Music Obituaries: November 2021

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It's time to salute the people -- famous and barely known -- who sang their final song last month. For those new to the discussion, every month I express my love of music by giving a final moment in the spotlight to the music individuals who passed away in the previous month. Here are the music and music-related people form whom the final curtain fell in November 2021: Pat Martino (November 1, COPD, age 77): a jazz guitarist with a fascinating backstory. He'd been active since 1959; however, in 1980 he suffered a seizure that required brain surgery. It wiped his memory clean, and he had to re-learn the guitar. Alvin "Seeco" Patterson (November 1, unknown cause, age 90): percussionist in Bob Marley & the Wailers. Declan Mulligan (November 2, unknown cause, age 83): the guitarist for the 60s band the Beau Brummels, known for their hits such as "Laugh Laugh" and "Just a Little." Ronnie Wilson (November 2, unknown cause, age 73): co-founder of the R&B band the Gap Band, known for hits such as "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" and "Party Train." Marilla Mendonça (November 5, plane crash, age 26): Brazilian pop singer who won a Latin Grammy in 2019. Astro (November 6, short illness, age 64): co-founder of the 80s band UB40. Andy Barker (November 6, short illness, age 53): member of British electronic band 808 State. Evette Benton (November 6, unknown cause, age 68): R&B singer whose lasting contribution to popular music was singing on the Spinners' "Games People Play (They Just Can't Stop It)." Maureen Cleave (November 6, short illness, age 87): British music journalist who conducted the infamous "we're more popular than Jesus" interview with John Lennon in 1966. Margo Guryan (November 8, unknown cause, age 84): folk/rock singer who wrote the Spanky & Our Gang hit "Sunday Morning." *Graeme Edge (November 11, cancer, age 80): ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMER. The drummer for the Moody Blues. Philip Margo (November 13, stroke, age 79): drummer on TV programs such as The Tonight Show and Late Night With Conan O'Brien. He was also a member of the Tokens, who had the hit with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Keith Allison (November 17, unknown cause, age 79): the bassist for the 60s band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Dave Frishberg (November 17, unknown cause, age 88): primarily known as a jazz pianist, his biggest contribution to American pop culture was the song "I'm Just a Bill" on the 70s Saturday morning series Schoolhouse Rock. Jim Gallagher (November 20, unknown cause, age 78): the drummer for the influential surf rock band the Astronauts. Billy Hinsche (November 20, giant cell carcinoma, age 70): the "Billy" in the 60s trio Dino (Martin), Desi (Arnez Jr.), and Billy. Marilyn McLeod (November 24, unknown cause, age 82): R&B singer/songwriter whose biggest songwriting credit includes Diana Ross' 1975 #1 smash "Love Hangover." *Stephen Sondheim (November 26, natural causes, age 91): SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAMER. A nine-time Tony Award-winning Broadway songwriter. To say he's one of the "Mount Rushmore of Broadway songwriters" is a gross understatement to his massive contributions, which include West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A Little Night Music, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Farewell, and thank you for the music. Probably the best-known song by the late, great Stephen Sondheim is "Send in the Clowns," which was a hit for Judy Collins in the mid-70s and has been recorded by countless people. Here is Sondheim accompanying Bernadette Peters on the tune: