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2002 Celebrity Music Deaths Opinions by Shawn McKenzie 01/06/2003 These are celebrities who died between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2002, and were primarily known for their work in the music world. Juan Garcia Esquivel, composer/band leader/pianist, popularized a quirky type of stereophonic instrumental music, later dubbed "space-age bachelor-pad music," died January 3 at the age of 83. Peggy Lee, singer, died January 21 at the age of 81. Waylon Jennings, country music legend, died February 13 at the age of 64. Layne Staley, the lead singer for Seattle band Alice In Chains, rose to prominence in the early '90s Seattle heyday of grunge rock, died April 5 at the age of 34. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, a member of Grammy-winning R&B trio TLC, died April 25 at the age of 30. Dee Dee Ramone (real name: Douglas Colvin), bassist/songwriter and founding member of seminal punk-rock outfit the Ramones, died June 5 at the age of 49. John Entwhistle, member of The Who, died June 27 at the age of 57. Timothy White, Billboard Magazine's editor in chief since 1991, championed artists' music and rights during a prolific career that included stints with Associated Press and seminal magazines Crawdaddy and Rolling Stone, died June 27 at the age of 50. Rosemary Clooney, singer, died June 29 at the age of 74. Ray Brown, bassist who was best known for his contribution to the bebop jazz movement, died July 2 at the age of 75. Alan Lomax, musicologist/folklorist, from 1933-42, worked alone and with his father, John A. Lomax, travelled the U.S. and Caribbean, recording traditional music for the Library of Congress, made the first recordings of Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, and Muddy Waters, died July 19 at the age of 87. Lionel Hampton, jazz legend, died August 31 at the age of 94. Ray Conniff, composer and bandleader famed for songs such as "Somewhere My Love," died October 12 at the age of 85. Jam Master Jay (real name: Jason Mizell), one-third of the rap legends Run-D.M.C., helped rap music become a major commercial force, died October 30 at the age of 37. Lonnie Donegan, known as "the king of skiffle," scored hits with Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line" and influenced a generation of English rockers, including John Lennon, died November 3 at the age of 71. Joe Strummer, former lead singer/guitarist of influential punk group The Clash, died December 22 at the age of 50. Did I miss a celebrity music death from 2002? If you know of one that I missed, please go to the Home Page and post it on the Entertain Your Brain Message Board! |
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