We remember in our thoughts and prayers the Musicians, Singers, Actors and Artists whom we can confirm, have left this world since we began broadcasting in January 2020.
Larry Gogan. January 7th. 2020
The death has been announced of the RTÉ broadcaster Larry Gogan, who was aged 85. He worked in broadcasting for almost six decades and was best known for his work on RTÉ 2FM, where he was a DJ for 40 years before moving to RTÉ Gold. Born in Dublin in 1934, Larry Gogan was fascinated by radio from an early age and began broadcasting, first with sponsored programmes, and then with Raidió Éireann. He moveed across to RTÉ 2FM when that station opened in 1979, remaining one of that station's favourite DJs for the next 40 years.
Derek Fowlds. January 17th. 2020
The actor, Derek Fowlds, (82) died at Royal United Hospitals Bath after suffering from pneumonia that led to heart failure caused by sepsis. He was surrounded by his family when he died and is survived by sons Jamie and Jeremy. He starred in Yes Minister opposite Sir Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington before the sequel Yes, Prime Minister. He also starred as Sargent Oscar Blaketon in the series "Heartbeat"
Kenny Rogers. March 20th. 2020
American country music legend Kenny Rogers has died aged 81. A family representative said he "passed away peacefully at home from natural causes". He died from natural causes while under hospice care at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Kenny Rogers topped pop and country charts during the 1970s and 1980s, and won three Grammy awards. Known for his husky voice and ballads including The Gambler, Lucille and Coward Of The County, his career spanned more than six decades. He once summed up his popularity by explaining that he believed his songs "say what every man wants to say and that every woman wants to hear". After growing up in poverty on a federal housing estate in Houston, Texas, Rogers began recording with a string of bands, including Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, before launching his solo career in 1976. He was never a favourite of music critics, but became one of the most successful pop-country crossover acts of all time, and the 10th best-selling male artist in US history in terms of album sales. He collaborated with other country music legends during his career, including Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.
Joe Diffie. March 29th. 2020
Joe Diffie, a consistent country-music hitmaker throughout the Nineties, died Sunday due to complications related to COVID-19. Joe Diffie was 61. With a traditional-leaning voice that drew comparisons to George Jones, Diffie populated his records with honky-tonk ballads and lighthearted novelty tunes, earning the Oklahoma native five Number One singles in the first half of the Nineties. These began with his debut release, the deeply moving “Home,” followed by “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets),” “Third Rock From the Sun,” “Pickup Man,” and “Bigger Than the Beatles.” In all, Diffie charted 18 Top 10 singles, with the majority reaching the Top Five, including the 1993 radio staples “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)” and “John Deere Green.”
Bill Withers. March 30th. 2020
Bill Withers, the soul legend who penned timeless songs like “Lean on Me,” “Lovely Day,” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” died from heart complications in Los Angeles. He was 81. “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father,” his family said in a statement. “A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music".
John Prine. April 7th. 2020
John Prine, who wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 73. The cause was complications related to COVID-19, his family confirmed to Rolling Stone. His wife and manager, Fiona, announced on March 17th that she had tested positive for the virus after they had returned from a European tour.
Little Richard. May 9th. 2020
Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades.
Brendan Boyer. May 28th. 2020
Showband legend and Waterford native Brendan Bowyer has passed away aged 81 in Las Vegas surrounded by his family. The news was confirmed in a statement that read: "It is with deep sadness and regret that we announce the passing of Brendan, Ireland's most beloved entertainer for 62 years. Brendan passed away peacefully on the late evening of May 28, 2020. He was surrounded by the unending love of his wife of 53 years, Stella, his children, Brendan Jr., Aisling, Clodagh, and his two grandchildren, Liam & Nora Stella. Brendan was hoping to get back to his homeland, Ireland, one last time." He was 81 years old. Brendan first came to prominence in 1959 as a member of The Royal Showband who are probably best known for their international hit The Hucklebuck which they released in 1964.
Charlie Daniels. July 6th. 2020
Country legend Charlie Daniels died the morning of July 6, 2020, at the age of 83, after a hemorrhagic stroke. Daniels had been prescribed the medication following a 2010 stroke. "It probably kept him from having another stroke for 10 years, that and his pacemaker, and in December of 2018, he had cardiac catheter ablation surgery to improve his heart rhythm, " Daniels Jr. writes. "But unfortunately, the blood thinner is what did him in this time.
Diana Rigg. September 10th. 2020
Diana Rigg, the British actor who enthralled London and New York theatre audiences with her performances in classic roles for more than half a century but remained best known as the quintessential new woman of the 1960s – sexy, confident, witty and karate-adept – on the television series The Avengers, died at her home in London on September 10th. She was 82. Her daughter, Rachael Stirling, said in a statement that the cause was cancer.
Helen Reddy. September 29th. 2020
Helen Reddy, the Australian singer behind feminist anthem I Am Woman, has died aged 78. She died in Los Angeles, her family said in a statement. She had Addison's disease and was diagnosed with dementia in 2015, and spent the last years of her life in a celebrity care home in Los Angeles. children Traci Donat and Jordan Sommers described her as a "wonderful mother, grandmother, and a truly formidable woman".
Mac Davis. September 29th. 2020
Mac Davis, the country songwriter who penned In The Ghetto and A Little Less Conversation for Elvis Presley, died at the age of 78. A household name in the US, he had a TV show in the 1970s and solo hits, including the number one, Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me. He also appeared on TV shows like Fargo and Murder, She Wrote; He died following heart surgery.
Johnny Nash. October 6th. 2020
American reggae and pop singer-songwriter Johnny Nash, best known for the 1972 hit "I Can See Clearly Now", has died aged 80. Nash, whose health had been in decline, died at his home of natural causes. The musician began singing as a child and made his major label debut with the 1957 song "A Teenager Sings the Blues". Nash, born in Houston, was one of the first non-Jamaican singers to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica. His single "I Can See Clearly Now" sold more than a million copies and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972, where it remained for four weeks. He also had a number one hit in the UK in 1975 with Tears on My Pillow.
Pio McCann. October 9th. 2020
Stars of Irish country music have paid tribute to well-known radio presenter, Pio McCann, who has died. He was best known in recent years through his work with Co Donegal’s Highland Radio, died peacefully at his home in Tyrone. A member of the Claxton showband in the early 1960s, He went on to play with some of the most popula including Brian Coll and the Buckaroos, The Tall Men and the Polka Dots bands as well as Hugo Duncan.
Jerry Jeff Walker. October 23rd. 2020
Country music singer Jerry Jeff Walker, the man behind "Mr. Bojangles," died Friday after a battle with throat cancer. He was 78. "He was at home until an hour before his passing," his wife of 46 years, Susan Walker, said "He went very peacefully, which we were extremely grateful for." Born Ronald Clyde Crosby in New York in 1942, Walker cut his teeth in the folk music scene of Greenwich Village in the '60s. Walker wrote the song "Mr. Bojangles,"
Brian Coll. November 7th. 2020
Brian Coll died from a heart attack at his home in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on Saturday. He was 79. He had been diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year. Coll made his name as a solo singer and as the frontman of such well-known Irish showbands as the Plattermen and the Buckaroos. Broadcaster and Passionist priest Fr Brian D'Arcy said he was "heartbroken" to learn of his death, describing him as "a lifelong friend and world class country singer"". He and Pio are together again," he tweeted, a reference to Mr Coll's friend and former band member Pio McCann, also from Co Tyrone, who died last month.
Dale Haze. November 21st. 2020
Dale Haze (real name Gerdie Mackey) died suddenly on November 21st 2020. He was buried in his native Kilmacthomas Co Waterford.
Hal Ketchum. November 23rd. 2020
Hal Ketchum, a onetime carpenter who became a leading country singer in the 1990s, with several Top 10 hits, including “Small Town Saturday Night,” died at his home in Comal County, Tex. He was 67. He had complications from dementia, his wife, Andrea Ketchum, announced on social media. Hal Ketchum honed his musical style in Texas, where moved in the early 1980s to work as a carpenter and cabinet maker.
Charlie Pride. December 12th. 2020
The death has been announced of Charley Pride, the pioneering African-American country singer. Pride, who was 86, died from Covid-19-related complications in Dallas, Texas.
Mississippi-born Pride recorded over 40 studio albums, with his most-recent album, Music in My Heart, released in 2017. During his career, he achieved 29 Number One songs on the Billboard Country charts in the US.
Barbara Windsor. 10th. December 2020
Barbara Windsor, best known for her roles in EastEnders and the Carry On films, has died aged 83. One of Britain's most beloved entertainment stars, Ms Windsor first found fame in her role in the Carry On films and later became a household name playing Peggy Mitchell, the Queen Vic's landlady in BBC soap EastEnders. Her husband Scott Mitchell confirmed in a statement that she had died peacefully at a London care home at 8:35pm on Thursday, December 10th.. Ms Windsor was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2014 and made the news public in 2018. She had moved to a care home earlier in the year.
Chuck Owens. December 19th. 2020
The world of country music is united in grief following news of the death of the legendary Chuck Owens. Chuck (John) Owens, Rathcronan, Granard, Longford, died peacefully at home on Saturday, December 19, and many of the leading lights in the country music industry have been paying tribute to what can only be described as one of Irelands greatest Country Artists.
Liam Reilly January 1st. 2021
Liam Reilly, the lead singer of Irish band Bagatelle, has died aged 65. The family of the pianist, singer and songwriter confirmed his passing in a statement. "With sad hearts, the family of Liam Reilly, musician, songwriter and frontman of Bagatelle, wish to confirm that he passed away suddenly but peacefully at his home on January 1st 2021"
Gerry Marsden. January 3rd. 2021
Legendary musician Gerry Marsden, of Gerry and the Pacemakers fame, has sadly died at the age of 78. The Liverpudlian star battled a short illness before his death. Gerry underwent a triple bypass heart surgery in 2003, before having a second heart operation in 2016, and ultimately had a pacemaker of his own fitted. Asked last year whether he found it ironic that his band was called The Pacemakers, Gerry replied: 'No. I’m wearing one, for Christ’s sake!'
William Edwin Bruce. January 8, 2021
Ed Bruce was an American country music songwriter, singer and actor. He was known for writing the 1975 song "Mamas Don't let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" and recording the 1982 country number one hit "You're the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had". He also co-starred in the television series Bret Maverick with James Garner during the 1981-82 season.
Paul Byrnes of Ahascragh. January 8th. 2021
It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Paul. Paul was a fantastic singer and entertainer. In the 1980's we did many weddings together and even later he asked me to become part of a band that he was forming but as I was already committed to a band that I was playing with at the time I had to pass on his offer. Rest easy Paul.
Shay Healy. April 9th 2021
Former RTE broadcaster Shay Healy has died at the age of 78. He is best known for his role as host of Nighthawks, a RTÉ Television chat show of the late 1980s and early 1990s. And for composing "What's Another Year", Ireland's winning entry in the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease in 2004 but had continued performing despite the disease. Comedian Pat Shortt led tributes this morning, tweeting: "Very sad to hear of the passing of Shay Healy an immense talent and a gentleman. Rest in peace Shay.
Derek Kennedy. April 11th. 2021
We are saddened to hear of the passing of a great Showband artist, Derek Kennedy, from Athenry. A member of The Swingtime Aces Showband for many years, Derek continued to be part of the Galway music scene all of his life. He was and will remain an icon for music in Athenry.
Jim Steinman. April 19th. 2021
James Richard Steinman was an American composer, lyricist, record producer, and playwright. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, musical theater, and film score genres. He died of kidney failure aged 73, made a spectacular career of being bigger and more bombastic than the rest, and his achievement in masterminding Meat Loaf's album Bat Out of Hell will guarantee his immortality. Bat ... has sold more than 50m copies since its 1977 release. He worked with artists like Meat Loaf, Celine Dion, Bonnie Tyler and many, many more
Les McKeown. April 20th. 2021
Les McKeown, best known as the singer for Scotland's Bay City Rollers, died April 20 of unspecified causes. He was 65. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of our beloved husband and father Leslie Richard McKeown," wrote wife Peko Keiko and son Jubei McKeown on the singer's Facebook account. No cause of death was revealed.
Mick McManus. May 3rd. 2021
Better known as the dancing fiddler, Mick McManus has passed away at the age of 74. He played with such show bands as The Cotton Mill Boys, The Hoot'nanny Show band and in later years in the late 1980's played for a time in The John Hogan Band. Mick battled with alcohol for many years. He was a gifted fiddle player in his day but as is so often the case in our music industry, the dreaded alcohol was not kind to Mick.
Mike Tuttle. July 24th. 2021
A truly great instrumentalist, Mike played keyboards, Guitar, Bass, Trumpet, Whistle. We both worked in Digital Equipment Corporation for twenty years. Mike was one of life's true gentlemen. Mike played with several bands over the years and also dedicated his time to the Tuam Town Brass Band. he will be sadly missed by all who knew him and were his colleagues both in music and life. Mike, Rest easy in the quiet earth of Tuam.
Tom T Hall. Aug 20th. 2021
Tom T Hall was born in Olive Hill, Kentucky, United States on May 25, 1936. big songwriting break came in 1963, when country singer Jimmy C. Newman recorded his song "DJ For a Day" In 1964, he moved to Nashville and started to work as a $50-a-week songwriter for Newkeys Music, the publishing company belonging to Newman and his business partner Jimmy Key, writing up to half a dozen country songs per day. Key suggested that he add the middle initial "T" to his name. Hall was nicknamed "The Storyteller", and he composed songs for dozens of country music stars, including Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, and Bobby Bare. He also penned "Hello Vietnam", a song that openly supported the Vietnam War at a time when war protest songs were beginning to dominate the pop music charts. The song proved to be a hit for country singer Johnnie Wright and was later used in the 1987 Vietnam War movie Full Metal Jacket.
Ronnie Kennedy. September 17th. 2021
Tributes have flowed in after the death of a talented local Ballyfermot legend. Country musician Ronnie Kennedy passed away after a long battle with prostate and bone cancer. He played accordion and keyboards with Daniel O’Donnell for many years.
Back on August 12, Daniel O’Donnell took to Facebook to ask his fans to pray for his dear friend Ronnie as he had “health issues”.
The Donegal man got to spend some final moments with his friend of over 30 years before his passing. He said: "We shared some wonderful times together and I have great memories of all the many things we did...Our loss is heavens gain.
Pete St. John. March 12th. 2022
Folk singer-songwriter Pete St John has passed away peacefully at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, with his music leaving an indelible mark on Irish culture. The traditional musician, born Peter Mooney in 1932, is best known for writing iconic songs such as The 'Fields of Athenry' and 'The Rare Ould Times'. He said his songs were ‘magic carpets’ that could tell stories, and connect people. He originally trained as an electrician. Having worked abroad in Canada and the US he returned to Ireland in the 1970s and began to write songs about how the years had changed his home city of Dublin.
His songs have been recorded by, among others, The Dubliners, Paddy Reilly, Danny Doyle, Johnny McEvoy, Mary Black, Dublin City Ramblers, Brendan Shine, and Daniel O'Donnell. He has also won many awards for his work, namely the IMRO Songwriter of the Year award and the Variety Club of Ireland 'Gold Heart' Award for his outstanding contribution to Irish music and song. Pete St John was predeceased by his wife Susan and is survived by his sons Kieron and Brian Mooney.
Judith Durham. August 5th. 2022
The Australian pop-folk singer Judith Durham - who fronted hit 1960s group The Seekers - has died aged 79, the country's arts minister has said.
Durham, born in 1943 in Melbourne, gained international fame with upbeat hits like Georgy Girl and a series of covers and collaborations with the likes of Paul Simon.
"Once, the best known Australian voice was Judith Durham's," said arts minister Tony Burke.
"With The Seekers and solo Judith earned her place as an icon of our music," he added.
Burke recounted one 1967 gig that was attended by a tenth of Melbourne's entire population at the time. "What a contribution. What a loss." . Aside from Georgy Girl, Durham's soaring range and pseudo-operatic style is perhaps best known from The Carnival is Over, which sold more than one million copies in Britain alone and topped the charts for weeks. At home, The Seekers were still a household name and are well known to younger Australians for the song I am an Australian, which is still the theme song of the country's public broadcaster ABC.
Olivia Newton-John. August 8th. 2022
Dame Olivia Newton-John born 26 September 1948 and passed away on 8 August 2022 was a British-Australian singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and activist. She was a four-time grammy award winner whose music career included five number-one hits and another ten top-ten hits on the Hot 100,and two Billboard 200 number-one albums, If You Love Me, Let Me Know (1974) and Have You Never Been Mellow (1975). Eleven of her singles (including two Platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two Platinum and four 2× Platinum) have been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). With global sales of more than 100 million records, Newton-John is one of the best-selling music artists from the second half of the 20th century to the present.
Loretta Lynn. October 4th. 2022
Loretta Lynn (née Webb; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter. In a career which spanned six decades in country music, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)", "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)", "One's on the Way", "Fist City", and "Coal Miner's Daughter". In 1980, the film Coal Miner's Daughter was made based on her life.
Val Joyce. October 9th. 2022
Former RTÉ broadcaster Val Joyce, who presented a host of popular radio programmes during a long career with the station, has died. A native of Dublin, his radio career began in the 1950s when a number of sponsored programmes were broadcast on Radio Éireann. Among the many programmes he presented over the year, he is possibly most famous for Airs and Races, which ran on Saturday afternoons in the 1980s and featured songs as well as sporting events, including horse racing. Later there was Ireland's Choice with Val Joyce and then, for over 15 years, Late Date. Early in his career his programme included Terry Wogan among the staff, and he also worked with many other well-known broadcasters over the years.