R.I.P. Hugh McCracken, Renowned Session Guitarist - Noise11 Music News
Hugh McCracken, Noise11, Photo

Hugh McCracken

R.I.P. Hugh McCracken, Renowned Session Guitarist

by Paul Cashmere on March 30, 2013

in News

Renowned session musician, guitarist Hugh McCracken has lost his battle with Leukemia.

Hugh McCracken, Noise11, Photo

Hugh McCracken

McCracken was one of the most sought after session guys on the planet. He played on Paul McCartney ‘Ram’ and Wings ‘Red Rose Speedway’, John Lennon ‘Double Fantasy’, Aretha Franklin ‘Young, Gifted and Black’, Marie Gabrielle, ‘Restless Angel’, Peter Allen ‘Tenterfield Saddle’, Bette Midler’s debut, Hall & Oates ‘Abandoned Luncheonette’, Van Morrison ‘T.B. Sheets’, Paul Simon ‘Still Crazy After All These Years’, Steely Dan ‘Katy Lied’, Billy Joel ‘The Stranger’ as well as other albums for Carly Simon, Foreigner, B.B. King, Roberta Flack, Neil Diamond, Yoko Ono, Graham Parker, Gordon Lightfoot, Janis Ian and Dr John.

Hugh McCracken co-produced the 2005 Marie Gabrielle album ‘Restless Angel’. “I am devastated beyond words at the departure of my dearest friend, hero, mentor and angel…Hugh McCracken RIP my friend….I Looooooooooovvvvvveeee uuuuuuuu,” she posted on Facebook.

Carole King posted, “So sad to lose Hugh McCracken. Deepest condolences to friends and family of this great New York cat”.

Hugh McCracken died on March 28, 2013.

Related Posts

Yngwie Malmsteen photo by Rick Gould
Yngwie Malmsteen Announces Hell Or High Water Album, Shares First Single ‘Now Or Never’

Swedish guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen has confirmed his 23rd studio album, Hell Or High Water, will be released on 13 November, alongside the premiere of its first single, 'Now Or Never'.

August 6, 2026
Sir Richard Bishop by Hans van der Linden
Sir Richard Bishop Announces First Australian Tour In 20 Years

Sir Richard Bishop will return to Australia in October 2026 for his first tour of the country in two decades, bringing his acclaimed solo guitar performances to four intimate east coast dates.

June 24, 2026
Plini
Plini Announces New Album An Unnameable Desire With Title Track Video

Australian guitar virtuoso Plini returns with his highly anticipated third full-length album, An Unnameable Desire, set for release on Friday 24 April, alongside a music video for the title track.

March 31, 2026
Pixies photo supplied by Live Nation
Joey Santiago On Tone, Arpeggios And The Art Of Not Imitating – Inside Pixies’ Guitar Language

Joey Santiago has always been the quiet force driving Pixies' sonic personality - the man behind the wiry leads and angular phrases that defined a generation of alternative guitarists.

October 14, 2025
Vernon Reid photo by Justin Borucki supplied by Mascot Label Group
Vernon Reid Channels a Lifetime of Sound and Spirit Into New Solo Album Hoodoo Telemetry

Vernon Reid, the genre-blurring guitar visionary best known as founder of Living Colour, has unleashed his new solo album Hoodoo Telemetry via Artone/The Players Club Records. The album's final pre-release single In Effigy delivers a thunderous industrial groove exploring the moral duality of war - both the aggressor and the victim's perspectives colliding in sound.

October 4, 2025
Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme Melbourne 2023 photo by Winston Robinson
EXTREME’s ‘X Out’ Video Channels ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Dune’ in Cinematic Rock Revival

EXTREME has unveiled a new music video for their track "X Out," a standout from their 2023 album Six. The video amplifies the song's haunting themes of faith, mortality, and the search for meaning, drawing inspiration from cinematic classics like Mad Max and Dune.

September 18, 2025
Bernth and Charles Berthoud
Bernth and Charles Berthoud Dissect Guitar and Bass Classics, Explain Funk’s Addictiveness and Preview ‘Escape The Internet’

In their interview with Noise11.com, Bernth (Bernth Brodträger) and Charles (Charles Berthoud), dive into their musical influences, dissect iconic basslines, reflect on legendary bands, and preview their upcoming Australian tour.

August 9, 2025