Apologies if this one has been done before and for a depressing subject, but given the recent spate of RIP's who do we think the music and the scene (not to mention their friends and relatives) were most deprived of by an early demise.

Artists, writers, producers - there will be some obvious ones and perhaps some less known.

I'll kick off with an obvious one in Darrell Banks, just imagine what his output could have been.

Apologies if this one has been done before and for a depressing subject, but given the recent spate of RIP's who do we think the music and the scene (not to mention their friends and relatives) were most deprived of by an early demise.

Artists, writers, producers - there will be some obvious ones and perhaps some less known.

I'll kick off with an obvious one in Darrell Banks, just imagine what his output could have been.

Van McCoy, when you look at the number of tunes he wrote and produced in his short life time, makes you wonder his ealry death has made us miss out on.

Also, Geater Davis who was on in his late thirties when he died.

Not an artist that normally gets a lot of coverage on the NS / rare soul scene

Sam cooke,

i think he would have gone on to produce, write & even own his own label to give other artists a chance. From the books ive read & film footage ( interviews) seen he would have pushed black music forward

Not an artist that normally gets a lot of coverage on the NS / rare soul scene

Sam cooke,

i think he would have gone on to produce, write & even own his own label to give other artists a chance. From the books ive read & film footage ( interviews) seen he would have pushed black music forward

It was listening to Sam Cookes "A change is gonna come" that made me think of this - truely wonderful vocalist,and not acknowledge as much as he should be for his song writing.

i think sam cooke, had he lived, would have changed the face of the entire music scene, including soul - he was THAT good a singer. and i'm certain he would have cut some great soul sides that would have fitted the NS scene.

jackie wilson's demise was sad, as was tammi terrell's, but you could argue that JW had already had his best years anyway.

otis redding's 70s output might have been interesting?

Linda Jones

Paul Williams

Sam Cooke

Tammi Tyrell

Without A Doubt Jimmy Radcliffe & Bert Berns.

David Ruffin

shorty long

ricky.

sock it to em shorty.

It would really have been interesting to hear what the likes of Linda Jones, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Darrell Banks, King Curtis, Roy Hamilton and all the others mentioned would have recorded had they not passed away so soon. I think Sam Cooke had already moved into writing, producing and promoting with SAR prior to his death and Otis was involved with the Jotis label. Beverly McKay's another name that's just popped into my head - pretty sure she had a short life too, but a fantastic voice.

Ali