International Songwriters Association (ISA) Songs And Songwriting • Today's Obituaries

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Songwriter Obituaries For


Names In Blue Denotes An ISA Hall Of Fame Member


Paul Roper
American-born music industry executive and President of Dualtone Records, who worked with such acts as Chuck Berry, The Lumineers, Guy Clark, June Carter Cash and many more.

During Paul's time at Dualtone, the label released more than 200 albums, and was nominated for sixteen Grammy Awards, winning four.

At the age of 45, on the 17th December 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, of cancer.

© Jim Liddane

Michael Brewer
American-born singer-songwriter and member of Brewer & Shipley whose recording of Michael's composition "One Toke Over The Line" earned the duo a Gold Disc in 1971 despite being denounced as subversive by the then Vice President of the United States, Spiro Agnew.

Although this was their only singles hit, the duo opened for such acts as Elton John, The Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bonnie Raitt, Electric Light Orchestra, Blood Sweat & Tears, James Taylor, Stephen Stills, The Beach Boys, Loggins & Messina, Linda Ronstadt and John Sebastian, while Michael's songs were recorded by Stephen Stills, The Byrds, Jonathon Edwards, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Dillards and Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pederson.

At the age of 80, on the 17th December 2024, near Branson, Missouri, USA, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Jon Camp
English-born singer-songwriter and bass guitarist who was a member of Renaissance alongside vocalist Annie Haslam between 1972 and 1983, before going on to work with Roy Wood, The Groundhogs, Robin George and Cathedrale.

At the age of 73, on the 13th December 2024, in London, UK, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Slim Dunlap
American-born singer-songwriter, bass guitarist with The Replacements, and a performer much admired by amongst others, Bruce Springsteen.

At the age of 73, on the 18th December 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA of complications brought on by a stroke suffered in 2012.

© Jim Liddane

David Mallett
American-born singer-songwriter in the folk genre, whose songs have been recorded by more than 150 acts including Pete Seeger, Alison Krauss, John Denver, Arlo Guthrie, Emmylou Harris, Peter Paul & Mary and Makem & Clancy, and whose composition "The Garden Song" became a children's folk classic when firat performed by The Muppets. He also owned and operated North Road Records.

At the age of 73, on the 17th December 2024, in Bangor, Maine, USA, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Nancy Harmon
American-born singer-songwriter in the gospel genre who scored with such songs as "The Blood Bought Church", “I’ve Come Too Far To Look Back" and "Nothing’s Too Big for My God". She also released more than 50 solo albums while her compositions were recorded by The Statesmen, The LeFevres, The Nelons, The Hoppers, Jimmy Swaggart, Janet Paschal, Karen Wheaton, Kenneth Copeland, Natalie Cole and many more.

At the age of 85, on the 13th December 2024, in Cleveland, Tennessee, USA, of Alzheimer's disease.

© Jim Liddane

Martha Sharp
American-born songwriter and record-label executive whose Top Ten hit compositions include "Born a Woman" (Sandy Posey), "Single Girl" (Sandy Posey), "Come Back When You Grow Up" (Bobby Vee), "Maybe Just Today" (Bobby Vee), "You Fool" (Eddy Arnold) and "The Special Years" (Val Doonican), along with songs recorded by Tom Jones, Connie Smith, Waylon Jennings, Nick Lowe, Barbara Eden, The Browns, Dottie West, Jan Howard, Leif Garrett, Johnny Tillotson, Cilla Black, The Lennon Sisters, Wilma Burgess and Brook Benton.

In 1980, Martha Sharp joined the A&R department at Elektra Records, headed by producer Jimmy Bowen before moving in 1983 to become Vice-President at Warner Nashville where she signed future superstars Randy Travis and Faith Hill, and worked with such names as Highway 101, Carlene Carter, The Forester Sisters, Crystal Gayle, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Anderson, Gary Morris, Holly Dunn and Travis Tritt.

In 1995 she retired to live in Richmond, Virginia, to pursue her other great passion - painting, returning to Music City only in recent years.

At the age of 87, on the 11th December 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Bill Kelly
American-born singer-songwriter and lead singer with The Buoys who scored a Top 20 hit in 1970 with "Timothy", a song about canibalism. Tne Buoys subsequently opened for Queen while Bill Kelly also recorded for Epic, MCA, and Columbia Records as both the Jerry Kelly Band and Dakota.

In later years he fronted Charlie Louvin's band at The Grand Ole Opry, while hitting the Contemporary Christian charts as Kane & Kelly alongside Nashville vocalist Jennifer Kane.

At the age of 74, on the 13th December 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. of cancer.

© Jim Liddane

Martial Solal
Algerian-born French-based composer and pianist who worked with such stars as Sidney Bechet, Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt, appearing also at the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island, USA alongside John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderley, Nina Simone, Dizzy Gillespie and Nancy Wilson.

Martial Solal's compositions include the scores for Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature film "Breathless", the Orson Welles classic "The Trial" and Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Dreamers", while he also acted in the French TV series "Gama" and the movie "Two Men In Manhattan".

Between 1954 and 2021, he released more than sixty albums, including "Martial Solal Trio Live At Newport", "Nothing But Piano" and "Bluesine"

At the age of 97, on the 12th December 2024, in Versailles, France, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Korin Allal
Moroccan-born Israeli-based singer-songwriter and record producer who released fifteen solo albums, as well as producing and composing for other Israeli artists.

At the age of 69, on the 11th December 2024, in Herzliya, Israel, of pancreatic cancer.

© Jim Liddane

Lennie De Ice
English-born producer-songwriter whose 1992 recording of "We Are IE" started the jungle genre.

At the age of 54, on the 10th December 2024, in London, UK, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Larysa Jaye
American-born singer-songwriter who started out writing Christian music at the age of 16 before moving into the country scene with a residency at Justin Timberlake’s Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville, and such songs as "Birmingham (Side by Side)", "Just Like That", "The Thoughts That Happen", and "I Don't Do Love".

At the age of 40, on the 8th December 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, following a car crash.

© Jim Liddane

Marvin Laird
American-born composer and conductor whose Hollywood credits include "Hello, Dolly!", "New York, New York", "Maude", "Dynasty", "Quincy" and "The Love Boat".

Marvin Laird also acted as musical director for Bernadette Peters while conducting concerts for such stars as Diana Ross, Cass Elliot and Dusty Springfield, as well as penning the 1992 Broadway hit show "Ruthless! The Musical".

At the age of 85, on the 2nd December 2024, in Redding, Connecticut, USA, of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

Angela Alvarez
Cuban-born singer-songwriter who released her first album when she was 94 years old, before going on to win the Latin Grammy For Best New Artist the following year.

At the age of 98, on the 6th December 2024, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA of undisclosed causes.

© Jim Liddane

For earlier songwriter, composer, and music publisher obituaries, please click on the sections below.

The Earlier Obituaries

July 2024 to Today

January 2024 to June 2024

July 2023 to December 2023

January 2023 to June 2023

January 2020 to December 2022

January 2018 to December 2019

January 2011 to December 2017

January 2004 to December 2010

Obituaries Prior To 2004

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