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.

Another in memory of Brian Wilson. See here and here.

Two minutes thirty seconds of perfection.

The Beach Boys: Friends

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.

This song was the only one of Tzuke’s to trouble the top twenty (no 16 in 1979.)

Here’s a live performance.

Judie Tzuke: Stay With Me Till Dawn

Until I checked I would have said that this was Joan Osborne’s only UK hit (no 6 in 1995) but it seems she also had a no 33 the next year with a song called St Teresa.

I must confess I don’t remember that heavily accented little introduction (about the heavenly airplane [sic]) she gives in this video.

The song itself is lyrically interesting.

Joan Osborne: One of Us

One from South African singer songwriter John Kongos. It was a no 4 in 1971.

Kongos’s other hit He’s Gonna Step On You Again was famously covered by The Happy Mondays as Step On. They also covered this one but didn’t release it as a single.

John Kongos: Tokoloshe Man

Edited to add: I meant to say a Tokoloshe is a malevolent spirit in Bantu folklore.

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