2017 In Memoriam: Remembering The Artists We Lost Last Year

Just as in 2016, the year 2017 was not kind to legendary musicians. This past year, scores of beloved musicians moved on to the Great Gig in the Sky; many of them, tragically, punched their ticket well before their time. As we make our way into an untold future in 2018, we’re taking a look back at some of the the incredible, influential musicians who left us last year:

2017: Music In Memoriam

(Obituaries listed chronologically in order):

5/11/47 – 1/25/17 – Butch Trucks – Butch Trucks, Founding Member of the Allman Brothers Band, Has Passed Away

2/28/48 – 1/28/17 – Geoff Nichols – Longtime Black Sabbath Multi-Instrumentalist Geoff Nicholls Has Passed Away

3/12/40 – 2/12/17 – Al Jarreau – Renowned Singer Al Jarreau Has Passed Away At The Age Of 76

4/18/43 – 2/18/17 – Clyde Stubblefield – Clyde Stubblefield, Genius Drummer With James Brown, Dies At Age 73

4/2/43 – 2/21/17 – Larry Coryell, Legendary Guitarist And The “Godfather Of Fusion,” Dies At Age 73

1947 – 3/13/17 – Robert “P-Nut” Johnson – Former Parliament Funkadelic Vocalist Robert “P-Nut” Johnson Has Passed Away

10/18/26 – 3/18/17 – Chuck Berry – Chuck Berry Has Passed Away At 90-Years-Old

9/17/49 – 3/22/17 – Sib Hashian – Boston Drummer Sib Hashian Dies Mid-Performance On Legends Of Rock Cruise

2/20/46 – 4/11/17 – J. Geils – Guitarist J. Geils Passes Away At 71 In Massachusetts Home

4/30/47 – 5/1/17 – Col. Bruce Hampton – Stranger Than Fiction: The Cosmic Curtain Call Of Col. Bruce Hampton

7/20/64 – 5/18/17 – Chris Cornell – Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell Has Passed Away

12/8/47 – 5/27/17 – Gregg Allman – Gregg Allman Has Passed Away

Unknown – 6/13/17 – John Mullins – Ekoostik Hookah Founding Member John Mullins Has Passed Away

11/2/74 – 6/20/17 – Prodigy – Mobb Deep’s Prodigy Has Passed Away At The Age Of 42

9/9/73 – 7/5/17 – John Blackwell Jr. (Prince, D’Angelo, Justin Timberlake) – Drummer John Blackwell Jr. Passes Away At 43 Years Young

3/20/76 – 7/20/17 – Chester Bennington – Linkin Park Vocalist Chester Bennington Has Died

4/22/36 – 8/8/17 – Glen Campbell – Glen Campbell, ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ Singer, Dead at 81 – Rolling Stone

2/20/50 – 9/3/17 – Walter Becker – Steely Dan’s Walter Becker Has Passed Away

7/28/89 – 9/13/17 – Jessi Zazu – Jessi Zazu, Those Darlins Singer, Dead at 28 After Battle With Cervical Cancer

3/16/61 – 9/13/17 – Grant Hart – Grant Hart, Husker Du Drummer and Singer, Dead at 56 | Rolling Stone

11/5/48 – 9/23/17 – Chales Bradley – The “Screaming Eagle of Soul,” Charles Bradley, Dies At Age 68

10/20/50 – 10/2/17 – Tom Petty – Rock Icon Tom Petty Dead At Age 66

2/8/64 – 10/18/17 – Gord Downie – The Tragically Hip Frontman Gord Downie Dies At 53

2/26/28 – 10/25/17 – Fats Domino – Fats Domino, Rock and Roll Pioneer, Dead at 89

4/24/45 – 11/5/17 – Robert Knight – ‘Everlasting Love’ Singer Robert Knight Dead at 72

1/6/53 – 11/18/17 – Malcolm Young – AC/DC Co-Founder Malcolm Young Has Passed Away

7/6/31 – 11/19/17 – Della Reese – Della Reese Dead: ‘Touched by an Angel’ Star, Singer Dies at 86 | Variety

10/12/5 – 12/13/17 – Pat DiNizio – Pat DiNizio, Smithereens Singer, Dead at 62 – Rolling Stone

While they may be gone from the Earth, their legacies will live on through their music and the effect that it had on the people who listened. And to the year 2018–we sincerely hope that you’re kinder than 2016 and 2017 were to the artists that fill our lives with beautiful music year after year. To all who were lost last year, you will be missed.