I’ve never been a jazz-funk fan and the vibraphone would be very low on my list of favourite instruments, ranking alongside the flute and just above the ukelele. But I’d have to make an exception for Roy Ayers.

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William Bell was one of the architects of Stax/Volt soul. His debut single in 1961 helped define the classic country-soul sound of Memphis when he struck gold with his debut single.

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Gene Allison was the accidental star who became a one-hit wonder in 1957 with his gospel-tinged debut single You Can Make It If You Try.

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He looked like Elvis, he sounded like Elvis, and that was Ral Donner’s golden ticket to pop stardom – for a brief period in 1961.

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Garbage burst out of nowhere in 1995 with Supervixen – the powerful opening tune on the self-titled album that introduced us to the band formed by Nirvana producer Butch Vig and led by Shirley Manson.

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I was too young to see the New York Dolls in their heyday, though I saw Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers on numerous occasions. The closest I got to David Johansen in those early days was that historically fabulous OGWT in 1973.

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The Flirtations are one of those bands who left their native USA to find success in the UK… and then became even bigger back in America.

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My latest playlist is one of my most eclectic yet. It begins with one of the all-time pop classics (Ronettes) and ends with an aptly valedictory elegy for one of those we lost in February (Bill Fay).

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In a month when we lost some big names in music – Marianne Faithfull, Roberta Flack, Rick Buckler of The Jam – the death of Bill Fay may have passed without much attention.

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Whenever Van Morrison puts out a new tune there’s always the worry that time will have finally caught up with the auld fella. But this is lovely.

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