This is a series of posts that will talk about my favorite Keyboard players.
In Part One I chose; Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Eumir Deodato, Gershon Kingsley, Jon Lord, and Elton John. I’ll keep it going here with some more excellent ticklers of the ivories!
For here, am I sitting in a tin can
Far, above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do
David Bowie was born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947, in Brixton, London, England, into a working-class family whose modest circumstances belied the creative intensity that would define his life. His father, Haywood Stenton Jones, worked in promotions for a children’s charity, while his mother, Margaret Mary Burns,
Four more losses to reflect on here in early 2026.
These individuals include a singer, songwriter and pianist responsible for several big hits; the adorable “Kitten” for 201 episodes of Father Knows Best; a college football coach, winning the National Championship with Notre Dame; and a rock and roll guitarist described as an “instrumental genius”.
Neil Sedaka was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 13, 1939, into a working-class family with deep musical roots; his Lebanese-Jewish taxi-driver father and Russian- and Polish-Jewish mother encouraged his early talent, and he won a piano scholarship to the Juilliard School’s preparatory division as
a child before abandoning a potential classical career for pop music as a teenager. After forming a doo-wop group in high school and earning a contract with RCA Victor, Sedaka became one of the defining singer-songwriters of the late 1950s and early 1960s with hits such as “Oh! Carol,” “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen,” “Calendar Girl” and “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” teaming up with lyricist Howard Greenfield.
Later he would enjoy a second wave of success in the 1970s with “Laughter in the Rain,” “Bad Blood” and “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and writing or co-writing over 500 songs for himself and others; his career earned him a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and multiple accolades, and he continued performing and recording for decades.
#Number indicates position in US Billboard Hot 100 – Top 40 Only
He even recorded during the pandemic era. He married Leba Strassberg in 1962, and their long marriage produced two children and later grandchildren; Sedaka also became known for his engaging live shows and enduring influence on pop music. Sedaka died on Friday, February 27, 2026, at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 86, leaving behind his wife, two children, and grandchildren.
Lauren Chapin, born May 23, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, was an American actress who rose to national prominence as a child playing the youngest Anderson child, Kathy “Kitten” Anderson, on the beloved 1950s sitcom Father Knows Best, appearing in nearly every one of the series’ six seasons and
earning multiple Junior Emmy awards for her work. Off-screen, she was educated in Hollywood and appeared in early films such as A Star Is Born before her television breakthrough, but like many childhood stars, she faced significant personal struggles in adulthood that she later recounted in her 1989 autobiography Father Does Know Best: The Lauren Chapin Story.
She reinvented her life through evangelism, mentoring young talent and managing beauty pageant enterprises. Chapin’s personal life included family ties to two actor brothers and, later in life, devotion to charitable causes and her faith. After a long battle with cancer, she died on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at the age of 80 in Miami, Florida, and is survived by her children and her brother.
Louis Leo “Lou” Holtz was born January 6, 1937, in Follansbee, West Virginia, and became one of America’s most respected college football coaches and commentators, serving as head coach at institutions including William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina; his Notre Dame team won the consensus national championship in 1988.
Over his long coaching career he compiled a remarkable collegiate record and earned numerous coach-of-the-year awards while becoming the only coach to lead six different programs to bowl games and achieve top-fifteen rankings.
Holtz played college football at Kent State before moving into coaching, and after retiring from the sidelines he became a well-known television analyst, motivational speaker and influential figure in the sport. He was married to Beth Barcus from 1961 until her death in 2020,
and together they raised four children, several of whom pursued collegiate athletics. After entering hospice care in early 2026, Holtz died on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the age of 89; he is remembered by his surviving children and extended family.
Travis Lavoid Wammack Sr., born in November 1944 in Walnut, Mississippi, was an American rock and roll guitarist, singer and songwriter celebrated as a child prodigy who recorded his first record at age 11 and scored an early hit with the instrumental “Scratchy,” which reflected his innovative guitar
style that incorporated early fuzz-tone and distortion; he became a key figure in the Memphis and Muscle Shoals music scenes, recording and performing across genres and later serving as bandleader for Little Richard in the 1980s and 1990s, and he was honored by institutions such as the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame for his contributions to American music.
From Wikipedia
Wammack’s enduring career spanned nearly seven decades, and he remained active in performance and recording until health challenges curtailed his playing later in life. He died on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the age of 81, and is survived by his wife Mitzi Wammack and his son, Travis “Monkee” Wammack Jr.
He served as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, where he wrote and performed music for morale-boosting shows.
Bobby Troup, born Robert Wesley Troup Jr., October 18, 1918, was an American jazz pianist, singer, songwriter, actor, and composer best known for writing the iconic song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” as well as “Daddy,” which became a hit for Sammy Kaye, and “The Girl Can’t Help It,” made famous by Little Richard; he was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
“The maestro has passed.”
Brian Wilson was born on Sunday, June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California, growing up in Hawthorne alongside his brothers Carl and Dennis. Brian was the first child of Audree Neva (née Korthof) and Murry Wilson, a machinist who later pursued songwriting part-time. From a young age, he displayed precocious musical talent—learning piano, crafting vocal harmonies, and teaching his siblings to sing.
Jones was one of few producers to have number one records in three consecutive decades (1960s, 1970s, and 1980s).
Quincy Jones is one of the most influential figures in music and entertainment, celebrated for his innovative production work, his vast contributions across genres, and his collaborations with some of the industry’s biggest names. Born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, Jones’s early life was marked by hardship and a drive to succeed.
Elton John’s career total to 68 Billboard Hot 100 entries, a run that began with “Border Song,” which marked his Billboard chart debut on Aug. 15, 1970.
Sir Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex, England, is a legendary British singer, songwriter, and pianist. Raised in a council house by his maternal grandparents, Elton displayed a prodigious talent for music from an early age, learning to play the piano by ear at just four years old. His parents recognized his musical gift and encouraged his pursuits. He later attended the Royal Academy of Music on a scholarship but dropped out at 17 to pursue a career in music.
My boyfriend’s back he’s gonna save my reputation
(Hey-la-day-la my boyfriend’s back)
If I were you I’d take a permanent vacation
(Hey-la, hey-la, my boyfriend’s back)
Robert C. Feldman, commonly known as Bob Feldman, was a prominent American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Robert was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 14, 1940. He was raised in an Orthodox Jewish home and briefly studied to become a cantor.
My first inductee(s) for my Songwriters Award is Lennon and McCartney, John Lennon’s 2nd time and Paul McCartney’s 3rd time into Doyle’s Space Music Hall of Fame.
Lennon and McCartney complemented one another as personalities and as musicians. McCartney’s melodic facility smoothed over some of Lennon’s rougher edges. Lennon’s grit added texture and leavened some of McCartney’s more saccharine tendencies.
My second 2023 inductee, 14th overall, is Sir Paul McCartney. He is the first to be in my hall twice, once for The Beatles and now for his post-Beatle career.
The Beatles’ bassist, vocalist, and songwriter would continue solo beginning in 1970 at the sign of the break-up of the band. He would release his first LP, McCartney, a month before the release of The Beatles’ swansong Let It Be. The album, rich with experimentation, has McCartney performing all instruments and vocals himself, aside from some backing vocals performed by Linda McCartney. It also contained the song, “Maybe I’m Amazed”.
