Reggie Young and Billy Joe Walker (courtesy of Reggie Young)
Clark Hagan shared Reggie Young’s post on 7/26/17: My buddy Billy Joe Walker passed away this morning in Texas. He was a dear friend and I played on more sessions with him than anyone else. I am very sad today. Rest In Peace, friend Billy. Clark added: Wow…. I worked with him on my first platinum record – he recorded up at Caribou Ranch. RIP Billy, you had some Great Liks.
Billy Joe Walker Jr. (February 29, 1952 – July 25, 2017) was an American songwriter, record producer and recording artist. He composed singles for Eddie Rabbitt, including the singles “I Wanna Dance with You” and “B-B-B-Burnin’ Up with Love”. Walker produced the first three albums of Bryan White, and produced for Pam Tillis, Collin Raye, and Travis Tritt. He was also a session musician who played guitar. Between 1987 and 1994, Walker recorded seven New Age albums, all for major labels.
Walker died following a period of declining health on July 25, 2017 at the age of 65.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joe_Walker_Jr.
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Legendary Rock Guitarist Erik Cartwright [Foghat] Dead At 66
Very sad news out of the rock n’ roll world as it was reported that former Foghat guitarist Erik Cartwright passed away at the age of 66. Erik joined Foghat in 1981, replacing Rod Price who was a founding member of the band.
Cartwright’s passing was confirmed by his sister, Katchie, via a post on Facebook. The cause of death is unconfirmed as of this moment.
Cartwright performed with Foghat for 15 years. He was left without a gig in the 1990s after the original lineup of Foghat reformed, but kept busy by playing with artists like Pat Travers. He then moved to Nashville, and contributed to artists like AC/DC, The Allman Brothers Band and Johnny Lang throughout the last 20 years of his life.
Please keep Cartwright’s family in your prayers, and while you’re at it, jam out to some Foghat in his memory today. RIP, Erik.
http://societyofrock.com/breaking-legendary-rock-guitarist-dead-at-66/
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Other Notable Musicians’ Deaths… July 2017
25: Billy Joe Walker Jr., 65, American musician, record producer, and songwriter (“I Wanna Dance with You”, “B-B-B-Burnin’ Up with Love”); Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, 46, Australian Indigenous musician.
24: Zoi Fitoussi, 83, Greek actress and singer.
23: Thomas Füri, 70, Swiss violinist (I Salonisti); Amir Fryszer Guttman, 41, Israeli singer, drowned; Abby Nicole, 25, American country singer, UTV collision.
22: Polo Hofer, 72, Swiss musician; Komanduri Krishnamachari, 81, Indian violinist; Ernst Ottensamer, 62, Austrian clarinetist, heart attack; Jan Stulen, 75, Dutch conductor (Residentie Orchestra, Nederlands Dans Theater, Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra); Bobby Taylor, 83, Canadian soul singer (Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers), cancer.
21: Errol Dyers, 65, South African jazz guitarist and composer, emphysema; Geoff Mack, 94, Australian country singer-songwriter (“I’ve Been Everywhere”); Kenny Shields, 69, Canadian singer (Streetheart), complications from heart surgery; Paapa Yankson, 73, Ghanaian highlife musician.
20: Chester Bennington, 41, American singer and songwriter (Linkin Park, Dead by Sunrise, Stone Temple Pilots), suicide by hanging; Wilindoro Cacique, 75, Peruvian Amazonian cumbia musician (Juaneco y Su Combo), pancreatic cancer; Andrea Jürgens, 50, German schlager singer, kidney failure.
19: María Amuchástegui (es), 64, Argentine TV presenter, gym teacher, dancer and singer, lung cancer; Blaoui Houari, 91, Algerian singer; Fenwick Smith, 69, American flutist (Boston Symphony Orchestra); Graham Wood, 45, Australian jazz pianist, bile duct cancer.