I heard on the latest edition of Sounds of the Sixties that David Clayton-Thomas, sometime lead singer of US jazz/rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears has died. I have since looked up his Guardian obituary.

I liked what I heard from the band so much I bought their second LP, Blood, Sweat & Tears. I note that the track listing given for that on its Wiki page differs from the copy I bought. (No Erik Satie variations for example.) Perhaps the UK version was different from the US.

Their second single Spinning Wheel was written by Clayton-Thomas (as were later tracks Lucretia MacEvil and Go Down Gamblin’.)

 Blood, Sweat & Tears: Spinning Wheel

David Henry Thomsett (David Clayton-Thomas: 13/9/1941 – 24/6/2026. So it goes.

Co-founder of Hot Chocolate and, along with Errol Brown, co-writer of their early hits, Tony Wilson died in April. The promotion of Brown as lead singer eventually led to Wilson leaving the group. This is one of those early hits.

Hot Chocolate: Emma

Anthony Nathaniel (Tony) Wilson: 8/10/1936 – 24/4/2026. So it goes.

I saw in yesterday’s Guardian that singer Beverley had died in April.

I featured her version of Randy Newman’s Happy New Year on 1/1/2021.

Beverley’s marriage to John Martyn was marred by abusive behaviour on his part and also meant Beverley’s career, certainly in a solo sense, stalled.

This was her second solo single. This time a song written by Donovan – which is obvious when you listen to it.

Beverley: Museum

Though known after her marriage, and in her musical collaborations with John, as Beverley Martyn, in accordance with the Scottish tradition on headstones I commemorate her in death with her maiden name.

Beverley Kutner: 24/3/1947 – 27/4/2026. So it goes.

In my mind Clarence Carter, who died last month, was a one-hit wonder.

Of course technically he wasn’t, since that description is supposed to apply only to those who had a no 1 single and no other hits. Carter’s song Patches reached no 2 in the UK in 1970. (I also find he had a UK no 82 in 1989 but that hardly counts as a hit.)

That no 2, Patches, falls into that category of sentimentality which courses through USian culture. (Last week’s entry in this category counts there too but Patches bears more resemblance to The Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp, a success for O C Smith in 1968.)

Clarence Carter: Patches

Clarence George Carter:  14/1/1936 –13/5/2026. So it goes.

US band Dr Hook (and the Medicine Show)’s lead singer Dennis Locorriere – not the one with the eye-patch – died last week.

Their output was at best soft rock but their hits tended to stick in the mind.

The band’s first UK hit was Sylvia’s Mother (no 2 in 1972) but they had a no 1 in 1979 with When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman.

This is a live version of the earlier song apparently recorded on the houseboat of the song’s writer Shel Silverstein.

Dr Hook & The Medicine Show: Sylvia’s Mother

Dennis Michael Locorriere: 13/6/1949 – 16/5/2026. So it goes.

I saw in Monday’s Guardian the obituary of writer Dan Simmons. His work ranged over, horror, SF and thrillers and even ventured into historical fiction.

It was as an SF writer that I knew of him but  I did watch the TV adaptation of his novel The Terror based on the ill-fated Franklin Expedition some years ago now.  I posted a photograph of a memorial to two members of the Expedition here.

Looking at my records I see I have read two of Simmon’s novels, Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, (though the obit linked to above says they were originally intended as one novel) and I have had two others (Ilium and Olympos) on my tbr pile for many years. The reason I haven’t got round to reading them yet is that they resemble doorstops, which I find a bit off-putting.

Daniel Joseph (Dan) Simmons:- 4/4/1948 – 21/2/2026. So it goes.

Nedra Talley of the Ronettes has gone.

This is unseasonal I know but I’ve already featured the group’s two biggest UK hits, here and here. Taken from Phil Spector’s Christmas Album  – actually named A Christmas Gift to You from Philles Records and the less said about Spector the better – it’s also one of The Ronettes better known songs and was their third biggest, no 15 in 1963.

The Ronettes: Sleigh Ride

Nedra Yvonne Talley (Ross): 27/1/1946 – 26/4/2026. So it goes.

Dave Mason, co-founder of the band Traffic, has died.

His career with Traffic was by no means smooth (and he later went on to play with various luminaries) but he wrote and sang their biggest UK hit, a No 2 in 1967.

Traffic: Hole in my Shoe

Mason’s song Feelin’ Alright became something of a standard with many other artists covering it. 

Traffic: Feelin’ Alright

David Thomas Mason: 10/5/1946 – 19/4/2026. So it goes.

The haunting voice of Clannad’s Moya Brennan has been stilled.

The band’s first hit was the theme from the TV Series Harry’s Game, set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The song was doubly notable to be the first song sung in Irish to reach the UK top ten.

Clannad: Theme From Harry’s Game

Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin (Moya Brennan): 4/8/1952 – 13/4/2026

I have just seen from various sources that SF writer Ian Watson has died. I’m so sad to hear about this.

I knew he had been ill recently but had been under the impression he was recovering.

I have thirty of his books on my shelves, the most recent of which was The Chinese Time Machine which I reviewed for ParSec in 2023.

The first time I met him was when I attended the signing event for my first short story publication, The Face of the Waters, in New Worlds 2 way back in 1992.

He was a gentleman and had a particularly sharp wit.

Ian Watson: 20/4/1943 – 13/4/2026. So it goes.