Our popular year-end feature Rock & Roll Heaven* unfortunately has greatly expanded this year with the loss of nearly 200 people of the Rock Era, of which most people would recognize their work:
Wayne Jackson (right, with Andrew Love), one-half the great Memphis Horns, died June 22 of congestive heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 74. Some might not instantly recognize his name, but you should, for the sound behind many of your favorite songs is Jackson's trumpet. Jackson started out as a member of the Mar-Keys, the backing band at Stax Records.
While at Stax, Jackson played trumpet for Otis Redding on several albums, and contributed to the classic "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay)".
Jackson played on Dusty Springfield's hit "Son Of A Preacher Man" and provided the sound behind Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" and many other greats at Stax.
They played behind Aretha Franklin on several songs, including her breakthrough #1 classic, "Respect".
Jackson also helped provide the sound behind great songs such as "In The Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett. You can hear Jackson's trumpet prominent in the opening as well as throughout the song.
Jackson was the force behind the great finish of Percy Sledge's classic.
In 1969, Jackson and saxophonist Andrew Love split to form the Memphis Horns. The Horns recorded with Elvis Presley on "Suspicious Minds", and really help "bring the song home".
The Box Tops hired Jackson to play for them on the #2 smash "Cry Like A Baby". Once again, Jackson's trumpet helps finish the song.
The Horns also backed Neil Diamond on "Sweet Caroline" in 1969. Jackson's trumpet shines through much of the song, but you'll really recognize it on the "Bah, Bah, Bah".
They played for James Taylor, Billy Joel, the Doobie Brothers, on Al Green's Let's Stay Together album, Neil Young, U2 ("Angel Of Harlem", Peter Gabriel ("Sledgehammer"), Collective Soul and Bonnie Raitt, just to name a few, and toured with numerous acts, including Rod Stewart, the Doobie Brothers, Joe Cocker and Jimmy Buffett.
Jackson also played horns for Steve Winwood's album Roll With It, getting the nod to introduce the song and playing in key parts of the smash #1 title song. We could devote an entire day playing music that features Jackson on trumpet. What a legacy to leave! By Jackson's own count, he played on 52 #1 songs, 116 Top 10 songs, 83 Gold and Platinum-selling albums, and 15 Grammy-winning records. Jackson and Love were recognized at the Grammy Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Inside The Rock Era salutes those who have passed in 2016 as we continue our Rock & Roll Heaven* tribute:
Sonny James died February 22 at the age of 87 in Nashville, Tennessee.
James enjoyed his biggest hit in 1957 with the #1 "Young Love".
Joan Marie Johnson, one of the founding members of the Dixie Cups, died October 3, according to Barbara Ann Hawkins, another member of the group and a cousin to Johnson.
Johnson (right in photo) passed away of congestive heart failure in New Orleans, Louisiana at the age of 72.
The Dixie Cups had five career hits, but none bigger than their first, the great song "Chapel Of Love". It soared to #1 in 1964 and stayed there three weeks.
Terry Johnson, drummer with the Mar-Keys, the famous session band for Stax Records who scored the huge hit "Last Night", died March 19 at age 72.
"Last Night" is one of The Top 100 Instrumentals of the Rock Era*.
Marshall Jones, co-founder, bassist and percussionist of the Ohio Players, died of cancer May 27 at the age of 75.
The Players were one of the leading exponents of Funk at the time, and reached #1 with "Love Rollercoaster" in 1975.
Kitty Kallen died January 7 in Cuernavaca, Mexico at age 94.
Kallen is best known for her #1 smash "Little Things Mean A Lot" just prior to the beginning of the Rock Era. Her biggest hit after 1955 was "My Coloring Book" in 1963.
Rock & Roll Heaven* continues on Inside The Rock Era with our look at fallen stars of 2016. One of our most painful losses was one of the leaders of Jefferson Airplane/Starship:
Paul Kantner, guitarist and co-founder of Jefferson Airplane, died of multiple organ failure January 28 in San Francisco, California at the age of 74. Kantner had suffered several health problems in recent years, including a heart attack in March of 2015 and another the week before he died.
Kantner and Jefferson Airplane were known for the psychedelic hits "White Rabbitt" and "Somebody To Love".
San Francisco of course now is widely recognized as a major contributor to the Rock Era, but Jefferson Airplane became the first act from the City by the Bay to achieve major international success. The Airplane performed at all three of the most famous American rock festivals--the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and Woodstock and the notorious Altamont show in 1969, and also headlined the first Isle of Wight Festival in 1968. The group's Surrealistic Pillow album in 1967 represents one of the key recordings in the Summer of Love (1967). When the group broke up, Kantner, vocalist Grace Slick, David Freiberg (vocals, keyboards and bass), drummer John Barbata and fiddler Papa John Creach, all members of the Airplane, started the group Jefferson Starship in 1974, along with guitarist Craig Chaquico and Pete Sears, who played bass and keyboards. Vocalist Marty Balin, also a key part of Jefferson Airplane, joined Starship while the group was still working on their debut album, Dragon Fly. Kantner was with Jefferson Starship for over five decades, often times being the only original member of Jefferson Airplane in the group.
Dragon Fly failed to get the group major attention, but Red Octopus in 1975 represented the new lineup's breakthrough, containing the great song "Miracles", which went to #3.
The group released another fine album in 1978, Earth. The single "Count On Me" led the way, going to #8. But Slick and Balin both left the group, leaving Kantner looking for a new lead singer. He found him in Mickey Thomas, who had sang lead for Elvin Bishop on the song "Fooled Around And Fell In Love". When Barbata was seriously injured in a car accident, he had to be replaced as well, and the group chose Aynsley Dunbar, who had previously drummed for Journey.
The new lineup utilized a harder sound to their music than before, releasing the album Freedom at Point Zero. The lead single was the great song "Jane", which stalled at #14.
Starship fans also know another great song on the album, unreleased as a single--"Rock Music". Both songs are also among The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*. Slick rejoined the group for the album Modern Times, which yielded the minor hit "Find Your Way Back". But after the next album, Nuclear Furniture, Kantner left the band because of disputes over the group's direction. Kantner took legal action to keep the remaining members from using the name Jefferson Starship, so they called themselves simply Starship, and had big success with "We Built This City", "Sara", "Nothing's Gonna' Stop Us Now" and "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over). In 1992, Kantner later reformed Jefferson Starship, which over the last 24 years has included most of the original members of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship at one time or another. The group was still intact at the time of Kantner's death. Rest in peace, Paul, and thanks for providing great music in our lifetimes!
Wayne Jackson (right, with Andrew Love), one-half the great Memphis Horns, died June 22 of congestive heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 74. Some might not instantly recognize his name, but you should, for the sound behind many of your favorite songs is Jackson's trumpet. 
