Wednesday, August 29, 2007

In memoriam: Doug Riley

Much of the background instrumental work we hear on records that has come out over the last 40 years or so from artists ranging from Moe Koffman and Ray Charles to Gordon Lightfoot and Anne Murray, and even young masters of the trade like current violin champion Natalie McMaster is thanks to jazz musician and record producer Doug "Dr. Music" Riley. He was also a serious classical pianist as and played with many symphony orchestras as well. Riley died yesterday in Calgary. He was only 62.

Meanwhile, some truly wretched people in the entertainment business, who will not be named, live on into their eighties and nineties.

Proves the old truism, the good die young, the evil refuse to leave.

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1 comment:

Vanessa Rodrigues said...

Hi there,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Doug Riley. I got to know Doug fairly well over the 5 years since I met him. He was very encouraging & supportive of me. I always thought he'd be around for a long time yet and I'd run into him in PEI or Toronto. I still can't believe he's really gone. I'm glad to read that many others out there appreciated him as a musician and as a person as well. It is a small comfort and helps me deal with this terrible loss. Thanks again.
Best wishes,
-Vanessa Rodrigues