One of our saddest jobs at SoulTracks is to inform SoulTrackers about the deaths of soul music artists. And 2022 is a year in which we’ve already lost some great ones.
We feel it is part of our mission to pay tribute to the legacies of these all time greats. On this page we provide a list of those artists who have died during 2022, and a link to our tributes to them. They are shown in the order of the date we reported on their deaths during the year.
Nick Colionne (singer and guitarist)
Jessie Lee Daniels of The Force MDs
Calvin Simon of Parliament-Funkadelic
James Mtume (songwriter, producer and group leader)
R. Dean Taylor (Motown songwriter and singer)
Ronnie Spector (singer)
Sonny Turner of the Platters
Fred Parris of The Five Satins
Rosa Lee Hawkins of The Dixie Cups
Greg Webster, Sr of The Ohio Players
Lew Kirton (singer)
Freddie Hughes (singer)
Philip Paul (drummer)
Darrell Crooks (guitarist)
Donny Gerrard of Skylark
Syl Johnson (blues and soul singer)
Johnny Brown (singer and actor)
Betty Davis (singer)
Clifton “Fou Fou” Eddie (drummer)
David Tyson of the Manhattans
Billy Bannister (Tempations emcee)
Richard Pratt of Blue Magic
Timmy Thomas (singer)
John Barnes (keyboardist and producer)
Lashun Pace of the Anointed Pace Sisters
Donald Tabby Shaw of the Mighty Diamonds
Lola Gulley (blues singer)
Joe Messina (Motown musician)
Charles McCormick of Bloodstone
Andrew Woolfolk of Earth Wind & Fire
Allan “Grip” Smith (musician and producer)
Tommy McConnell of Skyy
Bernard Wright (musician and singer)
Phlenoid Dismuke of Smooth Approach
Patrick Adams (producer and songwriter)
Bernard Belle (songwriter and musician)
Reggie Andrews (songwriter and producer)
Ken Williams (songwriter)
Adam Wade (singer and television personality)
Reginald “Sonny” Burke (keyboardist and songwriter)
William “Poogie” Hart of the Delfonics
Michael Henderson (singer and musician)
Ida Pendergrass (mother of Teddy Pendergrass)
Sam Gooden of The Impressions
Lamont Dozier (Motown songwriter and producer)
Creed Taylor (jazz producer and label exec)
Mable John (singer)
Inez Foxx (singer)
Ramsey Lewis (jazz great)
Jesse Powell (singer)
Marva Hicks (singer and actress)
Vernon Burch (singer and guitarist)
Coolio (rapper)
Ivy Jo Hunter (Motown writer and producer)
Joyce Sims (singer)
Brooks Arthur (producer and engineer)
Geraldine Hunt (singer)
Joe Tarsia (legendary sound engineer)
Robert Gordy (Motown executive)
Noel McCoy (singer)
Irene Cara (singer and actress)
Don Newkirk (hip-hop legend)
Jan Gaye (ex-wife of Marvin Gaye)
JJ Barnes (singer)
Bertha Barbee-McNeal of The Velvelettes
Sammy Lee Hutchins of the Masqueraders
Thom Bell (legendary songwriter, arranger and producer)
