Singer-Songwriter Jeff Hanson Dies at 31

Dearly Departed Musicians

Dolla, May 18: The Atlanta-based rapper, whose real name is Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down outside a Los Angeles mall. Burton's publicist told reporters he was waiting at a valet stand after a shopping trip when a gunman shot him. The The 'Make a Toast' star was 21. A suspect is in custody.

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Stephen Bruton: The guitarist and songwriter, who worked with the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson, died from complications of throat cancer in May 2009. He was 60.

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Ean Evans: The Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist died in May 2009 after what the band called "a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer."

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Vern Gosdin, April 29: The country hit-maker, best known for songs like 'I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)' and 'I'm Still Crazy,' died in Nashville from complications due to a stroke.

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Rev. Timothy Wright, April 23, 2009:The two-time Grammy-nominated gospel singer died following a July car crash that took the lives of his wife and his grandson.

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David "Pop" Winans, April 9, 2009: The gospel music patriarch -- BeBe and CeCe are his kids -- was twice nominated for Grammys, in 1989 for his album with wife Delores, pictured, and again in 1999 for a solo album. He died at a Nashville hospice, seven months after suffering a heart attack and stroke.

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Bud Shank, April 2, 2009: The alto saxophonist and flutist died at age 82. He was most famous for his work with acts like the Mamas and the Papas and his flute work can be heard on their song 'California Dreamin'.'

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Hal Durham, March 29, 2009: He was a fixture on the Grand Ole Opry stage, working at the famed country music institution for 32 years. He was 77.

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Dan Seals, March 25, 2009: The singer, who scored a number of pop and country hits, died at 61 of leukemia. Seals was half of the pop duo, England Dan and John Ford Coley, best known for the ballad, 'I'd Really Love to See You Tonight.'

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Uriel Jones, March 24, 2009: One of the original members of the Funk Brothers, a Motown group that played with Marvin Gaye and The Temptations, Jones died after suffering complications from a heart attack. He was 74.

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