Musician deaths 2016

Britain Robert Stigwood

Robert Stigwood (April 16, 1934-Jan. 4, 2016) Stigwood was a multimedia sensation, finding success in so many different realms of the entertainment business. He managed and promoted such acts as the Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, Cream and Mick Jagger; helped stage “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita” and other Broadway smashes; and produced “Grease,” “Saturday Night Fever” and other hit films. RSO (Robert Stigwood Organization) was pretty much an unstoppable force in the ‘70s and early ‘80s. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis)

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David Bowie (Jan. 8, 1947-Jan. 10, 2016) Rock and Roll Hall of Famer David Bowie embraced “ch-ch-ch-ch-changes” like no other artist. Indeed, he didn’t just embrace them – he helped make them happen. He was at or near the epicenter for so many seismic shifts in pop music – and overall pop culture - during his amazing career, which produced such classic songs as “Changes,” “Ziggy Stardust” and “Young Americans.” (Patrick Riviere/Getty Images).

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Mic Gillette (May 7, 1951-Jan. 17, 2016) The Oakland native was talented trumpet and trombone player and founding member of East Bay soul-R&B powerhouse Tower of Power. He’ll also be remembered for his tireless involvement with and support for middle and high school music programs. (Dan Rosenstrauch/Bay Area News Group)

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Glenn Frey (Nov. 6, 1948-Jan. 18, 2016) The Detroit native was a founding member of the top-selling American band of all time, the Eagles, the legendary SoCal act that has moved over 100 million albums to date. You can hear his voice on such Eagles classics as "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "New Kid in Town" as well as on such solo efforts as "Smuggler's Blues" and "The Heat Is On." (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Obit Paul Kantner

Paul Kantner (March 17, 1941-Jan. 28, 2016) The vocalist-guitarist helped define the define the psychedelic “San Francisco Sound” in the ‘60s as a founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, a band responsible for such counter-culture anthems as “Volunteers” and “White Rabbit.” The San Francisco native was also a guiding force in the transformation from Airplane to the more-mainstream Jefferson Starship, which went on to reach platinum heights with the mid-‘70s albums “Red Octopus,” “Spitfire” and “Earth.” (AP Photo/Shawn Baldwin)

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(Back - Center) Signe Toly Anderson (Sept. 15, 1941-Jan. 28, 2016) Anderson was a founding member and original female vocalist for Jefferson Airplane, appearing on the legendary “San Francisco Sound” band’s debut record, 1966’s “Jefferson Airplane Takes Off.” She’d soon quit the band to focus on raising a family, clearing the path for Grace Slick to join.

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Maurice White (Dec. 19, 1941-Feb. 3, 2016) In 1971, this singer-songwriter founded Earth, Wind and Fire, a groundbreaking R&B-soul-pop act that went on to become one of the world’s best-selling bands. EWF’s best-known songs include “September,” “Shining Star,” "Boogie Wonderland" and "After the Love Has Gone." (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Obit Dan Hicks

Dan Hicks (Dec. 9, 1941-Feb. 6, 2016) The Marin County musician was a member of the pioneering psychedelic rock band The Charlatans in the mid-‘60s, then went on to lead his own band – Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks – for decades. The singer-songwriter, who was popular enough in the ‘70s to make the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, incorporated jazz, folk and other styles in his music. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal via AP)

Obit-Vanity

(Left) Vanity (Jan. 4, 1959-Feb. 15, 2016) Denise Matthews (aka Vanity) was a Prince protege and longtime Fremont resident, who was known for fronting the band Vanity 6 in the early '80s as well as for appearing in such films as "The Last Dragon" and "Action Jackson." (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing)

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(Fourth from right) Sir George Martin (Jan. 3, 1926-March 8, 2016) Commonly referred to as the “Fifth Beatle,” Martin was the producer, arranger and – to be blunt – genius mastermind behind the vast majority of the Fab Four’s catalog. The London native was knighted in 1996 in recognition of his contributions to arts and culture. (Chris Ware/Keystone/Getty Images)

Obit Keith Emerson

Keith Emerson (Nov. 2, 1944-March 10, 2016) The supremely talented keyboardist was one third of ELP (Emerson, Lake and Palmer), the English prog-rock supergroup that delivered such popular offerings as 1971’s “Tarkus,” 1972’s “Trilogy” and 1973’s “Brain Salad Surgery.”(Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP, File)

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Frank Sinatra Jr. (Jan. 10, 1944-March 16, 2016) The son of Ol’ Blue Eyes, this singer-songwriter had his own lengthy career in the entertainment business, releasing several albums and appearing in TV shows and films. (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Night Vision)

Obit-Phife Dawg

Phife Dawg (Nov. 20, 1970-March 22, 2016) The acclaimed rapper and lyricist was a member of A Tribe Called Quest, the legendary act that sold millions while popularizing a new brand of socially conscious hip-hop in the ‘90s. The Queens native was a longtime Bay Area resident, who began living in Oakley in the early '90s. (Brian Ach/Invision/AP)

ROAD HISTORY

Merle Haggard (April 6, 1937-April 6, 2016) Haggard will be widely remembered as one of country music's best singer-songwriters, responsible for such classic cuts as "Today I Started Loving You Again," "The Fightin' Side of Me" and "Sing Me Back Home." He was a first-tier country icon -- one of the last of a dying breed -- and deserved to be ranked in the hallowed company of Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and even Hank Williams. He was also in many ways the embodiment of a traditional country singer -- someone whose life was as hard-bitten as the songs he wrote. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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Prince (June 7, 1958-April 21, 2016) He ranks among the most successful artists of all time, having reportedly sold over 100 million records during his Grammy-winning, trendsetting, wonderfully eclectic career. Prince was a towering figure in the ‘80s, on par with Michael Jackson and Madonna, thanks to the unprecedented success of the "Purple Rain" album and film. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)