Cornell Dupree was a respected jazz and R&B guitarist who, over the course of his career, played on records by the likes of Aretha Franklin,Miles Davis, Joe Cocker, and Brook Benton. In his early years, Dupree could be found playing in the legendary Atlantic Records house band, with whom he played on such iconic records as Benton’s “Rainy Night In Georgia,” and Franklin’s “Respect” on which he provided the instantly recognizable opening guitar riff. He was also a founding member of the much respected jazz funk combo, Stuff. Dupree also released several of his own albums throughout the years, his most popular being 1994’s Bop ‘n’ Blues. Cornell Dupree had been suffering from emphysema and had been waiting for a lung transplant when he passed away on May 8, 2011. He was 68.
Ronnie Lane was born in the east end of London, and from an early age, he wanted to be a musician. Meeting drummer Kenney Jones at 16, Lane formed his first band, the Outkasts with him initially on guitar, but quickly switching to bass. Lane soon met Steve Marriott and together with Jones and Jimmy Winston, they formed the Small Faces in 1965. In 1972, Lane broke from the Small Faces to embark on a solo career. During that time, he hooked up with Pete Townsend to record an album called Rough Mixthat was released in 1977. It was during the Rough Mix sessions that Lane discovered he was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, which barely slowed him down for a bit as he continued to tour and record. In fact he spent most of those days as a gypsy minstrel, traveling the highways of England playing acoustically along the way. In 1983, Lane’s then girlfriend, Boo Oldfield helped arrange an MS benefit concert (A.R.M.S Concert) that featured performances by Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Jones and Andy Fairweather-Low. Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers were added to a US tour. Suffering from the effects of MS, Lane moved to the better climate of Austin TX, where he continued to work with the likes of Alejandro Escovedo. Since he wasn’t earning royalties from his days with the Small Faces, friends like Jimmy Page and Rod Stewart generously helped with the medical bills. Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan were able to arrange Small Faces royalty payments to Lane, before he died of pneumonia as a result of the MS on June 4, 1997.
Carl Radle played bass alongside some of the most influential performers in rock history. During the ’60s and ’70s, Radle could be seen and heard playing with Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Dave Mason, J.J. Cale, George Harrison, Leon Russell and most famously, Eric Clapton with whom he worked as part of Derek And The Dominos. Much more than just a sideman-for-hire playing on an occasional track, Radle was a significant contributor to Cocker’s Mad Dogs And Englishmen and Harrison’s Concert For Bangladesh. In fact, there are probably three seminal rock concert films from the era, Mad Dogs And Englishmen Tour, The Concert For Bangladesh, and the Band’sThe Last Waltz. Radle appeared in all three. Radle is also credited for bringing Clapton back into the studio and out touring after a three year hiatus which thankfully ended in 1974. He is often cited as being a “musician’s musician” and regularly appears near the top of “greatest bassists of all times” lists. And with all this talent came the trappings. Carl Radle died of a kidney failure brought on by alcohol and narcotics abuse. He was 37.
Eric Gale was a jazz guitarist whose skills made him one of the most in-demand session players, appearing on some 500 albums. Those he recorded with include Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, Van Morrison, Grover Washington Jr., Jesse Belvin, and Carly Simon. He died of cancer on May 25, 1994.
Born in Italy, but a citizen of Canada since 1955, Domenic Troiano was an in-demand rock guitarist who played with such greats as Ronnie Hawkins, the James Gang, and the Guess Who. Forming his own band in the late ’70s, Troiano had a hit with “We All Need Love,” which was actually more disco than rock. As a session player, he worked on recordings by Joe Cocker, Long John Baldry and James Cotton. Domenic Troiano died of prostate cancer at the age of 59.
Viola Wills (Born Viola Wilkerson)
December 30, 1939 – May 6, 2009
Viola Wills was already a mother of six when she was discovered by Barry White in 1965. In her early career, Wills mostly worked as a back up singer for White as well as Joe Cocker and Smokey Robinson. In 1979, Wills began a streak of disco hits that included “Dare To Dream,” “Gonna Get Along Without You Now,” and “Stormy Weather.” Her chart success lead to her being dubbed “Disco Diva,” and that was during a time when “diva” wasn’t thrown around as much as it is these days. For disco, she was a bit of an anomaly in that she wrote many of her own songs. Wills passed away after a long illness on May 6, 2009. She was 69.
Marva Wright was a popular New Orleans blues and Gospel singer who has rightfully been called the Blues Queen of New Orleans. Whether performing in area clubs or in front of thousands at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Wright was a familiar and welcomed site throughout the city for many years. She was a popular concert draw throughout Europe and beyond as well. Even though she began singing at the age of nine, Wright didn’t make it a career until she hit her 40s, and since then she has released several critically and fan acclaimed albums and even performed at the White House. Over the course of her career, she has performed with the likes of Joe Cocker, Glen Campbell, Fats Domino, and Lou Rawls, to name a few. Marva Wright was 62 when she died on March 23, 2010 of complications of a stroke she suffered the previous year.
Although he had been playing and recording music since his teens, it wasn’t until 1984 that Dan Hartman had a major hit with “I Can Dream About You” from the Streets Of Fire soundtrack. It didn’t hurt that a little channel called MTV featured the video several times throughout the day. What few know is that it wasn’t Hartman’s voice that was heard on that video. The actual singer was Winston Ford, but it was actor Stoney Jackson that you actually saw “singing” it in the video. Hartman spent the better part of the 90s writing and producing hits for the likes of Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler and Paul Young. Hartman passed away from a brain tumor reportedly caused by AIDS at the age of 43.
Perhaps best known for his hit performance of “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right,” Luther Ingram was also an accomplished songwriter. He co-wrote the Staple Singers’ hit “Respect Yourself.” Ingram spent most of his young life in Illinois where he began writing songs and took a stab as a performer. He later moved to New York City where he reportedly roomed for a brief time with another struggling unknown by the name of Jimi Hendrix. Luther spent the rest of is career writing numerous chart topping hits for the likes of Barbara Mandrell, Joe Cocker and yes, Bruce Willis. In his final years, Ingram suffered from kidney disease, partial blindness and diabetes, finally succumbing to heart failure on March 19, 2007 at the age of 69.
For all intents and purposes, John Belushi had two successful, yet brief careers.Belushi skyrocketed to fame thanks to his amazing comedic abilities that were showcased nationally when he became a cast member during Saturday Night Live’s inaugural season of 1975. During breaks from the show, Belushi acted in some of the era’s most popular comedies. That list includes Animal House, Continental Divide, and of course, The Blues Brothers, which showcased his singing abilities as well. The Blues Brothers were a singing duo made up of Belushi and SNL cast mate, Dan Aykroyd who were first introduced on the show, and then elevated to starring roles in the popular musical comedy of the same name. Premiering in June of 1980, the film went on to gross $115 million and spawn Briefcase Full Of Blues, the double-platinum soundtrack. A strong part of the duo’s appeal was that they were backed up by some of the greatest session musicians popular music has ever know, the Saturday Night Live house band. Belushi’s singing (or at least his mimicking) talents were also featured in a legendary SNL segment when he “dueted” with Joe Cocker, performing as his popular parody of Cocker, himself. During Belushi’s meteoric rise to the top, he also developed a reputation as a hard partier. On March 5, 1982, he and several friends were hanging out at a West Hollywood hotel. At one point, as was confessed at a later date, a female acquaintance injected Belushi with a fatal dose of cocaine and heroin. John Belushi died as a result at the age of 33. The woman eventually accepted a plea bargain to involuntary manslaughter and served 15 months in prison.
Cornell Dupree was a respected jazz and R&B guitarist who, over the course of his career, played on records by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Joe Cocker, and Brook Benton. In his early years, Dupree could be found playing in the legendary Atlantic Records house band, with whom he played on such iconic records as Benton’s “Rainy Night In Georgia,” and Franklin’s “Respect” on which he provided the instantly recognizable opening guitar riff. He was also a founding member of the much respected jazz funk combo, Stuff. Dupree also released several of his own albums throughout the years, his most popular being 1994’s Bop ‘n’ Blues. Cornell Dupree had been suffering from emphysema and had been waiting for a lung transplant when he passed away on May 8, 2011. He was 68.
Ronnie Lane was born in the east end of London, and from an early age, he wanted to be a musician. Meeting drummer Kenney Jones at 16, Lane formed his first band, the Outkasts with him initially on guitar, but quickly switching to bass. Lane soon met 
Carl Radle played bass alongside some of the most influential performers in rock history. During the ’60s and ’70s, Radle could be seen and heard playing with Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Dave Mason, J.J. Cale, 
Eric Gale was a jazz guitarist whose skills made him one of the most in-demand session players, appearing on some 500 albums. Those he recorded with include Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, 
Born in Italy, but a citizen of Canada since 1955, Domenic Troiano was an in-demand rock guitarist who played with such greats as Ronnie Hawkins, the James Gang, and the Guess Who. Forming his own band in the late ’70s, Troiano had a hit with “We All Need Love,” which was actually more disco than rock. As a session player, he worked on recordings by Joe Cocker, 
Viola Wills was already a mother of six when she was discovered by 
Marva Wright was a popular New Orleans blues and Gospel singer who has rightfully been called the Blues Queen of New Orleans. Whether performing in area clubs or in front of thousands at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Wright was a familiar and welcomed site throughout the city for many years. She was a popular concert draw throughout Europe and beyond as well. Even though she began singing at the age of nine, Wright didn’t make it a career until she hit her 40s, and since then she has released several critically and fan acclaimed albums and even performed at the White House. Over the course of her career, she has performed with the likes of Joe Cocker, Glen Campbell, Fats Domino, and 
Perhaps best known for his hit performance of “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right,” Luther Ingram was also an accomplished songwriter. He co-wrote the Staple Singers’ hit “Respect Yourself.” Ingram spent most of his young life in Illinois where he began writing songs and took a stab as a performer. He later moved to New York City where he reportedly roomed for a brief time with another struggling unknown by the name of 
For all intents and purposes, John Belushi had two successful, yet brief careers. Belushi skyrocketed to fame thanks to his amazing comedic abilities that were showcased nationally when he became a cast member during Saturday Night Live’s inaugural season of 1975. During breaks from the show, Belushi acted in some of the era’s most popular comedies. That list includes Animal House, Continental Divide, and of course, The Blues Brothers, which showcased his singing abilities as well. The Blues Brothers were a singing duo made up of Belushi and SNL cast mate, Dan Aykroyd who were first introduced on the show, and then elevated to starring roles in the popular musical comedy of the same name. Premiering in June of 1980, the film went on to gross $115 million and spawn Briefcase Full Of Blues, the double-platinum soundtrack. A strong part of the duo’s appeal was that they were backed up by some of the greatest session musicians popular music has ever know, the Saturday Night Live house band. Belushi’s singing (or at least his mimicking) talents were also featured in a legendary SNL segment when he “dueted” with Joe Cocker, performing as his popular parody of Cocker, himself. During Belushi’s meteoric rise to the top, he also developed a reputation as a hard partier. On March 5, 1982, he and several friends were hanging out at a West Hollywood hotel. At one point, as was confessed at a later date, a female acquaintance injected Belushi with a fatal dose of cocaine and heroin. John Belushi died as a result at the age of 33. The woman eventually accepted a plea bargain to involuntary manslaughter and served 15 months in prison.
The Music's Over 