Those we lost in the Austin music world in 2021

Their music and memories will live on, even though these Austin artists and industry giants left us in 2021.

In January, longtime Austin conjunto accordionist Chencho Flores died of complications from COVID-19 at age 91. Flores began playing music in Austin in the 1940s and was inducted into the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame in 2020.

Austin music's 2021 in review:'People don't know what tomorrow's going to bring'

Also passing away in January was James White, who opened the Broken Spoke on South Lamar Boulevard in 1964 and kept the iconic country dance hall going for more than five decades, even as condo developments surrounded it in recent years. White’s family has continued to operate the Spoke since his death.

February’s winter storm dealt a direct blow to the local music community, as well. Pianist Gene Taylor, who’d made waves in Los Angeles as a member of roots-rock greats the Blasters before moving to Austin to play with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, died in bed at home after going without heat for five days. He was 68.

Austin’s blues community endured two heavy losses in April. Paul Oscher, who played harmonica in blues icon Muddy Waters’ band in the 1960s, died at age 71 after being hospitalized with COVID-19. He moved to Austin a decade ago and performed regularly at C-Boy’s Heart & Soul on South Congress Avenue.

A few days later, guitarist Denny Freeman died at age 76 after being diagnosed with abdominal cancer a month earlier. A world-renowned musician who toured for many years as the guitarist in Bob Dylan’s band, Freeman moved to Austin from Dallas in 1970 and was a key figure in shaping the blues scene that coalesced around iconic nightclub Antone’s.

'As soulful as humans get':Austin guitar great Denny Freeman remembered by music community

Early May brought news of Ed Ward's death at his South Austin home at age 72. The American-Statesman's music critic from 1979 to 1983, Ward made his name at national magazines Rolling Stone and Creem in the 1970s. While writing for the Austin Chronicle in the mid-late 1980s, he became a key figure in helping to launch South by Southwest, then a regional music and media conference. He spent most of the next two decades in Germany and France before returning to Austin, all the while serving as the music historian for NPR's "Fresh Air" program. A Christmas Eve episode of "Fresh Air" (which airs locally at 7 p.m. on KUT) will include a recording of Ward evaluating the Beatles' work.

Also in May, jazz drummer Scott Laningham died while working in his yard at age 61. Laningham was well-known as the drummer for Elias Haslanger's "Church on Monday" band at the Continental Gallery and had collaborated with Mitch Watkins and Chris Maresh in the trio Tres Musicos. He'd also toured with Alejandro Escovedo and Christopher Cross, helping the latter assemble the local jazz outfit Freedonia in recent years.

In June, Mark Jensen, who co-founded South Austin restaurant/beer garden/music venue the ABGB in 2013, died of an apparent heart attack at age 53. Jensen had been instrumental in establishing ABGB as a venue that treated local acts with respect and care; he helped foster the early development of indie band Sweet Spirit and provided a home for fiddler Warren Hood’s popular Wednesday residency.

On July 13, Shinyribs bassist Jeff Brown died from complications of epilepsy at age 42. Originally from Pennsylvania, Brown moved to Austin 15 years ago and also played in the Savage Poor with his brother, Ben Brown. He also released a record under his own name in 2020.

Late July was marked by several significant losses in quick succession. Billy Wilson, the longtime frontman for local band Latin at Heart, died while in hospice care for prostate cancer just a couple of weeks after he said goodbye to fans with a final single, "We Ran To." He was in his mid-60s. "There are so many more songs I would like to write, more musical arrangements I would love to dive into, more shows I would like to play," he wrote in a final message to fans via social media.

ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill was not an Austin resident, but the multi-platinum-selling rock trio from Houston left an indelible mark on Texas music. The group continued to tour after his death July 28 at age 72.

A day later, accomplished country songwriter Chris Wall died at age 68 after an extended bout with cancer. Wall moved to Austin from Wyoming in the 1980s and wrote hits for Jerry Jeff Walker and Confederate Railroad in addition to releasing several acclaimed albums of his own. His label Cold Spring Records also issued albums by local and regional artists including Reckless Kelly, James Hand and the Asylum Street Spankers.

Read more:What Austin music venues closed, opened or changed in 2021?

Also dying at the end of July was Tim O’Connor, an integral player in Austin’s music community since the 1970s as a show promoter and club owner. His legacies included now-shuttered venues such as the Backyard, Austin Music Hall and the Austin Opry House, while his deep ties to Willie Nelson included presenting many of Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnics. In December, Bee Cave issued a formal proclamation of appreciation to O’Connor for “his contribution to the growth of the music industry” in the town west of Austin, which was home to the Backyard’s second location.

In mid-August, sad news came down from Nashville with the death of renowned singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith at age 68. Born in Seguin, Griffith grew up in Austin in the 1950s and ’60s before launching her music career at venues such as Hole in the Wall in the 1970s. She moved to Nashville in the 1980s and eventually released more than 20 albums, including 1994’s Grammy-winning collaborative set “Other Voices, Other Rooms.”

More:Remembering Nanci Griffith, the greatest Austin-raised singer-songwriter ever

In October, bassist Yoggie Musgrove died of cancer at age 58. Musgrove moved to Austin from San Antonio in the 1980s and quickly became an integral part of the local scene, playing with everyone from funk group Bad Mutha Goose to singer-songwriter Stephen Bruton to rapper MC Overlord.

On Dec. 2, steel guitarist Neil Flanz died at age 83 following abdominal surgery. Canadian by birth, Flanz was a member of country-rock legend Gram Parsons’ band in the early 1970s. He lived in Nashville before moving to Austin 18 years ago; he regularly performed with local country band Fingerpistol and was renowned as a steel guitar instructor.

[Note: This has been updated to include paragraphs on Billy Wilson and Scott Laningham.]