Two more 1950s R&B singers have just died.

Sad news reported on a '50s music listserv to which I belong:

Louisiana great JOE BARRY ("I'm A Fool to Care," 1961), has passed away. He suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, chronic asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, cariomyopic disease, diabetes, and an infected immune system.

Born Joseph Barrios, July 13th, 1939, he released his last CD in April of 2003. There is a great double-CD set from Night Train Records which collects all his early recordings. Its well worth checking out!

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JOHNNY BRAGG, lead singer of the Prisonaires and composer of "Just Walkin' in the Rain," died of cancer around 12:30 a.m. Sept. 1 at the Imperial Manor Convalescent Center in Madison, Tennessee. Funeral arrangements have not yet been arranged, but they will be handled by Smith Brothers (615-726-1476). Johnny's daughter, Misti, said he was 79. In recent years, there was a book on Johnny and the Prionaires as well as a retrospective collection of his recordings.

"Just Walkin' in the Rain" became a major pop hit when Johnnie Ray covered it in 1956.