Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green dies aged 73

LONDON -- Peter Green, the influential blues guitarist who co-founded British rock giants Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 73, his family's legal representatives announced on Saturday.

Described by the late guitar legend B.B. King as having "the sweetest tone I ever heard..., the only one who gave me the cold sweats," Green formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood in London in 1967.

The virtuoso blues/rock guitarist was behind songs such as "Albatross" and "Oh Well" that helped define the band's unique sound and propel them to worldwide fame.

Green also penned "Black Magic Woman," covered famously by Carlos Santana in 1970.

"It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep," said a statement from Swan Turton solicitors.

"A further statement will be provided in the coming days."

Green, who was born Peter Greenbaum in London's Bethnal Green into a Jewish family, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, along with the rest of the band.

"...with the original Fleetwood Mac, he was Britain's most progressive blues guitarist," said Rolling Stone magazine, which in 2015 included Green in its 100 Greatest Guitarists.

The Smiths guitarist and songwriter Johnny Marr, also paid tribute to Green. "R.I.P Peter Green. A unique artist and a beautiful guitar player," he tweeted.

In 1970, mental health issues and substance abuse forced Green out of Fleetwood Mac and he ended up sleeping rough and later underwent electro-convulsive therapy in hospital.

Fleetwood drafted in Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, wife of original member Jon McVie, as the band went on to record iconic albums "Fleetwood Mac" and "Rumours."

Singer/songwriter Cat Stevens paid tribute on Twitter to "the ineffable Peter Green", calling him "one of the unsung heroes of musical integrity, innovation and spirit."

"When I heard he left Fleetwood Mac in 1970 to get a real life and donate his wealth to charity, he became something of a model for me."

Legendary guitarist Pete Frampton called Green "one of the most tasteful guitar players ever."

Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale saluted a musician he said he once played support for when Green was still playing with the original Fleetwood Mac.

"An Artist I Truly Loved & Admired…" he wrote on Twitter. "He Was A Breathtaking Singer, Guitarist & Composer… I know Who I Will Be Listening To Today … RIP."

Green is survived by daughter Rosebud from his brief marriage to Jane Samuels.

Agence France-Press

Country star Charlie Daniels, singer of 'Devil Went Down to Georgia,' dies at 83

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country music band leader Charlie Daniels, singer and fiddler player on the Grammy-winning hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” died on Monday at age 83 at a hospital in Tennessee, his publicist said.

Daniels, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry, died from a stroke, according to a statement from his publicist, Don Murry Grubbs.

A fiddler, guitarist, singer and songwriter, Daniels founded The Charlie Daniels Band in 1972 and maintained a busy tour schedule for decades with more than 100 dates each year. The band’s hits included “Uneasy Rider,” “Long Haired Country Boy” and “In America.”

“I love what I do,” Daniels said in a bio posted on the band’s website. “I look forward to entertaining people. When show time gets here, I’m ready to go, ready to go play for them. It’s a labor of love.”

The 1979 song “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which featured Daniels on vocals and fiddle, has been called one of the best country songs of all time. The song, the story of a young man who challenges the devil to a fiddle-playing contest, won a Grammy for best country vocal by a group.

Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Daniels began his career playing in a bluegrass band before moving to Nashville to work as a session musician for artists including Bob Dylan. He also recorded gospel albums and won a Dove Award in 1995.

In 1980, Daniels played himself in the movie “Urban Cowboy” starring John Travolta.

“An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor, and a true road warrior, Daniels parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children, and others in need,” a statement on the band’s website said.

Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Chris Reese and Aurora Ellis

-reuters-

Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger dies of coronavirus complications - reports

Musician and songwriter Adam Schlesinger, best known as a founding member of the 1990s U.S. pop-rock band Fountains of Wayne, died on Wednesday (April 1), according to reports.

His lawyer told the New York Times that the cause of death was complications of the coronavirus.

Wayne won an Emmy award for his work on TV's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1997 for co-writing the theme song for "That Thing You Do."

On Tuesday, March 31, fellow Fountains of Wayne bandmember Chris Collingwood posted a statement on Twitter from Schlesinger's family, saying he had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and was sedated and on a ventilator.

Schlesinger has two daughters with ex-wife Katie Michel.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Glenn Frey, founding member of rock band the Eagles, dead at 67

LOS ANGELES - Guitarist Glenn Frey, a founding member of rock band the Eagles, died in New York on Monday at age 67, the band said on its website.

Frey died of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia, the band said.

Frey co-founded the Eagles with singer Don Henley, and they enjoyed a career at the top of the rock charts with hit songs such as "Hotel California" and "Take It Easy."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Carlos Santana says he's moved by Pinoy spirit

OAKLAND, Calif. – Known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, San Francisco native Carlos Santana wowed the crowd when he performed the National Anthem for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

The music icon spoke with Ginger Conejero about his admiration for Filipino culture and for the People’s Champ Manny Pacquiao.

Read more on Balitang America.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Blues legend B.B. King dies at 89

Guitarist B.B. King, who took the blues from rural juke joints to the mainstream and influenced a generation of rock guitarists from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan, has died, the Los Angeles Times reported late on Thursday. He was 89.

King, who will forever be linked with the Gibson guitars he named Lucille, died in Las Vegas, the newspaper quoted his attorney as saying.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

King was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the 1980s. He was hospitalized in April for a few days after suffering from dehydration related to the disease. In May he said in a Facebook post that he was in hospice care at his home.

King had a deep, resonant singing voice and, despite having what he called "stupid fingers," an immediately recognizable guitar sound.

His unique style of trilling the strings with a fluttering left-hand vibrato, which he called it "the butterfly," helped shape early rock. He delivered stinging single-note licks that brimmed with emotion and were copied by white rock guitarists including Jeff Beck and Bonnie Raitt.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

B.B. King in hospice care at his Las Vegas home

LOS ANGELES - Veteran blues guitarist B.B. King said Friday he was in hospice care at his home, less than a month after he was hospitalized for diabetes-related issues.

In a message posted on his official Facebook page, the 89-year-old singer said he was receiving care at his Las Vegas residence.

"Thanks to all for your well wishes and prayers," he said in the post.

King was taken to a hospital in April after suffering from dehydration as a complication of diabetes. He left shortly after and said he was "feeling much better" at the time.

Born in Mississippi, the singer is known as the "King of the Blues" and is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time, with artists such as Eric Clapton citing him as an influence.

Last October, King was forced to cancel eight live performances after falling ill on stage in Chicago. He was diagnosed with dehydration and suffering from exhaustion.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia dead at 66

CNN: “Legendary Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia, who is credited with transforming the folk art of flamenco into a more vibrant modern sound, has died. He was 66. The Gipsy Kings may have gone a long way toward making flamenco mainstream, but de Lucia paved the way. A proponent of the New Flamenco style, de Lucia’s career is defined by crossover collaborations with guitarists such as Eric Clapton, John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola, and jazz pianist Chick Corea.”

The Washington Post: “A spokeswoman for the town hall of de Lucia’s native Spanish town of Algeciras cited de Lucia family members as saying the artist died of a heart attack. She said he began to feel unwell while on a beach in Cancun and died while being taken to a local hospital. … Describing the death as unexpected and premature, Education and Culture Minister Jose Ignacio Wert said he was ‘a unique and unrepeatable figure.’”

BBC: “Algeciras is to hold two days of official mourning. Its mayor, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, called the musician’s death an ‘irreparable loss for the world of culture and for Andalusia.’ He had lived both in Mexico and in Spain in recent years.”

source: theplazz.com

Queen's Brian May: 'I'd rather be remembered for saving animals'

Brian May of Queen has turned his estate in Surrey into a wildlife refuge. The guitarist told The Sunday Times:

"When I'm gone, people will no doubt remember me for Queen, but I would much rather be remembered for attempting to change the way we treat our fellow creatures."

He added: "I suppose I've lived a crazy life, and watching wildlife brings back a sense of tranquility." May's grounds, which he bought more than thirty years ago when Queen were at the height of their fame, are home to a collection of injured and orphaned animals which stay in May's estate until they are ready for release.

Just some of the animals on the estate include thirty-six hedgehogs, seven badger cubs and two tawny owls, which form part of May's Save Me organisation, for which May received an International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) award.




The Queen guitarist said: "Queen is a huge part of my life, but I do have other interests. People know about the astrophysics, but I love gardening, too, and I've always been passionate about the welfare of our wonderful British wildlife."

May, who recently spoke about bringing the band's late frontman Freddie Mercury to life as an 'optical illusion' , in a special 10th anniversary performance of the band's own musical We Will Rock You, said that: "Freddie was a huge animal lover" and that "He loved his cats more than anything."

Queen are currently on tour with former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert on vocals. The band had been due to headline Sonisphere festival earlier this summer, though the rock bash was cancelled, with organisers citing, "a very challenging year [that] was more difficult than anticipated".

source: nme.com

Blind Guitar Flatpicker Doc Watson in Critical Condition After Falling at His Home

89-year-old music veteran Doc Watson is currently in critical condition. The musician, who is famous for his flatpicking style on the guitar, is hospitalized at Winston-Salem's Baptist Medical Center in his hometown of North Carolina.

Watson's daughter, Nancy, explained in a telephone interview that Watson fell at his home in Deep Gap on Monday, May 21. She said the folk musician has no broken bones but that he's "real sick." His manager Mitchell Greenhill said, "We're just hoping he gets well soon."

According to North Carolina newspaper Watauga Democrat, Doc was seeking treatment for an infection. He was initially admitted to Watauga Medical Center, but was transferred to the Baptist Medical Center on Thursday.

Doc was blinded by an eye infection shortly after birth, but his eyesight limitations didn't prevent him from making good music and influencing a lot of musicians with his groundbreaking style. He won seven Grammy Awards and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement honor in 2004.

In April this year, he performed at MerleFest 25 in Wilkesboro in memory of his son Merle who died in 1985. "With the good Lord's will, I'm 89 years old and I'm pretty healthy," he told the crowd.

Following news of his hospitalization, MerleFest director Ted Hagaman said in a statement, "On behalf of MerleFest, we certainly hope he'll be feeling better very soon."

source: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00050885.html

Black Sabbath guitarist Iommi diagnosed with cancer

LONDON - Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma, according to a statement on his website on Monday.

The British heavy metal group's original lineup is writing and recording its first album in 33 years, and the band members will move from Los Angeles to London in order to work with Iommi while he undergoes treatment.

"His bandmates would like everyone to send positive vibes to the guitarist at this time," the statement read, adding that the new album was still scheduled for release in the autumn.

"Iommi is currently working with his doctors to establish the best treatment plan -- the 'Iron Man' of Rock & Roll remains upbeat and determined to make a full and successful recovery."

Iommi, 63, is a founding member of Black Sabbath, one of the most successful hard rock acts in history who have sold an estimated 70 million records worldwide.

The veterans announced in November that they were reuniting in their original four man line-up, including Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, for their first new album in more than three decades and a 2012 world tour.

The quartet released their last studio album of all original material in 1978 with "Never Say Die".

Osbourne was fired from the band in 1979, leading to changing lineups for several years. The original foursome reunited for a 1998 release and played sporadically together in the early 2000s. - Reuters

source:gmanetwork.com