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Nashville songwriter and musician Abe Stoklasa, known for writing songs for Tim McGraw, Charlie Worsham, Chris Lane and trio Lady A, has died at age 38, Billboard has confirmed. He passed away on Nov. 17 of undisclosed causes.

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The Princeton, Missouri, native found his passion for music early, playing in his father’s band by the age of six.

“I have always been a musician,” Stoklasa previously told The Shotgun Seat of his musically formative years. “My dad had a little ransom style show in the midwest — we did like 70 shows a year — so from two years old I was singing on the stage. At like six years old my dad threw me in the band as the keyboard player, sink or swim. So that’s how I learned to play music.” 

He grew up immersed in the music his father loved — music from 1950s through 1970s — soaking in the influence of Elvis, Merle Haggard, The Beatles and James Taylor.

Stoklasa’s family moved to Tennessee when he was a teen, and he soon enrolled at Nashville’s Belmont University. After graduation, he joined David Nail’s road band as a steel guitar player. He briefly spent time pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music in Coral Gables, Florida — though soon, his passion for doing music, not just studying it, drew him back on the road. He joined Billy Currington’s band for three years, including a stint opening for Kenny Chesney’s 2011 Goin’ Coastal stadium tour.

In 2013, Stoklasa decided to leave the road to focus on songwriting. His writing talents would catch the ears of Nashville mainstays such as Mike Reid (a writer on Ronnie Milsap’s “Stranger in My House”) and Mark D. Sanders (Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance,” Reba McEntire’s “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter”).

Stoklasa was a writer on Chris Lane’s 2016 No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Fix” and crafted songs recorded by Tim McGraw (“Portland, Maine”), David Nail (“Lie With Me”), Billy Currington (“Give It To Me Straight”), Charlie Worsham (“Call You Up,” “The Beginning of Things”), Scotty McCreery (“Here and Ready”), Blake Shelton (“A Girl”) and Lady A (“Ocean”).

Stoklasa told Music Row in 2016, “For a long time, ‘Beginning of Things’ was my favorite song that I was very proud of. I wrote it with Donovan Woods and Charlie Worsham just cut it. It’s so songwriter-y, in that there are two or three levels and meanings to the lyrics that you will not get on one or two listens, which is a fun puzzle to put together. The whole story is made up with some influences in real life, but it was just an exercise in a certain way to be Shakespearean in a way. But I would feel confident handing that to Paul Simon, and I wouldn’t do that with any of my other songs.”

At the time, Stoklasa also expressed his gratitude for artists including Currington, Nail and Kelley working with him, saying, “Billy Currington, he was the first person to care about my songwriting. David Nail is a good friend, we don’t even have to talk about music. We both experienced a lot of firsts together on a tour bus. Charles Kelley has always been like a brother to me. He’s an amazing writer. We’ve written songs other people have cut… and he likes to cut my songs!”

Stoklasa contributed heavily to Lady A member Charles Kelley’s 2016 solo album, The Driver, including “Leaving Nashville,” “Your Love,” “Dancing Around It” and the Grammy-nominated title track, which also featured vocals from Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay.

“Abe was otherworldly,” Kelley said in a tribute posted on his Instagram page. “I always knew his mind moved at a pace I could never comprehend. He was confidence and self doubt all wrapped in one. He frustrated me and inspired me all at the same time. He was a true enigma in every sense of the word, but aren’t the most talented musicians and artists that way? He was a musician’s musician and carried one of the most authentic voices in this town. I’ll never listen to the songs we shared together the same or forget the moments we had onstage and on the late night bus rides. Nashville will never see another Abe Stoklasa. I’ll miss you my soft spoken friend.”

Nail said of Stoklasa in an Instagram post, “He was beyond unique, and beyond talented. He was a true genius. That word gets tossed around a lot these days, but he was the definition! In the early years of me touring, many of you will remember we had a steel guitar player. That was Abe. He could make it sound like anything you needed. He was brilliant. We weren’t meant to be on the road together, and once he left The Well Ravens, we got closer than ever before. I was so proud when he got off the road for good, to focus on songwriting, something that he was a natural at. He immediately became a hit in the songwriting community. His voice? Oh, he sang like a 50 year old. Soulful, and weathered beyond anything I’d ever heard from a 25 year old young man.”

Worsham also offered up heartfelt memories of his friendship with Stoklasa, saying in a social media video, “I first met Abe Stoklasa through Derek Wells, when I was putting a band together to play the Ernest Tubb Record Shop Midnight Jamboree. He was wickedly hilarious and wickedly talented. I’d never met anyone who could play steel guitar and saxohone really well, and who loved Vince Gill and Aretha Franklin with equal depth … he was so principled and so kind and caring.” Worsham recalled that the last time they wrote together, they penned a song inspired by the television series The Golden Girls, called “Dorothy and Rose.” “It was probably the best song I wrote in six months,” Worsham said, “’cause that’s just how good Abe was … I loved him dearly, as we all did, who knew him.”

Heath, the bassist of legendary Japanese rock band X Japan, died on Oct. 29 after a battle with colorectal cancer. He was 55 years old.
The news of his death was announced in a statement issued by the band on Friday (Nov. 19). “His cancer was found during an examination in June of this year. Despite his efforts to battle the disease, his condition declined suddenly in October, and he took his last breath in the hospital,” the statement reads. Additionally, the band notes that Heath’s funeral will be private and attended by immediate family members only, and that his family asks for any visits, donations or flowers to be withheld.

Heath played bass for X Japan from 1992 up until the band’s split in 1997, and reunited with the group in 2007. He was with the group through the releases of albums like 1993’s Art of Life and 1996’s Dahlia. In 2018, the group performed at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

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X Japan’s frontman Yoshiki Hayashi also shared a personal statement of mourning to his Instagram page, writing, “He was such a wonderful bass player, a band member, and a wonderful human being.

“Heath and I got closer than ever over this past year,” he continued. “On my birthday last year, he appeared as a guest on my program, and we talked endlessly afterwards in my dressing room. There was also a time after that when we talked on the phone for hours until daybreak. This summer, on August 20th, Heath performed as a guest at my dinner show. How could I have known that that would be my last performance with him? I couldn’t help make Heath’s wishes come true, and for that I feel fully responsible. I apologized to him when I bid farewell.”

Yoshiki’s statement continues, “Speaking as Yoshiki personally, I am so mentally and physically drained, so drenched in sorrow, that I don’t know what to say right now. I feel that if I stop now, I won’t be able to go any further, so I’m immersing myself in my busy schedule. But as the leader of the band, there are still some things that I must do. Heath’s family conveyed his words to me: ‘Don’t be sad,’ he said. ‘Cheer up, and say goodbye to me with a smile.’ Heath also requested that I, Yoshiki, be in charge of his memorial concert. I will discuss this further with his family to make sure that that is accomplished. There are also several things I need to fight for in order to make that happen.”

He concluded, “My story with Heath keeps going on and on. I wish I knew how to express the depth of my feelings here, but first I need to learn how to live with this profound loss. I will have more to say in the future. Thank you for everything, Heath. And may you rest in peace. I hope that someday we can play music together again.”

Read Yoshiki’s full statement here.

Puerto Rican artist Alexio “La Bruja,” who also went by Alexio “La Bestia,” has lost to his battle with breast cancer at the age of 34, and was pronounced dead on Tuesday (Nov. 14). Daddy Yankee, Farruko, Arcángel and more stars of the reggaetón scene expressed their grief in social media posts. The artist, known for hits such as “Tumba la Casa,” was diagnosed in 2017.
The news of Alexio’s deteriorating health surfaced on Sunday (Nov. 12) when fellow Puerto Rican stars reached out for support via social media, appealing for blood, platelet and plasma donors. The urgency of the request hinted at the severity of his condition. He was hospitalized in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

Arcángel pleaded on Instagram at the time: “My brother from another mother is fighting like a warrior for his life!!!!! We URGENTLY need platelet donors! If you have nothing to do and you want to SAVE the life of an excellent human being who has given you moments of joy and joy as an artist then we NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER! I’m rooting for you my bro, I know you can. I’m in MEXICO, but right now I’m going to 🇵🇷 RESIST. I want to see you again.”

Producer Pepe Quintana confirmed the news of Alexio’s death on social media. On Tuesday (Nov. 15), Quintana wrote: “My brother we did not expect this. This caught us by surprise. Although we knew your condition, your attitude of a WARRIOR camouflaged that pain that you carried day by day … as I told you when I saw you, I LOVE YOU BROTHER. You fulfilled your dream of being an artist […] Rest in peace my brother.”

Born Víctor A. Riverain on Dec. 11, 1988, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Alexio rose to fame in 2015 with songs including “Tumba la Casa” and “Tarara.” Throughout his career, he collaborated with prominent artists of the música urbana scene such as Daddy Yankee, Nicky Jam, Zion, Ozuna, Farruko, De La Ghetto, Ñengo Flow and others.

Daddy Yankee shared a heartfelt message on Instagram. “Brother, thank you for your friendship. The silent legacy you left in me will last a lifetime. Because every time we talked, without realizing it, it was you who healed me with your testimony and courage,” he captioned his post. “The way you fought, seeing you with a smile until the end there in the hospital, taught me a lot about how to face the trials we go through in this life. You never complained, I saw you with the best attitude, always in DRIVE no matter what! That’s what I take from you.”

Farruko posted on IG, “😔🥲fly high, goldo 🕊️ I don’t even know what to say I don’t have words only. God knows I thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your friend and for allowing me to be part of your dreams. I will always remember you. You were a warrior until the end legend.”

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DJ Luian wrote: “THANK YOU for being that friend who fights for you, wherever you are not, THANK YOU for ALWAYS unconditionally being with me, you were that friend who was with me in a hospital, in a cemetery saying goodbye to a family member, but also that friend with whom I traveled, drank, fucked around with and enjoyed a dream together. I LOVE YOU gordo!”

Puerto Rican YouTube channel Molusco TV also created an episode to honor Alexio’s legacy.

In a 2017 interview, the year he was diagnosed with the disease, Alexio said, “My biggest fear is to leave the world without finishing all the goals I have, to leave my family without my presence, without my protection.”

Despite his battle with cancer, Alexio “La Bruja” remained active in music. In July, he released his full-length debut album, El Origen.

C-Knight, a founding member of Long Beach G-funk rap crew Dove Shack, has died at age 52. The news was confirmed by TMZ on Tuesday (Nov. 7), when a member of the rapper’s family reportedly told the gossip site that the MC born Arnez Blount had died that day after being taken off life support […]

Aaron Spears, who worked as a drummer for Usher, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and countless other music stars, has died at age 47, his family announced Monday (Oct. 30).
The drummer was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Usher’s 2004 album Confessions and had just turned 47 last week.

“It is with a heavy heart and overwhelming sadness that I share the news of the passing of my beloved husband, Aaron Spears,” Spears’ wife, Jessica, said in an Instagram post. “Aaron was not only an incredibly accomplished drummer, admired by many for his unparalleled talent and passion for music, but he was also a devoted father to our precious son, August. His love, guidance, and warmth were the pillars of our family, and his absence leaves a void that words cannot describe. We were blessed to have him in our lives, and his legacy will live on through the beautiful rhythms he created and the love he shared with us. We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Please remember Aaron for the incredible person he was and the amazing music he brought into our world. At this time we ask for privacy as we work our way through this.”

The many artists who worked with Spears shared an outpouring of condolences to social media.

Along with a photo of Spears, Grande shared this message to her IG Story: “I can’t wrap my head around this. We were all so incredibly lucky to know Aaron. The absolute brightest light of a human being. Always the kindest, always smiling. I am so honored and thankful that our paths crossed and to have spent so much very special time together. Thank you for your utter brilliance, for our laughs, and for your kindness always. I will miss your hugs. You are so, so loved and will be so very missed.”

“It’s been a painful season for all of us,” Justin Bieber wrote in an Instagram post, adding in his Story: “We lost a beautiful man and inspiration to all of us drummers. @aspears prayers for your family and loved ones you will be remembered and celebrated.”

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker commented on Jessica’s post, “I have no words. I love you so much my brother and will miss you. This doesn’t seem real. Praying for you Jessica and August.”

The Roots’ Questlove shared a video of Spears drumming along with a heartfelt message about his fellow drummer on Instagram. “The world lost a legend today. Husband, father, producers music director, leader drumgod & just a Cotdamn BEAST in Aaron Spears. You’ve seen Aaron drum prolly 5-10 times in your life if you attend concerts & sometimes without knowing. That’s how much in demand his services were. … Condolences to his wife, family, community and all who loved him and were given joy through his musical contributions. This is devastating … rest in melody brother.”

See Jessica’s announcement below:

Matthew Perry, who starred as sarcastic but sweet Chandler Bing in the hit series Friends, has died. He was 54.
The Emmy-nominated actor was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home Saturday (Oct. 28), according to the Los Angeles Times and TMZ, which was the first to report the news. Both outlets cited unnamed sources confirming Perry’s death.

His publicists and other representatives did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Asked to confirm police response to what was listed as Perry’s home address, LAPD Officer Drake Madison told the Associated Press that officers had gone to that block “for a death investigation of a male in his 50s.”

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Perry’s 10 seasons on Friends made him one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer as a friend group in New York City.

As Chandler, he played the quick-witted, insecure and neurotic roommate of LeBlanc’s Joey and a close friend of Schwimmer’s Ross. By the series’ end, Chandler is married to Cox’s Monica and they have a family, reflecting the journey of the core cast from single New Yorkers to married and starting families.

The series was one of television’s biggest hits and has taken on a new life — and found surprising popularity with younger fans — in recent years on streaming services.

Friends ran from 1994 until 2004, and the cast notably banded together for later seasons to obtain a salary of $1 million per episode for each.

Unknown at the time was the struggle Perry had with addiction and an intense desire to please audiences.

“Friends was huge. I couldn’t jeopardize that. I loved the script. I loved my co-actors … I loved everything about the show but I was struggling with my addictions which only added to my sense of shame,” he wrote in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. “I had a secret and no one could know.”

“I felt like I was gonna die if the live audience didn’t laugh, and that’s not healthy for sure. But I could sometimes say a line and the audience wouldn’t laugh and I would sweat and sometimes go into convulsions,” Perry wrote. “If I didn’t get the laugh I was supposed to get I would freak out. I felt that every single night. This pressure left me in a bad place. I also knew of the six people making that show, only one of them was sick.”

An HBO Max reunion special in 2021 was hosted by James Corden and fed into huge interest in seeing the cast together again, although the program consisted of the actors discussing the show and was not a continuation of their characters’ storylines.

Perry received one Emmy nomination for his Friends role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on The West Wing.

Perry also had several notable film roles, starring opposite Salma Hayek in the rom-com Fools Rush In and Bruce Willis in the the crime comedy The Whole Nine Yards.

Dusty Street, a pioneering DJ who is best known for her time working at Los Angeles-based alternative rock station KROQ-FM and later at SiriuxXM, died Saturday in Eugene, Ore. She was 77.

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Her friend Geno Michellini, who worked for many years at L.A.-based station KLOS-FM, shared the news on Facebook.

“I have been in Eugene the last two days at Dusty Street’s bedside,” Michellini posted Saturday. “The numerous afflictions that she has been so indomitably fighting these last years finally caught up to her. I am writing with a broken heart to say that Dusty left us tonight. She died peacefully, quietly and surrounded by love in a beautifully serene location overlooking the most beautiful lake you could ever want. As befitting the queen that she was. Tonight I lost one of the best friends I ever had and the world lost a radio and music legend … . She was all that and so much more. There will never be another Dusty Street. The queen is gone, but she’ll never be forgotten.”

Street most recently worked at SiriusXM for more than 20 years as host of the shows Deep Tracks and Classic Vinyl.

“We have lost one of our own,” SiriuxXM posted on Facebook. “Dusty Street has passed away after 77 joyous trips around the sun. And yes, Dusty Street was her real name. Dusty was one of the first female rock jocks on the west coast working at KMPX and KSAN in San Francisco from 1967 through 1978 before heading to Los Angeles where she held court in the evenings from 1979 through 1996 on KROQ. … We are heartbroken.”

Street was known for being outspoken, opposing the Parents Music Resource Center for attempting to apply a ratings system to rock music. She once said she was let go from KROQ for being a “renegade” as the station was implementing “tighter and tighter” control over the programming.

In 2015, she was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. Earlier this year, she took part in the Epix documentary San Francisco Sounds: A Place In Time, which spotlighted recording artists from the Bay Area that were popular between 1966 and 1976, including Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, Tower of Power, and the Doobie Brothers, Jefferson Airplane and Janis Joplin.

Street once commented that people often asked her if her name was real, and that people were surprised to hear it wasn’t a stage name.. “My father’s name was Emerson Street. We used to live on Emerson Street on Palo Alto, which was pretty funny. Emerson Street on Emerson Street,” she said.

This article originally appeared in THR.com.

The 45 King, a hip-hop producer well known for his work on hits such as Eminem’s “Stan,” Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” and producing Queen Latifah’s breakout album, All Hail the Queen, has died at 62, his rep confirmed to Variety and Rolling Stone on Thursday (Oct. 19).
Born Mark Howard James, the producer’s career kicked off from his Bronx, N.Y., hometown in the mid-1980s with the arrival of the hip-hop scene. He started off as a DJ, and his stage name came from his unique ability to cut samples and spin tracks out of obscure 45 RPM records. His began to take off in 1987 with the arrival of his signature track, “The 900 Number” — the song featured a sax solo from the 1968 tune “Unwind Yourself” by Marva Whitney. The track prompted his signing to Tuff City Records.  

The 45 King’s profile within the hip-hop scene rose after producing Latifah’s 1989 debut album, All Hail the Queen, which peaked at No. 6 on Billboard‘s Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums chart and topped out at No. 124 on the Billboard 200.

“It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved Mentor DJ Mark the 45 King!” the rapper said in a statement to Variety. “He believed in me before anyone else. He touched every life he encountered. I’ve never met someone like him; he wanted everyone around him to win. His spirit was magic and will certainly live forever.”

By the ’90s, The 45 King continued his production credits by working with Jay-Z on 1998’s “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” — which sampled the original cast album for Broadway musical Annie — and Eminem’s 2000 hit, “Stan.” The tracks peaked at Nos. 15 and 51 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. The producer also worked with Madonna, Rakim, MC Lyte, Gang Starr, Craig Mack, Salt-N-Pepa and more

Both Jay-Z and Em paid tribute to the producer after news of his death broke. Eminem took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and shared, “Legends are never over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka The 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!!”

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Jay-Z said, “Thank you, Mark. Your instrumentals, namely ‘The 900 Number,’ were more memorable than our whole albums. You gave me a canvas to have a conversation with the world!! You changed my life. Even when the life is short, the art is long!!”

Carla Bley, leader of the free jazz movement, pianist and composer, has died following complications from brain cancer, according to The New York Times. She was 87 years old. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Oakland, Calif., native and five-time Grammy nominee was born Karen Borg, […]

Rudolph Isley, a founding member of the iconic trio The Isley Brothers, died on Wednesday (Oct. 11). He was 84 years old.
The cause of death is currently unknown, but a rep for the singer confirmed the news in a statement to Billboard: “There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother. Our family will miss him. But I know he’s in a better place.”

After years of singing gospel in the church, Rudolph formed The Isley Brothers with his siblings Ronnie, O’Kelly and Vernon in 1954 when he was just a teenager. A year later, the group temporarily disbanded after 13-year-old Vernon was killed after getting hit by a car.

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In 1957, the group rebanded with Ronnie as the lead vocalist, and the trio left their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, for New York City. There, they recorded their first tracks including “Angels Cried” and “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon,” and signed a deal with RCA Records in 1959. They release their first album, Shout!, that same year. The trio added their younger brothers Ernie and Marvin and Rudolph’s brother-in-law Chris Jasper into the band in 1971.

Rudolph left The Isley Brothers in 1989 to pursue becoming a Christian minister. However, he has often reunited with his brothers over the years, including when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, an honor that was presented to them by Little Richard.

On the Billboard charts, The Isley Brothers have had two albums top the all-genre Billboard 200 chart: The Heat Is On in 1975 and Body Kiss in 2003. Over on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the group has six No. 1 hits, including “Fight the Power Part 1,” “Take Me to the Next Phase,” “I Wanna Be With You,” “Don’t Say Goodnight,” “The Pride (Part 1)” and “It’s Your Thing.”