Music industry deaths in 2012

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Music industry deaths in 2012

See which music icons we said farewell to this year.

R&B singer Etta James, whose raw, passionate vocals anchored many hits and made the yearning ballad "At Last" an enduring anthem, died Jan. 20. She was 73.

Don Cornelius, creator of the long-running TV dance show "Soul Train," died Feb. 1 at his home in Los Angeles, police said. He was 75.

Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, died Feb. 11. She was 48.

In this June 4, 1967, file photo, The Monkees, Mike Nesmith (from left), Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz, pose with their Emmy award at the 19th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in California. Jones, who sang lead vocals on songs such as "I Wanna Be Free" and "Daydream Believer," died Feb. 29 in Florida. He was 66.

This undated photo provided by Prime Time Entertainment Inc. shows rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose. Montrose, who formed the band that bore his name and performed with some of rock's heavy-hitters, passed away at his home in Millbrae, Calif., on March 3, his booking agent said. He was 64.

In this April 5, 1965, file photo, actress Debbie Reynolds poses with Academy Award winners for best music Richard M. Sherman (right) and Robert Sherman in Santa Monica, Calif. Songwriter Robert Sherman, who wrote the tongue-twisting "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and other enduring songs for Disney classics, died March 5. He was 86.

Bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs passed away March 28 at a Nashville hospital. He was 88.

In this Feb. 3, 1959, file photo, Dick Clark selects a record in his station library in Philadelphia. Clark, the television host who helped bring rock 'n' roll into the mainstream on "American Bandstand," died April 18 of a heart attack. He was 82.

Musician Levon Helm, who was in the final stages of his battle with cancer, died April 19 in New York. He was 71. He was a key member of The Band and lent his distinctive Southern voice to classics like "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."

In this Feb. 22, 1983, file photo, Men at Work members Greg Ham (left), Ron Strykert, Colin Hay, Jerry Speiser and John Rees pose with their Grammy for best new artist at the awards show in Los Angeles. Ham, a musician with the iconic Australian band, died April 19. He was 58.

In this Sept. 7, 1994, file photo, Beastie Boys members Adam Yauch (left), known as MCA; Adam Horovitz, known as Adrock (foreground right); and Michael Diamond, known as Mike D, rehearse at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Yauch, the rapper who co-founded the seminal hip-hop group, died May 4. He was 47.

Soul rockers Booker T and the MGs members Al Jackson Jr. (left), Booker T. Jones, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Steve Cropper are seen in this January 1970 file photo. Dunn, a bass player and songwriter, died in Tokyo on May 13. He was 70.

Donna Summer, the "queen of disco" who ruled the dance floors with anthems like “Last Dance,” “Love to Love You Baby” and “Bad Girl,” died May 17. She was 63.

In this July 31, 1978, file photo, Robin (left), Barry and Maurice Gibb, members of British pop group the Bee Gees, pose for photographers in Los Angeles. Robin Gibb died May 20. He was 62.

This 1976 file photo shows Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Kitty Wells during the Country Music Association (CMA) awards in Nashville. Wells, the first female superstar of country music, died July 16 at the age of 92. Her recording of "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952 was the first No. 1 hit by a woman soloist on the country music charts. Other hits included "Making Believe" and a version of "I Can't Stop Loving You."

Bill Doss, founding member of Athens band the Olivia Tremor Control, died July 30, the Athens Banner-Herald reported. He was 44.

This file image originally provided by Columbia Artists Management Inc. LLC shows Marvin Hamlisch. Hamlisch, a conductor and award-winning composer best known for the torch song "The Way We Were," died Aug. 6 in Los Angeles. He was 68.

In this Oct. 6, 1967, file photo, Scott McKenzie (center) poses with The Mamas and the Papas in London. McKenzie, a singer and songwriter best known for "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)," died Aug. 18. He was 73.

In this Aug. 5, 1966, photo provided by the Las Vegas News Bureau, Andy Williams performs at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Williams, whose hit recording "Moon River" and years of popular Christmas TV shows brought him fans the world over, died Sept. 25 at his home in Branson, Mo., following a yearlong battle with bladder cancer. He was 84.

In this Aug. 8, 2010, file photo, composer Dave Brubeck plays at his last appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, R.I. Brubeck died in Connecticut on Dec. 5. He would have turned 92 on Dec. 6.

1/21

R&B singer Etta James, whose raw, passionate vocals anchored many hits and made the yearning ballad "At Last" an enduring anthem, died Jan. 20. She was 73.

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