It was a pretty rough year for music-related deaths. It seemed like every day we lost another songwriter, producer, or musician. And this sort of tragic news affected every genre and every age group.

But they all left behind a body of work to keep their memories alive, and tonight’s Live Ledge celebrates many of these artists. Some were platinum-selling Hall of Famers; others were lifers who deserved more recognition than they saw in their lifetime. A special thanks goes to Danny Boen for offering his thoughts on his longtime friend (and Polara bandmate) Ed Ackerson. One of the MVP’s of the Minneapolis scene since the mid-80’s, his October 4 death from pancreatic cancer stunned the Minneapolis community. (A GoFundMe has been set up for Ackerson’s wife and child. Please help if you can.)

After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy!