Danny Joe Brown

DAVIE, FL (AP) -- Danny Joe Brown, the lead singer of the Southern rock band Molly Hatchet, died of complications from diabetes, his family said Monday. He was 53.

Brown died Thursday at his home in Davie, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, his sister Lyndia Brown said.

"He had been in the hospital for about four weeks before he died, and he wanted to come home and he was home for 30 minutes when he died," Lyndia Brown told The Associated Press. "He was surrounded by his children and his wife."

In 1975, the Jacksonville native joined Molly Hatchet, named after a Southern prostitute who allegedly beheaded and mutilated her clients. Brown was frontman for its self-titled album in 1978, which went platinum. In 1979 the next album, "Flirtin' With Disaster," sold over 2 million copies.

Brown left the band in the early 1980s because of his diabetes.

After creating his own group, the Danny Joe Brown Band, he rejoined Molly Hatchet in 1982 to participate in the album "No Guts ... No Glory." The was album had limited success and the group eventually disbanded.

Molly Hatchet reunited and toured in 1996 for release of the album "Devil's Canyon."

Brown ended his career after a stroke in 1998, according to reports.

"Danny was way more than a signer for rock 'n' roll band. He was great brother, a wonderful son," Lyndia said. "He is going to be missed terribly by everybody."

Founding Member Of Blind Boys Dies

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- George Scott, a founding member of the Blind Boys of Alabama gospel group, died of complications from diabetes and a heart condition a month after winning his fourth consecutive Grammy Award. He was 75.

Clarence Fountain, the band's front man, said Scott died on Wednesday.

The gospel group won the award of Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for "There Will Be a Light" with Ben Harper.

Born George Lewis Scott in Notasulga, Ala., on March 18, 1929, he was known for his booming baritone voice.

The Blind Boys of Alabama formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1936 and have been touring and creating recordings since then. Scott, who was not well enough to tour with the group since last year, planned to rejoin the group for a live show in the spring with the release of a new album, Atom Bomb.

Scott lived in North Carolina for about 50 years, the last nine in Durham.

Blues Singer, Jackie Neal, Killed In Beauty Salon

BATON ROUGE, LA (AP) -- A member of a Baton Rouge blues music family was killed and another woman was wounded after the singer's ex-boyfriend opened fire in a beauty salon before wounding himself, police said.

Singer Jackie Neal, who was in her late 30s, and Angela Myers, who was trying to run away were shot about 6:15 p.m. Thursday, said police Maj. Pat Tauzin. Neal died at the scene, while Myers and James White, who allegedly fired the shots, suffered critical injuries, Tauzin said.

Police planned to book White with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, Tauzin said.

Neal was the daughter of internationally known Baton Rouge blues man Raful Neal and the brother of musician Kenny Neal. She released three CDs between 1995 and 2002 that veered between blues, funk and pop.

Neal's brother and band leader, Larry Neal, said his sister, who was one of 10 siblings, was planning a European tour with her band.

"She was deep into her music. Her goal was to be successful in what she did," he said. "She's just a loving person."

Singer Lyn Collins Dies At 56

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Lyn Collins, whose funky vocals landed her a spot in James Brown's stage show and the nickname "Female Preacher," died of cardiac arrhythmia Sunday, said her son. She was 56.

Collins, whose voice also was sampled in the 1980s hip-hop hit "It Takes Two," died Sunday night at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, her son Bobby Jackson said Monday.

Collins, who lived in Abilene, Texas, was visiting the Los Angeles area after having returned from a tour in Europe last month. She was due to start touring again next month.

Collins took up singing as a teenager. At 14, she married a man who worked as the local promoter for the James Brown Revue. Brown heard Collins sing and in 1970 she was invited to join his traveling show.

Her powerful voice led Brown to nickname her the "Female Preacher," and two years later, she cut her first solo album, "Think (About It)." In 1975, Collins released "Check Me Out If You Don't Know Me By Now."

Over the years, Collins' songs have also appeared in various compilations, but it was hip-hop duo Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock who exposed Collins' work to a new generation when they sampled one of her songs for their 1988 hit "It Takes Two."

Since then, other contemporary R&B and rap artists have also mined Collins' songs, including rapper Ludacris.

George “Wild Child” Butler Dies At 68

(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) -- Blues harmonica player George “Wild Child” Butler died March 1 in Windsor, Ontario, at the age of 68.

Butler was born in Autaugaville, Alabama, and got his start playing in local juke joints. He made a name for himself in Chicago, New Orleans, and Houston blues clubs, before settling down in Canada.

Butler recorded extensively for Mercury, TK, Rooster Blues, M.C. Bullseye Blues and APO. He worked often as a sideman for other blues legends such as Jimmy Rogers, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker and many others. --by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers

Jazz Percussionist Larry Bunker Dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Drummer Larry Bunker, who played with jazz legends such as saxophonist Stan Getz and was a member of singer Peggy Lee's band, has died. He was 76.

Bunker died March 8 of complications from a stroke at Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, said his wife, Brandyn.

He started playing with trombonist Howard Rumsey at the famous Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach in the early 1950s and later played with Getz and other saxophonists, including Art Pepper and Gerry Mulligan.

Bunker's music eventually made its way into films, and he worked with film composers such as Henry Mancini. Bunker's first film was "Stalag 17" in 1953 and his last was "The Incredibles" in 2004.

Born and raised in Long Beach, Bunker was self-taught on the piano, accordion, drums and saxophone. He played drums and piano for the U.S. Army band in 1946 while serving at Fort Ord until he was discharged in 1948.

In addition to his wife, Bunker is survived by his daughter Tracy, brother George and a granddaughter.

Greek Composer Stavros Kouyioumtzis Dies

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Stavros Kouyioumtzis, whose songwriting earned him a place among the most popular Greek composers of the 1960s and 70s, has died. He was 73.

Kouyioumtzis, who wrote songs for some of Greece's most well-known performers, died Saturday of a heart attack in his home town of Thessaloniki, hospital officials said Sunday.

His musical career began at 15 when he enrolled at the Thessaloniki music conservatory. By the 1960s he had become a household name in Greece, writing some of the most memorable songs to emerge from the country's music industry.

His music set to poetry captured the public's imagination for over three decades. He is best known for his collaboration with famed singer Giorgos Dalaras.