Obituaries: Singer-Songwriter Rick Rose Was Beloved from Niagara to Nashville

Rick Rose (Maiuri), a veteran rock and country singer-songwriter, died on July 14, at age 64, of cancer.

The Niagara Falls-based Rose first gained attention by fronting the rock bands Lennex and Perfect Affair, followed by The Rick Rose Band. As a songwriter, he had stints as a staff songwriter for Sony Music in Nashville and Warner Tamerlane.

Rose launched his music career with Johnny Dee in Lennex, a band from Niagara that toured through Canada, the U.S., Europe and Japan. CanadianBands.com notes that "they played the Ontario/Eastern seaboard circuit. They recorded some demos at Toronto’s Jhana Sound and released a cover of the Diana Ross & The Supremes classic, 'Where Did Our Love Go,' backed with the group-penned 'Crying For More' in 1981 on the independent Warpt Records, owned by Teenage Head‘s Dave Rave and released only in Canada and Japan. Lennex toured with the likes of Starz and Streetheart."

With Rose on lead vocals, Lennex submitted “She’s Got It” to Toronto radio station Q-107 for their Homegrown Talent competition. The Rose co-write won the contest and wound up on the radio station’s 1982 compilation album. This helped land them a deal with Attic, but internal differences between Rose and Dee saw the group essentially break up, with Dee going on to form Honeymoon Suite

At Attic's urging, Rose resurfaced with a new lineup, as Perfect Affair. That band released a self-titled debut in 1983, produced by English guitar star Mick Ronson. "She's Got It" was reprised on the album, and it made the Top 40 charts. CanadianBands.com reports that "The album enjoyed moderate success at home and better results in Europe, where the keyboard-laden pop was more palatable. A cross-continent tour ensued, followed by some dates in the UK and Germany, but a year later, different musical visions between the members and being at odds with the label caused founder Rick Rose to fold up the tent."

As a songwriter, Rose's credits include the theme song for the film Rude Awakening, sung by Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers fame, and the track "Dreaming Out Loud," recorded by hit Canadian country band Doc Walker.

Notable songwriters Rose collaborated with over his career included Mick Ronson, Jim Steinman, Anton Fig, Monty Powell, Billy Falcon and Canadians Cyril Rawson and Naoise Sheridan.

As a performer, he shared the stage with Eddie Money, Billy Ray Cyrus, Three Dog Night, Barbra Mandrell and more.

For the past two decades plus, Rose headed the Niagara Institute of Music and Arts (NIOMA), a music school offering a diverse range of lessons, from guitar and drums to vocals and audio engineering.

The official death notice states that "In honour of Rick's life and love of music, memorial contributions may be made to the Rick Rose Music Foundation to support the many aspects of music in Niagara Falls. Online condolences at pattersonfuneralhome.com."

A funeral Mass took place on July 20.

Rose was very popular amongst his peers, and they took to social media to offer tributes.

On Facebook, Dave Rave (Teenage Head, The Shakers) posted this: "Very sad news losing my friend and fellow band mate Rick Rose. Rick was the heart of Niagara and it was an honour that he asked me to perform with him and his band over the last few years. I will miss his kind and gentle ways My condolences to Rosa and his family, Jake and Melanie. RIP Rick."

Canadian music industry veteran Ralph Alfonso on Facebook: "Just got word that singer/songwriter Rick Rose has passed. Long a pillar of the Niagara Falls music community, Rick led a long and illustrious career as a bandleader, singer, songwriter, teacher, mentor and just all-around good guy. He had a wonderful whiskey-soaked voice just perfect for his street savvy Springsteen-esque road songs

"I met Rick in 1983 when his band Lennex had morphed into Perfect Affair and got a deal with Attic Records where I was head of promo at the time. They had somehow managed to get Mick Ronson to produce most of their debut, so we went out there all guns firing. Funny story here is that the LP cover with Rick surrounded by two hot babes was getting some backlash at radio who thought it was some kind of disco record. Yikes.

"We quickly arranged a photo shoot with Patrick Harbron to have the band on the cover. I'm not really sure what happened to the band, I think they broke up not long after. Facebook reconnected us and we had sporadic communications over the years and some nice phone calls trading info. Back in 2001, I helped Pacemaker Entertainment with their reissue of the Perfect Affair LP (with many bonus tracks). There's some great AOR tracks plus Mick Ronson on guitar/vocals."

"Rick carried on as a staff writer for Sony Music and Warner Tamerlane, co-writing with Jim Steinman and many others, and founded Niagara Institute of Music and Arts, nurturing the next generation of artists from the Niagara area. Check out his later work, he really branched out as a writer and vocalist. RIP Rick. God bless to you and the family. You were one of the good guys."

Greg Fraser, guitarist of gold-selling '80s rock band Brighton Rock, posted this tribute on Facebook: "I'm deeply saddened by the news of Rick Rose’s passing. Before Brighton Rock, I played with Rick in the band Lennex. Rick was not just a talented bandmate, but also a cherished friend whose kindness and spirit touched everyone who knew him. Our shared memories, both on and off the stage, will forever hold a special place in my heart. My thoughts are with Rick's family and all who loved him during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Rick. You are an inspiration to us all."

When contacted by Billboard Canada, Fraser added that "If I had never met Rick, I’m not sure I would have achieved anything in this crazy music business. He taught me more than anything to really focus on songs & songwriting above anything else. I learned a lot from Rick & he will be forever missed."

Niagara area singer/songwriter Andy Colonico (Revive The Rose) posted that "In the more recent years of my life, I’ve had the privilege to become pals with Rick Rose. I had heard so much about him from the community… and finally the stars aligned where we met. The one thing I was immediately taken back by was how generous and selfless this man was. A great friend to all. A legend in the music scene.

"He was always stoked to hear about what I had going on and really encouraged me to pursue what I love to do most. Loved hearing his stories from when he was working in Nashville."

International

Toumani Diabaté, a Grammy-winning Malian kora player, died on July 19, at age 58, after a short illness.

As well as performing traditional Malian music, he was involved in cross-cultural collaborations featuring flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles. In 2006, the London-based newspaper The Independent named Diabaté one of the fifty best African artists.

In its obituary, The Guardiannoted that "Toumani Diabaté was the undisputed master of the kora, the stately and stirring 21-stringed harp that is the most important classical instrument of west Africa. He played at festivals and concert halls around the world, and worked both as a soloist and with a remarkable array of other artists, ranging from his own Symmetric Orchestra to the guitarist Ali Farka Touré, the London Symphony Orchestra, and musicians from Spain, Cuba and Brazil.

"Coming from a caste of traditional musicians and historians, the griots, he traced his family back 71 generations. His exquisite, relaxed playing mixed the ancient and modern, as he switched from pieces that dated back hundreds of years to his own compositions that he said reflected influences ranging from other African artists to Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding and Pink Floyd. His kora work mixed bass lines with melodies and improvisation."

Diabaté first made a mark in 1988 with Kaira, termed the first solo kora album and one that introduced both Diabate and the instrument to a western audience.

In the decades following, he recorded and performed with such diverse artists as the Spanish flamenco group Ketama, blues star Taj Mahal, bluegrass virtuso Bela Fleck, free jazz trombonist Roswell Rudd, The London Symphony Orchestra, Bjork and many more. Two albums recorded with fellow West African star Ali Farka Touré, In the Heart of the Moon and Ali and Toumani, won Grammy Awards.

In 2008 he was appointed a UN goodwill ambassador for his work highlighting HIV/Aids through his music, and in 2014 received an honorary doctorate in music from Soas University of London.

TRT Afrika posted tributes to Diabate from such fellow stars of the West African music scene as Youssou N'dour, Oumou Sangare and Salif Keita.

Joe Egan, a Scottish singer-songwriter best known for partnering with Gerry Rafferty to success in Stealers Wheel, died on July 6, at age 77.

Stealers Wheel had a major international hit in 1973 with "Stuck in the Middle with You," a tune that gained further wide exposure two decades later when it featured in a memorable scene in Quentin Tarantino's feature-film debut Reservoir Dogs.

Stealers Wheel was formed in 1972 in Paisley, Scotland, by former school friends Egan and Rafferty. A self-titled album on A&M Records was released that year, produced by famed American songwriters and producers Leiber & Stoller. The album peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard 200 album chart, but "Stuck in the Middle with You" became a smash hit single. It reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 8 on the U.K. Singles Chart in 1973, selling over one million copies worldwide, and was awarded a gold disc.

Later in 1973, the single "Everyone's Agreed That Everything Will Turn Out Fine" had modest chart success, and, in 1974, the single "Star" reached the top 30 of both the U.K. and U.S. charts.

A second album later that year, Ferguslie Park, was a commercial flop, as was a third and final album Right or Wrong, released in 1975. Managerial problems and internal disagreements led the duo to break up then.

Egan's first solo album, Out of Nowhere, was released in 1979. A song from the album, "Back On The Road Again," became a hit on British radio. 1981 saw the release of Egan's second album, Map. He contributed backing vocals to Gerry Rafferty's 1992 album On a Wing and a Prayer. Egan left the music business in the 1990s.

Jerry Fuller, a prolific hit songwriter and producer for such artists as Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Al Wilson and the Knickerbockers, died on July 18, at age 85, of complications from lung cancer.

The Texas-born Fuller released a single a lone solo album and several modestly charting singles in a pop-rockabilly vein in 1959-61, prior to concentrating on songwriting and producing artists in multiple genres.

Variety reports in its obituary that "Among the hundreds of artists who recorded his 1,000-plus compositions were Reba McEntire, Gene Vincent, Cher, Glen Campbell, Ray Price, Don McLean, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Barbara Mandrell, Percy Sledge, Eddy Arnold, Marty Robbins, Vanessa Williams, Lee Greenwood, Peabo Bryson, Steve Wariner, Lynn Anderson, the Kingston Trio, Pat Boone, Hank Snow, Billy J. Kramer and Lou Rawls. Additional production clients included Johnny Mathis, Roger Miller and Collin Raye."

"Fuller's success as a producer on songs he didn’t write was especially notable with the Knickerbockers’ Beatles-style classic 'Lies,' which went to No. 1 in the U.K., although it only made it to No. 20 hit in the U.S., and Wilson’s 'Show and Tell,' which went to the top of the soul as well as pop chart in 1973."

Fuller first gained major industry attention through his work with then pop idol Ricky Nelson, who recorded about 20 of Fuller’s songs, many of which were sung on the hit TV show The Adventures of Ozzy and Harriet as well as making their mark on radio. These included the No. 1 Billboard hit “Travelin’ Man,” “Young World,” “It’s Up to You” and “A Wonder Like You."

Variety reports that "Gary Puckett & the Union Gap turned out to be Fuller's most reliable production client, beginning with 'Woman, Woman,' which reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. Their second single, 'Young Girl,' which hit No. 1, was written as well as produced by Fuller, and it went on to be recorded by more than 20 other artists. Their third single together, 'Lady Willpower,' also written solely by Fuller, went to No. 1 at Cashbox and No. 2 in Billboard. The streak continued as a fourth consecutive song hit the top 10 — 'Over You,' which reached No. 7 in 1968."

Fuller’s hit productions included in the late '60s included O.C. Smith’s “Little Green Apples” and Mark Lindsay's “Arizona” reaching the top 10.

In the '70s, Fuller moved more into the country field, signing a young Mac Davis to his music company and finding success with Ray Price, Reba McEntire and more.

Eddie Rosenblatt, the longtime president of Geffen Records from its inception in 1980 through its peak years, died on July 16 at age 89, of pneumonia.

A Billboard obituary states that "Rosenblatt played a pivotal role in the rise of Geffen Records, steering the label through its formative years and establishing it as a powerhouse in the music industry. Under his leadership, Geffen Records became synonymous with the success of major artists like Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, and Don Henley."

"Born in Queens, New York, joined Main Line Distribution in 1962, forming relationships with industry giants such as Gil Friesen, Jerry Moss, and Jac Holzman, paving the way for his career at A&M Records and later Warner Bros. Rosenblatt’s expertise in sales and marketing at Warner Bros., where he worked closely with artists like Joni Mitchell, caught the attention of David Geffen.

Geffen appointed Rosenblatt as president of Geffen Records when the label was founded in 1980. The label’s initial roster included high-profile signings like John Lennon, Elton John, and Donna Summer, although it was John Lennon’s album, Double Fantasy, released just before his tragic death, that marked its first major success.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Rosenblatt oversaw a roster that included hard rock and alternative acts such as Whitesnake, Weezer, Peter Gabriel, Sonic Youth and Nirvana.

The label’s success was furthered by the creation of DGC Records, which became a major player in the alternative rock scene with artists like Beck and Hole. Geffen Records was sold to MCA in 1990 for $550 million, and despite David Geffen’s departure in 1995 to launch DreamWorks SKG, Rosenblatt continued to lead the label successfully. He retired from the music business following the merger of PolyGram and Universal Music Group.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Rosenblatt can be made to the Sansum Clinic, a nonprofit outpatient health-care organization, here.

Tomcraft (born Thomas Brückner), the German DJ and producer best known for 2002 club hit “Loneliness," died on July 17, at age 49. No cause of death has been reported.

Pitchforktermed Brückner "a producer for club-ready singles including “Viva” and “Prosac,” made with collaborator Eniac. In the early 2000s, a commercial upswing for trance and progressive house led to a successful reissue of “Prosac,” as well as originals such as “Silence” that charted in Germany.

"International success followed when 'Loneliness,' first released in 2002, became ubiquitous upon its 2003 reissue, topping the singles chart in the United Kingdom and finding an enduring home on European dancefloors, both in its original form and via remixes by Benny Benassi and, in 2023, Hardwell and DJs From Mars."

In the early 2010s, Brückner released remixes and singles, collaborated with the likes of Sonique and Sister Bliss, and worked his own label Craft Music. After a hiatus, he restarted, releasing one-off singles for different labels.

Happy (Harry Peter) Traum, an American folk musician who was a stalwart of the Greenwich Village and Woodstock music scenes, died on July 17, at age 86, of pancreatic cancer.

Traum first appeared on record at a historic session in late 1962 when a group of young folk musicians, including Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Peter LaFarge and The Freedom Singers, recorded an album called Broadside Ballads, Vol. 1. for Fokways Records.

With his group, The New World Singers, Traum cut the first version of "Blowin' in the Wind" to be released (early 1963). He also sang a duet with Dylan, who performed under the pseudonym Blind Boy Grunt, on his anti-war song, "Let Me Die in My Footsteps."

These tracks were re-released in August 2000 by Smithsonian Folkways as part of a boxed set, The Best of Broadside 1962 - 1988: Anthems from the American Underground. Later that year, The New World Singers, which featured Traum, Bob Cohen, and Gil Turner, recorded an album for Atlantic Records, with liner notes by Dylan. The album featured the first recording of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right."

In 1971, Traum joined Dylan in the studio, playing guitar, banjo, bass, and singing harmony on four songs, which appeared on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II and The Bootleg Series Vol. 10 – Another Self Portrait (1969–1971).

Traum was known as one half of Happy and Artie Traum, a duo he began with his brother. They toured the world, played the Newport Folk Festival in 1969, and released five albums, including Happy and Artie Traum (1969), Double Back (1971), and Hard Times In The Country (1975). Happy Traum then continued as a solo artist and as founder of Homespun Music Instruction.

Over his career, he also recorded and performed with Pete Seeger, Levon Helm of The Band and reggae star Peter Tosh.