Phil Everly (1939-2013), aged 74 - one half of the Everly Brothers, the most important vocal duo in rock, who had a string of close-harmony hits including "Wake Up Little
Suzie", "Cathy's Clown", "Bye Bye Love", and "All I Have To Do Is Dream", in their heyday between 1957-1962. As influential as Buddy Holly and the other great rockers of the era, their country-influenced rock in turn influenced the Beach Boys, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, The Eagles and others. They also teamed up again in the '80s for successful tours.
Pete Seeger (1919-2013), aged 94 - American folk singer and legend, spanning The Weavers in the 1940s and blacklisted in the mid-1950s at the height of McCarthyism, his great protest songs of the '60s when he was a key figure in the folk revival: "We Shall Overcome" and "Where have all the flowers gone" (which Marlene Dietrich used as a staple in her act), to singing with Bruce Springsteen at President Obama's inauguration in 2009. Another American legend gone.
Simon Hoggart (1946-2013), aged 67 after a long battle against pancreatic cancer. English journalist and broadcaster. He wrote on politics for "The
Guardian", and on wine for "The Spectator". Until 2006 he presented "The
News Quiz" on Radio 4. We liked his witty, satirical columns dissecting the English political classes.



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