Thank you… and good night.
TM Stevens
Thomas Michael Stevens, known professionally as TM Stevens, was anoted bass guitarist who collaborated with numerous artists working in avariety of genres, as well as working as asolo performer. Born in New York City, Stevens played with Steve Vai, James Brown, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, The Pretenders, Billy Joel, Little Steven and his good friend Stevie Salas. The 72-year-old had been living with advanced dementia, and passed away peacefully in his sleep in a nursing home.
Paul Nelson
Having been hand-picked to join bluesman Johnny Winter’s band in 2005, guitarist Paul Nelson went on to become Winter’s producer, manager, longtime friend and saviour – he was credited for easing Winter off drugs, alcohol and smoking before Johnny’s death in 2014 at the age of 70. Still aroad dog at the time of his own passing, the Grammy-winning New Yorker died from a heart attack while he was on tour.
Brother Dege
Grammy-nominated musician and songwriter Dege Legg, known professionally as Brother Dege, has passed away at the age of 56. The massively popular Lafayette artist is remembered for his distinctive blend of southern-swamp-psych-outlaw-rock and neo-blues, and also for his gritty memoir titled Cablog: Diary Of A Cab Driver. Dege’s song Too Old To Die Young was used in Quentin Tarantino’s Oscarnominated 2012 film Django Unchained.
Jimmy Hastings,
The Canterbury scene is mourning the loss of Jimmy Hastings, a saxophonist and flautist best known for his work with Caravan, Soft Machine, Hatfield And The North, Trapeze and Bryan Ferry. Hastings began his long music career in Humphrey Lyttelton’s band. As part of that band he was a guest performer on Radiohead’s 2001 album Amnesiac, playing on the track Life In AGlasshouse. Hastings was 85.
‘Big’ Mac Baker
Little is known of the loss of the former guitarist with Mammoth, the British rock band he was in along with by former Gillan bassist John McCoy, former Samson frontman Nicky Moore, and drummer Vinnie ‘Tubby’ Reed, whose combined weight tipped the scales at more than 1,200lbs (85 stones). “Mac was a great guy and an accomplished player,” says McCoy. “Always a solid, calming voice in the chaotic madness that was Mammoth.”
Gerry Conway
The former drummer with Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Pentangle and others has died at the age of 76 following a period of illness. He had been suffering from motor neurone disease. Gerry Conway was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. He be
