Popular artists like Tom Petty, Chris Cornell and Prodigy. Musical trailblazers like Fats Domino and Chuck Berry. Here is a look at some of the most influential musicians who have died in 2017.
Chester Bennington –Lead Singer of Linkin Park
Chester Bennington, who was known for his piercing scream and free-flowing anguish, released seven albums with Linkin Park. The most recent, “One More Light,” arrived in May and made its debut at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart
Mel Tillis -Country Music Legend
A country music star Mel Tillis, who was given the nickname Stutterin’ Boy for his speech impediment, placed 35 singles in the country Top 10. Mr. Tillis was not only a musician but also an entrepreneur, with numerous successful ventures, including song publishing and film production companies, a theater in Missouri and a 1,400-acre farm where he raised cattle. In addition to his induction into both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, he received a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2012.
Fats DominoRock ’n’ Roll Pioneer
The New Orleans rhythm-and-blues singer and pianist known as Fats Domino had more than three dozen Top 40 pop hits, including “Blueberry Hill,” “Ain’t It a Shame” and “Blue Monday,” which made him one of the biggest stars of the early rock ’n’ roll era. He was a master of the wordless vocal, making hits out of songs full of “woo-woos” and “la-las.”
Tom PettySinger, Songwriter and Guitarist
A staple of rock radio for decades, Tom Petty and his band, the Heartbreakers, produced a long string of hits that melded California rock with his Southern heritage. With songs like “Refugee,” “Don’t Come Around Here No More” and “Free Fallin,’” Mr. Petty sold millions of albums. He performed at the 2008 Super Bowl and entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Chris Cornell –Lead Singer for Soundgarden and Audioslave
Chris Cornell was a dynamic singer whose band Soundgarden was one of the architects of grunge music. An appraisal in The Times said he “sang as if he were bearing the weight of the world.
Joni Sledge -Singer of “We Are Family”
Joni Sledge and her three sisters formed the disco-era family quartet Sister Sledge, best known for the hit song “We Are Family.” She was the second-oldest sister in the family act, which drew comparisons to the Jackson 5. After playing in small clubs in Harlem, Sister Sledge opened for Marvin Gaye in 1975 at Radio City Music Hall
Chuck Berry-Singer and pioneer of Rock ’n’ Roll
While Elvis Presley was rock ’n’ roll’s first pop star, Chuck Berry was its conceptual genius. Known for his indelible guitar licks, brash self-confidence and memorable songs, he built a historic music career spanning nearly four decades.
Al Jarreau –Grammy Award-Winning Singer
, Al Jarreau was one of the 20th century’s most versatile singers. He won Grammys in the categories of pop, R&B and his first love, jazz.
J. Geils –Guitarist for the J. Geils Band
. Geils (John Warren Geils Jr.) was an accomplished guitarist who lent his name to a band that had its roots in the Boston area in the 1970s. The J. Geils band was known for its string of bouncy 1980s pop hits, including “Love Stinks,” “Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold.” After the band split up in the late ’80s, Mr. Geils went on to release two albums in the ’90s and three in the 2000s.
Gregg Allman Lead singer of the Allman Brothers
Gregg Allman was a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, which gave shape to the Southern rock and jam-band movements. As lead singer and keyboardist, he was a principal architects of the band’s sound, which fused blues, jazz, country and rock.
Prodigy –Rapper for Mobb Deep
Prodigy, born Albert Johnson, was a hard-nosed rapper who brought to his lyrics a no-nonsense personality and a vivid eye for detail in sometimes achingly poetic evocations of cruel street life in New York.
Christopher Wong Won –2 Live Crew Member
Christopher Wong Won, known as Fresh Kid Ice, was a founding member of the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew and the first notable rapper of Asian descent. Asians, he said in the interview, had been “there in the beginning of hip-hop, but as D.J.s.,” staying behind the scenes.
Lil PeepAmerican Rapper and Singer
Lil Peep was one of pop music’s promising, young talents with a blend of raw hip-hop and emo that gave him a large following on the streaming platform SoundCloud. He put out his first mixtapes in 2015, and last year he released two, “Crybaby” and “Hellboy.” The frankness with which he spoke about life led to an especially intense connection with his fans.
Jinx 