Life Member. Drum Set
7/1/1952 – 2/3/2018
by Washington Rucker, Life Member, AFM Local 47
We have lost a giant in the music world, and more directly, a great musician.
My best friend, Ndugu Chancler, was one of only a hand full of drummers who could be recognized by a single name: Ndugu. His moniker was well deserved and well earned. He stood tall among the genre of drummers who spring up… and he stood atop most of them. Continue reading
We are saddened to share news of the passing of member Armen Ksajikian’s mother, Seta.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial the morning of Saturday, June 9 at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. Read Seta’s obituary from Forest Lawn here.
William (Bill) David Brohn
Life Member. Conductor/Orchestrator
3/30/1933 – 3/13/2017
Survived by siblings
Beverly Carmen (Musafia)
Life Member. Piano
5/1/1929 – 4/22/2018
Survived by cousin
Robert (Bob) Dorough
Life Member. Piano
12/2/1923 – 4/23/2018
Survived by spouse
James (Jack) A. Eskew
Life Member. Drum Set
5/10/1940 – 4/15/2018
Survived by spouse
Ann V. Koons
Life Member. Violin
12/15/1945 – 3/13/2018
Survived by children
Norma A. Peterson
Life Member. Saxophone
2/7/1920 – 5/14/2018
Survived by cousin
Katia Popov
Member. Violin
3/3/1965 – 5/19/2018
Survived by spouse & child
Arthur B. Rubinstein
Member. Conductor
3/31/1938 – 4/23/2018
Survived by spouse & children
Member. Cello
9/18/1949 – 11/27/2016
by Susan Cuscuna
Todd Lybrand Hemmenway, cellist, passed away after a brief battle with cancer, on November 27, 2016, in Black Mountain, North Carolina. He was raised in Northern Virginia and Cape Cod, studied the cello with Orlando Cole at the New School of Music in Philadelphia, and enjoyed his thirty year career in Los Angeles as a member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet, and as a studio musician recording the scores of many films particularly with John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, and Randy Newman. He leaves behind his beloved son, Sam; wife, Susan; brother Scott and sisters Clare and Dana.
Allen D. Allen
Life Member. Composer
8/26/1936 – 3/23/2017
Survived by spouse & child
Bobb Bruce (Robert Berg)
Life Member. Violin
12/1/1925 – 2/28/2018
Survived by children
Leon Ndugu Chancler
Life Member. Drum Set
7/1/1951 – 2/3/2018
Survived by child
Robert A. Gotthoffer
Life Member. Trumpet
7/3/1922 – 1/17/2018
Survived by spouse & child
A. Clyde Hoggan
Life Member. Bass
4/4/1931 – 2/6/2018
Survived by child
Gelinda S. Quintile
Life Member. Harp
8/18/1951 – 2/6/2018
survived by parent & children
Erika Zador (Gould)
Life Member. Piano
8/10/1922 – 12/22/2017
Survived by spouse & child
Life Member. Violin
(1925 – 2018)
Bobby Bruce (Robert Morris Berg) was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father owned a fruit market and his mother Rosie was a comedian and entertainer, performing at several theaters in the Chicago area. Bobby began violin lessons at age 6, and by the age of 9 he would do acrobatics, tap dance, sing and play violin on stage in a Vaudeville act called the Personality Kids on the Keith Orpheum circuit with his mother and older sister Eileen. Continue reading
James O. Stewart
Life Member. Guitar
9/8/1935 – 1/8/2018
Survived by spouse
Shirley A. Fordis
Life Member. Oboe
4/22/1938 – 12/27/2017
Survived by children
Nunzio ‘Norman’ Panto
Life Member. Accordion
3/25/1929 – 2/24/2018
Survived by son
Joseph John Ragonese (aka Joey Rodney)
Life Member. Guitar
3/1/1922 – 3/10/2018
Survived by spouse & children
Elmer H. Ramsey
Life Member. Trumpet
6/3/1930 – 2/9/2018
Survived by spouse & children
Donald B. Thompson
Life Member. Saxophone
10/15/1925 – 3/7/2018
Survived by spouse & children
Andrew M. Weiner
Member. Arranger
8/16/1960 – 3/2/2018
Survived by sister
Life Member. Accordion
(1929 – 2018)
Nunzio “Norman” Panto, passed peacefully in Thousand Oaks, CA on Feb. 24, 2018 at the age of 88.
Norman is survived by his son Frank and daughter-in-law Julie. He is also survived by his loving sisters-in-law, Sarina Roccisano and Anna Valeri. He will also be missed by his beloved nieces and nephews, their children and the rest of the family and all the friends he has made over the years. Continue reading
Life Member. Bass
(1931 – 2018)
Albert “Whitey” Clyde Hoggan Jr. passed away Feb. 6, 2018 at his home in Livingston, Montana. Born in Ogden, Utah April 4, 1931, to Albert Clyde Hoggan, Sr. and Fae (Gorder) Hoggan, he grew up between Ogden; Preston, Idaho; and Grouse Creek, Utah.
Clyde attended Ogden High School and Weber State University. In 1950 he enlisted in the Air Force, joined the 523rd Air Force Band, March Air Force Base, and was stationed in Guam during the Korean War. He received a National Defense Service Medal and an Honorable Discharge. Upon returning stateside, he married Joanne Elaine Fetscher. In 1954 they moved to Los Angeles on their honeymoon so he could pursue a profession in the music industry. Continue reading
Walter C. Becker
Life Member. Bass
2/20/1950 – 9/3/2017
Survived by spouse & children
William Calkins
Life Member. Saxophone
9/28/1921 – 1/13/2018
Survived by spouse & son
Bill Hughes
Life Member. Copyist
10/31/1932 – 2/1/2018
Survived by family
Alvin M. Mills
Life Member. Violin
2/2/1922 – 9/19/2017
Survived by family
Dave Oyler
Life Member. Copyist
11/26/1945 – 1/2/2018
Survived by sister
W.Z. Taubenson
Life Member. Trumpet
2/16/1924 – 12/30/2017
Survived by friends
Miles F. Zentner
Life Member. Flute
10/26/1939 – 3/16/2017
Survived by spouse & children