Legends Die

They weren't household names, and they weren't pursued by fans and paparazzi. But among rock cognoscente, their contributions are well known and highly regarded. And we've lost two of them in recent days.

Alan Gordon was a gifted songwriter. He wrote "Happy Together" for The Turtles and "Celebrate" for Three Dog Night. Alice Cooper, Frank Zappa, Blues Magoos, and The Lovin' Spoonful are among the many others who recorded Gordon-penned songs. He died at the age of 64 after a two-year battle with cancer.

Bill Drake built his legend as a radio programmer in the '60s and '70s. His lasting legacy was the creation of the "boss radio" format, which emphasized music over mouth, relegating formerly chatty disc jockeys to short, scripted "liners" and making the music the main attraction. Drake died of lung cancer at age 71.