Eric Braunn, guitarist for Iron Butterfly and the man behind one of the
most famous guitar riffs of all time, has died of a heart attack. He was 52.
Braunn was not a founding member of the band. He joined Iron Butterfly in 1967 at
the age of 16, in time for the 1968 album which featured the 17 minute
rock epic, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." Braunn left Iron Butterfly in 1969,
but occasionally joined reunions onstage over the years.
Noel Redding
December 25, 1945 - May 11, 2003
Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding died at his home in Ireland at the age of 57. The cause of death is still unknown.
Redding was the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience from 1966 to 1969, but he was a guitarist by trade. After leaving Hendrix under unhappy circumstances, Redding
played guitar with Fat Mattress and later with Road and the Noel Redding Band, none of which ever came close to the kind of success he had with the Experience.
In recent years, Redding had written a
book
about his Experience experience, and had spoken out about his lack of profit from the continued sale of the Hendrix recordings.
He signed away his royalty rights in 1974, allegedly to pay an outstanding legal bill, for a lump payment of $100,000. Redding claimed he agreed to the sum after being promised
there would be no more reissues of the Experience material. But that was before CDs and DVDs and the endless repackaging of the band's songs by Hendrix estate.
| 04/22/2003 | 77 | Felice Bryant | songwriter | Cancer | Gatlinburg, Tennessee
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| 04/21/2003 | 70 | Nina Simone | Jazz and soul singer | Natural Causes | France
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| 04/17/2003 | 69 | Earl King | R & B legend | diabetes-related | New Orleans
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Earl King
Born Earl Silas Johnson IV, prolific songwriter and guitarist, wrote "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)" recorded by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Other
well-known compositions include the Mardi Gras standards "Big Chief" and "Street Parade".
Little Eva
Little Eva (Born Eva Narcissus Boyd). Recorded the smash hit "The Loco-Motion" in 1962 at age 16. Boyd was working as a baby sitter for songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin when they asked her to record a song they had written
after watching her dance around the house. Eva sang on the demo for the song and so impressed Don Kirshner that he released the song it as it was.
"The Loco-Motion" hit the charts again in 1974 when covered by Grand Funk.
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr (Born Charles Hatcher 1/24/42 in Nashville). Motown recording artist and longtime UK resident. Best known for his anti-conflict song "War":
"War, huh, Whatizzit Good For, Absolutely Nothing"
| 02/23/2003 | 47 | Howie Epstein | Tom Petty, bassist | Heroin Overdose | Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Howie Epstein
Howie Epstein was a respected musician and producer for more than 20 years. In addition to his work with Tom Petty,
he played on Bob Dylan albums in the 1980s and produced the Grammy-award winning album "The Lost Years" for folk singer-songwriter
John Prine. Epstein's first big break came playing bass for John Hiatt in the late-Seventies, appearing on the 1980 release, "Two Bit Monsters"; a year before he had joined Del Shannon on the rock legend's 1981 album "Drop Down and Get Me".
He was singer Carlene Carter's longtime boyfriend, producing two of her albums, one of which was nominated for a Grammy.
"I'm devastated," said Carter, the stepdaughter of country singer Johnny Cash and daughter of June Carter Cash. "I loved him very much. My kids thought of Howie as their father.
"We had a good life together for 15 years. We've been apart since May last year, and all I know is I'm going to miss him very much."
Epstein teamed up with Petty in 1982 and also worked with Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, John Hiatt, Stevie Nicks and Eric Anderson.
"We are deeply saddened at the news of Howie's passing. It's difficult to put into words how much we loved him and will miss him. The world has lost a great talent and a kind and gentle soul," according to a statement on Petty's Web site.
Epstein and Carter were arrested in June 2001 in Albuquerque with 2.9 grams of black-tar heroin and drug paraphernalia in a sports utility vehicle that had been reported stolen.
| 02/20/2003 | 31 | Ty Longley | Great White, guitarist | Fire | West Warwick RI
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Ty Longley
Ty was lost in the tragic nightclub fire at "The Station" in West Warwick, Rhode Island. It is believed that he may have re-entered the burning building to try to save others.
2002
