If you could bring back one great artist that has


departed our world who would it be? We have lost some incredibly talented artists, often under tragic circumstances. If it were possible to have an encore I would vote for Janis Joplin. You?
puerto
Schubert, agreed,but shall we bring the master back as an organist or perhaps to recompose the lost St.Mark?
I'd like to see Bach back as a keyboardist/composer prog rocker. Like Tony Banks in Genesis or Rick Wakeman in Yes. Maybe collaborate with Steven Wilson. That would be awesome.
..or Mike Pinder in The Moody Blues. Bach + mellotron = unheard of level of awesomeness. Ralph Karsten owns and plays Mellotron. Another good pairing!
..or I saw Devo live recently and was honestly thinking that Bach could have played really well into that, if not below his level of artistry.
..or for a bigger paycheck these days, Bach might fit nicely into Muse or Radiohead. Imagine the possibilities!!!!
Yep, bringing back Bach would seem to open up the most interesting avenues of anyone mentioned. Duke Ellington in his prime would still be right up there as well in terms of modern day versatility. Beethoven I can see possibilities for him as well. :^}
Mahler would be another possibility if we can just bring out his less serious side a bit on occasion. Hell, bring back Stravinsky as well while we're at it and team him up with Kanye West!
Satan would be pleased as hell to see one of his greatest foes come back as a rocker EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK .
Schubert, if he did, I'd be willing to bet he would be one of the good guys doing it. Might even be able to have a positive influence on some in need the most.

Not sure I could see him working with Kanye West, Rolling Stones, or many others. I could see it working out with Metallica maybe. That would be interesting! Can't speak for Satan though. maybe it would worry him perhaps just a tiny bit? :^}
After all if TOny Bennet can work with Lady Gaga, who knows what other odd couple pairings might work? As long as they have something in common.
HEy look, can't speak for Satan, only mapman. I'd be pleased as....well most anything but hell I suppose.
I was very upset knowing that I won't hear Michael Brecker live again. I tried (and many more did) to bring him back when was submitting my bone marrow sample to cure his MSD when he was in Sloan Kettering
If Bach came back, he'd probably hang with Keith Emerson.

But my main vote goes to Jeff Buckley because he died way too good, too soon.
I think that Paul Robeson would be a good choice. I suspect that he would be much more "at home," and therefore less radicalized, in today's society than in the society of his time, and politics and controversy would therefore not overshadow his immense singing (and many other) talents.

I have some of his recordings, and his voice was truly special.

Regards,
-- Al
I hear that, Almarg.
One of the greatest artists, and human beings, the USA has ever produced.
The songs on Dylan's new album are covers of songs recorded by Frank Sinatra. So maybe he's trying to bring back the Chairman of the Board.
As a Rutgers College Grad in particular, I can relate to the Paul Robeson nomination.

Definitely an underappreciated talent in his day.
John Lennon, because the arc of his full life was important to so many.
Buddy Holly because of what he would have created. A true genius.
Schubert,

I did a Princeton sponsored summer field course one summer while at Rutgers. I was somewhat the sweat hog in that crowd but did OK.
Stephane Grappelli. There are countless greats chosen above-and I appreciate virtually all of them- but; Stephane was a very unique genius playing an instrument that's revered for it's wide ranging emotional impact. I saw him live outside London, England, near the end; sat immediately in front of him, was lucky he made the connection, and mine was the only program he signed. The only autographed item I have. Most interesting; his stage manager was a Canadian.
What I would like to see was a longer life of what could have been to the one's that left us too early. All those timeless melodies and standards unwritten. To that end I would include Mozart, Chopin and Gershwin as a few good examples.

So far as rock artists are concerned I can think of no better candidate than Buddy Holly, song writer, producer, and performer that by the time of his death at 22 was really just warming up to his unlimited potential, a pretty good example of "if only".

So far as Bach is concerned how much more could he have packed in his 65 years? Father of 22, composer of upward of 500 cantatas mostly lost, accomplished organist/keyboardist and composer of some of the revered music ever written, a musician's musician at the top of the heap. Imagine what he accomplished relative to today's artists to get a sense of his greatness. Not only that but that family musical legacy continued after his death. Bach lived the fulfilled life in the truest sense. I can think of few other historical figures that accomplished so much. A keyboardist with a progressive rock group? That's funny but it might be fun too! Imagine what he might have contributed to rock, Yes's "Roundabout" for instance?

Oh yeah, I sure would have loved to hear the young Louis Armstrong sitting on the Mississippi riverbank as that horn carries over the still darkness of that mighty river, the inspiration of another one that died too young, Bix Beiderbecke. Or maybe the Duke or Count Basie "One more time"!
When Schubert died at 31 he had composed more generally considered masterworks than either Mozart or Beethoven had at age 31.
John Lennon...he may have already been cited -- haven't perused the list. Missed...terribly :-(
John Lennon..hmmm. I was listening to an old interview with his first wife a week or so ago on NPR, and for someone who promoted love and peace, it certainly seems that he didn't practice it in his own life. Yoko was even worse.
He didn't support his ex-wife or son even though he was extremely wealthy.
I never counted him among my favorite artists, but now even less so.
Always thought Whitney Houston had a great voice.Marvin Gaye is missed as well.
GEORGE CARLIN deserves to come back as no one else in this world. Forget JC, he'll come back on his own LOL
I'll respond only for popular music and leave the classical to the more informed than me.

The most tragic and biggest loss is John Lennon, hands down.
But he had already made his mark before he died, and despite whatever wonderful music we missed out on because of this untimely death at age 40, his best work was surely behind him.

So from the standpoint of who we lost at the peak or upswing of their career, I'll go with Buddy Holly overall (though before I was born I'm aware of his impact). And from a musician standpoint, Duane Allman. So much brilliant music never got made...
Abrew19, unfortunately John Lennon is the last one I want to bring back if I got the chance. I believe he's got what he deserved as payback for his brutality, violence and ignorance.