Richard David Lawson (1954 – December 23, 2013)

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Studio drummer Ricky Lawson, who collaborated
with Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston and other
artists, has died at a California hospital after suffering a brain aneurism earlier
this month.

Lawson became disoriented Dec. 13 during a show in Seal Beach, Calif., and
was diagnosed with an aneurism.

Paul Riser of Detroit told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his nephew
was removed from life support after 10 days and died Monday evening.

Lawson was being treated at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

The Detroit native jumped into the music business even before graduating from
Cooley High School, and he became one of the nation’s top studio musicians in
the 1980s.

His work appears on Houston’s version of "I Will Always Love You."