Taking a final look back at the musicians and members of the music industry who passed away during 2012:
- Fred Milano, member of Dion and the Belmonts, passed away on January 1 at the age of 72 due to complications from lung cancer.
- Bob Weston, former Fleetwood Mac guitarist, passed away on January 3 at the age of 64 from gastric intestinal hemorrhage, cirrhosis of the liver, and throat problems.
- Jimmy Castor, funk and soul saxophonist, singer and songwriter, passed away on January 16 at the age of 71 from apparent heart failure.
- Johnny Otis, white “godfather of rhythm and blues,” passed away on January 17 at the age of 90.
- Winston Riley, reggae musician, passed away on January 19 at the age of 65 of complications from a gunshot wound to the head.
- Etta James, blues singer, passed away on January 20 at the age of 73 from complications of leukemia.
- Dick Kniss, bassist for Peter, Paul & Mary, passed away on January 25 at the age of 74 from pulmonary disease.
- Clare Fischer, composer, arranger, conductor and pianist, passed away on January 26 at the age of 83 after suffering from a heart attack.
- King Stitt, rap reggae pioneer, passed away on January 31 at the age of 72 after a long fight with prostate cancer and diabetes.
- Leslie Carter, singer and sister of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, passed away on January 31 at the age of 25.
- Don Cornelius, creator and host of “Soul Train,” passed away on February 1 at the age of 75 after committing suicide.
- David Peaston, R&B singer, passed away on February 1 at the age of 54 of complications from diabetes.
- Whitney Houston, iconic singer, passed away on February 11 at the age of 48.
- Michael Davis, bassist for MC5, passed away on February 17 at the age of 68 from liver failure.
- Christopher Reimer, guitarist for Women, passed away on February 21 at the age of 26.
- Davy Jones, lead singer for The Monkees, passed away on February 29 at the age of 66 from a heart attack.
- Ronnie Montrose, guitarist and founder of Montrose, passed away on March 3 at the age of 64 after battling prostate cancer.
- Robert Sherman, Disney songwriter, passed away on March 5 at the age of 86.
- James T. Ellis, singer of The Trammps, passed away on March 8 at the age of 74.
- Michael Hossack, drummer for the Doobie Brothers, passed away on March 12 at the age of 65 from cancer.
- Earl Scruggs, bluegrass legend, passed away on March 28 at the age of 88.
- Barney McKenna, banjo player for The Dubliners, passed away on April 5 at the age of 72.
- Dick Clark, host of “American Bandstand,” passed away on April 18 at the age of 82 from a massive heart attack.
- David Vesel, underground synthpop artist, passed away on April 18.
- Greg Ham, member of Men at Work, was found dead in his home on April 19 at the age of 58.
- Levon Helm, drummer and singer for The Band, passed away on April 19 at the age of 71 from cancer.
- Chris Ethridge, bass player, passed away on April 23 at the age of 65.
- Tommy Marth, saxophonist for The Killers, passed away on April 23 at the age of 33 from an apparent suicide.
- Lloyd Brevett, bass player for The Skatalites, passed away on May 3 at the age of 80.
- Adam Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys, passed away on May 4 at the age of 47 after a battle with cancer.
- Michael “Iron Man” Burks, blues artist, passed away on May 6 at the age of 54.
- Celso Chavez, guitarist for Possum Dixon, passed away on May 9 at the age of 44 from complications from a staph infection.
- Joshua Webb, musician, passed away on May 9 at the age of 27 in a car accident.
- Donald “Duck” Dunn, bassist for Booker T. & The MGs, passed away on May 13 at the age of 70.
- Chuck Brown, the “Godfather of Go-Go,” passed away on May 16 at the age of 75.
- Doug Dillard, bluegrass musician, passed away on May 16 at the age of 75.
- Donna Summer, the “Queen of Disco,” passed away on May 17 at the age of 63 due to cancer.
- Peter Jones, drummer for Crowded House, passed away on May 18 due to brain cancer.
- Robin Gibb, member of the Bee Gees, passed away on May 20 at the age of 62 due to cancer.
- Doc Watson, folk singer and guitarist, passed away on May 29 at the age of 89.
- Herb Reed, member of The Platters, passed away on June 4 at the age of 83.
- Bob Welch, guitarist and vocalist, passed away on June 7 at the age of 65 from an apparent suicide.
- Lil Phat, rapper, passed away on June 7 at the age from 19 after being shot several times.
- Dennis Flemion, co-founder of The Frogs, is presumed dead at the age of 57 after going missing while on a swim on a lake in Racine County on July 7.
- Bob Babbitt, bassist for the Funk Brothers, passed away on July 15 at the age of 74 after suffering complications from brain cancer.
- Jon Lord, keyboardist for Deep Purple, passed away on July 16 at the age of 71 after suffering a fatal pulmonary embolism after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
- Kitty Wells, country singer, passed away on July 16 at the age of 92 from complications of a stroke.
- Larry Hoppen, co-founder and singer for Orleans, passed away on July 24 at the age of 61.
- Tony Martin, singer, passed away on July 27 at the age of 98 from natural causes.
- Bill Doss, singer for Olivia Tremor Control, passed away on July 31 at the age of 43.
- Tony Sly, singer for No Use for a Name, passed away on August 1 at the age of 41.
- Jason Noble, member of Rodan, Rachel’s and Shipping News, passed away on August 4 at the age of 40.
- Stuart Swanlund, guitarist for the Marshall Tucker Band, passed away on August 4 at the age of 54 from natural causes.
- Marvin Hamlisch, composer, passed away on August 7 at the age of 68 after an unspecified illness.
- Robert Wayne Birch, Elton John’s bassist, passed away on August 15 at the age of 56 from an apparent suicide.
- Scott McKenzie, performer of “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair),” passed away on August 18 at the age of 73.
- Matthew McAnuff, reggae musician, passed away on August 22 at the age of 25 after being stabbed during a dispute.
- Chris Lighty, hip-hop mogul, passed away on August 30 at the age of 44 from an apparent suicide.
- Hal David, songwriter, passed away on September 1 at the age of 91 from complications of a stroke.
- Mark Abrahamian, guitarist for Starship, passed away on September 2 at the age of 46 due to a heart attack.
- Joe South, songwriter, passed away on September 5 at the age of 72 due to heart failure.
- Dorothy McGuire Williamson, singer with the McGuire Sisters, passed away on September 7 at the age of 84.
- Andy Williams, singer, passed away on September 25 at the age of 84 after a battle with with bladder cancer.
- R.B. Greaves, R&B singer, passed away on September 27 at the age of 68.
- B.B. Cunningham Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis band member, was killed in a shootout in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 14 at the age of 70.
- Natina Reed, member of Blaque, was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 27 at the age of 32.
- Terry Callier, jazz-folk singer, passed away on October 28 at the age of 67 after a battle with throat cancer.
- Mitch Lucker, vocalist for Suicide Silence, passed away on November 1 at the age of the 28 in a motorcycle accident.
- Eddie Bertrand, guitarist for the Bel-Airs and the leader of Eddie & the Showmen, passed away on November 3 at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer.
- Elliott Carter, composer, passed away on November 5 at the age of 103.
- Pete Namlook, music producer, passed away on November 8 at the age of 51.
- Major Harris, member of the Delfonics, passed away on November 9 at the age of 65 from congestive heart and lung failure.
- Billy Scott, R&B singer, passed away on November 17 at the age of 70 from pancreatic and liver cancer.
- Chris Stamp, co-manager of The Who and founder of Track Records, passed away on November 24 at the age of 70.
- Mickey “Guitar” Baker, guitarist, passed away on November 27 at the age of 87.
- Dave Brubeck, jazz legend, passed away on December 5 at the age of 91 from heart failure.
- Jenni Rivera, Mexican-American singer, passed away on December 9 at the age of 43 in a plane crash.
- Ravi Shankar, sitar virtuoso, passed away on December 11 at the age of 92.
- Lee Dorman, bassist for Iron Butterfly, passed away on December 21 at the age of 70 from natural causes.
- Mike Scaccia, member of Rigor Mortis and Ministry guitarist, passed away on December 22 at the age of 47.
- Marva Whitney, Soul Sister #1 from the James Brown Revue, passed away on December 22 at the age of 68.
- Capital Steez, rapper from the Pro Era collective, passed away on December 24 at the age of 19.
- Ray Collins, singer and co-founder of the Mothers of Invention, passed away on December 24 at the age of 75.
- Fontella Bass, soul singer, passed away on December 26 at the age of 72 from complications suffered from a heart attack.
