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Obituaries: Canadian Artists Remember Paul Martin of The Blushing Brides, Max Webster's Terry Watkinson & John Hammond
This week we also acknowledge the passing of hit songwriter and recording artist Neil Sedaka and American guitar ace Travis Wammack.
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Paul Martin, a Toronto guitarist, singer-songwriter and music publisher best known as a member of the Blushing Brides, died on Feb 24, his 67th birthday.
His friend, Canadian musician Derek Downham tells Billboard Canada that "Sadly and tragically, Paul suffered a heart attack and fell on his head causing brain damage. He was in an induced coma for two weeks until his passing."
The origins of the Blushing Brides date back to the late '70s when vocalist Maurice Raymond agreed to join Martin's Kingston band Consilium. The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia reports that "In early 1979, two Kingston, Ontario, musicians, Maurice Raymond (vocals) and Paul Martin (guitar), decided to fill the musical gap left with the absence of a tour every four or five years by their mutually favourite band The Rolling Stones. Soon they laid down the groundwork for a tribute band called, simply, The Blushing Brides.
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"They hooked up with bassist Martin Van Dijk, drummer Ricco Berthiaume and second guitarist James 'DB' Green and began their odyssey of imitating one of the most enduring bands in rock and roll while peppering their set list with original materials as their popularity increased. The group provided a perfect outlet for Stones craving fans during a period in the ’70’s when ‘tribute bands’ didn’t exist.
"Critics were even quick to praise the act as being a role model for what the ‘real’ Rolling Stones should sound like. The Blushing Brides’ popularity grew so quickly they soon were playing at amusement parks where attendance could get over 10,000 people.
"A major label bidding war began and in 1980 RCA Records offered the group a five-year recording contract. Their popularity quickly grew, and seeing as how tribute acts in large part didn’t exist much back then, and the Stones were always a huge draw in Quebec, they naturally did well there as well."
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The group's debut album, Unveiled, came out in 1981, but would be their only full-length recording as The Blushing Brides. A Stones-styled song, “What You Talkin’ About," became a hit single and to capitalize on their popularity in the Quebec market they re-dubbed four songs in French and issued a self-titled EP there.
It wasn’t long before the band began augmenting their shows with some of their own original material. According to Canadian Pop Encyclopedia, "the band thought it would be a better idea to drop the Stones’ schtick and focus on the original side of their material if they hoped to sell the album. A tour with Chilliwack proved so disastrous that after finishing the gigs they returned home in debt, and without a record deal. Raymond headed stateside for an ill-advised solo career but returned soon after. The Blushing Brides regrouped in 1983 and tried to make a comeback as a recording unit but were unsuccessful at attracting label interest. They returned to their Rolling Stones roots and continued wowing them on the live scene."
There were personnel changes and then the band was dropped by RCA before a second album was released. A new lineup from 1984 featured Raymond, Martin and Van Dijk, along with original road manager Richard Diamond as the second guitarist, ex-Goddo drummer Doug Inglis and Mike Mozak on sax. Along with occasional keyboardist Cam Butler & Sasha Tukastch, formerly of Platinum Blonde, they again made their mark playing live shows across eastern Canada and in the U.S., playing upwards of 200 shows per year while again switching personnel over the next six years.
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A different lineup fronted by Raymond but missing Martin (he left in 1990) later coalesced, and, named The Brides, they signed to Toronto-based Strawberry Records (distributed by A&M), and released a self-titled debut in 1995. It did not have a big commercial impact, but the group kept playing clubs, performing both original material and Stones cover tunes.
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BestCanadianBands wrote that "Raymond and Martin occasionally reformed the band with various lineups for select dates on both sides of the border. The Blushing Brides name came back to the forefront in the early '00s, when Raymond took the band back to its roots, billing themselves as 'The World’s Most Dangerous Tribute To The Music of the Rolling Stones.'"
In 2008, American music journalist Steven Kurutz published Like A Rolling Stone: The Strange Life Of A Tribute Band,, an exploration of a year in the lives of two rival Rolling Stones tribute bands: Sticky Fingers and the Blushing Brides.
Over the past two decades, a lot of Martin's attention was focused upon two groups inspired by the legacy of Bob Dylan, The Dylan Tree and Kensington Shake. The Dylan Tree formed in 2006 and comprising five noted GTA area area musicians, Richard Kahl, Paul Martin, Doug Inglis, Martin Aucoin and Matt Greenberg.
A feature story in Inside Halton noted that "All members sing the music, often working together in harmony or alternating verses in a song. The band doesn’t cover Dylan material in an exact format. Often The Dylan Tree will perform another band’s version of his music. 'All the songs we play are written by Dylan but we may interpret it like other artists,' said Kahl."
The Dylan Tree attracted attention while performing regionally and it subsequently morphed into another Dylan-inspired combo, Kensington Shake. Martin remained active in other local outfits, including a number with his good friend Matt Greenberg. To Billboard Canada, Greenberg explains that "I played music with Paul in a number of different bands, some he had started, some we joined, a couple we created together: Blushing Brides, Kensington Shake, Pop Cherry, The Dylan Tree, BooM (Brothers of Other Mothers – a two-year stint at North America's greatest booze can/stage, the Matador), and Pablo Plays with Mattchezz, our duo."
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Martin also started Martinworks, an online music source for film and TV. According to Greenberg, "this gave opportunity and a platform to all the musicians he knew so that they could offer their original material for commercial use, and from which they made a few bucks. Paul probably spent more than he ever made – he made a point of helping musicians.
"I should add that Paul, although primarily concentrating on music his whole life, was also an accountant, whose expertise was helping people out of tight financial situations with the Taxman – he had a plethora of clients, again, helping people, that’s what he was all about."
The intense affection of the Toronto music community for Paul Martin quickly became apparent as news of his passing spread. Fellow musicians and bandmates contacted by Billboard Canada paid eloquent tribute to their friend.
Derek Downham (The Beauties, Andy Kim): "Paul had a great passion for the music of Bob Dylan and started The Dylan Tree. I was asked to play keys with his current band Kensington Shake, playing all Dylan material. It was always an honour and a joy to play with Paul. I met him over 20 years ago through his longtime friend and my old manager Sascha Tukatsch (Platinum Blonde, Blushing Brides).
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"He was a natural musician with impeccable timing and feel for days. He elevated others while always shining, effortlessly. His respect for the song always came first. I was always honoured when he would call me for a gig. I could never say no to him. He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever known in music. His wife Lynn was with him every step. He was truly a legend. Everyone loved Paul."
Matt Greenberg describes Martin as "my longtime friend/musical partner, an extraordinary musician, exemplary human. He was a magnanimous musician’s musician – some people learn and adapt and become good musicians, and some people, like Paul, just have it in their guts from birth. His pursuit of music never had a commercial design. Paul wrote songs, played them for people across several continents, and did it all regardless of outcome because he needed to.
"In the beginning, Paul Martin started the Blushing Brides (I heard you can credit the Brides with being the inspiration behind the coined term ‘clone band’), but for Paul, a Stones clone band was just a practical means to an end – to find Paul Martin’s unique place in the music industry. So, playing music he loved, the Stones, was a fun way to make a living, but never an end in itself – and it worked – they developed a huge following and got signed by RCA U.S.
"A critical piece of information that I can offer about Paul Martin is a technical, practical observation; The two hardest things to find in a musician, as far as I’ve learned anyway, are drummers who can keep time and keep it simple, and solid rhythm guitar players.
"Outside of the master Keith Richards, Paul Martin was the greatest, consummate rhythm guitar player I have ever known. You walked on stage with Paul, you didn’t have to even think about it, he just put it there the way it was supposed to be – BOOM! There are some people out there who understand what a profound loss the passing of Paul Martin is on so many levels. He was the man, you could count on him. I will miss him every day."
Musician/actor Kevin Jollimore offers Billboard Canada this tribute: "I have known Paul Martin since 1981. The Blushing Brides came to Halifax and blew me away. A few years later, I moved to Toronto and put a band together called the Sin City Boys. I would notice occasionally that Paul would show up at our gigs.
"We'd often discuss our adventures in the music business. Paul, coming from a show where they played other people's material, and myself, coming from a band that did largely material I wrote. As Paul stepped away from the Brides, he gravitated more and more towards writing and playing his own stuff. Paul was a formidable songwriter. His original stuff blew me away.
"Anytime he came to see The Sin City Boys, he'd get up and play a couple of songs with us, and he would always have a kind word. He would come up with actual notes on stuff. Sometimes it might just be a pat on the back and him saying, 'Great job, lads.' Sometimes it was 'Why don't you put the chorus here, and then put some harmony over this?' Stuff that had real insight, and also showed that he actually listened. Paul had a great set of ears.
"He was the biggest cheerleader, he was the biggest fan, and he always had an encouraging word to those of us that were in the trenches of rock and roll. An absolutely awesome guy to hang out with, a great conversationalist, and a really great friend. Paul Martin is going to be greatly missed by myself, by the Sin City Boys, and by the huge community of friends and fans that he left behind. May he rest in peace."
On Facebook, Toronto musician Michael O'Grady posted: "We lost a pillar of the musical community yesterday with the passing of Paul Martin. I’ve known Paul for over 20 years and worked with him on various projects including music and art. He was beyond talented and his genuine interest in helping those around him was both humbling and inspiring. I will cherish our time together and am proud to have his art on my wall. RIP to a legend."
Chris LeFrancois, co-owner of LOLA bar in Kensington Market, Toronto, on Facebook: "Paul was an extraordinarily talented musician and songwriter, but more importantly, a very good man. My partner Cori and I got to know Paul a few years ago when he started to frequent the open mic at LOLA (at that time hosted by his friend Finny McConnell).
"It was a rare Tuesday when Paul didn't join us, and his impact was profoundly positive. An absolute master at accompanying anyone on any song at a moment's notice, his joy and enthusiasm for musical collaboration was infectious. Paul was so supportive and encouraging to other musicians, particularly those just starting out. He could always find something positive to say, and it was never false praise. And if you were lucky enough to have Paul join you on stage to jam along to one of your tunes....well, it doesn't get any cooler or more rewarding than that."
"Paul eventually became one of the hosts of the LOLA open mic, and played a few (packed) patio shows, and his presence was a true blessing. We feel so fortunate that Paul was part of our musical community in Kensington Market and we are all indebted to him."
Terry Watkinson, a Canadian musician and songwriter best known for his work with popular rock band Max Webster, has died at age 86.
On Facebook on Feb. 28, his daughter Chloe Watkinson, an acclaimed Toronto singer/songwriter, posted that "my incredible father left us last night, peacefully, in his sleep. My father lived a truly luminescent life, always paving his own path, fusing genres in his three solo albums. To say I'm proud of him is a grievous understatement."
Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Watkinson first made a musical mark as the keyboard player for REO Records recording act Dee & The Yeomen in the 1960s. He enrolled at the University of Toronto, studying Architecture for two years, until he left to join Max Webster as their keyboardist in 1974. Fronted by singer/guitarist Kim Mitchell the band toured extensively in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, and released five Gold-selling albums during the 1970s and early 1980s. Watkinson wrote and sang the band's biggest hit, "Let Go The Line."
The Max Webster Live website reports that "Max Webster's first gig with Terry Watkinson as keyboardist was at a high school in Ottawa, on Feb. 16, 1974. The first song of the set was Frank Zappa's 'Peaches en Regalia.' But they only managed one more song, as Kim fell ill. He was so sick that his parents drove from Sarnia to pick him up after two days in hospital. The band took a month off as he convalesced.
"In 2015, Terry recalled being invited to see Max Webster as a trio (probably in 1973), and being impressed with Kim and instantly joining the band. The lineup of Mitchell, Watkinson, bassist Mike Ilka and drummer Pau Kersey would be its longest lasting one, and, besides Kim Mitchell, Watkinson would be the longest serving member, playing every remaining gig, minus a few months of 1980."
Mitchell and lyricist Pye Dubois wrote the majority of their material, with Watkinson writing one to three songs per album. Prior to the recording of the band's fifth and final studio album, Universal Juveniles (1980), Watkinson exited, leaving Max Webster a trio of Mitchell, McCracken and Myles. Universal Juveniles was recorded with the assistance of session musicians David Stone (who also briefly toured with the band) and Doug Riley. The song "Battle Scar" was recorded live with all three members of Rush playing alongside Max Webster (Watkinson returned just for this session).
Watkinson eventually rejoined in December 1980 as a salaried touring member, but Mitchell decided to dissolve the band after a gig supporting Rush in Memphis in April 1981, reportedly citing exhaustion and a lack of label support.
Watkinson joined prog rockers Klaatu on tour in early January 1982, replacing Gerald O'Brien, and he remained with Klaatu until they split up in August of that year. Watkinson was a member of Toronto bar band Antlers and pursued a solo musical career. He was later commissioned to paint a picture for Klaatu's Peaks collection.
Watkinson returned to University of Toronto and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Illustration. After graduating, he taught the subject at U of T and his work can be found in many medical textbooks.
He went on to become a painter of renown and he had work on display at the True North Art Gallery in Waterdown, Ontario. That gallery specialized in work created by well-known Canadian and international musical artists. A 2016 bio on the gallery website noted that "Terry moved away from medical illustration work and now concentrates on his fine art, with one or two feature gallery exhibitions a year for the last 20 years.
"His paintings are largely stylized landscapes of northern Ontario, where he spends his summers. Rather than paint actual places, he prefers to assemble imaginary scenes using elements of the northern Canada landscape, which he cherishes, and visits as often as possible. He works exclusively in oil paints on canvas."
True North Art Gallery co-owner Geoff Kulawick tells Billboard Canada that "Terry was such a gentle and humble artist. My wife Brooke and I were honoured to have several of his paintings exhibited at our art gallery, all of which were sold to his many collectors. He will be missed, but his music and art will be enjoyed for generations to come."
Sharing gallery space at True North with Watkinson was another musician and artist, Kurt Swinghammer. In a Facebook post, he noted that "Max Webster was my absolute fave Canadian band in the '70s with their combination of inspiring musicianship, showmanship and wicked sense of humour. It wasn’t until this century that I discovered Terry Watkinson was also an accomplished and prolific painter of northern landscapes impeccably rendered with a rich, saturated palette.
"The clean graphic style of Group of Seven member AJ Casson looms large, along with the colour sensibility of influential American painter Maxfield Parrish and techniques associated with the Impressionists. We were both on exhibit at the True North Gallery in Waterdown, which exclusively displayed paintings by musicians, and whenever visiting I’d take a moment to soak in one of Terry’s gorgeous pieces. He always deserved the Best In Show Award."
As a solo recording artist, Watkinson released the albums Teratology, in 1986 and Ask in 2015 (it featured his daughter Chloe on vocals).
Amongst those paying homage to Watkinson on social media was singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. On Instagram, he posted "Rest In Peace Terry Watkinson, from my favourite Canadian band of all time, Max Webster. Though Kim Mitchell wrote and sang the vast majority of Max Webster tunes (with Pye Dubois), every album contained a few of Terry's gems. Like 'Blowin' The Blues Away,' 'Ruby Red Child,' 'Astonish Me' and of course 'Let Go The Line.'"
"He had the most angelic voice and interesting keyboard parts too which often rocked as hard as Kim's guitar work. He was also an accomplished artist who made beautiful paintings. I got to sing 'Let Go The Line' with him at one his art shows in Toronto which was huge for me. Pure genius. Huge loss."
Kurt Swinghammer was in attendance at that art show opening. "It was at a space above the Mod Club and Terry banged out a few tunes on piano followed by Ron Sexsmith serenading him with a version of the classic Watkinson-penned Max tune 'Let Go the Line,' which has long been a Sexsmith guitar pull party trick.
"A couple years ago, at the launch of Bob Wegner’s impressive book Max Webster: High Class — The Definitive History, I spotted Terry slowly working his way toward the exit. He looked quite frail, so I was succinct in expressing my admiration. R.I.P."
Toronto musician Lawrie Ingles (on Facebook): "He was my favourite keyboard player and one of my favourite songwriters. His Teratology solo album is outstanding. And after a long hiatus he recorded and released an excellent EP with collaborations from my pal Sam Boutzouvis and his daughter Chloe. I was fortunate to play his songs with him on a few occasions and more recently at a birthday celebration and tribute to him I performed his songs in front of him. A very talented and funny gentleman."
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John Paul Hammond, a prolific and influential American singer and guitarist who dedicated his life to the preservation and performance of traditional blues music, died on Feb. 28, at age 83, of cardiac arrest.
His death was reported on social media by Hammond's longtime collaborator and friend, Toronto blues/rock artist Paul James, who said he received the news from Hammond’s wife. James Facebook post reads, in part: "Marla Hammond called me yesterday with the heartbreaking news that my dear friend John Hammond has passed away. The blues world has lost a giant. I’ve lost my best friend.
"I’ve just been going through the photos we’ve shared over the years — from the Horseshoe Tavern to Albert’s Hall in Toronto, from London to Montreal, to Edmonton to Ottawa — and each picture tells a story of great music, great people, and unforgettable nights. He was such an inspiration to me, I'll miss him terribly."
John Paul Hammond was the son of record producer John Henry Hammond, the legendary A+R man for Columbia Records. He is sometimes referred to as "John Hammond, Jr.," but that is misleading in that his father, John H. Hammond, was named Jr.
Also in a Facebook post, the younger Hammond's longtime booking agent, Mike Kappus, offered this tribute: "John Paul Hammond was a Grammy winner, Blues Hall of Fame inductee and a very influential artist who was the most passionate performer I ever knew. Typically performing solo, he was like a man possessed, playing guitar like two people at once, playing harmonica on a neck rack, and singing while adding percussion with his feet. He was totally dedicated to the deep Blues music he loved and made."
"Offstage, John was a very kind and sophisticated gentleman. I booked some shows for him in the early/mid seventies before becoming his exclusive agent in 1977. We worked together until I retired from artist representation in 2014. A tireless worker, especially in his earlier years, we booked nearly 4,500 shows for him all over the world before he began to reduce his schedule. We remained very good friends throughout and ever since. "
An obituary on the Best Classic Bands website reported that "the younger Hammond took to the guitar in high school and began performing traditional-style acoustic blues. He turned professional after dropping out of Antioch College in Ohio and signed with Vanguard Records in 1963; his debut album consisted largely of interpretations of material written by such blues artists as Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Robert Johnson, as well as Chuck Berry’s 'Maybellene.'"
During his lengthy career, Hammond, who also played harmonica, released more than 30 albums, most remaining true to his favoured blues styles, the raw, stripped-back traditions of Delta and Chicago blues. One exception to this was his 2001 album Wicked Grin, consisting almost entirely of covers of Tom Waits songs. Although best known for his acoustic performances, often played on a National Reso-Phonic guitar, Hammond moved seamlessly between acoustic and electric settings.
In his post, Mike Kappus noted that "John Hammond's history is deep and impressive to say the least. When Jimi Hendrix was performing as Jimi James and was suddenly out of work in New York, John lined up a gig for his band, inviting Jimi to join them. During that week-long gig, Chas Chandler (of Animals fame), caught the show and, impressed, brought Jimi to London where his career was launched.
"Jimi stopped back to see John after his first US tour (opening for The Monkees?!) and once again sat in with John. Eric Clapton was also in NYC at that time, having just finished a US tour with Cream and he too sat in for the rest of the week-long gig. So John had both Jimi and Eric in his band that week."
"John was also an early inspiration to Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood and many more. He figured prominently in The Band connecting with Bob Dylan after Bob visited one of John’s recording sessions, which included Levon (Helm) and The Hawks backing John. After touring with Dylan they went on to become The Band."
"I managed John at one point, overseeing four consecutive albums with him, all of which were nominated for Grammys including one produced by JJ Cale and one with Cale and myself co-producing. Tom Waits, also a big Hammond fan, produced John’s next album, Wicked Grin, to major acclaim."
Other significant entries in Hammond's large discography include 2002's Ready for Love, produced by David Hidalgo of Los Lobos fame, and and 2009's Rough and Tough, a 2010 nominee for the Grammy Award for best traditional blues album.
Hammond won a Grammy in 1985 for his contribution to the compilation Blues Explosion and earned multiple additional nominations. He also received eight Blues Music Awards and, in 2011, was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, acknowledging both his musicianship and his long-standing advocacy for blues heritage.
Over his career, Hammond played extensively across Canada, and was a regular performer in Toronto club venues for many decades. In 1987, he recorded the album Nobody But You in the city, with Toronto roots music veteran Ken Whiteley as producer and an elite grouping of Paul James, Terry Wilkins, Bucky Berger and Gene Taylor as the band. This was originally released on Canadian roots label Stony Plain Records.
In a Facebook post he dedicated to Hammond back in 2014, Paul James recounted some of Hammond's Toronto engagements. "Derek Andrews booked John Hammond & The Albert Hall All stars, (Paul James, Terry Wilkins, & Bucky Berger), to play a week long show at Toronto's Albert's Hall. This show sold out every night and led to many more week long Albert's Hall engagements.
"When Derek quit booking Albert's Hall, Randy Charlton continued booking John Hammond and the Albert Hall All Stars for more week long sold out runs. Derek then booked us to play many more week long sold out engagements at The Horseshoe Tavern. John Hammond and the Paul James Band also played another week at The Horseshoe Tavern to capacity crowds. John played a solo set, then Paul James Band, (Gary Gray, Adrian Vecchiola, Brian Kipping, and Paul James) played a set, then for the finale John Hammond played an electric set with backing by The Paul James Band."
Paul James' history with John Hammond is long and deep. In that 2014 post, James wrote that "I've known John Hammond for about 50 years. He is a great friend, mentor, fantastic blues musician, and a really cool cat...We've played all over Canada together, recorded on each others albums, shared so many experiences, fantastic meals, and played a lot of awesome shows together."
After James reported Hammond's passing, many of Canada's most respected blues guitarists/singers quickly took to social media to pay their respects and recount encounters with Hammond.
Colin James posted this tribute on Facebook: "Yesterday, the great guitar player, singer, and blues stylist John Paul Hammond passed away in NYC. I started listening to his records after seeing him demolish the stage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in the early eighties. The way John played a resonator guitar while singing and playing the harmonica rack was something to behold. Like nobody else.
"I had the pleasure of meeting John Hammond in Regina many years back when I was asked if I wanted to introduce him before he took the stage as people were aware of how much of a fan I was. So, I was given his room number at a local hotel and I was to phone and ask if it was ok with him.
"I was very nervous but I found the courage to ask if I could meet him for breakfast and perhaps ask his advice about getting into music as a full time career. He was so kind to say yes and was such a gent to me as he let me ask questions about the '60s and New York and all the famous blues players he had played with, what gauge of strings he used, and what open tunings etc.
"I would run into him later in Austin and later still where I got to share the stage with him and play some mandolin on a tribute concert that was celebrating the music of The Mississippi Sheiks. He was an incredibly talented, kind and thoughtful person and I will miss that a lot. His records Mileage and Frogs for Snakes shaped a lot of my early teens and provided me a road map and song list for life. RIP John Hammond."
Colin Linden, on Facebook: "I have many happy memories of John including sitting in at the Horseshoe with him and Paul James. One of the true greats and one of the kindest, most soulful people ever."
Toronto musician and broadcaster Danny Marks, on Facebook: "A nice and gentle man who came up with his Dad's wisdom but did it his way. Not many folks know that John had a stubborn stutter that never showed in his singing. The first time we heard him way back, Robbie Robertson was in the band playing at the height of his prowess.
"The track that resonated for me most was 'Wish You Would,' the Billy Boy Arnold song. Luke and the Apostles did a fab version, that's where we first heard it. One day I had the opportunity to sit John down on my couch in front of the big Tannoys. I cranked the recording for him. I asked, 'what the Hell is this?' It was raging. Hammond just smiled
"Years later we reconnected when I opened for him at the now defunct Rockit Club on Church Street. Always polite and respectful, John Hammond must have liked Toronto, he came here often and made many friends. It's time for our generation. May his memory be a blessing."
Legendary Toronto concert promoter Gary Topp (on Facebook): "I first heard John Hammond at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964. He was being introduced to the world and he sure followed up with an influential career. Willy DeVille admired him; he was a lifelong friend of our Paul James. Elliott Lefko [Toronto promoter] is producing a film about John.
"Toronto was like a second home to John. Our gigs with him included the New Yorker with Lightnin' Hopkins in ‘77, the Horseshoe ‘78 and the second show ever at The Edge in 1979. John Hammond never got the success he deserved."
Neil Sedaka, a legendary singer-songwriter known for such hits as "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” "Bad Blood" and “Laughter in the Rain,” died on Feb. 27, at age 86.
A family statement shared with Variety reads: “Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka. A true rock n’ roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.”
A Billboard obituary reports that "The singer-songwriter — who was born March 13, 1939, in Brooklyn, N.Y. — began his career while he was still a teen in the 1950s, becoming one of the world’s first teen pop stars. He would go on to form The Tokens, a doo-wop group, before meeting his neighbor Howard Greenfield, who would become his songwriting partner.
A Guardian obituary notes that "Sedaka had the early makings of a classical pianist and, after graduating from Abraham Lincoln high school in 1956, he returned to Juilliard for two years. But by then his head had been turned by rock’n’roll. He was writing songs with Howard Greenfield, and had joined a doo-wop group (after he left, they renamed themselves the Tokens and had a smash hit with 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight').
"Sedaka craved fame, which he might well have achieved as a pianist – his talent had attracted the attention of Artur Rubinstein, who gave him a one-off appearance on New York’s main classical radio station – but rock music was the faster track to success. And, at a time when most rock’n’roll songwriters knew only four chords, the classically trained Sedaka stood out.
"He and Greenfield were spotted by Aldon Music and given a cubicle in the famous Brill Building, where they wrote 'Stupid Cupid' and 'Where the Boys Are' for Connie Francis, as well as chart songs for Bobby Darin, Dinah Washington and Jimmy Clanton. Chivvied by the success of his cousin, the pop-jazz stylist Eydie Gormé, Sedaka hungered for the spotlight himself. His light, pitch-perfect tenor complemented his buoyant tunes, but it took 10 releases on three record labels before his first substantial hit, 'Oh! Carol,' in 1959.
Billboard reports that "during his career as a recording artist, Sedaka landed three No. 1s on the Hot 100; 1962's 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do' (a re-recorded version also made the Top 10 in 1976), 1974's 'Laughter in the Rain' and 1975's 'Bad Blood.'"
"In all, he had 30 songs reach the chart, with nine of them becoming top 10 hits. Eleven of his albums made the all-genre Billboard 200, with 1975’s The Hungry Years reaching No. 16 — his peak on the chart — in December the year it was released. He debuted a total of 11 albums on the tally."
In April 2024, Sedaka made headlines when he partnered with Primary Wave to acquire a stake to the masters and publishing rights of his catalogue. As Billboard exclusively reported at the time, the deal included his entire catalogue — encompassing everything he wrote, performed and penned for others.
In addition to his five Grammy nods, Sedaka was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award and Special International Award from The Ivors, and more.
His many TV appearances included being one of Saturday Night Live‘s first musical guests and featuring as a guest judge on American Idol when it was still on Fox.
A 2010 jukebox musical based around his life and songs was entitled Laughter in the Rain.
Travis (Lavoid) Wammack Sr., an Alabama-based rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and producer known for his work at Muscle Shoals, died on Feb. 27, at age 81. A cause of death has not been reported.
AL.com in its obituary calls Wammack "a gifted and influential guitarist equally skilled at tasty playing and flash technique. Wammack was a longtime pillar of the Muscle Shoals music scene, including with the FAME Gang, the studio musicians who followed the iconic Swampers as FAME Studios’ house band.
"The Mississippi-born Wammack got his music career started in Memphis. As a teenager, he built a makeshift fuzz-box, before guitar effects-pedals were widely produced. Prior to mass-produced light-gauge guitar strings, he swapped out his Gibson’s G-string with an A-tenor banjo-string to facilitate easier string bending."
He has been described as "a precursor to guitar-hero shredding," via his high-speed guitar pyrotechnics, and was an early user of fuzztone and distortion.
A child prodigy, Wammack's first record was released in 1957 when he was 11 years old, and at the age of 17 he hit the American chart with "Scratchy", an instrumental which peaked at No. 80 in 1964, although the initial release of the record was in the summer of 1962. Wammack dropped a backwards vocal into the middle of that otherwise all-instrumental tune, before the Beatles popularized the studio trick. He also charted briefly in 1966 at No. 128 with an instrumental version of "Louie Louie".
AL.com notes that "Later, Wammack relocated to Muscle Shoals, as that North Alabama area’s recording scene was booming. He went on to play on an array of Muscle Shoals hits by artists ranging from Clarence Carter to the Osmonds, Wilson Pickett to Bobbie Gentry to Mac Davis. For example, Wammack can be heard on Carter’s iconic 1970 R&B ballad 'Patches.'"
He worked as a session guitarist at Sonic Recording Service and Hi Records in Memphis and at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in the 1960s. He released his self-titled first album in 1972 and appeared on the charts with "Whatever Turns You On" (No. 95) and "How Can I Tell You" (No. 68; written by Cat Stevens). In 1975 he released his second album, Not For Sale, which generated two additional hits: "Easy Evil" (No. 72), and "(Shu-Doo-Pa-Poo-Poop) Love Being Your Fool" (No. 38).
Wammack gained further renown as Little Richard's band leader from 1984 until 1995. He wrote "Greenwood, Mississippi" which Richard recorded in 1970, featuring Wammack on lead guitar. In 1988, Richard recorded Wammack's "(There's) No Place Like Home," planned as a new single, but shelved. Live versions were included on other compilations and a DVD.
While still performing, he worked with Muscle Shoals Music Marketing and added record producer to his resume. In 1999 Wammack received the Professional Musician Award from the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and in 2005 was inducted into The Southern Legends Entertainment & Performing Arts Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame as a rockabilly "legend."
He released 16 solo albums between 1972 and the early 2010s. Check out a Soundcloud playlist of his work here.
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Published by ARTSHOUSE MEDIA GROUP (AMG) under license from Billboard Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation.
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