GRAMMYs

Eddie Money

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Eddie Money, Hit Rock Singer & Entertainer, Dies At 70

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The "Take Me Home Tonight" singer passes away just weeks after announcing his esophageal cancer diagnosis
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Sep 13, 2019 - 10:28 am

Eddie Money, the unmistakable voice behind hits such as "Two Tickets To Paradise," "Walk On Water," and "Take Me Home Tonight," has died at age 70. The sad news comes just four weeks after he announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer.

“The Money family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning,” his family said in a statement. “It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father. We cannot imagine our world without him. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music.”

The New York native began his long journet to rock stardom in 1968, when he decided to pursue music professionally following two years of service as a Brooklyn police officer. After moving to the Bay Area, Money piqued the interest of promoter Bill Graham, who signed Money to a management deal that led to a deal with Columbia Records.

Money arrived on the airwaves in the late '70s with his distinctive blue-collar rock & roll vocals, the perfect balance of rock attitude and pop polish. His self-titled debut album came out in 1977, featuring "Two Tickets To Paradise," and a string of hits followed, such as "Baby Hold On" and "Maybe I'm A Fool" from 1978's Life For The Taking.

Money's career experienced a resurgence in 1986 when he returned with Can't Hold Back, featuring his hit duet with Ronnie Spector "Take Me Home Tonight." The song earned Money a GRAMMY nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male. 

He continued to tour and release new music over the next two decades. In 2016, Money participated in GRAMMYs On The Hill, meeting with Congress on Capitol Hill to advocate for issues important to music creators.

While filming the second season of his own reality series on AXS, "Real Money," the singer's received his cancer diagnosis. In July of this year, he was forced to cancel his remaining tour dates due to pnemonia, and he announced his diagnosis publicly just last month.

The music world morns the loss of one of its most remarkable rock voices, and Money's memory lives on in the music he shared.

Daniel Johnston, Influential Singer/Songwriter, Dies At 58

 

GRAMMYs

Yonrico Scott

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Yonrico Scott, GRAMMY-Winning Drummer, Dies At 63

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Best known for his work with the Derek Trucks Band, Scott also played with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and many more during his illustrious career
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Sep 20, 2019 - 1:39 pm

GRAMMY-winning drummer, percussionist, visual artist and educator Yonrico Scott has died. Scott's record label, Blue Canoe Records, confirmed the sad news of his passing early Friday morning. He was 63 years old.

A prolific and accomplished musician and dedicated member of the music community, Scott was best known as the drummer for the Derek Trucks Band, with whom he won the GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Blues Album for 2009's Already Free.

Born in Detroit, Scott was drumming professionally by age 7 and studied under Motown drummer George Hamilton. During the course of his career as a highly sought-after studio and live drummer, Scott also played with a staggering amount of musical greats, including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Chuck Berry and many more. Scott also toured the world with Royal Southern Brotherhood and, as a band leader, released seveal albums of his own.

Scott was also active in the music community as a longtime member and supporter of the Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter. He will be remembered for the music he made and the lives he touched.

LaShawn Daniels, GRAMMY-Winning Songwriter & Producer, Dies At 41

GRAMMYs

Ric Ocasek

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Ric Ocasek, Lead Singer Of The Cars, Dies At 75

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The singer, guitarist and producer influenced a generation with his blend of rock, pop and new wave
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Sep 16, 2019 - 10:57 am

Ric Ocasek, lead singer and guitarist of the Cars, has died. With the Cars, Ocasek created a new sound at the intersection of rock, pop and new wave that helped define the late '70s and early '80s, and as a producer in the '90s, he helped shape the sound of a generation. Ocasek was found unresponsive in his apartment on Sept. 15 in New York City and pronounced dead on the scene. He was 75.

Born March 23, 1949 in Baltimore, Md., Ocasek began playing guitar and writing songs at age 10. After leaving school, he moved to Cleveleand, Ohio, where he met bassist/vocalist Ben Orr. The duo played music together for serveral years and relocated several times before landing in Boston and ultimately forming the Cars in 1976.

It didn't take long for the Cars to build up speed, as their 1977 demo for "Just What I Needed" landed them on the radio and in a deal with Elektra to release their self-titled debut album in 1978. The song became a hit single, along with "Good Times Roll" and "My Best Friend's Girl," and the band was nominated for Best New Artist at the 21st GRAMMY Awards, their first of six career nominations.

The Cars followed their hit debut with 1979's Candy-O, 1980's Panorama and 1981's Shake It Up, whose title track became the band's first Top 10 single.

In 1982, Ocasek released his first solo album, Beatitude, and two years later the Cars returned with the 1984 release of Heartbeat City, which climbed to No. 3 on the album charts on the strenght of singles "You Might Think," "Drive" and "Hello Again." The Cars broke up in 1988 after releasing Door To Door the previous year.

Ocasek also made his mark behind the board, producing Weezer, No Doubt, Nada Surf, Suicide, Bad Religion, Bad Brains, Iggy Pop and many more. 

The Cars reunited in 2010 without Orr, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2000, and released Move Like This in 2011. In April 2018, The Cars were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Artists influenced by the Cars' music took to social media to pay tribute to Ocasek, including Weezer, Courtney Love, Slash, The Killers' Brandon Flowers, Nile Rodgers and more.

Ocasek's contribution to popular music will continue to permeate long after he is gone. A sonic architect of the highest order, his legacy will live on in the urgent yet timeless music he made.

Eddie Money, Hit Rock Singer & Entertainer, Dies At 70

 

 

GRAMMYs

Daniel Johnston

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Daniel Johnston, Influential Singer/Songwriter, Dies At 58

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The singer, songwriter and visual artist has inspired and influenced many great rock and alternative artists over the past three decades
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Sep 11, 2019 - 5:22 pm

Austin, Texas singer/songwriter and visual artist Daniel Johnston died of a heart attack on Sept. 10. He was 58 years old. 

A bigtime Beatles fan, Johnston began making homemade cassettes of his distinctive songs, gaining attention for his unique voice, elemental lyrics, undeniable pop instincts and gritty lo-fi recordings with accompanying hand-drawn artwork. He also fought a lifelong battle with mental illness and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Johnston attracted major label attention after many of the bands he influenced, such as Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo and Nirvana, found success. Johnston was signed to Atlantic and released Fun in 1994.

A wide range of rock and alternative artists were influenced by Johnston's work. Most famously, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain wore a t-shirt of Johnston's 1993 album Hi, How Are You at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, but many artists have covered Johnston's songs, including Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Lana Del Rey, Wilco, Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, The Flaming Lips, TV on the Radio, Sufjan Stevens and Beach House.

In 2005, a documentary called The Devil and Daniel Johnston won Documentary Directing Award at Sundance. Johnston retired from touring in 2017, but just earlier this year, the city of Austin made his Jan. 22 birthday “Hi, How Are You?” Day, honororing his contributions to music and his Hi, How Are You? project, which raises awareness for mental health issues.

Fans and fellow music makers have taken to social media to pay tribute to the late Johnston, including Beck, Jack Antonoff and Judd Apatow. He is survived by his by his brother Dick Johnston and sisters Margy Johnston, Sally Reid and Cindy Brewer.

Dan Warner, GRAMMY- And Latin GRAMMY-Winning Guitarist, Passes Away

GRAMMYs

LaShawn Daniels

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LaShawn Daniels, GRAMMY-Winning Songwriter & Producer, Dies At 41

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Known by many as Big Shiz, Daniels wrote and produced for some of music's biggest names, including Michael Jackson, Usher, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Whitney Houston
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Sep 4, 2019 - 1:28 pm

Saddness and shock rippled through the music community today as news hit that GRAMMY-winning songwriter and producer LaShawn Daniels died in a car accident in South Carolina. He was 41 years old.

Daniels wrote and produced for some of music's biggest names, including Michael Jackson, Usher, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Whitney Houston.

Known by many as Big Shiz, Daniels had a hand in some of the biggest hits of his generation, including Brandy and Monica's “The Boy Is Mine,” Jackson's "You Rock My World" and Destiny's Child's “Say My Name,” which earned Daniels the GRAMMY for Best R&B Song at the 43rd GRAMMY Awards in 2000.

GRAMMY winner Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, a friend and frequent collaborator of Daniels, told the Recording Academy that he will not be forgotten. "Lashawn Daniels aka Big Shiz will not only be remembered for his amazing contribution to the music industry but he will be remembered for always being a light in the room," he said. "His smile, his laugh, his charisma was contagious and he will never be forgotten. My condolences to his entire family." 

Earlier this year, the Recording Academy interviewed Daniels about the "Say My Name," one of the many hits he worked on with Jerkins, as it celebrated its 20th anniversary. "You look up 20 years later, and it's like, 'Wow, I was a part of history, and didn't even know it,'" Daniels told us. "We knew we had an opportunity to be in the studio to be with Destiny's Child, and it wasn't taken lightly. We stayed up days thinking and trying to put it together. We did everything we possibly could to make sure we were successful, and lo and behold, 20 years later, I'm doing an interview about a song that we did. I think the mission was accomplished."

Read More: "Say My Name" 20 Years Later: Why The Destiny's Child Staple Is Still On Everyone's Lips

Daniels was nominated eight times for GRAMMY Awards, most recently in 2013 for Best R&B Song for Tamar Braxton's "Love and War."  

Daniels found massive success when "The Boy Is Mine" dropped when he was just 20 years old. The song was nominated for Best Rythm & Blues Song and Record Of The Year, earning him his first two GRAMMY nods. He followed the hit with Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right But It's Okay," which was nominated the very next year for Best Rythm & Blues Song. 

Daniels went on to collaborate with many more of music's heavy hitters, including George Michael, Spice Girls, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson. 

"Today we remember GRAMMY Award winner LaShawn 'Big Shiz' Daniels. An eight-time nominee, he was a multitalented music creator who was known for a number of major hits, including Brandy and Monica’s duet 'The Boy Is Mine,' Lady Gaga’s 'Telephone,' and Destiny’s Child’s 'Say My Name,'” said Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "LaShawn will be deeply missed by many, but will be remembered as a music maker who left a lasting legacy to our creative community."

Many members of his artistic cirle took to social media to express thier sadness at the loss of such a young and prolific talent. Artists such as Kehlani, Kirk Franklin, Ari Lennox, Tank and more have posted tributes. 

GRAMMY winner Erica Campbell also expressed her gratitude and sadness, posting, "Thank you Shiz for pulling the vocals and swag I had never tapped into. More than that, thank you for laughter friendship and your musical contribution to the world."

Daniels is survived by his wife, April Daniels, who Campbell mentions above and who confirmed the devastating news in a post earlier today. His music and legacy will live on in the songs and records he created, the lives he touched and the creators he inspired.

Jerry Lawson, Co-Founder Of "Kings Of A Capella" The Persuasions, Dies At 75