R.I.P. San Diego 2017

The grim reaper took its toll on the music world in a major way this year and San Diego was no exception. Here’s a look back at those we lost in 2017.

➢March 22, Bob Bowley (68), drummer with Big Nick and the Gila Monsters, Leroy Zeke, Excess Baggage, Pete Pearson.

➢March 22, Anilee Griffin, (35), booker at Hensley’s Flying Elephant in Carlsbad, Brick by Brick in Bay Park, and owner of the Shakedown in Point Loma.

➢March 27, Arthur Blythe (76), jazz saxophonist.

➢March 30, Rosie Hamlin (71), singer with Rosie & the Originals, writer of oldies classic “Angel Baby” (1961). Name-checked on record by both the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

➢April 15, Allan Holdsworth (70), solo guitarist, also worked with ’70s prog bands Soft Machine, Bruford, U.K., etc.

➢May 6, Jeronimo “Jerry” Gallardo (45), drummer with ’90s indie rockers Natasha’s Ghost, Minga.

➢May 16, Timothy Reece (44), drummer for Album Leaf, Via Satellite.

➢May 24, Terrence Horn (65), bassist with ’70s punk band the Xterminators.

➢May 27, Walter Hillman (aka Papa Dread) (59), frontman with reggae group Tribe of Judah.

➢July 3, Jeff Lee (69), singer-songwriter.

➢July 17, Jeffrey Joe Morin (70), singer songwriter.

➢July 22, Tonya Pugh (aka TZA) (38), singer PRGRM.

➢August 1, Aristotle Georgio (aka Mike Smith) (58), harmonica player with the Hurricanes, Arhooly, Mick Taylor, Country Dick Montana, etc.

➢August 5, Eric Dodson (53), soundman.

➢September 21, Chris Saunders (67), news journalist, guitarist with the Innocent Bystanders, etc.

➢September 30, Frank Slay (87), songwriter of ’50s rock ’n’ roll-era classics “Silhouettes,” “Daddy Cool,” and “Tallahassee Lassie,” producer of the Strawberry Alarm Clock’s Incense and Peppermints (1967).

➢October 1, Sergio Estrada (56), guitarist for the band Relax Max, etc.

➢December 2, Mundell Lowe (95), jazz guitarist, played on Peter Gunn and Hawaii 5-0 soundtracks, worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, etc.