Music in Memoriam, 2015

My annual list of musicians and others whose work has affected me:

A.J. Masters (songwriter)

Allen Toussaint

Andraé Crouch

Art Thieme

B. B. King

Ben E. King

Bill Keith

Bobby Jameson

Buddy Emmons

Cory Wells (Three Dog Night)

Cynthia Robinson (Sly and the Family Stone)

Dave Ball (Procol Harum)

Ervin Drake (songwriter)

Gunter Shuller

Guy Carawan

Jack Ely

James Horner

Jean Ritchie

John Renbourn

John Trudell

Johnny Gimble

Leon Bibb

Little Jimmy Dickens

Luigi Creatore (songwriter)

Lynn Anderson

Mack McCormick (musicologist)

Michael Masser (songwriter)

Ornette Coleman

P. F. Sloan (songwriter)

Peggy Jones (Bo Diddley)

Percy Sledge

Pino Daniele

Popsy Dixon

Ray Charles

Richard Watson

Ronnie Gilbert* (I met this grand lady of song in Mendocino 2008, see photo)

Rose Marie McCoy (songwriter)

Scott Weiland

Stan Freberg

Theodore Bikel

Tim Drummond

Tut Taylor

Ward Swingle

Wayne Carson (songwriter, The Letter)

non-musicians:

Al Rosen

Carol Doda

Christopher Lee

Eddie LeBaron (my father's football playing classmate)

Ernie Banks

Francesco Rosi

Haskell Wexler

Julian Bond

Lon Simmons

Meadowlark Lemon

Oliver Sacks

Omar Sharif

Patrick Macnee

Rod Taylor

Taylor Negron

Yogi Berra

writers:

Alan Cheuse

Ann McGovern

C. K. Williams

Charles Tomlinson

Christopher Middleton

Don Yoder

E.L. Doctorow

Franz Wright

Gill Dennis

Gunter Grass

Ivan Doig

James Salter

James Tate

John A. Williams

John Leggett

Justin Chin

M.H. Abrams

Miller Williams

P.J. Kavanagh

Paul West

Richard Corliss

Robert Stone

Rod McKuen

Sam Simon

Samuel Charters

Stephen Rodefer

William Jay Smith

William Zinsser

Happy trials, Martin

Mutt:  You know, Jeff, I heard that an old printer died, but old printers never die, they're just not the type.

Jeff:  And old cooks never die, they just get deranged.

Mutt:  You said it. Old photographers never die, they just stop developing.
Jeff:  I got one. Old seers never die, they just lose their vision.
Mutt:  Old cleaning people never die, they just kick the bucket.
Jeff:  Old bosses never die, much as you want them to.
Mutt:  Ain't that the truth. Old electricians never die, they just lose contact.
Jeff:  Old limbo dancers never die, they just go under.
Mutt:  We're on a roll. Old sculptors never die, they just lose their marbles.
Jeff:  Old hypochondriacs never die, they just lose their grippe.
Mutt:  Old professors never die, they just lose their class.
Jeff:  Tell the boss that. Old sewage workers never die, they just waste away.
Mutt:  Old investors never die, they just roll over.
Jeff:  Old owls never die, they just don't give a hoot.
Mutt:  Old hippies never die, they just smell that way.
Jeff:  Hey! Old steelmakers never die, they just lose their temper.
Mutt:  Oh, yeah. Old tanners never die, they just go into hiding.
Jeff:  Old policemen never die, they just cop out.
Mutt:  Enough. Old chauffeurs never die, they just lose their drive.
Jeff:  One more. Old sailors never die, they just get a little dingy.
Mutt:  Last one. Old archers never die, they just bow and quiver.
Jeff:  Okay, really the last. Old lawyers never die, they just lose their appeal.
Mutt:  And my last. Old quarterbacks never die, they just pass away.
Jeff:  Hwoo, glad that's over with. Maybe nobody else never dies.

Mutt:  Except that old schools never die, they just lose their principals.

Jeff:  We called last round.

Mutt:  But that wasn't a person, like old doctors never die, they just lose their patience.
Jeff:  I know your problem. It's like the clergy.

Mutt:  What?

Jeff:  Yeah. Old preachers never die, they just ramble on, and on, and on, and on....