Join Music Director Martin Anderson as he pays tribute to many of the musical greats who passed away this past year. Giants of the jazz, country, pop, African, reggae, folk and rock worlds, remembered in song on Thursday morning. Below is a list of music greats, many of whose work we’ll hear:
- Neil Peart- drummer, songwriter: Rush (1/7/2020)
- David Olney - singer, songwriter (1/18/2020)
- Wes Wilson - poster artist, for Bill Graham of the SF Fillmore & other events (1/24/2020)
- Bob Shane - singer: The Kingston Trio (1/26/2020)
- Bonnie MacLean - poster artist, for Bill Graham of the SF Fillmore & other events (2/4/2020)
- Buddy Cage - pedal steel guitarist: New Riders of the Purple Sage (2/5/2020)
- Hugh Southard - artist agent from Charlotte: Blue Mountain Artists (2/9/2020)
- Lyle Mays - keyboardist: Pat Metheny Group (2/10/2020)
- Joseph Shabalala - singer & founder: Ladysmith Black Mambazo (2/11/2020)
- Paul English - drummer: Willie Nelson (2/11/2020)
- Mac Benford - banjoist, singer: Highwoods String Band (2/14/2020)
- McCoy Tyner - pianist (3/6/2020)
- Eric Taylor - singer, songwriter (3/9/2020)
- Kenny Rogers - singer, songwriter (3/20/2020)
- Eric Weissberg - banjoist, multi-instrumentalist (3/22/2020)
- Mike Longo - pianist (3/22/2020)
- Manu Dibango - saxophonist: from Cameroon and France (3/24/2020)
- Joe Diffie - singer, songwriter (3/29/2020)
- Bill Withers - singer, songwriter (3/31/2020)
- Wallace Roney - trumpeter (3/31/2020)
- Ellis Marsalis - pianist, composer (4/1/2020)
- Bucky Pizzarelli - guitarist (4/1/2020)
- Adam Schlesinger - singer, songwriter: Fountains of Wayne (4/1/2020)
- John Prine - singer, songwriter (4/7/2020)
- Hal Willner - music producer (4/7/2020)
- Lee Miller - former host, WNCW's "Local Color" (founder), "ARC Overnight" (4/13/2020)
- Gene Shay - public radio and festival host: WXPN & WHYY, Philadelphia (4/18/2020)
- Carl Beason - former host, WNCW's "Saturday Night House Party" (4/29/2020)
- Tony Allen - percussionist: Fela Kuti, Afrobeat groups (4/30/2020)
- Little Richard - singer, pianist, cornerstone of Rock n' Roll (5/9/2020)
- Betty Wright- singer (5/10/2020)
- Lucky Peterson - guitarist, singer (5/17/2020)
- Jimmy Cobb - drummer (5/24/2020)
- Bucky Baxter - pedal steel guitarist: Bob Dylan, Steve Earle (5/26/2020)
- James Hand - singer/songwriter (6/8/2020)
- Charlie Daniels - fiddler, singer, songwriter (7/6/2020)
- Mickey McGee - drummer: Goose Creek Symphony, Flying Burrito Brothers, Linda Ronstadt (7/20/2020)
- Dan Kelly - fiddler: Tennessee Mafia Jug Band (7/22/2020)
- Peter Green - guitarist, singer, songwriter: Fleetwood Mac (7/25/2020)
- Kenny Ingram - banjo player: Lester Flatt & Nashville Grass, Jimmy Martin's Sunny Mountain Boys, Larry Stephenson Band (7/26/2020)
- Steve Gulley - guitarist, singer, songwriter: Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle, Mountain Heart, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (8/18/2020)
- Todd Nance - drummer: Widespread Panic (8/19/2020)
- Justin Townes Earle - singer, songwriter, guitarist (8/23/2020)
- Sean Mason - drummer: Snozzberries, Vertigo Jazz Project, Zansa, other Asheville area acts (8/29/2020)
- Gary Peacock - bassist: Albert Ayler, Paul Bley, Bill Evans, others (9/4/2020)
- Toots Hibbert - singer/songwriter: Toots & the Maytals (9/11/2020)
- Helen Reddy - singer (9/29/2020)
- Mac Davis - songwriter, singer (9/29/2020)
- Eddie Van Halen - guitarist, songwriter (10/6/2020)
- Johnny Nash - singer (10/6/2020)
- Spencer Davis - guitarist, bandleader: The Spencer Davis Group (10/19/2020)
- Jerry Jeff Walker - singer/songwriter (10/23/2020)
- Billy Joe Shaver - singer/songwriter (10/28/2020)
- Glenn Bannerman - dance caller, festival emcee: Mountain Dance & Folk Festival, Shindig On the Green; also his wife Evelyn (10/30/2020)
- Hal Ketchum - singer/songwriter (11/23/2020)
- Charley Pride - singer (12/12/2020)
- Rita Houston - public radio programmer: WFUV, New York (12/15/2020)
- Brian Yerman - singer, musician: Boone, NC (12/16/2020)
- Leslie West - guitarist, singer: Mountain (12/23/2020)
- Tony Rice - guitarist, singer, icon (12/25/2020)
