Rufus Thomas / Stuart Adamson / Bobby Austin / Dave Conant / Marie Hartford

Legendary R&B vocalist Rufus Thomas, whose hits included “Walking The Dog” and “Do The Funky Chicken”, died in Memphis on December 15. The singer, along with his daughter Carla Thomas, are featured in D.A. Pennebaker’s upcoming documentary Only The Strong Survive. He was 84….

Stuart Adamson, former lead singer of Scottish band Big Country, died by hanging in an apparent suicide on December 16 in Honolulu. Early in his career, Adamson played guitar in the punk quartet the Skids. Twenty years later, he formed the Raphaels in Nashville with hit songwriter Marcus Hummon, and in 2001, the band recorded the album Supernatural for the Western Beat label. Adamson was 43….

Bobby Austin, who co-wrote “Apartment #9” with Johnny Paycheck, died January 6 in Camas, Washington. Austin and Paycheck both released singles of the tune, which was also the first recording by the late Tammy Wynette. He was 68….

Dave Conant, a Seattle-based singer and guitarist, died at home on November 28. A key participant in the long-running Hank Williams Wednesdays at the Tractor Tavern club, Conant suffered from Hepatitis C. He was 59….

Marie Hartford, the widow of John Hartford, died December 31 from lung cancer. She had worked for the Glaser Brothers’ publishing company and recording studio. She was 67.