Mike Little is a member of the Electric City Shag Club in Anderson, South Carolina.  He is also a member of the Association of Beach & Shag Club DJ’s and the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Deejays.  He hosted for 3-1/2 years The Saturday Morning Beach Party on WANS, 1280 AM in Anderson, which was rated by Arbitron as the highest rated AM show listened to and number three overall for that time slot.  In 2004, he was awarded the Rufus Oates Award by the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays for his writing contributions.  He now serves on the Board of Directors of the NARBDJ.

Passages 2010

We will always remember…

 Legendary Memphis, Tennessee music producer Willie Mitchell died January 5.  Born March 23, 1928 in Ashland, Mississippi, he was raised in Memphis, having his own successful recording career in the 1960's.  His 1964 song, 20-75, was featured in Ripete Records box CD, Beach Music Anthology.  However, Willie Mitchell is best known as a producer.  In 1959, he signed on with Hi Records, being the creator of the often copied sound and instant recognizable Hi sound with a churning organ and sturdy horn arrangement.  In 1970, when the founder of Hi Records died, he found himself in charge of the label.  He is best known for signing Al Green to Hi Records and as the producer of Green's most popular records.  Under Willie's guidance, Green's career skyrocketed with hits such as Tired Of Being Alone, Let's Stay Together and many others.  He also produced recordings for Otis Clay, Jimmy King, Preston Shannon, O.V. Wright and many others.  In 2007 he was recognized by the Memphis Chapter of The Recording Academy Honors.  In 2008 Willie received The Recording Academy's The Trustees Award at the 50th annual Grammy Awards.   

Ned Theall, long-time instrumental member and leader of The Fabulous Boogie Kings, died January 8 at the age of 72.  The Boogie Kings were founded in Eunice, Louisiana in 1955.  In early 1965, the band released its first self-titled album.  Ned Theall is best known for changing the style of music of the band from Swamp Pop to a more Blue-eyed Soul music for which the band is best known.  In all, The Boogie Kings have released eleven studio albums, three compilations and a double compilation album.  In 1966, The Boogie Kings released the album, Blue Eyed Soul.  From the album, came the single, Philly Walk, which achieved respectable regional success.  

Teddy Pendergrass, born in Philadelphia March 26, 1950, died January 13 in the hospital from a rare illness related to his paralysis.  In 1982, Teddy was involved in an automobile accident when the brakes failed on his Rolls Royce and hit a tree, from which he suffered a spinal cord injury leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. As a youngster, he was ordained a minister.  The church was his initiation for talent and eventual success. His career began when he dropped out of high school to go into the music business.  His professional career began when he was a drummer for The Cadillacs, which soon merged with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes.  Harold invited Teddy to become the lead singer for the group, jumping from the rear of the stage to the front, singing his heart out.  With Teddy on lead vocals, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes scored several hits including a number one national hit, the ballad, If You Don't Know Me By Now.  Shaggers took to the dance floor with the group's hits, The Love I Lost, Wake Up Everybody and Bad Luck.  Teddy Pendergrass embarked on his solo career after he and Harold Melvin had some personal conflicts.  During his solo career, Teddy gave us a number of Shag hits and dance classics, including Do Me, I Don't Love You Anymore, When Somebody Loves You Back, Nine Times Out Of Ten and I Just Called To Say.  After his accident, he continued to record and perform.  During the Opening Ceremonies of the  1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia, Teddy performed.  In 2006 he announced his retirement, performing only a few times afterwards to support his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, which provides educational and occupational opportunities for people with spinal chord injuries (SCI).     

  Bobby Charles, born February 21, 1938, collapsed and died at his home of unknown cause in his hometown of Abbeville, Louisiana on January 14.  He had diabetes and was on the road to recovery from kidney cancer.  Bobby was known as more of a songwriter than a performer.  However, he recorded a song that he wrote called See You Later Alligator, which became a hit for him. While the song connected with the Rhythm & Blues audiences, it did not become a big hit until it was picked up in 1956 when Bill Haley & The Comets covered it, making it a huge national best-seller.  His reputation as a songwriter continued to grow.  In 1960, Fats Domino took Bobby's Walking To New Orleans into the Top 10, and the following year Clarence "Frogman" Henry did likewise with I Don't Know Why I Love You (But I Do).  Bobby record his last album in 2009, Timeless, which was released earlier this year featuring guest artists Dr. John, Sonny Landreth and others.    

Longtime Triangle radio jock Jay "Jaybo" Butler died February 7 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, North Carolina after being diagnosed with prostate cancer five weeks earlier.  He was 58.  Jaybo was a high-profile radio personality with WQDR where he spent nearly twenty years serving in various capacities from program director to morning show co-host.  Jaybo was a big man, 6 foot-7 weighing 300 pounds.  He looked and acted tough, but he had the biggest heart and one of the best voices on radio in the area.  Jaybo was one of the off-stage announcers for The Carolina Beach Music Awards several years ago.

  Donald "Jack" Johnson, the last surviving founding member of  The Cardinals died in Baltimore, Maryland February 8 at the age of 76.  The Cardinals were best know for their Rhythm & Blues hits The Door Is Still Open, penned by Chuck Willis, and Wheel Of Fortune.  Jack, second tenor for the group, sang lead on their hit, Should I Know.  However, we will always remember The Cardinals for Come Back, My Love.  The Cardinals was one of the "bird groups" formed in their hometown of Baltimore in 1946, one year prior to a more famous "Bird Group", The Orioles.  After signing with Atlantic Records in 1951, they were renamed from The Mellotones to The Cardinals to avoid confusion with another group with a name as The Mellotones.    

Johnny Maestro, former lead singer for The Crests, The Del Satins and Brookly Bridge, died at the age of 70 of cancer in Cape Coral March 24.  The Crests was formed as a quartet in 1956 at a Manhattan junior high school with the Lower East Manhattan-born Johnny Mastrangelo as the lead singer.  The Crests is best known for the doo-wop recording of 16 Candles and The Angels Listened In.  In the early sixties, Johnny Maestro formed The Del Satins, the vocal group that backed Dion for many of his early-sixties solo hits.  Johnny Maestro went on to form Brooklyn Bridge in 1967, which scored a gold record the next year with a cover of  The Fifth Dimension's Worst That Could Happen.  However, it was Brooklyn Bridge's Free As The Wind that brought the shaggers to the dance floor in 1970.

  The Del-Vikings was one of the first inter-racial groups to emerge and were founded at the Air Force Servicemen's Club at the Pittsburgh Air Force Base in 1955.  Early-on member Norman Wright, born October 31, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, died April 23 at his home in New Jersey after a long illness.  The last of the original founding members of The Del-Vikings, he is survived by two sons, Norman, Jr. and Anthony, who both toured and performed with Norman the last ten-plus years.  The Del-Vikings had a illustrious career during the fifties and early sixties, giving us the major shag hit Come Go With Me.  One of the early members of The Del-Vikings was Chuck Jackson, who went on for a successful solo career.  In 1957, the group gained another hit, Whispering Bells, with a different spelling of the group's name on the label, The Dell-Vikings.  A later split-up of the group gave the music world two groups, The Del Vikings and The Dell-Vikings.  The group split up for the last time in the mid-sixties, however a revival of The Del-Vikings, as their name was spelled, led by composer Clarence E. Quick, gave us a new version of Come Go With Me in 1973 which gained notarity, especially in the Shag world.     

  New York City singer and session group guitar player Larry Dale, died at home May 19.  Born January 23, 1923 in Hungerford, Texas, he played on sessions with many artists, including Champion Jack Dupree.  Larry Dale also made some memorable singles during the the late fifties and early sixties, including You Better Heed My Warning.  He waxed most of his best sides in early sixties including the stormy party Blues song, Let The Door Bell Ring, and revived Sticks MeGhee's Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee in 1962.  Though these did not make much of a splash in the Rhythm & Blues market, they turned into strong waves for the Beach Music arena.

  Ali-Ollie Woodson, who led the legendary Motown quintet, The Temptations in the 1980's and 90's, helping them restore the group to glory with songs including Lady Soul and Treat Her Like A Lady, died May 30.  Born in September 30, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Town Creek, Alabama, Bill Pinkney started Ali at the age of 19 in the music industry in the 1970's with The Original Drifters, first as a musician, and then as a vocalist.  By the early 1980's, The Temptations were no longer posting hits like they did in the 1960's and 70's.  With Dennis Edwards leaving, Ali was hired as his replacement. In 1996, Ali returned to his "father in the music industry", Bill Pinknen, recording with Bill & The Original Drifters for a Gospel CD, singing the lead on True Love.  Despite his fame Ali-Ollie Woodson was always a gentleman and always polite and kind to everyone.  He was a star performer. 

Judy Marshall, lead singer of Charleston, South Carolina's The Coppertones, died June 21 at the age of 52 after losing her sixteen year battle against breast cancer.  Fondly called "The Gidget", Judy enjoyed success singing lead on The Coppertones' recorded songs.  The Coppertones appeared on various artist recordings from beachmusic45.com and KHP/Ripete recordings featuring the group's popular songs Party Down The Street, Eat Mo' Grits and Real Man.

Harvey Fuqua, founding member of The Moonglows, died July 6.  Born in Louisville, Kentucky on July 27, 1929, he ejoyed considerable Rhythm & Blues and Pop chart success with the group in the mid to late fifties.  Signing with Chess Records, Harvey swapped leads on the Moonglows' recordings with fellow group member Bobby Lester.  It appeared that Bobby always carried the lead on the ballads, and Harvey on the fast sides.  Though it was Sincerely that became The Moonglows biggest hit, reaching the top of the Rhythm & Blues Charts in 1954, it was Over And Over Again, Real Gone Mama and Too Late that were heard coming from the jukeboxes along the coast during those golden years.  In 1958, The Moonglows recorded Ten Commandments Of Love with Harvey singing the lead.  The record was released under the name of Harvey and The Moonglows.  Harvey and The Moonglows can also be heard singing back-up vocals on classic Chess hits including Bo Diddley's Diddley Daddy and Diddy Wah Diddy and Chuck Berry's Almost Grown and Back In The U.S.A.  He left the group in the same year forming The New Moonglows, bringing on a young singer named Marvin Gaye as part of the new group.  Harvey founded his own Tri-Phi label creating and producing a new group for the label in 1961, The Spinners.  He became a key figure in the development of Motown Records co-writing and producing many hits.  Harvey reunited with the original members of The Moonglows in 1972, releasing an up-tempo version of the group's number one hit, Sincerely.  The Moonglows were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2000.

  Gary Morris, co-founder with Earl Taylor of 94.9 The Surf died August 27 at the age of 57.  A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, he was a lifelong radio executive.  He moved to Myrtle Beach in 1981 where he became vice president and general manager of Y 103 and later co-founded 94.9 The Surf.  He was an avid Tar Heel fan, a master story teller and a proud father and grandfather.

  Long time deejay Wilkie Whaley died September 8 at his home in Marion, South Carolina.  Born July 3, 1945, Wilkie graduated from Hemingway High School, where he was class president.  After graduating from Clemson University, he eventually became a real estate appraiser.  Wilkie was a well known deejay throughout the Carolinas and beyond.  He was a member of the Association of the Beach & Shag Club DJ's, of which he had served on the Association's board of directors.  Surviving Wilkie are his daughter Page and her husband Robby of Phoenix, Arizona and his son Willoughby Wilkerson Whaley III and his fiance Lauren Barrere of Los Angeles, California.  

  They called him King Solomon.  Dubbed the King of Rock and Soul, Solomon Burke died October 10 at the age of 70 at the Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, The Netherlands while on tour.  He was once hailed as the best soul singer of all time by the legendary producer Jerry Wexler.  Born March 21, 1940, Solomon Burke was an ordained minister.  Even as a teen, he preached and broadcast from his own church, Solomon's Temple, the church his grandmother had founded for him.  He was known as "The Wonder Boy Preacher".  He began recording Gospel and Rhythm & Blues sides for Apollo in the mid-fifties.  He left music to attend mortuary school, becoming a licensed mortician.  He returned to music in 1960, signing with Atlantic Records.  Over the years, he scored many hits, including Cry To Me, which rose high in the charts in 1962.  The song was picked to be used for a dance scene in the popular movie, Dirty Dancing, in 1987, introducing Solomon Burke to an entirely new generation.  Other songs that have been played frequently by Beach Music deejays over the years have been Got To Get You Off My Mind from the sixties and Love Buys Love, See That Girl and Please Don't Say Goodbye from the eighties.  Solomon Burke's music returned to the shores of Ocean Drive and beyond in 1997 with Just For You.  Just earlier this year, Solomon Burke reunited with the late producer Willie Mitchell to release the album, Nothing's Impossible.  From this album, several songs have received wide attention from the Beach Music and Shag markets, Everything About You, Nothing's Impossible and You're Not Alone.  The Grammy Award winning Solomon Burke's career spanned over five decades.  

  The name General Norman Johnson is synonomous with Beach Music.  It was devastating to learn that General had left us untimely at his home in Atlanta, Georgia on October 13 at the age of 69.  Born in Norfolk, Virginia, he began singing in church at the age of six.  General formed his first group, The Humdingers, when he was 12.  In 1961, with a name change to The Showman, the group migrated to New Orleans to record It Will Stand for Minit Records.  The song debuted on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, which called the song "an anthem of an entire generation.  It Will Stand went on the chart both in 1961 and 1964.  The same year of that recording, The Showmen went into the Swan Records studio to record 39-21-40 (Shape).  The labels were printed prior the studio recording with the misprint, 39-21-46.  The Showmen disbanded in 1968, and, after a brief solo career attempt, General moved to Detroit joining Invictus Records and formed The Chairmen of the Board.  The group's first single release in 1970, Give Me Just A Little More Time, broke into the top five of the Pop chart, as well as in the top ten of the Rhythm & Blues chart.  That same year, Clarence Carter released Patches, written by General Johnson, who was also an accomplished songwriter.  The song became a huge hit for Carter in both charts and earned a Grammy Award for General as the songwriter.  The Chairmen went on to score a number of other hits for Invictus, including (You've Got Me) Dangling On A String,Everything's Tuesday, Pay To The Piper and Finder's Keepers.  The Chairmen began slipping from the charts in the mid-seventies.  Early in the eighties, General Johnson reunited with fellow Chairmen member Danny Woods, and with Ken Knox, to reform The Chairmen of the Board.  The trio found success with a number of recordings for the Beach Music market, including Carolina Girls, On The Beach, Gone Fishin', Jerry's In Love, It Ain't What You Do and many, many others.  These recordings were released by Surfside Records, a company that General and the late Michael Branch formed.  Of all the achievements General Norman Johnson earned, the highlight of his life and career came in 2007 when the City of Norfolk, Virginia presented him with The Legends of Music Award.  General is survived by his wife Julia, and two sons, Norman and Antonio, and one daughter, Sonya Johnson Payne.

  Gospel and Rhythm & Blues singer James Phelps died in Los Angeles on October 26 from compilations stemming from diabetes.  Born April 2, 1932 in Shrevesport, Louisiana , he moved to Chicago in the early Sixties, performing in gospel groups such as The Holy Wonders with Lou Rawls, The Clefs of Carvary and, most notably, The Soul Stirrers with Sam Cooke.  After Cooke left the group, The Soul Stirrers signed with Chess Records in the mid-Sixties, and James, in addition, was signed as a possible solo star.  His first solo recording, Love Is A Five Letter Word, hit the Top 20 on the Rhythm & Blues charts in 1965.  The success of the record lead him to leave The Soul Stirrers for his solo career.  In 1966, James recorded Oh What A Feeling, which became a Beach Music hit among the shaggers along the Grand Strand.  James continued to tour and record for the rest of his life, though he never again matched his success of the mid-Sixties. 

  Blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player Robin Rogers died of liver cancer on December 17 in Dallas, North Carolina in Gaston County at the age of 55.  She was married to guitarist and musical partner Tony Rogers, who played in her band, Robin Rogers & Her Hot Band.  Robin was being cared for by Tony.  Her latest CD, Back In The Fire, on the Blind Pig label, earned both critical acclaim and commercial success, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard's Blues sales chart.  The song from this album, You Don't Know, is receiving attention in the Beach Music arena.  At an early age, Robin began singing, taught herself guitar and began performing.  While living and performing in South Florida, she recorded her first album.  In 1990, she moved to North Carolina, where she met her future husband, Tony.  In 2009, Robin won the 2009 "Best Female Artist" Blues Blast Award.

  Harvey A. Graham, Jr., born in Conway on April 12, 1944, died at his home on December 19 after an extended illness.  Raised in Loris and residing in Loris and nearby Longs, Harvey was president of Graham Brothers Farm Supply, Carolina Linen Systems and CBM Broadcasting, which operated as WVCO, 94.9 The Surf.  As a Clemson University graduate, he was an avid Clemson Tigers fan.  He was a former member of the Loris Lions Club and a member of the Horry County Planning Commission, chairman of the advisory committee of the Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority, the South Carolina board of directors of BB&T and a founding board member of Coastal Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame.  He and his wife, Selene, were members of the First Baptist Church in North Myrtle Beach.  Harvey and Selena were presented with the 2010 Industry Appreciation Award at the 2010 Carolina Beach Music Awards.

  Original member of The Cookies, Dorothy Jones Johnson died December 25 from Alzheimer's Desease in Colombus, Ohio.  Born in South Carolina on May 16, 1934, she, along with "Ethel" Darlene McCrea and Beulah Robertson, formed The Cookies in 1954.  Atlantic Records' Jesse Stone spotted them while they were performing at the Apollo Theater and later brought them into the studio.  One of the sessions produced In Paradise, a 1956 hit that went to No. 9 on the R & B charts.  In 1961, a new version of The Cookies, with Dorothy, Earl-Jean McCrea and Margaret Ross, did backup in the studio with a number of artists, including Neil Sedaka and his hit, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and Little Eva and her hit, Locomotion.  In 1961, the trio recorded the group's hits, Chains and  Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby).  As the British Invasion hit the American shorelines, they continued to perform and record but never managed another hit.  The Cookies disbanded in 1967.

  Original member of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Bernie Wilson, died December 26 at Kresson View Center in Voorhees, New Jersey after a stroke and a heart attack.  He was 64.  Bernie sang baritone in what is called the "classic" version of The Blue Notes with Harold Melvin and Teddy Pendergrass.  The group signed with Philadelphia Internation in 1972 and gave us a number of notable hits, including The Love I Lost, Wake Up Everybody and the classic bellyrubber, If You Don't Know Me By Now.  In 1976, tensions over billing began tearing the group apart, and Teddy Pendergrass left the group to go solo.  The remaining members moved to ABC Records.  Bernie left the group in 1977.  In the years into the 90's, he continued to perform in various versions of The Blue Notes that included other members of the group from over the years.

  Sandy Worley, wife of Ocean Drive Beach & Golf Resort owner Harold Worley, died December 27 at the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina after an extended battle with cancer.  She was 61.  Sandy and Harold were members of First Baptist Church in North Myrtle Beach.  Sandy was an avid gardner at her home in Little River, South Carolina and was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. 

  Nick Santo (Santamaria), founding member of The Capris, died from cancer at the age of 69 on December 31.  The group was originally formed in 1957 in the borough of Queens, New York, when all of the members of the quintet were teenagers.   The group was named for the Isle of Capri or the car of the same name, or perhaps a combination of the two.  The group caught the attention of some independent record producers and were soon in the studio to record their biggest hit, There's A Moon Out Tonight.  Soon thereafter, the group went their separate ways.  Nick had left the group in 1962 in hopes of a solo career  This did not work out, and he became one of New York City's finest, working until his retirement from the 112th Precinct of the Forrest Hills Division of the New York City Police Department.  In 1982, Nick had rejoined a newly reformation of The Capris.  The group recorded a new album, There's A Moon Out Tonight Again.  One of the songs appearing on the album and released as a single, was Morse Code Of Love.  The song not only became a hit nationally, but became a hit in Beach Music, later being covered by The Men of Distinction and The Showvinistics.

  Joseph Jones, Jr. of The Tams died December 31 of pancreatic cancer, discovered the previous summer, at the age of 64.  Better known as "Little Joe", he joined The Tams in 1972.  In high school, the Class of 1965, crowned him the "best-dressed" and "most talented" senior.  When some of the members of The Tams split to make two singing groups, "Little Joe" remained with the Joe Pope Tams until his retirement in 2008.  "Little Joe's" younger brother joined The Tams and performed alongside his brother before leaving after about a year to join The Robert Lee Smith Tams.  When "Little Joe" retired, he commented later that he missed entertaining, but he realized it was time to give it up.

  Ned Theall, founding member of The Bonisogie Kings, 1937-January 8; Eddie Edgehill, The Val-Tones, The Valentines, The Del-Knights, June 6, 1935-January 13; Robert "Squirrel" Lester, The Chi-Lites, August 16, 1942-January 21; Herman Dunham, aka Herman Curtist, The Solitares/The Vocaleers, February 28, 1936-January 30; Dale Hawkins (Suzy Q), August 22, 1936-February 13; Blues guitarist and singer Lil' Dave Thompson, May 21, 1969-February 14; Lonnie Heard, The Five Dollars, May 18, 1937-February 23; Clayton Love, Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, November 15, 1927-February 28; Charles Handor, Vance Kelly Back Street Blues Band, December 16, 1972-March 7; Ron Banks, The Dramatics (Be My Girl), May 10, 1951-March 10;  Alex Chitton, The Box Tops, December 28, 1950-March 17; Marvelous Marva Wright, the Blues Queen of New Orleans, March 20, 1948-March 23; Ralph Martin, The Willows (Church Bells May Ring), February 12, 1935-March 25; Canadian bass singer Connie Codarini, The Four Lads (Standing On The Corner), 1930-April 28 in Concord, North Carolina; Eddie Jackson, Brenda & The Tabulations (One Girl Too Late), 1947 (Forest City, North Carolina-May 3; Melvin Lewis, Athens, Georgia group, The Jesters, July 17, 1930-May 4; Folk singer Dave Fisher, The Highwaymen (Michael and Cottonfields, July 19, 1940-May 7; Jazz and Pop singer Lena Horne, June 30, 1917-May 9; Anita Humes Chappelle, The Essex (Easier Said Than Done), October 10, 1940-May 30; Ella Brown Avery, 1/2 of The Williettes (Wet Willie), 1948-June 10; Pinetop, North Carolina saxophonist Rudy Wooten, November 13, 1958-June 12; Robert "Butch" Sam, keyboardist, Graham Central Station (Stomped, Beat Up And Whooped), -July 2; Phillip Walker (Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time, Big Rear Window), February 11, 1937-July 22; Al Goodman, The Moments, Ray Goodman & Brown (Special Lady), March 31, 1947-July 26; Richard "Scar" Lopez, Cannibal & The Headhunters (Land Of 1000 Dances), May 18, 1945-July 30; conductor and oboist Mitch Miller, July 4, 1911-July 31; Nashville singer and songwriter Bobby Hebb (Sunny), July 26, 1928-August 3; Ted Kowalski, The Diamonds (Little Darling, The Stroll), May 19, 1931-August 8; Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, bassist, Muddy Waters Blues Band, June 9, 1926-August 9; Vance Wilson, Steve Gibson & The Red Caps (Why Don't You Love Me, Truthfully, Would I Mind), 1925-August 14; Ken Schoppmey, King Biscuit Blues Band, 1950-August 31; Mike Edwards of ELO (Electric Light Orchestra), May 31, 1948-September 3; singer and drummer Carlton "King" Cole, September 11; high school basketball coach and gym teacher Leonard Skinner, namesake for Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, January 11, 1933-September 20; Carl Jones, The Delta Rhythm Boys, July 18, 1919-September 21; Jimmy Testa of The Four J's and The Fabulous Four, September 21; teen idol Eddie Fisher, August 10, 1928-September 22; saxophonist and singer Ed Wiley, Jr., March 14, 1930-September 27 in Garner, North Carolina; Reggie Leon Barrise, original member of Sha Na Na died October 8 at the age of 55; saxophonist Dennis Taylor, member of Delbert McClinton's band, November 13, 1953-October 17; Denis Simpson of The Nylons, November 4, 1950-October 20; guitarist and singer Albert "Little Smokey" Smothers, January 2, 1939-November 20; Captain Beefheart (Don Glen Vilet), aka Bloodshot Rollin Red, January 15, 1941-December 17; Gospel and Rhythm & Blues singer Myrna Smith, May 28, 1941-December 24 and Rhythm & Blues vocalist Teena Marie (Mary Christine Brockert), the Ivory Queen of Soul, March 5, 1956-December 26.