It’s not been the best way to start a new year with more than a few top names leaving us for the great gig in the sky.

Here in good ol’ NZ we lost Larry Morris . Larry was the biz in the 60’s (older followers will recall) as front man for top band Larry’s Rebels. They created their own sound and had several hits with songs Everybody’s Girl, Painter Man and Let’s Think of Something to name a few.

Larry Morris at front of Larry’s Rebels. They just don’t make suits like that anymore. Photo Wikipedia

Pretty sure they would’ve performed here back in the day. I’m also told that Larry did some charity gigs down here in his latter years. Apparently very amenable sort of guy and would have had some cracking story’s to tell, but not while his parents were alive.

He should’ve had a bigger career but a run-in with the law put paid to that. Google Larry Morris.

We also lost Australian soul singer Renee Geyer this month. Renee has been around for years doing the hard yards and had a huge hit in the early 80’s with Say I Love You.

Renee Geyer. Photo Joe Castro/AAP

From Canada we lost Robbie Bachman, solid drummer for 70’s power band for Bachman Turner Overdrive / BTO.

Robbie kept a thundering beat on hits like You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, Let It Ride, Taking Care of Business to name but a few.

Robbie Bachman on the job for BTO. Photograph: Fin Costello/Redferns

He was the younger brother of BTO co founder Randy Bachman and uncle of Canadian singer songwriter Tal Bachman.

Gone to was guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Beck, already covered on W O I

Lisa Marie Presley, only daughter of The King, Elvis Presley sadly died a couple of weeks ago.

Also gone was Alan Rankine from Scottish band The Associates.

The biggest name to leave us but to leave his legendary music was David Crosby. The singer songwriter, guitarist leave a long lineage of bands from The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield (briefly) to Crosby, Stills and Nash and Crosby Stills, Nash and Young. The two later bands created some just wonderful music that encapsulated the West Coast sound of the USA in the 70’s and 80’s.

David Crosby. Photo CBS News

The talent bank that was CS & N was so highly thought of that they performed at the original Woodstock festival. It was the second time that they had performed in front of an audience.

Put on some of the music of the above mentioned and soak in some of the wonderful music they created.

Mal

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