RAMBLIN ROUND: Straight from their hearts: Artists we lost in 2021

Jan. 1—The year 2021 brought lots of changes to the world of music.

Even as musicians began to return to live performances in concerts and clubs, the year also saw the loss of a number of iconic artists who played their music for decades, thrilling generations of fans. While some were more well-known than others, they all were special in their own unique way.

This year included the loss of musical artists ranging from singers and songwriters, including those who served as the bedrock of their groups, to musicians who gave their special contributions to those sounds so loved by fans.

While we can can mourn their loss, we can also celebrate their lives and what they contributed not only to popular culture, but also how they spoke to our collective hearts by reaching into their own. While this is by no means a complete list of all the great musicians we lost in 2021, it does include some of the most well-known and respected purveyors of the musical arts, as well as a few who played more of a behind-the-scenes role in delivering their contributions.

Here then, are some of the artists we lost in 2021, but who will continue to live on through their music:

—Don Everly — Teaming up with his sibling Phil Everly, The Everly Brothers were there at the Big Bang of Rock 'n' Roll, right along with Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and ... well, you get the idea.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, while many of their fellow rock 'n' rollers emanated from Memphis, New Orleans or other southern cities, the Everly Brothers brought more of a country-influenced sound to their recordings, featuring the sibling harmonies of the duo, along with the huge sounds they wrought from those big acoustic Gibson guitars they used to such great effect. Think of the intro to "Wake Up Little Susie" — The Everly Brothers didn't need any lead guitar or piano licks to kick off that record — just those three chords delivered with powerhouse effect.

While early rock 'n' roll included those smoldering vocals from Elvis, the genius songwriting and hot guitar of Chuck Berry and the pounding piano rhythms of Little Richard and Jerry Lee, it's hard to think of the era without those shimmering vocal harmonies of The Everly Brothers.

I'm talking abut everything from the bouncy "Bye Bye Love" to those immortal ballads such as "Let It Be Me" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream."

They've been cited as major influences by the next big wave of rock 'n' rollers, such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Hollies and Simon & Garfunkel. In his autobiography "Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life," Graham Nash writes at length about how he and Allan Clarke studied The Everly Brothers harmonies long before they ever signed a record deal.

While The Everly Brothers are most closely associated with the late 1950s, they scored their biggest hit at the beginning of the next decade in 1960, when "Cathy's Clown" spent a five week run at #1, selling 8 million copies along the way.

—Charlie Watts — The bedrock and foundation of the Rolling Stones, Watts lay down the groove on all those records that are such an integral part of rock music. He proved so essential to the sound of the Stones, they didn't bother to stick a flashy guitar solo in the middle of one of their biggest hits "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction)."

Nope, on "Satisfaction," it's Watts and his drums alone that provide the instrumental interludes between the song's verses — and it's all that's needed. Never a showboater, Watts proved himself a master time and time again at providing exactly what a song requires. It's tough to realize that Richards and Mick Jagger are now the only two surviving members of the Rolling Stones still with the band. Still, two would sound mighty good where members of the next band are concerned.

—Michael Nesmith — While the "Nez" won fame as a member of The Monkees, he went on to have a thriving career afterwards, ranging from his pioneering work in country rock with both his First National Band, then later, his Second National Band, to his groundbreaking work in video production.

Nesmith's "Joanne" hit #21 in 1970. He also created the first album-length video, with "Elephant Parts," which won him the first Grammy ever issued for long form video. Before joining The Monkees, he'd written the song "Different Drum," the first hit for Linda Rondstadt and The Stone Poneys. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band hit with his song, "Some of Shelly's Blues."

Don't discount his work with The Monkees, ranging from his interpretation of the Michael Murphy-penned "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round" to his own songs, such as "The Girl I Knew Somewhere and "Listen to the Band." Nesmith, a native Texan who grew up in Dallas, is credited with winning freedom for the band members to write their own songs and play their own instruments on the records, but punching a hole in a wall and telling a music industry lawyer "that could have been your face."

He and Micky Dolenz, the only other surviving member of the band following the loss of Davy Jones and Peter Tork, joined forces for a series of tours over the past few years, touring as The Monkees Present: The Mike & Micky Show" playing to enthusiastic and sold-out crowds, giving their last performance together at the Greek Theatre in mid-November, with Nesmith's "Listen to the Band," the next-to-last song he and Dolenz performed together.

—B.J. Thomas —Originally from Hugo, Oklahoma, Thomas first his the charts with his soulful rendition of the Hank Williams classic, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." He then struck gold again with the original version of "Hooked On A Feeling" and mined even more when he recorded "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" — the theme song from the mega-hit movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

Later in his career, Thomas recorded a series of gospel albums, and also continued to record in the country-pop vein. Whatever he recorded, Thomas always brought a touch of soul.

—Dusty Hill — It's hard to think of ZZ Top without the band's longtime bassist and occasional vocalist, but much like the Stones, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Frank Bead keep rolling along.

—Tom T. Hall — One of country music's best songwriters ever, it's hard to imagine a wold without Tom T. Hall. He scored his biggest hits with songs such as "I Love" and "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine" but my favorite is his ode to a local small town guitar virtuoso in "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died."

—Graeme Edge — An original founding member of The Moody Blues, Edge sang and wrote songs. In addition to drumming for the band, Edge did many of spoken word poems on the band's albums, along with writing a few himself. The loss of Edge leaves Justin Hayward and John Lodge as the only two members still performing who were part of the Moody's most famous lineup.

—Mary Wilson — Yes, I know Diana Ross sang lead on all of The Supremes many hits in the 1960s, but Mary Wilson was always my favorite member of the group, even if she was relegated by Motown to the role of a background singer for Ross. She persevered after Ross left the group. That's Wilson singing lead on the 1971 hit "Floy Joy."

—Wanda Young — A singer with another Motown female vocal group, The Marvelettes, she may not have had the name recognition of some of her Motown peers, but she and the other members of the group scored a big hit with "Please Mr. Postman," also recorded in a lively version by the Beatles.

—Gerry Marsden — What Liverpool band was managed by Brian Epstein and produced by George Martin. The Beatles, of course, but Gerry and The Pacemakers were as well, scoring with hits such as "How Do You Do It," "Ferry Cross the Mersey" and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying." Marsden's rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" is the theme song for the Liverpool FC football team — or soccer team, to us in the States.

—Hilton Valentine — Who's the most influential British rock guitarist ever? Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page would all be contenders, but Valentine, the lead guitarist for The Animals, is the one who played the chord progression imitated by a jillion other guitarists on "House of the Rising Sun."

These are just a few of the artists we lost in 2021 — but as we move into 2022, we can continue to celebrate everything they gave to their art, straight from their hearts.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.