Coffee BreakCoffee Break: In Memoriam - part 2Anna Weggel and Jill Riley • Dec 18, 2020Round 2 -- for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what artists would you like to hear that we lost in 2020?
Coffee BreakCoffee Break: In Memoriam - part 1Anna Weggel and Jill Riley • Dec 17, 2020For today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what artists would you like to hear that we lost in 2020?
In Memoriam2020 Remembered Dec 17, 2020On Saturday, Dec. 19, The Current will honor the artists we've lost in 2020. We'll celebrate the life, music, and legacy of Little Richard, Eddie Van Halen, John Prine, Lexii Alijai, Bill Withers, Betty Wright, Justin Townes Earle and many more.
The Current Music NewsMusic News: Musicians lost to COVID-19Jay Gabler • Jul 23, 2020As the coronavirus crisis continues, we look at some of the sadly many musicians - from world-famous to quietly impactful - we've lost to COVID-19.
DuluthIn memoriam: Music greats we lost in 2019Jay Gabler • Dec 27, 2019The end of a year is a time to celebrate the best new music that hit our ears in the past 12 months — and also to remember the remarkable lives and storied careers of people on the music scene who passed on. For the Honey Do list this Saturday, Dec. 28 on The Current,…
Local Current BlogWee Willie Walker, Minnesota soul legend, dies at 77Jay Gabler • Nov 19, 2019Wee Willie Walker, one of the earliest and greatest soul singers to emerge from the Twin Cities scene, has died at age 77. Walker’s wife Judy confirmed the sad news in an e-mail; a cause of death was not immediately available. Update 12/22: Judy Walker has announced that a celebration of Willie Walker’s life will…
Local Current BlogEd Ackerson, pillar of the Minnesota music scene, dies of cancerJay Gabler • Oct 5, 2019Ed Ackerson, the prolific and iconoclastic rocker whose Flowers Studio was a go-to hub for generations of Minnesota artists, died yesterday after being diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. His wife, Ashley Ackerson, wrote, “He was peaceful and at home with his family and friends. He left this world smiling.” She continued, “Ed never looked…
Local Current BlogTrevor Engelbrektson of Southside Desire dies, with U.K. band Her’s, in Arizona highway crashJay Gabler • Mar 29, 2019On Thursday, the Minnesota music community reeled from the news that a beloved Twin Cities musician and sound professional died in a tragic highway crash in Arizona. Trevor Engelbrektson, who played bass in Southside Desire and ran sound at numerous Twin Cities venues, was traveling with the Liverpool-based duo Her’s as their tour manager. Around…
Local Current BlogMinnesota musicians pay tribute to the late great Willie MurphyKayla Song • Jan 16, 2019Though the Twin Cities lost the local R&B legend Willie Murphy earlier this week, he is far from forgotten. From fans and fellow Minnesotan musicians alike, here are just a few of the tributes to the “godfather” of the Minneapolis music scene that have spread on social media since the musician’s death. Willie also told…
Local Current BlogPaying tribute to the late Maurice McKinnies, star of the 1960s Minneapolis R&B sceneAndrea Swensson • Jun 27, 2018Anyone who had the opportunity to see Maurice McKinnies perform back in the 1960s seems to get the same starry-eyed look in their eyes when they remember back to seeing him live. “Maurice was the one,” Wanda Davis told me once, reflecting on her days singing back-up vocals in his band. “As they say, he’s…