Peter Tork

Peter Tork

Photo: Paul Warner/Getty Images

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Peter Tork Of The Monkees Dies At 77

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Tork was known for his musicianship and comedic presence in the '60s television sensation group
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Feb 21, 2019 - 3:51 pm

Peter Tork, multi-insturmentalist and actor most famous for his work '60s television musical sensation the Monkees has died. He was 77.

“There are no words right now… heartbroken over the loss of my Monkee brother, Peter Tork,” bandmate Mickey Dolenz tweeted.

Prior to the explosion of popularity the Monkees experienced during their brief but impactful initial run from 1966 to 1971, Tork was part of New York's Greenwich Village folk scene in the early '60s.

“To be in Greenwich Village in the ’60s was pure joy; to be young was pure bliss,” Tork once told UK Music Reviews. “When I talk about having a well favored life, I went from Greenwich Village almost directly into The Monkees. … I had first heard about the Monkees in the early summer of 1965 from a good friend of mine, one Mr. Stephen Stills.”

After Stills introduced him to his future group, they went on to become a national craze on their way to earning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy and four GRAMMY nominations, two each for their enduring hits"Last Train To Clarksville" and "I'm A Believer." Tork was a man of many talents, playing several instruments in the band as well as contributing vocals and his unique and endearing brand of comedy.

"Peter Tork died this a.m.," wrote bandmate Michael Nesmith. "I am told he slipped away peacefully. Yet, as I write this my tears are awash, and my heart is broken. Even though I am clinging to the idea that we all continue, the pain that attends these passings has no cure. It’s going to be a rough day. I share with all Monkees fans this change, this 'loss,' even so. PT will be a part of me forever."

Dolenz, Nesmith, and Tork reunited for a U.S. tour in 2012, following their fellow Monkee Davy Jones' death. The shows marked their first live performances together in 15 years.

While no cause of death has been revealed, Tork was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer a decade ago. His legacy will live on in the music, fans and friends he made during his life.

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James Ingram

James Ingram

Photo: Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic

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James Ingram, Soulful R&B Singer And Hit Songwriter, Dies At 66

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Ingram was known for his chart-topping hits, extensive soundtrack work, and co-writing achievements with some of music's biggest stars
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 29, 2019 - 4:52 pm

Two-time GRAMMY winner and 14-time nominee James Ingram, who enjoyed great success through the 1980s and '90s, has died. He was 66 years old.  

A chart-topping R&B singer and songwriter, Ingram landed his first No. 1 hit in 1982 with "Baby, Come To Me," a duet with Patti Austin. He earned two GRAMMY Awards later in that same decade, winning Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "One Hundred Ways" and Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for "Yah Mo B There," a duet with Michael McDonald. Ingram also returned to the top of the charts in 1990 with his hit "I Don't Have The Heart."

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James Ingram Wins Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male

As a songwriter, he collected several hits with an impressive roster of artists including Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters, among others. He notably co-wrote Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" with Quincy Jones and worked with Jackson and Jones on the "We Are The World" all-star charity video and single.

He was also well-known for his soundtrack work, including a duet with Linda Ronstadt on "Somewhere Out There" for the 1986 animated film An American Trail, which earned the song's writers, James Horner and Cynthia Weil, the GRAMMY for Song Of the Year.

 

Ingram also scored Oscar nominations for Best Original Song twice for his theme songs from Beethoven's 2nd and Junior. In 2008, Ingram released what would be his final album, Stand (In The Light), which was co-produced by Jones.

"Ingram's rich voice and masterful songwriting has made a lasting impact on the music industry," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "Our thoughts go out to his loved ones during this difficult time."

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Jerry Lawson

Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images

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

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After co-founding the group in 1962, Lawson and the Persuasions went on to three decades of successful recording and touring, creating a lasting legacy that continues to resonate
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jul 12, 2019 - 4:04 pm

Jerry Lawson, original lead singer of a cappella group the Persuasions, has died "after a long illness" according to Associated Press and collaborator and frend Rip Rense. He was 75.

As the group's original lead singer, Lawson formed the Persuasions in Brooklyn in 1962. Six years later they signed a record deal with Frank Zappa in 1968 and released their debut LP Acapella on Zappa's Straight label in 1970. Bruce Springsteen opened for the Persuasions in the early 1970s, and opened for Joni Mitchell in 1979 the group continued to record and tour over the next 30 years, and were known by their fans as "The Kings Of a Cappella."

"Thirty-eight years and we still ain't got no band, man!" Lawson said in a 2000 interview. "That's the story right there."

The Persuasions influence continues to resonate. Jamie xx sampled the group’s “Good Times” from 1972’s Street Corner Symphony  for his song “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times).” from 2015's In Colour. That same year, at age 71, Lawson released his first solo album, Just A Mortal Man.

Fans of the groundbreaking a cappella group included Rod Stewart, the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and the members of Boyz II Men.

"They've never gotten their due," Rense said. "They're the greatest, most enduring American a cappella group. In another country like Japan they'd be declared a living treasure."

A documentary on Lawson is in production and expected to be released later this year. He is survived by his wife and two daughter, and his memory lives on in the music he made.

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Doris Day

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Doris Day, Incomparable Singer, Actress & Philanthropist, Dies At 97

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The "Que Sera, Sera" singer and silver screen superstar will be remembered as "a true star in more ways than one"
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
May 13, 2019 - 12:15 pm

Doris Day, iconic Hollywood actress, singer and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, has died of pnemonia at age 97. 

Born in 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Day made a name for herself as a multifaceted star in films such as 1953's Calamity Jane and 1959's Pillow Talk. 

As a singer, Day made over 600 recordings and scored hits including "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane and "Que Sera, Sera," which was featured in Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 film The Man Who Knew Too Much. Both songs have been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. Day aslo earned two GRAMMY nominations during her career and received the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. 

But beneath her magnetic on-screen image and superb voice was an extremely talented and dynamic singer with an uncanny sense of conveying a song's true sentiment.

"She really is sort of the mother of all tuneful, sunny blondes," said writer and jazz historian Will Friedwald, "but at the same time there's definitely a dark side to her. You know, she can explore that kind of emotion very effectively in song."

In addition to her artistic success, Day was also known for her big heart and ardent philanthrophic work as a champion of animal rights.

“She was a true star in more ways than one,” Paul McCartney wrote in a statement. “Visiting her in her Californian home was like going to an animal sanctuary where her many dogs were taken care of in splendid style. She had a heart of gold and was a very funny lady who I shared many laughs with.”

Fellow artists, actors and activists took to social media to celebrate and remember Day for her contributions to film, music and our culture.

"A legendary actress, singer, and philanthropist, Doris Day was one of the most cherished entertainers of all time. Best known for her success in the television and film industries," Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement. "Her infectious spirit and vibrant works of art have made a lasting impression worldwide. She will be missed, but her incredible legacy will live on forever." 

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Dick Dale circa 1970

Dick Dale

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Remembering Dick Dale: Get Soaked With These 7 Surf-Rock Classics

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Get a closer listen to how the King Of Surf Rock built a guitar sound and style that influenced everyone from the Beach Boys to Jimi Hendrix to the Ramones
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Mar 18, 2019 - 5:44 pm

Electric guitar pioneer Dick Dale died on March 16 at the age of 81, leaving behind a reverberant trail of musical and sonic influence stretching from The Ventures to modern garage surf and beyond. Since the 1950s, Dale has wielded his left-handed reverse-strung Fender Stratocaster and treated fans to his signature guitar sound, distinctive for its relentless rhythm, shimmering reverb and sheer volume, earning him the crown as "The King Of Surf Rock."

From introducing the world to the sound of surf rock with his band the Del-Tones to reaching a new generations to follow with film and even video game reboots of his classics, Dale's influence has touched an impressive list of legends including the Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Ramones, The Cramps, Los Straightjackets, and many more.

As the music world mourns the loss of one of the most game-changing talents to ever pick up a guitar, here's a look at seven surf rock explosions that reveal Dale at his boldest.

"Miserlou"

"Miserlou" is an obvious to start an examination of Dale's brazen and unique sound. In 1962, the frantic tremolo picking of his adaptation of this Middle Eastern instrumental folk tune (spelled "Misirlou" and translating to "Egyptian Girl") established Dale as a singular artist with a sound all his own while rock 'n' roll was still searching for its footing. The song's iconic guitar line is also instantly recognizable to younger listeners thanks in large part to its use in the opening credits of Quentin Tarantino's 1994 classic film Pulp Fiction. "Miserlou" was also sampled by Black Eyed Peas on their 2006 "Pump It" and challenged video gamers in "Guitar Hero," more indicators of the endless reach of Dale's sound and fury.

"Let's Go Trippin'"

Dale's highest charting hit, 1961's "Let's Go Trippin,'" is arguably the song that started it all, becoming the first surf-rock hit landing at No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its release in 1961 preceded the Beach Boys' first surf song, "Surfin,'" but the Boys would tip their sailor caps to Dale two years later by coving "Let's Go Trippin'" on their 1963 album Surfin' USA.

"The Scavenger"

Along with "Let's Go Trippin,'" 1963's "The Scavenger" was one of just two songs Dale ever landed on the charts, ducking into the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 98. "The Scavenger" was the lead-off track from Dale's third album, Checkered Flag, which explored hot-rod automobile themes made popular by the Beach Boys and even included sounds of engines revving and lyrics about street racing.

"Pipeline"

A match made in guitar heaven, Dale teamed up with another incomparable guitar legend, the late Stevie Ray Vaughn, for 1987's "Pipeline," placing the two unmistakable styles side-by-side for an historic and electrified blues/surf mashup. For their efforts, the duo were nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance (Orchestra Group Or Soloist) at the 30th GRAMMY Awards. The song was featured in the movie Back To The Beach, which Dale and Vaughn also appeared in, performing the song.  

"Hava Nagila"

A standout track on his 1963 sophomore album and first on Capitol Records, aptly titled King Of The Surf Guitar, "Hava Nagila" is Dale's take on the traditional Israeli folk song of rejoice. The album featured contributions from the likes of Glen Campbell, Leon Russell and Hal Blaine. Dale's treatment of this traditional tune with his frenzied picking seemed like a natural fit, much like his arrangement of "Miserlou."

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"Peter Gunn"

Dale's 1965 surfed-out rendition of Henry Mancini's TV theme clearly illustrates his sonic stamp by placing his angular playing on top of one of the most recognizable melodies in instrumental music. Mancini's original The Music From Peter Gunn won Album Of The Year at the first-ever GRAMMY Awards in May of 1959. But in Dale's version you can hear where guitar slingers such as Los Straitjackets and cymbal riders like The Cramps drew aesthetic inspiration.

"Nitro"

By 1993, Dale's influence had permeated widely into the worlds of ska, rock and punk, and on the first track off Tribal Thunder, he leaned into to a more modern sound, etching his signature tone and licks into a wall of solid rock drums. While Dale is far better known for his early recordings, "Nitro" is a daring reminder of the ferocity and endurance that fueled Dale's endless touring and refusal to mellow with age. The song even received a name-check from Jack White in a tribute post following Dale's death. “I spent many moments learning his massive reverbed guitar licks in my bedroom, and still enjoy playing his song ‘Nitro’ whenever I can,” White wrote.

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