​Overshadowed in death by the passing of Don Cornelius of Soul Train, St. Louis R&B and gospel singer David Peaston also died on February 1, 2012, from complications from diabetes. He was 54.

Peaston was part of St. Louis gospel royalty. His mother was Martha Bass, singer in the foundational gospel group the Clara Ward Singers, and his sister was Fontella Bass, who needs no introduction.

With his agile, deceptively devastating high tenor voice, Peaston received his break after a move to New York and his celebrated appearances on the Showtime at the Apollo TV series. His signature performance number was "God Bless the Child," a song that he utterly transformed, drawing on jazz scatting and a creamy phrasing that would boil over into something else entirely, something only a very great sacred singer can harness and set free.

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theurbandaily.com

Soul Train creator and host Don Cornelius made an expansive impact on popular culture.

​Music fans are still reeling from the death of Don Cornelius, the unmistakable and irreplaceable host and creator of Soul Train.

Cornelius was found dead on Wednesday in Los Angeles of what police believe to be a self-inflicted wound. The Chicago native and Korean War veteran was 75.

With the sadness emanating from Cornelius' death is increased focus on his expansive legacy. He created and hosted a show that became a revolutionary outlet for black musicians and unrepresented genres. Soul Train was a venue that brought extremely talented artists -- from powerhouses like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye to rap superheroes Run DMC -- to a wider audience.

Cornelius himself was an attraction, delivering an utterly smooth delivery and championing an array of outstanding catchphrases. No matter how turbulent the day, Cornelius would wish America nothing more than "peace, love and soul."

Given the Soul Train's longevity, it is not terribly surprising that a number of musicians closely associated with St. Louis made appearances on the show. In honor of Cornelius, here's a sampling of St. Louis natives that appeared on Soul Train:

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Tony Perolio, October 6 1981-January 25 2012.

​Anthony Perolio was a Marine, a gifted drummer, an engineer, an athlete, a leukemia survivor, a loving husband and the father of two joyous poodles. His on-paper accomplishments, though varied and many, pale in comparison to who Tony was when he woke up every morning and went to sleep every night -- a kind, wonderful person who gave amazing hugs and never saw a face he didn't smile at.

Tony died on January 25, 2012 at the age of 30. He is survived by his wife Jessica, his parents, Steve and Connie, his sister Andrea and half-brother Adam. A visitation will be held on Monday, January 30 and a funeral service will follow on Tuesday at the Journey Church.

In November 2006, Tony was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and was told he had days to live. He underwent a stem cell transplant in May 2007 that beat the cancer. He completed an engineering degree at Washington University and got engaged to the love of his life in 2008. In January 2009, he was diagnosed with GVHD, or graft-versus-host-disease, where the body fights against the transplant. Though common in transplant patients, Tony's GVHD was out of the ordinary, confounding some of the top oncologists in the nation. In September 2011, he was told that his health would continue to dissipate without drastic measures. He re-entered Barnes-Jewish Hospital in January 2012 for chemotherapy and treatment and spent his final days surrounded by his family, friends and devoted wife.

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​Last week, via Facebook, the electronic-based hip-hop duo, Safety Words announced that it will be on an indefinite hiatus. Safety Words is the long-time collaboration between Ian Jones (DJ Parisian) and Sean Price (Doctor Phelonius). Known for their ability to craft hyperactive hip-hop out of 8-bit Nintendo hooks, Safety Words' elegant approach and cosmic sheen set them apart from the average chiptune producer. 2009's The Ghostfaced Pixels Mixtape remains a solid document of Safety Words' vast talent and dedication to the craft.

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Jennifer Silverberg

​Bob Cassilly, the artist whose seemingly impossible visions included the City Museum, died yesterday while working on his most ambitious creation: Cementland. For a look at his life, his work and his famously enormous personality, read Aimee Levitt's obituary on Daily RFT.

Cassilly's work inspired St. Louisans, and the music community in particular, in many ways. The City Museum hosted music events ranging in scope from KDHX's Midwest Mayhem, which yearly attracts thousands of people and over a dozen bands, to Bill Streeter's Lo-Fi St. Louis video series, which have frequently been set in the ever-expanding nooks and crannies of the museum. And Cassilly's spirit, which was impossible to mistake even if you did nothing more than glance at the City Museum, means even more to people creating things in St. Louis. "The City Museum represents so many different things. It's impossible to completely express what the artistic community has lost with Bob's demise," says Tef Poe. "He realized the importance of completely dedicating yourself to the art. We learn from him the beauty of giving our vision to others and sharing our talents with the world."

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Courtesy of R.E.M.

​One of the most important bands in rock music has broken up. After 31 years together, R.E.M. has announced its retirement on its website with a humble, thankful note. The declaration shocked fans, who immediately bombarded social networks and entertainment news stories with a flurry of bittersweet comments and links to favorite music videos.

There is a reason for all of this upset: R.E.M is special. Not just to fans, but to history. It is impossible to overstate the significance of this band. R.E.M. has influenced the very fabric of American culture, including music, morality and politics. From its meager beginnings in small town Georgia to playing the biggest stages in the world, R.E.M. pulled off something nearly unthinkable: it maintained its integrity and kept making great music.

Since 1980, the band has been a constant. That's not to say that it never evolved. Both the band members and the music grew with grace, never repeating a proven formula, always claiming new ground. From the mid-tempo jangle on Murmur to the rock blast of Monster and on through the sun-soaked twinkling in Reveal, the band exhibited a remarkable ability to morph its sound while still retaining its essence.

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Courtesy of David Wolk

​For the last two months, Cranky Yellow has been closed, but transmissions from its social-media arm led patrons to believe at some point the curio shop would reopen. Earlier this week, owner and operator David Wolk announced via his Facebook page that Cranky Yellow is indeed done for good.

"When I first opened Cranky Yellow I felt so industrious and driven. That feeling has been replaced with stress and fear. That's how I know it's time to go," Wolk said.

Since the "soft closing" a few months ago -- spurred by the City of St. Louis ordering Cranky Yellow to get a certificate of occupancy before continuing to hold shows in its basement venue -- Wolk has spent the intervening days looking at his options and noodling the past five years he's spent making his Cranky dream a reality.

"Then it was just a matter of coming to terms with the fact that I would have to officially close the doors," said Wolk. "When I first made the announcement I was really emotional and sad. Now I'm so pumped to wrap up this chapter and move along. I'm grateful and humbled by the artists, musicians and creative types that have helped Cranky Yellow along this far. It really is quite a collaborative accomplishment. Five years. Whoa."

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DJ Sno and Finsta.

​Last night marked the end of a five year run for STL Home Jamz, the Hot 104.1 radio show that promoted independent local hip hop artists. The show went off the air less than 18 hours ago, and already there's a social media movement to bring it back the beloved two hour block of new music. Finsta and DJ Sno gave us the scoop on the cancelation, the celebration (tonight), and the aberration that was STL Home Jamz (RIP).

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Jason Torbitzky playing with Theodore. Photo by Ellen Herget

​Theodore's Jason Torbitzky is making his leave from the band much in the way he played with it: Without flailing or fanfare. His new job won't leave enough time to devote to the band; his final show will be tomorrow for the Union Electric's seven-inch release show at Mangia. "He was the first to join up when we were starting out," says front man Justin Kinkel-Schuster, "and he has always been solid, reliable, creative and enthusiastic -- a fantastic drummer as well as a good man to have and be around.

"Simply put, Theodore would not be the band that it has become without Jason. I know that's about as cliche as it gets, but it's the truth."

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Nick Lucchesi

Jeff Robtoy in his element.

​Tomorrow night, there are no fewer than four major local shows vying for your weekend attention. Two of them are sad occasions -- Dynabro Griffin Kay's final performance with So Many Dynamos, Glass Teeth's final show as the five-man powerhouse you've come to know and loathe -- and two of them are happy ones: Union Tree Review and Bo and the Locomotive have a joint release show at the Firebird, and Union Electric's dropping its new seven-inch knowledge at Mangia Italiano. Pick your poison St. Louis, or make like we will and try to hit them all.

We caught up with Glass Teeth's Matty Coonfield for a final Q&A about the band's last performance. It's also releasing an album at the final show, the last one recorded before deciding to call it quits. Get a sneak peek with "Work Party" below. It's not the end for Coonfield, inimitable lead singer Jeff Robtoy, or even Mark Early -- you can catch the three of them playing in Tone Rodent. But until the inevitable reunion, this is your last chance to see them with Lorne Day on bass and Mike Hansen on drums. Coonfield says to expect a pre-taped eulogy, plenty of special guests and killer sets from Doom Town, Spelling Bee and Shaved Women.

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