Nick Reynolds (pictured front), singer and multi-instrumentalist for the Kingston Trio, has died at age 75 in San Diego. The folk group, which formed in Southern California in 1957, was one of the most successful acts on Capitol Records in the pre-Beatles era.

The diminutive Reynolds' high harmonies and skill on a variety of stringed instruments, along with congas and bongos, were a trademark of these mostly apolitical folkies. While the group had a series of hit singles in the late '50s and early '60s, including 'Tom Dooley,' 'M.T.A.,' 'A Worried Man' and a rare foray into politics, 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone,' they had even greater success as an album-oriented act, at one time in the early '60s having four LPs in the Top 10.

Read a full appreciation of the life of Nick Reynolds by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Norman Whitfield, who in his role as a songwriter and producer at Motown Records helped propel soul music into the psychedelic age, died in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was believed to be 67 years old. With his writing partner Barrett Strong, he added social (and mind-expanding) consciousness to the Temptations' repertoire in the late '60sand early '70s with 'Cloud Nine,' 'Psychedelic Shack' and 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone,' as well as with Edwin Starr's anti-Vietnam anthem 'War.' His most enduring composition and production is 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine,' a No. 2 hit in 1967 for Gladys Knight and the Pips and a chart-topper one year later for Marvin Gaye.

For a full account of Norman Whitfield's life and accomplishments, read this appreciation by the Detroit Free Press.

Richard Wright, keyboardist and a founding member of Pink Floyd, died at his London home on Monday after a battle with cancer. He was 65.

Wright (pictured) met Floyd members Nick Mason and Roger Waters in college, and joined their band Sigma 6, who would eventually become Pink Floyd. While Wright was an early vocal contributor in Floyd, his role would later morph into keyboardist and experimental instrumentalist, as he learned the synthesizer and Farfisa organ, among other instruments. His writing role also expanded, with his most notable credits coming as co-writer of 'The Great Gig in the Sky' and 'Us and Them' from 1973's 'Dark Side of the Moon.'

Wright left the band following 'The Wall' album, but rejoined when guitarist David Gilmour took on the role of chief architect for 1987's 'A Momentary Lapse of Reason.' He continued to play with Gilmour on the guitarist's solo material, including his 2006 album, 'On an Island.'

Wright sang 'Comfortably Numb' with Gilmour at Sessions in 2006. Watch the performance below.

Dave Matthews Band saxophonist LeRoi Moore, one of the band's founding members, died on Tuesday afternoon after struggling with injuries from a June 30 ATV accident. He was 46.

"Moore had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program," a spokesperson for the Dave Matthews Band said. The ATV accident occurred on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia, the city where DMB originally formed in 1991 with Moore, singer/guitarist Dave Matthews and drummer Carter Beauford.

In the days following his accident, Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones) had been substituting for the fallen saxophonist. In July, Coffin told Spinner that he was just a temporary replacement until Moore could perform with the band again. "They're such a strong band," he said. "I'm just trying to do my thing in their river and really play a supportive role." Coffin performed with the band, as scheduled, at a DMB concert on Tuesday night following word of Moore's death.

The statement from the band spokesperson says that, despite his injuries, Moore's death came "unexpectedly." Read the full story.

Jerry Wexler, the man who literally gave R&B its name along with giving the world many of music's greatest stars, has died at his home in Florida at age 91. The New York native, in his role as Atlantic Records producer and co-chairman from the '50s through the '70s, is responsible for furthering the careers of many of the giants of rock and soul music, from Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin to Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers Band.

Read Rolling Stone's extensive tribute to Wexler's storied life and indelible contributions to music.

Isaac Hayes died on Sunday at the age of 65 in Memphis. The legendary soul singer was found unconscious in his home, next to a still-running treadmill, before being taken to a hospital. The cause of death is still unknown.

Hayes, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy winner, was as influential a musician as any, having saturated Stax Records with his soul-funk cuts, which included the seminal soundtrack hit, 'Theme from Shaft.' He also wrote, with David Porter, several soul smashes for Sam & Dave, including 'Hold On, I'm A-Comin'' and 'Soul Man.'

Hayes was largely credited with influencing both disco and rap, before either genre even existed. His career saw a significant resurgence in the 1990s when he appeared as the voice of Jerome "Chef" McElroy on the popular cartoon 'South Park.' Hayes, whose own lyrics were sometimes seen as controversial (including his song for the show, 'Chocolate Salty Balls'), eventually left 'South Park' when an episode poked fun at the Church of Scientology, of which Hayes was a member.

His live shows were legendary spectacles and his catalog will be permanently revered. "The other godfather of soul," Hayes' musical influence cannot be undermined.

The news that New Jersey-bred Marie Costello died Friday at the age of 93 probably wouldn't get too much attention from non-family members -- unless those strangers happen to be true Bruce Springsteen aficionados. Costello, you see, was the boardwalk fortune teller immortalized by the Boss 35 years back when he offered up an image -- in '4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)' -- of "the cops finally bust[ing] Madam Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do."

For the record, Madam Marie was never actually arrested for plying her trade, though she did count Springsteen as one of her regular visitors. Her 'Temple of Knowledge' stall, now run by her daughter Sally, remains a fixture on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

Tickle Me Pink bassist Johnny Schou (pictured third from the left) was found dead at his Colorado home Tuesday morning, the same day his band's debut album was released, according to Tickle Me Pink's label, Wind-Up Records. He was 22.

The band was planning to celebrate the release of 'Madeline' Tuesday with an in-store appearance in Denver. "Further information regarding the band's plans, and dates that have been previously announced, will be forthcoming in due time," a statement from Wind-Up read.

The cause of death is currently unknown.

Bo Diddley, whose mythical tales of braggadocio married with his signature "Bo Diddley beat" guitar rhythm marked him as one of the creators of rock 'n' roll, has passed away at 79. The R&B singer, songwriter and guitarist succumbed to heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., according to a spokeswoman for Diddley.

Born Ellas Bates in Mississippi and later using the name Ellas McDaniel, Diddley adapted the African-derived "hambone" rhythm for his self-referential debut single, 'Bo Diddley.' Issued in 1955 on the legendary Chess label, the song was a No. 1 R&B smash. Despite an extensive catalog of rock classics including 'I'm a Man,' 'Who Do You Love,' 'Road Runner' and 'I Can Tell' just for starters, his only charting pop hit was 1959's 'Say Man,' in which he and maracas player Jerome Green trade "Dirty Dozens" insults all the way to a Top 20 placement.

Eddy Arnold, one of the pioneers of 'the Nashville Sound,' died Thursday morning, just days before his 90th birthday. The legendary country singer was second only to George Jones in the number of songs that made the country charts, with 145 radio hits -- 28 of those making it all the way to No. 1. Some of his many classics include 'Make the World Go Away,' 'Bouquet of Roses,' 'Lonely Again' and 'Cattle Call,' just to name a few. Many of those hits also made it onto the pop charts, as Arnold became one of the first crossover successes to come out of Nashville, paving the way for future country-pop acts like Kenny Rogers and Charlie Rich.

Arnold, nicknamed the 'Tennessee Plowboy,' was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966. The following year, he was named the Country Music Association's first-ever Entertainer of the Year. And in a career that spanned almost 60 years, he boasted sales of more than 85 million records.