Garth Cartwright

Gary Stewart, a gifted Kentucky-born country singer celebrated by Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and other artists, achieved a brief run of success in the 1970s with songs including “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles)” before drug addiction and a destructive personal life drove him into obscurity. He spent his final decades in a Florida trailer with his wife, Mary Lou, and died by suicide in 2003 shortly after her death. A new biography by Jimmy McDonough, a collection of early demos and renewed interest from younger musicians are driving Stewart’s posthumous rediscovery, while his daughter Shannon Ashburn campaigns for his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Sterling Betancourt, a pioneering Trinidadian musician who helped introduce steelpan music to the UK, is remembered for his resilience, craftsmanship and commitment to cultural connection following his death at 96. After arriving in Britain with the Taspo ensemble in 1951, he stayed behind, built his own instruments from discarded oil drums and slowly integrated steelpan into jazz scenes, classrooms and festivals. His collaborations with Russell Henderson and participation in early Caribbean community events contributed to the origins of the Notting Hill carnival. Despite facing racism, he remained optimistic and dedicated, later bringing steelpan to audiences across Europe and Asia and continuing to create music into his final years. A new Southbank Centre festival will honour his legacy and pan’s global history, featuring a melody he recorded shortly before his death.

Cesária Évora’s transformation from a life shaped by poverty in Cape Verde to global fame at age 51 with her 1992 album Miss Perfumado is celebrated by artists honoring her legacy. Known for her distinctive morna ballads and grounded personality, she overcame early career setbacks, exploitation, and personal hardship. Key collaborators, including José da Silva and younger singer Mayra Andrade, recall her generosity, resilience, and artistic integrity. Her later years saw declining health but continued devotion to performing. Today her influence endures in Cape Verdean music, with tributes and concerts preserving her legacy.

Big Mama Thornton’s formidable talent and uncompromising personality are being reexamined in a new documentary that highlights her groundbreaking influence, early struggles, and the music industry’s exploitation that limited her success. Despite recording the original version of Hound Dog and later inspiring artists such as Janis Joplin, she faced financial hardship, discrimination, and a turbulent career shaped by her refusal to conform. Renewed attention during her centenary aims to restore her legacy as one of the most powerful and influential blues performers of the 20th century.

Mike Vernon’s lifelong passion for blues shaped a six‑decade career as a producer, label founder and musician, beginning with early work at Decca and culminating in influential recordings for artists such as John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie and Eric Clapton. His Blue Horizon label helped elevate African American blues musicians who had received limited recognition in the US, while his production work contributed to defining moments in British blues and rock. Vernon later diversified into performing and producing across genres, achieving chart success with acts including the Olympic Runners, Rocky Sharpe and the Replays, and Bloodstone. He continued supporting younger blues artists into his later years, remaining an enthusiastic and knowledgeable figure in music until his death at 81.

CBGB’s rise from a gritty East Village bar to a defining force in punk and new wave is traced through the musicians, artists and cultural figures who shaped its legacy. Hilly Kristal’s open‑door approach fostered the development of acts such as Television, Patti Smith, Blondie and the Ramones, while the club’s raw atmosphere became central to its myth. Despite gentrification and eventual closure in 2006, its influence persists through surviving recordings, fashion branding and a comprehensive new 101‑track box set celebrating its most formative years.

Willie Colón, a pioneering force in salsa, reshaped Latin music with a bold, street-informed sound that propelled the genre to international prominence. Rising from the South Bronx, he fused influences from Cuban son, jazz, funk and rock, helping define Nuyorican identity while achieving major success across Latin America. His collaborations with Héctor Lavoe and later Rubén Blades produced some of salsa’s most influential recordings, including the landmark album Siembra. A founding member of the Fania All-Stars, he played a central role in making New York the epicenter of modern Latin music. Despite later political controversies and personal disputes, his musical legacy remains foundational to salsa’s evolution.

Fab Morvan reflects on the rise and collapse of Milli Vanilli, recounting the exploitation by producer Frank Farian, the media backlash following the lip‑syncing scandal, and the personal toll on both him and Rob Pilatus. Renewed interest from recent documentaries and a biopic encouraged him to publish a candid memoir, now nominated for a Grammy. Morvan discusses reclaiming his identity, confronting past trauma, and rebuilding his career, finding stability in family life and renewed artistic independence.

A multinational lineup of Hardwicke Circus toured Ukraine twice in 2023, performing for civilians and soldiers close to the frontline despite drone threats, illness and harsh weather. Motivated by solidarity rather than profit, they donated tour proceeds and delivered emergency vehicles to the Ukrainian military. Their concerts in hospitals, schools and underground venues provided emotional relief to communities under attack. Several members were hospitalised with severe flu and pneumonia, but the group continued until completing an 18‑day route across multiple cities before returning home, determined to return to Ukraine in 2026.

Steve Cropper’s understated guitar work and studio craftsmanship helped define 1960s soul and R&B, shaping landmark recordings with Booker T & the MGs and guiding artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Eddie Floyd. His contributions as a producer, engineer and co-writer supported the rise of Stax Records, while his collaborative instincts and restraint as a musician elevated numerous iconic tracks including Green Onions and Soul Man. After Redding’s death and shifts within Stax, Cropper continued as a prominent session musician and later joined the Blues Brothers band. His influence endures as a foundational architect of modern soul music.

Dee Dee Bridgewater channels political outrage and lifelong activism into protest-driven performances, rejecting light material in favor of songs confronting threats to democracy, racism and global conflict. Reflecting on her career with jazz greats and her efforts to elevate women in the genre through initiatives like the Woodshed Network and the We Exist! band, she warns of rising constraints on free speech under Trump-aligned leadership at the Kennedy Center. Maintaining her commitment to artistic evolution, she continues recording new projects and drawing on influences from civil rights music, African traditions and the legacy of genre-defining mentors.

Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram’s rise from Clarksdale’s blues heritage to international prominence is highlighted through his chart-topping albums, Grammy win, and role in Ryan Coogler’s hit film Sinners. Mentored by Buddy Guy and supported by key figures in the blues community, he blends classic and modern influences while championing the genre’s cultural depth. His new label, Red Zero Records, aims to elevate emerging blues talent, reinforcing his commitment to revitalizing the tradition.

A 1985 moral panic over explicit lyrics led the Parents Music Resource Center to push for music censorship, culminating in US Senate hearings that targeted artists including Prince, Madonna, Judas Priest and Wasp. Musicians such as Frank Zappa, Dee Snider and John Denver publicly opposed the campaign, warning that rating systems and proposed restrictions threatened civil liberties. Despite strong resistance, record labels ultimately adopted Parental Advisory stickers, prompting some major retailers to pull labeled albums. The hearings broadened debate on censorship and triggered lawsuits against artists, influencing later controversies involving rap music. Although the PMRC dissolved in the 1990s, its legacy persists in ongoing disputes over cultural expression and public morality.

Danny Thompson, the influential British double bassist and founder member of Pentangle, is remembered for his extensive session work with artists including Nick Drake, John Martyn, Kate Bush and Richard Thompson. Rising from early skiffle groups and the Soho music scene, he became a sought‑after player in both jazz and folk circles and helped shape Pentangle’s innovative sound. After the band’s split, he built a prolific career in studio work, collaborated widely through the 1980s, released several jazz albums and remained active into his later years. His life also included periods of alcoholism, later sobriety, a conversion to Islam, documentary production and charitable work. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia, and his son, Danny Jr.

Rock singer Terry Reid, known for his powerful voice and influential presence in British rock, died at 75 after a career spanning nearly six decades. Despite declining offers to join Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, he built a respected solo career and collaborated with major artists across genres. Early disputes with producer Mickie Most hindered his momentum, but later reissues of his albums River and Seed of Memory earned renewed acclaim. Reid continued performing into the 2000s, attracting younger audiences and contributing to film soundtracks. He is survived by his wife, Annette, and two daughters.

Eddie Palmieri is portrayed as a transformative and adventurous figure in postwar American music whose innovative approach reshaped Latin jazz and salsa. Raised in New York’s Latino and African American musical environment, he blended jazz improvisation with Latin rhythms, creating influential recordings including Azúcar pa’ Ti, Harlem River Drive and The Sun of Latin Music. His collaborations spanned genres from jazz to funk to house, and his continuous experimentation earned widespread admiration. The article highlights Palmieri’s enduring creativity, generosity toward younger musicians and lasting impact across multiple musical traditions.

Musicians and family members celebrate the centenary of Clifton Chenier, whose accordion-driven zydeco transformed Creole dance music into an internationally recognized style. A new biography, box set, and tribute album highlight his influence on artists including the Rolling Stones, who contribute to the project with a Louisiana-infused recording. Stories from collaborators and admirers trace Chenier’s rise from rural Louisiana to global stages, his role in reviving zydeco, and the continuing vitality of the genre through new generations of performers.

Charts Sly Stone’s rise as a pioneering funk and soul musician, his profound influence on late-1960s and 1970s American music, and the transformation from his early utopian sound to later darker work shaped by drug use and isolation. Highlights the breakthroughs of Sly and the Family Stone, the impact of albums such as Stand! and There’s a Riot Goin’ On, his subsequent commercial decline, long periods of inactivity, and late-life resurgence through an autobiography and documentary. Notes his enduring legacy and influence on generations of artists and lists his surviving family.

Irma Thomas reflects on her seven-decade career, recounting struggles with racism, industry exploitation and personal hardship, along with periods of renewed success driven by collaborations with artists such as Galactic and producers like Scott Billington. She describes early challenges on the chitlin’ circuit, issues with record labels, and the impact of Hurricane Katrina on her life and club. Recent recognition, including the resurgence of Anyone Who Knows What Love Is through Black Mirror and a celebrated performance with the Rolling Stones, has brought renewed attention to her work. Now 84, she continues to perform and release new music with a sense of pride and resilience.

Billy Cobham reflects on his eight-decade musical journey, tracing his evolution from early mentorships through groundbreaking collaborations with Miles Davis and the Mahavishnu Orchestra to a prolific solo career whose influence spans genres. He recounts key experiences shaping his approach to jazz, including improvised sessions that became landmark recordings and a commitment to continual learning. Celebrated for his lasting impact and widely sampled work, Cobham balances gratitude for his legacy with enthusiasm for new challenges, preparing for upcoming performances despite recent hip replacements.

Gwen McCrae’s death at 81 renews attention to her influential yet undervalued contributions to soul, disco and the Miami sound, highlighted through hit singles such as Rockin’ Chair and 90% of Me Is You. Her career spanned early work with her husband George McCrae, a transition from deep southern soul to dance-oriented tracks at TK Studios and later recognition in the UK rare groove scene. Despite diminishing chart success and poor treatment of TK’s catalogue, recent reissues have revived interest in her work, underscoring the emotional depth and enduring power of her recordings.