeknownst to me, the first 4 chords the music teacher gave me were to, “Poor Little Fool.” I still play today.

       Reply to Ellen

14. Harry Chapin and John Denver. Both, I feel, would have accomplished great things for humanity.

    Reply to Ann V Egan

15. Greg Lake & Vangelis both were the 2 musicians I admired the most.
    Greg Lake’s voice was (is) exquisite. He managed to sing from his soul, and while chewing gum. I saw ELP many times in concert and they were beyond memorable.
    Vangelis was ahead of his time in bringing electronic scores to film & documentaries. The first composition I heard was Heaven and Hell and that solo performance with Jon Anderson is my favorite song of all time. I want it played at my funeral.

    Reply to Ams

    1. Stevie Rae Vaun

       Reply to Patricia Goodson

16. Dan Fogelberg

    Reply to Christine

    1. I loved Dan Fogelberg and have many of his albums. I must say, I teared up when I heard he passed away. His music was so beautiful with the harmonies and instrumentals. I enjoy singing along to his music too.

       Reply to Kathi

17. John Denver and George Harrison. Still miss them both.

    Reply to Mary Lou

18. Gordon Lightfoot was a big loss to me. Listened to him from 1971, attended a number of his concerts and miss him daily.

    Reply to Cheryl

    1. II agree! I saw him at the Filmore East in NYC, back in the day. He was breathtaking!

       Reply to Ams

19. Sinead O’Connor. She had an incredible voice and wrote great songs. She was a fierce warrior for social justice who paid a price for being outspoken.

    Reply to Kate Walter

    1. Yes! Sinead’s death hit me hard. Sadly, only in her death did the mainstream accept her, and finally praise her. She was so very talented, passionate, and a survivor. Voice of an Angel and Warrior! RIP Sinead.

       Reply to Jenn K

20. Lou Reed

    Reply to Regina Humphreys

21. Janis Joplin
    She sang what I felt as a teen.

    Reply to Melanie Marloe

    1. What a powerful voice Janis had! she moved me in such a way to get the same tatoo she had. (at least one of them that I know of : ) ). I also miss Jimi Hendrix, really all the Woodstock bands! Beatles, Rolling Stones, too!

       Reply to Ruthann

       1. JOE COCKER!!!!

22. George Michael , George Harrison, John Lennon

    Reply to Kathy

23. John Lennon also, Jim Croce

    Reply to Janice

24. Prince. I live in Minnesota so it was really rough and sad, but there were many pop up tributes at First Avenue,etc and my radio station played his music nonstop.

    Reply to Laurie

    1. That’s beautiful. He was a terrific artist.

       Reply to Deborah Towler

25. Elvis Presley hit us hard. My father worked second shift and got home at 11:30pm and we had just heard it on the nightly news. Me and mom were crying hard and my dad thought someone in the family had passed,,,Needless to say he thought we were both crazy! hahahhahah

    Reply to Deb

26. I was devastated when Sam Cooke was murdered. And I was at a loss when Roberta Flack died and when Freddie Mercury died and Michael Jackson and Prince. Thank God their music lives on. Losing them all felt like losing a long lost relative that you were just getting to know. I

    Reply to Patricia Cooper

27. Marvin Gay, The way he died he didn’t have to. I thought so many times why it couldn’t of happened differently. A fight with his father led to him being shot. Than the first responders refuse to enter the home until the weapon was secured leaving pretty much no chance for Marvin’s survival. Certainly I don’t blame them.

    Reply to Jeffrey G

    1. Marvin’s music is so relevant for today. I still play his music and had the opportunity to introduce his music to teenagers. They were very receptive!
       I also miss Richie Havens.

       Reply to Ams

28. Alex Chilton. My friends and I became huge Alex fans after The Replacements wrote their song about him. We made sure to catch Alex and any Big Star reunions after that.
    Bob Stinson’s (The Replacements) death also was so sad. He had so much talent and potential, but couldn’t get past the horrible things life threw at him. Then this past winter , Slim Dunlap passed after a long illness. That was sad in itself, but it was like losing another piece of our younger Replacements-obsessed days.

    Reply to Paula LaBarbera

29. Richie Havens was a great loss for me. I first met Richie when we were hanging out at the Cafe Wha in the late 1950s and early 1960s. We would take the subway back to Brooklyn together after a late nite. When I returned from college he had become a star. But he remember me and gave me a big hug after one of his appearances at the Village Vanguard. He was a real gentleman that other musicians respected. Losing him early was a great loss.

    Reply to Richard Kahn

    1. Agree! He was such a lovely soul.

       Reply to Ams

30. I have been born and raised in NYC. I used to love dancing at shout in time Square . Culture club was also fun. No place to dance to rock and roll exists anymore. We certainly have had many losses. My most recent loss was Bobby Sherman. I had his poster on my wall as a teenager. I dread future great losses also. I brought a pair of rolling stones sneakers recently. She’s a rainbow always makes me smile . We do the best we can. Long live rock and roll.

    Reply to Rose

31. Tom Petty. Still hurts.

    Reply to Trudy K Preston

32. Frankie Beverly

    Reply to Jeanne Carter

33. I really was very saddened when I heard that Stevie Ray Vaughn had died in a plane crash, but when Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison had died for whatever the reason that news was also very unpleasant. But that’s just fate, or more appropriately karma, and I knew to just accept it as such….

    Reply to Dave Haynes, Sr.

34. Wow, Virge gets a page as usual and members get 500 characters.

    Reply to Nancy Parker

    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. To maintain readability and keep discussions digestible (especially with high participation), our comment section is capped at 500 characters per response.

       Reply to Virge

35. John Denver’s passing was a tough one for me, as well as John Lennon. Lorretta Lynn was another, as well as the Gibb brothers. Freddie Mercury, Helen Reddy, Laura Branigan, and so many more, that got me through some bad bouts of depression. I’m dreading the passing of Johnny Mathis and Barry Manilow and many others.

    Reply to Julie Mullis

36. John Lennon because he was so much more than a musician.

    Reply to Penny Lee

37. OK, this will really date me—-Ricky Nelson!! I had a big crush on him when I was in junior high, and since my name is Mary Lou, I was sure that he was singing to me!

    Reply to Mary Pope

    1. Ricky Nelson was also one of my favorites! While all my friends were into Elvis, I much preferred to listen to RN.

       Reply to Karen Gardner

38. Elvis and Mary Wells

    Reply to Gail

39. I miss Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Della Reece, Doris Day, The Andrews Sisters,…so many of the Singers I Love are still living but so many have passed to the Music Department in the sky…I am Old Now,70 and my Memory ain’t so good…I wish I could recall All the Greats here to Pay them this Small, Humble Tribute. I miss the men, too…So Many more of them, I fear…Lennon, Hendrix, Williams, Crosby, Sinatra, Bennett, Mel Torme, Bowie, Mangione.. RIP to all we have lost

    Reply to Paula (POLLY) BACKES

    1. Hey, you’re not old…I’m 80, and I can add to your ‘list’, so here goes!
       Holly, Croce, Bobby Darin , James Darren (I had a crush), Bill Haley-where R&R all started- Mama Cass, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bobby Vee, Donna Summer, Bobby Rydell, Skeeter Davis, Karen Carpenter, Orbison, Del Shannon, Olivia N-J, Everly Bros, Bobby Helms, Dusty Springfield, most of the Gibbs bros, the Wilson bros and The Monkees, and the DJs-Dick Clark, Dick Biondi, Wolfman Jack, Casey Kasem who brought us these greats.

       Reply to Karen Gardner

40. John Lennon, especially living in NYC then, where young and old stars of stage, screen, and music walked around Manhattan just like all the rest of us!

    Reply to Barb

    1. Tom Petty ‘s death was a traumatic loss in the music world. His rock and blues music proved he had a one of a kind talent. Also Michel Hutchence of the band INXS. I really began to appreciate his talent after I turned 60.

       Reply to Curt Woods

    2. Whitney Huston. Such a powerful voice; so young and so beautiful. Tragic she had so many demons.

       Reply to CJ

    3. John Lennon. I was living in Manhattan at the time. Still am. He didn’t die. He was murdered. I remember my mother telling me the morning after because I was sleeping when it happened. My mother loved John. She listened to Larry King the entire night. I’ll never forget her saying, “Brannon, something terrible happened last night . . . ”
       That said, I will always miss Brian Wilson, Ozzy, Bowie, Prince, Marvin Gaye (another murder), Sam Cooke and many others.

       Reply to Brannon Walker