Scott Walker

Scott Walker

Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images

News

Art-Rock Singer/Composer Scott Walker Of The Walker Brothers Dies At 76

Facebook Twitter Email
The musical non-conformist left America, only to return as part of rock's '60s British Invasion
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Mar 25, 2019 - 5:57 pm

'60s pop-rock idol Scott Walker has died. Born Noel Scott Engel in Ohio, Walker was 76 years old. The news was confirmed by his label, 4AD Records.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke and producer Nigel Godrich were among the first, along with Nadine Shah, to publicly express sadness at Walker's passing.

After relocating to the U.K. in the 60s, the Walker Brothers' fame was comparable to the Beatles. Later, Scott found solo success with albums titled Scott, Scott 2, Scott 3, Scott 4, which culminated with his 1969 Scott Sings Songs from His TV Series album. 

On March 25, David Bowie's official website blogged their Farewell to Scott Walker, noting Bowie's past remark, "I think he's probably been my idol since I was a kid." (In 1993, Bowie covered the Walker Brothers' song "Nite Flights" on his album Black Tie White Noise.)

The 2006 documentary Scott Walker: 30 Century Man tried to do justice to the man's hard-to-categorize and wide-ranging talent. Walker's musical gifts were so strong, he got session work as a bassist in his teens. His singing made the Walker Brothers teen idols. His final solo album was 2012's Bish Bosch, but Walker also kept busy with collaborations and composing for film.

In 2017, Walker's lyrics were published by Faber & Faber, while the Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned and performed a special work of his. Also, the BBC threw him a tribute concert. In 2018, the music movie Vox Lux featured songs by Sia alongside Walker's original score.

Few musicians of such stature have managed to be obscure cult figures at the same time. Convention-breaking contradictions were part of Scott Walker's signature style, but this appears to have been artistically organic rather than a result of trying to be unconventional. Even Britain's own BBC, knowing Walker's history intimately and having honored him in 2017, described him as an "enigma" in their obituary headline on March 25.

Deerhunter's Bradford Cox: "I'm The Closest Thing That Our Age Has To A Bowie"

Hal Blaine

Hal Blaine

Photo: Newsmakers/Getty Images

News

Wrecking Crew Drummer Hal Blaine Has Died At 90

Facebook Twitter Email
Millions heard his percussion through the decades on countless hits, such as Record Of The Year winners "Mrs. Robinson" and "Up, Up And Away"
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Mar 12, 2019 - 1:15 pm

Wrecking Crew drummer Hal Blaine, the man who brought the beat to the "Wall of Sound" and a staggering array of hits and classics, is confirmed to have died on March 11, 2019. 

A recipient of the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, Blaine provided some of music's coolest grooves and with his fellow A-list, Los Angeles session musicians, helped define rock and pop music's top sounds through the late '60s and beyond.

Herb Alpert To Honor Hal Blaine

"Hal Blaine was a legendary session drummer whose contributions as a member of the Wrecking Crew helped propel countless hits to the top of the Billboard charts in the '60s and '70s," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "He contributed to tens of thousands of songs throughout his career, including the Beach Boys' 'Caroline, No' and Simon & Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water.' We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fellow music creators."

The Record Of The Year winners between 1965 and 1970 all had Blaine on drums. Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" closed that streak at the 13th GRAMMY Awards, two years after their ROTY win for "Mrs. Robinson" at the 11th GRAMMY Awards. Another twofer was the 5th Dimension, winning ROTY at the 10th GRAMMY Awards for 1967's "Up, Up And Away" and again at the 12th GRAMMY Awards for "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)," a song medley from the musical Hair.

Blaine's Record Of The Year streak began at the 8th GRAMMY Awards with Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass' win for 1965's "A Taste Of Honey." The follow-up was "Strangers In The Night" by Frank Sinatra at the 9th GRAMMY Awards. the sounds of both these songs as well as Blaine's too-many-to-mention other recordings became part of the musical cultural fabric of the era. 

Wrecking Crew Bassist Joe Osborn Dies At 81

Christina Applegate and Hugh Fordin

Christina Applegate and Hugh Fordin

Photo: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

News

DRG Records Founder & Broadway Musicals Album Producer Hugh Fordin Dies At 83

Facebook Twitter Email
Fordin helped build the recorded legacy that preserves sensational Broadway stage performances
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Mar 7, 2019 - 12:02 pm

Record producer and label executive Hugh Fordin died of cardiac arrest at 83 at his home in New Jersey on Feb. 26. In addition to his own Best Musical Show Album win at the 44th GRAMMY Awards for The Producers, the label he founded in 1976, DRG Records released distinguished albums that brought GRAMMY wins to legends including Gerry Mulligan and Patti Page.

Hailing Fordin as an "exceptional" and "versatile" producer, Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow noted that "he achieved success as both a producer and label executive. He will be deeply missed, but remembered for crafting dynamic records for the theater community." Fordin's other GRAMMY-nominated cast albums include Flower Drum Song, Guys And Dolls, Kiss Me Kate, The Music Man, and Wonderful Town.

This Producers-producer's engineer since 1985, Cynthia Daniels shared in Fordin's GRAMMY win. "No other record company or producer filled this particular space for the recorded version of these timeless songs," she told The New York Times. Fordin was also the author of two books, about the musicals of MGM as well as a biography of lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. Daniels also recalled times in the studio with Fordin when "I would inevitably hear chuckling and then everyone in the room break into laughter."

Broadway Has Highest Grossing Year In 2018, Thanks To 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child' & More

Marie Fredriksson - Roxette

Marie Fredriksson of Roxette performs in Spain in 2015

Photo: Jordi Vidal/Getty Images

News

Marie Fredriksson, Singer For Roxette, Dies at 61

Facebook Twitter Email
The vocalist for one of Sweden's most successful acts was behind four chart-topping songs in the U.S. and multiple global hits
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Dec 10, 2019 - 3:50 pm

Marie Fredriksson, the singer for Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, died Dec. 9 following a 17-year-long battle with cancer. She was 61 years old.

Dimberg Jernberg Management, the management company that represents Roxette, confirmed the news of her death in a press release posted on the company's website, in addition to messages shared on the group's and Fredriksson's official Facebook pages.

"Marie leaves us a grand musical legacy," the press release states. "Her amazing voice – both strong and sensitive – and her magical live performances will be remembered by all of us who was [sic] lucky enough to witness them. But we also remember a wonderful person with a huge appetite for life, and woman with a very big heart who cared for everybody she met."

Read: Kim Shattuck, Singer/Songwriter & Co-Founder Of The Muffs, Dies At 56

Per Gessle, vocalist/guitarist and chief songwriter of Roxette, posted his condolences on his official Twitter page, writing, "I’m honoured to have met your talent+generosity. All my love goes to you+your family. Things will never be the same."

One of Sweden's most beloved and successful artists, Fredriksson formed Roxette alongside bandmate and good friend Gessle in 1986. Following Fredriksson's 1984 solo debut album, Het vind, the duo released their debut album, Pearls Of Passion, in 1986.

While their debut album was an immediate commercial success in their native Sweden, the group first gained international recognition via their second album, 1988's global multiplatinum full-length, Look Sharp! The album produced the international hits "The Look" and "Listen To Your Heart," both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S.

Their 1987 hit, "It Must Have Been Love," became the duo's third Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, while an edited version of the track was featured on the soundtrack of the 1990 film, "Pretty Woman." The group notched its fourth and final U.S. No. 1 hit in 1991 via "Joyride," the lead single and title track of their third album released that same year.

Born in 1958 in south Sweden, Fredriksson got her start in the local indie music scene in the late '70s. Her early projects included the punk group Strul, which was behind the successful independent music festival Strulfestivalen, and MaMas Barn, in addition to her work with other Swedish groups and as a solo artist. Fredriksson would go on to release 10 studio albums with Roxette and eight solo albums.

In 2002, Fredriksson was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in the back of her head. After a successful surgery to remove the tumor, she began to work, alongside her husband Mikael Bolyos, on what would become her 2004 album, The Change, which ultimately debuted at No. 1 in her home country of Sweden.

Following an eight-year hiatus due to Fredriksson's health, Roxette reunited in 2009, followed by regular tours as a duo starting in 2010. After the reunion, Fredriksson would go on to release three albums with Roxette—Charm School (2011), Travelling (2012) and Good Karma (2016)—and one final solo album via 2013's Nu!

In 2016, Fredriksson ceased touring to focus on her health at the advisement of her doctors.

Fredriksson is survived by her husband, Mikael Bolyos, and her two children, Josefin and Oscar.

Ace Of Base's "The Sign" Turns 25: How America Fell Back In Love With Swedish Pop

busbee

busbee

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

News

Busbee, GRAMMY-Nominated Hit-Maker, Dies At 43

Facebook Twitter Email
The beloved hit-maker, who worked with Maren Morris, Shakira, Lady Antebellum and many more, passed away this weekend.
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 30, 2019 - 2:34 pm

Yesterday, Sept. 29, Warner Chappell broke the sad news, via a heartfelt Instagram post, that GRAMMY-nominated songwriter/producer busbee had passed away at age 43. His label, Altadena, was housed under Warner Records and he had a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. Variety reports that, according to a friend of his, busbee was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, earlier this year and was receiving treatment for it.

He spent the last two decades working with a long list of popular country and pop artists in Los Angeles and Nashville, helping pen and produce infectious hits for Maren Morris, Shakira, Adam Lambert, Lady Antebellum and many more. Clearly beloved by everyone he worked with, many have shared tributes on social media.



View this post on Instagram


Our hearts are broken by the loss of our beautiful friend busbee. He was an extraordinary human being whose generosity, spirituality and humor inspired everyone around him. An amazingly gifted songwriter, he used his talent, his music, and his love to break down boundaries and bring people together. He left us far too soon. Our deepest condolences go to his wonderful family and all his many friends. We love you. - Guy, Carianne, Ben, Ryan, Katy and the Warner Chappell family Today we lost busbee, a dear friend, business partner with his company Altadena, and one of the best and brightest creative minds in music. busbee’s kindness and legacy will never be forgotten and our hearts and prayers go out to his family at this very difficult time. With love & respect, Aaron, Tom and his Warner Records family

A post shared by Warner Music (@warnermusic) on

"The Recording Academy is heartbroken over the passing of one of our own—GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and producer, busbee," Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy said. She continued:

"He was an integral member of our music community, serving as a Recording Academy Los Angeles Chapter Governor and Co-Chair of the Chapter's Advocacy Committee, where he helped advance the rights of artists, songwriters, and studio professionals. busbee was a creative spirit who was unconditionally committed to his craft. This is a devastating loss for the entire music community, and our hearts are with his family, friends, and all of his many musical collaborators."

Born Michael James Ryan, busbee grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where his love of music blossomed from a young age through church and both Christian and jazz radio. His natural talents in music began with piano lessons at age seven and trombone in high school. He received a college scholarship to continue his studies of jazz trombone on the East Coast, later returning home and accepting a job as a music pastor at a local church.

"There's so much music at church. You can feel when a song feels like it's inspired," busbee told Ross Golan on the May 6 episode of his podcast "And the Writer Is…," as quoted by Variety. In 2000, busbee relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a deeply inspiring career in the music industry, beginning his songwriting career with notable country and pop artists.

Pop Is Different For Busbee Now That He Does It

In 2009, he saw his first Top 40 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 as a writer on Rascal Flatts' "Summer Nights." As reported by Billboard, his work earned him (and his collaborators, of course) a total of 22 charting songs to date on the Hot 100 alone. Several of his big songs are with GRAMMY-winning country queen Morris, as he worked as a producer and co-writer on both her debut LP, Hero, and her 2019 follow up, Girl. For "My Church," her hit debut single, the pair both earned nominations for Best Country Song at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. Morris also earned a Best New Artist nomination that year, and took home a win for Best Country Solo Performance for "My Church."

She shared a touching message and picture on social media yesterday, writing, "This just doesn't seem fair. I will always love you and the songs and albums I was lucky to make with you, Busbee. Rest well, my sweet friend." Today, she shared another tribute on Twitter, a video from the studio of him working on "My Church."

Dedicated to the craft of songwriting, he was a true collaborator as well as a mentor. During a songwriting panel hosted by the Recording Academy L.A. Chapter this spring, he discussed his journey that led him to becoming a hit-maker, emphasizing the important roles of faith, hard work and perseverance.

"Nobody else is going to get what's yours," busbee told the group of budding songwriters and artists. "You never know who's going to make the decision that changes the course of your life."

Keep scrolling to get a small taste of the many lives he touched, with moving tributes from more of his collaborators and friends; Shakira, Lady Antebellum, Golan, Lambert, Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce.

 
 
 
 
 

Hit-Makers Share The Specialized, Intuitive Art Of Crafting The Perfect Song