Who's dead

[Nano]

Disco artists and people related to the scene that died prematurely keep appearing in some topics lately. Maybe it would be useful to sum all that info in one topic, specially when there's people in this forum who were part of the scene and get to meet some of these R.I.P. Initially I planned to restrict this to AIDS-related deaths, but there were also some episodes of violence and of course lotsa drug-related deaths at that time, at least in the rock and film industry (John Belushi, Sam Peckinpah, Lester Bangs, etc. etc.). Plus, sometimes it's difficult to probe AIDS was really the cause of death.
I'd like for you to put at least name, year and probable cause of death. You can add any story you find relevant.
Some people I remember or just read about it in this forum:

-Sylvester (1944-1988) - AIDS
-Sharon Redd (1945-1992) - AIDS
-Steve Rubell (owner of Studio 54) - AIDS
-Jacques Morali (producer) (1947-1991) - AIDS
-Van McCoy (1940-1979) - stroke
-Paul Jabara (1948-1992) - AIDS
-Patrick Cowley (1950-1982) - AIDS
-Dan Hartman (1950-1994) - AIDS
-Karen Young (1851-1991) - ulcer
-Vicki Sue Robinson (1954-2000) - cancer
-Phyllis Hyman (1949-1995) - suicide
-Roger Troutman of Zapp (1951-1999) - murder (by his brother Larry, who killed himself afterwards)

Also soul people who did some disco:
-Joe Tex (1933-1982) - stroke
-Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) - murder
-Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992) - cancer

But of course I'm interested on the lesser-known ones, like Tracy Weber, whom I read here was shot to death around 1982. Also the case of Dennis Parker, who from what I read killed himself after finding he was HIV-positive.
Yes, it sounds depressing (I realized that while making the list), but the idea is to set the record straight... and to add any new info you know/remember.
For example, some time ago someone wondered here if Jermaine Jackson was dead. Probably it was a confusion with Jermaine Stewart, a session vocalist who died in 1997 (AIDS again).

[markydefad]

Great idea, Nano.

Off the top of my head, I can add a few names:

Gregg Diamond
Bernard Edwards (Chic)
Larry Levan (does a remixer/DJ count?)

I'll think of more later.

One last thing:

Was Karen Young a vampire or something???? :razz:

[nrgbeat]

On 2002-08-19 19:26, Nano wrote:
Disco artists and people related to the scene that died prematurely keep appearing in some topics lately. Maybe it would be useful to sum all that info in one topic, specially when there's people in this forum who were part of the scene and get to meet some of these R.I.P. Initially I planned to restrict this to AIDS-related deaths, but there were also some episodes of violence and of course lotsa drug-related deaths at that time, at least in the rock and film industry (John Belushi, Sam Peckinpah, Lester Bangs, etc. etc.). Plus, sometimes it's difficult to probe AIDS was really the cause of death.
I'd like for you to put at least name, year and probable cause of death. You can add any story you find relevant.
Some people I remember or just read about it in this forum:

-Sylvester (1944-1988) - AIDS
-Sharon Redd (1945-1992) - AIDS
-Steve Rubell (owner of Studio 54) - AIDS
-Jacques Morali (producer) (1947-1991) - AIDS
-Van McCoy (1940-1979) - stroke
-Paul Jabara (1948-1992) - AIDS
-Patrick Cowley (1950-1982) - AIDS
-Dan Hartman (1950-1994) - AIDS
-Karen Young (1851-1991) - ulcer
-Vicki Sue Robinson (1954-2000) - cancer
-Phyllis Hyman (1949-1995) - suicide
-Roger Troutman of Zapp (1951-1999) - murder (by his brother Larry, who killed himself afterwards)

Also soul people who did some disco:
-Joe Tex (1933-1982) - stroke
-Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) - murder
-Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992) - cancer

But of course I'm interested on the lesser-known ones, like Tracy Weber, whom I read here was shot to death around 1982. Also the case of Dennis Parker, who from what I read killed himself after finding he was HIV-positive.
Yes, it sounds depressing (I realized that while making the list), but the idea is to set the record straight... and to add any new info you know/remember.
For example, some time ago someone wondered here if Jermaine Jackson was dead. Probably it was a confusion with Jermaine Stewart, a session vocalist who died in 1997 (AIDS again).

I believe Dan Hartman died of a brain tumor not AIDS.

Karen Young's birthdate should be 1951 not 1851.

[Nano]

On 2002-08-19 19:42, markydefad wrote:
Great idea, Nano.

Off the top of my head, I can add a few names:

Gregg Diamond
Bernard Edwards (Chic)
Larry Levan (does a remixer/DJ count?)

I'll think of more later.

One last thing:

Was Karen Young a vampire or something???? :razz:

OK, Karen's life went ONLY from 1951 on!
Of course remixers, DJs and even non musicians are permitted (hey! I listed Steve Rubell). I even considered Halston...
Bernard Edwards (how could I forget?), born in 1953, died in 1996 in Tokyo of pneumonia, right in the middle of a Chic-reunion tour.

[DanceMan]

Not good with the years but let me see:

First of all, all of Markydefad's died of AIDS....
Eddie K....formerly of Temptations for anyone who might have been sleeping, died of AIDS....
David Ruffin, lung cancer
Phillype Wynne, former lead singer of the Spinners, had a heart attack performing onstage and died enroute to the hospital
Minnie Ripperton died of cancer in July 79
Neil Bogart head of Casablanca "supposedly" died of an AIDS-related death - he had a brain tumor....
Bernard Edwards who was Bi-Sexual also died of AIDS - I worked with his best friends' mom....that is the closest source I could get information from....Niles did'nt deny nor confirm....
Melvyn Franklin the deep BASSO vocalist from the Temptations died of lung cancer....

enough!.....oh, and Dan did have AIDS but he did also have a brain tumor, as we all know now that having AIDS only weakens and compromises the immune system which leads to all sorts of catastrophic illnesses and sometimes death...

P.S. Is D.C. LaRue dead....? And from what, I hate to ask? If not, where is he - with Cheryl Lynn.....(Hey, not one person answered my Cheryl Lynn post, toughie, huh?)

[BrunoRepublic]

Didn't Gregg Diamond died from complications from an ulcer?

Regarding D.C. LaRue... in the vault, Bernie writes "I met LaRue through a co-worker back in the early 90's and he was very surprised to hear that he had fans and was very humble. Nothing like I thought he would be." So perhaps he's still around...

Also, Glenn Hughes of the Village People recently passed away from lung cancer.

[markydefad]

Valorie Jones of The Jones Girls died recently. Was it the end of last year or early this year? I posted it. I'll check for the date. I don't think I could ever find a cause of death.

[discosavvy]

Valerie Jones of the Jones Girls died on December 2, 2001.

[disco1999]

Florence Ballard of the Supremes died in 76 age 32
Freddie Mercury died almost 11 years ago (already)
Dolores Warren (car crash) from Alton McClain & Destiny (it must be love)
Darren "The Human Beat Box" Robinson (The Fat boys) cardiac arrest
Larry James (Fat Larry's Band) more fat related death
Gwen Guthrie (It should have been you - Ain't nothin going on but the rent)
Divine aka Harris Glenn Milstead (heart failure, again, overweight related)
Linda Lovelace, "Deep Throat" for those who may be interested, died from car crash avril 2002





<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: disco1999 on 2002-08-19 22:47 ]</font>

[DanceMan]

On 2002-08-19 21:56, Graham Start wrote:
Didn't Gregg Diamond died from complications from an ulcer?

Regarding D.C. LaRue... in the vault, Bernie writes "I met LaRue through a co-worker back in the early 90's and he was very surprised to hear that he had fans and was very humble. Nothing like I thought he would be." So perhaps he's still around...

Also, Glenn Hughes of the Village People recently passed away from lung cancer.

Graham....thanks for the reminder on Glenn Hughes...how could we all forget?!....I met Randy Jones, by accident, (still adorable at 50)last summer in the lobby of my ofice building and we started to speak (his latest musical webpage is a disaster, in my opinion)...anyway, I offered him my condolences about Glenn and asked Randy if Glenn really died from complications due to AIDS and Randy said, "Glenn died from lung cancer, that is all I want to say on the subject." Then we went onto other things for a few and he was really quite a sweet gentleman....However, I thought he doth protest too much about the AIDS remark...so well, whether or not, it is sad that in this day and age....ANYBODY, would still be so silent on the subject if someone they knew had AIDS....and then we wonder why our lovely government isn't doing enough, when we, ourselves, are still hanging our heads in shame or being defensive about AIDS.....

[HustleBaby]

Donny Hathaway (suicide)
Andy Gibb (?) - Can someone tell me what really happened to Andy.

*DISCO D*

[markydefad]

On 2002-08-20 00:10, HustleBaby wrote:

Andy Gibb (?) - Can someone tell me what really happened to Andy.

*DISCO D*

Well, the refernce books say he died of "an inflammatory heart virus" in Oxford, England in 1988.

Andy was addicted to cocaine for years, so no doubt that was a contributing factor.

[markydefad]

Some more:

Paul Jabara (1992) AIDS (composer/performer)
Peter Allen (1992) AIDS (composer/performer)
David Cole (1995) AIDS ? (C+C Music Factory)
Arthur Prysock (1929-1997)( R&B Singer)
Falco (1957-1998) (Car Crash) (Austrian vocalist)
Lawrence Payton (1997) (Four Tops singer)

[Marcio**]

George McCray, the best pre-disco in my opinion. I read it, maybe is not true !!!

[guille]

I think is George McCrae, of "Rock Your Baby" fame. Is he dead?
This topic is depressing, talking about dead people. Anyways, what about Klaus Naomi, Hector Lavoe, Gia, and Ofra Haza they also died of AIDS.
Have a Disco Life.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: guille on 2002-08-20 21:56 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: guille on 2002-08-20 21:57 ]</font>

[jazz_pilgrim]

Others that I can think of ...

Curtis Mayfield
Grover Washington Jnr
Dick Morrissey (of Morrissey Mullen)

Read a very good article on the life and death of Donny Hathaway. If anybody is interested maybe I can dig out the source of the article ...

Didn't know about Phyllis Hyman... sorry to hear about that..

May they all R.I.P.


_________________
It's got to be about the music !!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jazz_pilgrim on 2002-08-20 02:38 ]</font>

[Marcio**]

Guille, sorry, it is George McCrae, not McCray.

By the way, I found the information: "Born is West Palm Beach, in 1944, George McCrae had a number of other solo hits after 'Rock Your Baby' and also recorded with his wife, Gwen. He died of cancer in early 1986". (by Mark Marymont)

[QUINNY]

SO DISCO WAS A GAY THING!? :lol:
By the number of AIDS related deaths readily listed.
Once again the narrow interests of some is distorting the truth.
Do I really want to be reminded of my own mortality??

[sirius]

Dear Friends!
This is very informative and a good recherche. By the way: Does someone men-
tioned SHARON REDD? She died on AIDS...
is DISCO a gay-thing?
No, but it´s multicultural and sexual
liberated!!!
Deep Respect to this page!!!
Cosmic Love & Kisses From SIRIUS & DARKTUNES

[Paulo]

I read here a while back that GREG DIAMOND had died because of gastro-intestinal problems, but recently, I have found elsewhere on the web that unfortunately he was also HIV positive and his stomach complications were in fact related with AIDS.

As Neil Tennant would say "Add another number to the score".

I look forward the day this thing will be swept away from the planet.

[Giovanni]

It's sad to add some of the most talented djs/remixers beyond Larry Levan:

Walter Gibbons
Larry Patterson
David Rodriguez
Tee Scott
Francis Grasso
Steve D'Acquisto
Jonathan Fearing
Sergio Munzibai
Richie Rivera
Richie Kaczor
Jimmy Stuard
Bobby DJ Guttadaro
Tom Savarese
Jim Burgess
David Cole
Ron Hardy



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Giovanni on 2002-08-20 07:21 ]</font>

[BrunoRepublic]

On 2002-08-20 00:35, markydefad wrote:
David Cole (1995) AIDS ? (C+C Music Factory)

I thought he died from meningitis...

[Blaxman]

Artists who are dead, sadly:

Norman Harris (Salsoul/Philly guitarrist) - Heart failure (1987)
Larry Washington (Salsoul/Philly percussionist) - a few months ago!
Don Renaldo - (Salsoul/Philly concertmaster ) unknown date.

Peace :sad:

[zeca azevedo]

On 2002-08-20 02:34, jazz_pilgrim wrote:
Others that I can think of ...

Curtis Mayfield
Grover Washington Jnr
Dick Morrissey (of Morrissey Mullen)

Read a very good article on the life and death of Donny Hathaway. If anybody is interested maybe I can dig out the source of the article ...

Didn't know about Phyllis Hyman... sorry to hear about that..

May they all R.I.P.
_________________
It's got to be about the music !!

Hi Jazz,

please, I want to read the article about Donny Hathaway. I'm a big fan of his music and I still can't understand his death.

BTW guys, George McCrae is not dead! He's alive and well doing barbercues, just check his site, http://www.georgemccrae.com, ok?

Peace,

zeca azevedo

[hotdiscomix]

Artists:
Esther Philips 1935-1984 liver failure
Divine 1945-1988
Brenda Payton 1946-1996 (from Brenda & The Tabulations)
Jermaine Stewart 1957-1997 AIDS (?)
Johnnie Taylor 1938-2000
Tasha Thomas 1950-1984 cancer
Glenn Hughes 1950-2000 (leatherman from Village People)

DeeJays & Remixer:
Roy Thode 1942-1992
Steve Algozino 1956-1986 (Hot Tracks founder)
Michael Lewis 1944-1988 (Hot Tracks Remixer)