International Songwriters Association (ISA) Songs And Songwriting • Obituaries

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Songwriter-Composer Obituaries 2024

Names In Blue Denote An ISA Hall Of Fame Member

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Steve Harley
(76), British-born singer-songwriter and leader of the band Cockney Rebel, whose hits include "Judy Teen", "Mr. Soft", "Mr. Raffles (Man It Was Mean)", "Here Comes the Sun", "(I Believe) Love's a Prima Donna" and the #1 hit "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" which reached the UK charts on five separate occasions between 1974 and 2015.

On 17th March 2024, in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, of cancer,

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Dick Allix
(78), British-born drummer and songwriter with Vanity Fare, who scored hits with ""I Live for the Sun", "Hitchin' a Ride", "Early in the Morning" and "(I Remember) Summer Morning", and who went on to found the Professional Darts Corporation in 1992 which nowadays operates the televised World Championship, Premier League, World Cup of Darts, World Grand Prix and World Matchplay.

On 13th March 2024, in London, UK, from undisclosed causes.

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Eric Carmen
(74), American-born singer-songwriter, keyboardist, guitarist and leader of the Rsaspberries. whose hits (mainly penned by Eric) included "Go All the Way", "I Wanna Be with You", "Let's Pretend" and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". In 1975, Eric left the band and embarked on a solo career, scoring such hits as "All by Myself", Never Gonna Fall in Love Again". She Did It". "It Hurts Too Much", "I Wanna Hear It from Your Lips", "Hungry Eyes" and "Make Me Lose Control".

An addition to his own recording career, he was a prolific songwriter whose composjtions were recorded by such stars as Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion, Michael Ball, Carmen McRae, Hank Williams, Jr, Rosemary Clooney, Sheryl Crow, Brotherhood of Man, Shirley Bassey, Eartha Kitt, Frankie Valli, Olivia Newton-John, Patti LaBelle, Smokie, John Travolta, Dana, Shaun Cassidy and Showaddywaddy.

International Songwriters Association Hall Of Fame Member.

On 10th March 2024, in Gates Mills, Ohio, USA, from undisclosed causes.

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Karl Wallinger
(66), British-born songwriter, musician and record producer, who worked with World Party, Sinéad O’Connor and the Waterboys, and whose hit songs include "Ship Of Fools", "Way Down Now" and "She's The One" (covered by Robbie Williams, Andy Williams and Chesney Hawkes).

On 10th March 2024, in Hastings, Sussex, UK, from undisclosed causes.

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Steve Lawrence
(87), American-born singer and actor, who with his wife Eydie Gorme dominated the charts and television channels for fifty years, and whose admiration for the great songwriters helped to maintain the popularity of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Jerome Kern in a rock & roll era. Grammy Award and Emmy Award winner and father of the ASCAP Award-winning songwriter David Lawrence.

On 7th March 2024, in Los Angeles, California, USA, from complications brought on by Alzheimers disease.

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Dimos Moutsis
(86), Greek-born singer-songwriter and politician, whose work also includes hits penned for Rebetika Sotiria Belou and Anna Mouskouri. He was a colleague of former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis.

On 6th March 2024, in Athen, Greece, from undisclosed causes.

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B B Seaton
(79), Jamaican-born singer-songwriter and leader of the Gaylads, whose hits both as a band member and as a soloist include "Accept My Apology", "Sweet Caroline", "Lean On Me", "Thin Line Between Love and Hate", "My Jamaican Girl", "Joy in The Morning" and "Hard to Confess".

On 4th March 2024, in London, UK, from undisclosed causes.

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Jim Beard
(64), American-born pianist and composer whose work with Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny and others, led to seven Grammy nominations, including a win in 2007.

On 2nd March 2024, in New York City, USA, from undisclosed causes.

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Johnny Johnson
(80), American-born singer, songwriter and founder-vocalist of Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon, whose hits include "Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache", "Let's Hang On", "Sweet Inspiration", "(Blame It) On The Pony Express" and "You".

On 2nd March 2024, in Rochester, New York, USA of heart failure.

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Cat Janice
(31), American-born singer-songwriter whose song "Dance You Outta My Head" which (released as she was dying in a hospice) reached #2 on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales, going on to become an international Tik-Tok hit.

On 28th February 2024, in Annandale, Virginia, USA, of sarcoma cancer.

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Peter Morgan
(46), American-born singer-songwriter, son of Jamaican reggae singer Denroy Morgan, and founder of Morgan Heritage, whose album "Strictly Roots" won the 2016 Grammy for best reggae album,going on to win again in 2019 with the album "Avrakedabra".

On 25th February 2024, New York City, USA, from undisclosed causes.

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Shinsadong Tiger
(40), Korean-born record producer and songwriter whose hits include T-ara's "Roly Poly", Apink's "No No No" and "Remember", Exid's "Up and Down" and "DDD", and Momoland's "Bboom Bboom".

On 23rd February 2024, in Seoul, Korea. from undisclosed causes.

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John "Duff" Lowe
(81), British-born pianist who was a member of the Quarrymen alongside John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and who performed on the group's 1958 vanity recording of "That'll Be The Day" and "In Spite Of All The Danger".

On 21st February 2024, in Liverpool, UK, from natural causes.

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David Libert
(81), American-born singer-songwriter and co-founder of The Happenings, who scored such hits as "See You In September", "Go Away Little Girl", "My Mammy", "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "I Got Rhythm", and who went on to become tour manager for Alice Cooper before opening the David Libert Agency, which became involved with such acts as George Clinton, Parliament/Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band, The Runaways, Brian Auger, Sheila E, and Vanilla Fudge. He also penned songs for The Tokens, The Chiffons and Gerry & The Pacemakers.

On 20th February 2024, in Los Angeles, California, USA, from heart failure.

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Bobby Tench
(79), Trinidadian-born British-based singer-songwriter and guitarist who worked with Freddie King, Van Morrison, Ginger Baker, The Jeff Beck Group, Humble Pie, The Streetwalkers, Linda Lewis, Eric Burdon, Thin Lizzy, Hummingbird and Gass.

On 20th February 2024, in London, UK, from heart failure.

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Judi Pulver
(77), American-born singer-songwriter who penned the turntable hit "Dancing On The Moon", before going on to become a successful music sales executive at both "The Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety".

On 20th February 2024, in Santa Monica, California, USA, from lung cancer.

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Cynthia Strother
(88), American-born singer-songwriter and one half of The Bell Sisters whose self-penned hit "Bermuda" reached the US Top 10 in 1952.

On 16th February 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, of heart failure.

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Benny Lanzarone
(85), American-born composer, arranger and music director, who penned music for "Dynasty", "Happy Days", "The Tracey Ullman Show", "The Love Boat", "The Jay Leno Comedy Hour", "Mr. Belvedere", "Vegas", "Matt Houston", "The Colbys", "Hotel", "Laverne and Shirley" and "Mork and Mindy". He also toured with Frank Sinatra, Petula Clark and Art Garfunkel, and worked with Bob Crewe.

On 16th February 2024, in Los Angeles, California, USA, of lung cancer.

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Ron Gilbert
(75), American-born singer-songwriter, co-founder of the Blues Magoos, and writer of their biggest hits including "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet".

On 16th February 2024, in Los Angeles. California, USA, of undisclosed causes.

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Kerry "Fatman" Hunter
(53), American-born drummer with the Grammy Award-winning band The Nightcrawlers, and for whom Brent Rose penned the tune "Fatman".

On 12th February 2024, in New Orleans, Mississippi, USA, having been knocked down by a drunk driver.

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Randy Sparks
(90), American-born singer-songwriter and founder of The New Christy Minstrels, who penned "Green Green", "Today", and the John Denver hit "Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio", and whose songs were also covered by Burl Ives, Debbie Reynolds, Trini Lopez, Bobby Darin, Brian Hyland, Johnny Rivers, Roger Whittaker, Bill Anderson, Robert Goulet, Bobby Goldsboro, Glen Campbell, and Andy Williams.

On 11th February 2024, in San Diego, California, USA, of heart failure.

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Jimmy Van Eaton
(86), American-born drummer who played on Jerry Lee Lewis’ "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," Billy Lee Riley’s “Red Hot,” Bill Justis’ "Raunchy” and “Lonely Weekends” by Charlie Rich, as well as on hits by Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Warren Smith, Carl Mann and Charlie Feathers.

On 10th February 2024, in Muscle Shoals, Aabama, USA, of heart failure.

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Tony Middleton
(89), American-born singer, songwriter and actor, who co-wrote "Church Bells May Ring", which was a hit both for his own group The Willows, and also for The Diamonds before going on to become a doo-wop classic, recorded by The Four Seasons, Sunny Gale, The Cadets and The Shirelles.

On 3rd February 2024, in New York City, USA, of chronic kidney disease.

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Mojo Nixon
(66), American-born musician, singer-songwriter, actor and radio DJ, best known for the songs "Elvis Is Everywhere" and "Don Henley Must Die".

On 7th February 2024, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following a heart attack suffered while performing on the the Outlaw Country Cruise.

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Toby Keith
(61), American-born singer-songwriter, record producer, actor and businessman, whose hits include "Who’s Your Daddy?", "Made In America", "Should Have Been A Cowboy", "As Good as I Once Was" and "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)", earning him an estimated $550 million fortune and countless music industry awards.

International Songwriters Association Hall Of Fame Member.

On 5th February 2024, in Oklahoma City, USA, of stomach cancer.

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Nicky Graham
(79), South African-born British-based musician, songwriter, record producer, and former member of The End, keyboardist for David Bowie as well as a producer for both Polydor and CBS Records. His successes include hits for The Nolans, Let Loose, Ant & Dec, David Essex, Barbara Dickson, Bonnie Tyler Shakin's Stevens, Andy Williams, Bros, Shirley Bassey and Code Red.

On 3rd February 2024, in London, UK, of undisclosed causes.

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Frank Farian
(82), German-born songwriter and vocalist, and one of the most successful (if controversial) record producers of all time, who sold 800 million records worldwide, creating such hit acts as Boney M and Milli Vanilli, and spawning the hit stage musical "Daddy Cool".

On 27th January 2024, in Miami, Florida, USA, of heart failure.

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Margo Smith
(84), American-born singer-songwriter known as "The Tennessee Yodeler", who in a career spanning 50 years, scored two consecutive US Country #1 hits, before transitioning to the Christian Music market.

On 23rd January 2024, in Franklin, Tennessee, USA, following a stroke.

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Melanie
(76), American-born singer-songwriter, who made her debut at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, before going on to write and record such classic hits as "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and "Brand New Key".

On 23rd January 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, of undisclosed causes.

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Toni Stern
(79), American-born songwriter who collaborated with Carole King, and whose songs were recorded by Carole King, The Monkees, Helen Reddy, The Carpenters, The Shirelles, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Jack Jones, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, The Isley Brothers, Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare, Barbra Streisand and many more.

On 17th January 2024, in Santa Ynez, California, USA, of undisclosed causes.

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Laurie Johnson
(86), British-born composer, bandleader, conductor and arranger, who poenned thousands of instrumental pieces, including the themes from "The Avengers", "The Professionals" and "This Is Your Life", as well as the hit musical "Lock Up Your Daughters".

On 16th January 2024, in Stanmore, North London, UK, of undisclosed causes.

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2023 Songwriter Obituaries

Obituaries Prior To 2023

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