Jazz pianist -- via the Spokesman-Review.
Interesting, overlooked, and significant obituaries from around the world, as they happen, emphasizing the positive achievements of those who have died. Member, Society of Professional Obituary Writers.
Monday, March 14, 2011
John Studebaker "Jack" Hardy
Folk singer and promoter -- via the New York Times. He helped the early careers of such performers as Tracy Chapman, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin and Suzanne Vega.
Robert P. Marcucci
Songwriter, manager and producer -- via westernboothill.com. He discovered both Frankie Avalon and Fabian; his life was the inspiration for the 1980 film "The Idolmaker."
Norman Taylor
Television engineer -- via the Independent. Quite by accident, he created the unique original opening for BBC's "Doctor Who" series --
William "Beau Dollar" Bowman
Singer and drummer -- via rocksbackpagesblogs.com. A funky frontman for the Dapps and Beau Dollar and the Coins, his name later inspired the name of Dap Records, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings!
Owsley "Bear" Stanley aka Augustus Owsley Stanley III
1960's icon -- via the New York Daily News. He did so much to enable the era to happen -- he was the first to manufacture LSD in large quantities. He was an innovative and masterful sound engineer, working primarily with the Grateful Dead.
He designed the Dead's Lightning Bolt Skull logo.
He inspired the "Dancing Bear" symbols commonly associated with the band. (Indeed, he created the freeform, flailing "dead dance" still seen at many concerts.)
He initiated the practice of taping Dead shows (as well as taping many other bands of the era -- many tapes are still unreleased). The band Blue Cheer was named after one of his hallucinogenic products. The Steeley Dan song "Kid Charlemagne" was inspired in part by his exploits.
He was a consciousness expander, and a lover of good music. Thank you, Bear!
He designed the Dead's Lightning Bolt Skull logo.
He inspired the "Dancing Bear" symbols commonly associated with the band. (Indeed, he created the freeform, flailing "dead dance" still seen at many concerts.)
He initiated the practice of taping Dead shows (as well as taping many other bands of the era -- many tapes are still unreleased). The band Blue Cheer was named after one of his hallucinogenic products. The Steeley Dan song "Kid Charlemagne" was inspired in part by his exploits.
He was a consciousness expander, and a lover of good music. Thank you, Bear!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Joe Morello
One of the greatest of all jazz drummers -- via WGBH. He was recorded on more than 120 albums, 60 of which were with Dave Brubeck. His skills inspired much of Brubeck's composition of the classic album "Take Five."
Friday, March 11, 2011
Hugh Martin
Tony- and Oscar- nominated composer, arranger, playwright and accompanist -- via TheaterMania. With Ralph Blane, he wrote the score for 1944's "Meet in St. Louis," including the classic songs "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Trolley Song" and "The Boy Next Door."
He and Blane were also nominated for this song from 1947's "Good News":
He and Blane were also nominated for this song from 1947's "Good News":
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Jean Dinning
Singer and songwriter -- via the Orange County Register. A member of the vocal trio The Dinning Sisters, her claim to fame will be the fact that she wrote the hit song "Teen Angel" for her brother, Mark. Surprisingly, the song was banned for a year by many radio stations until becoming a number-one hit in 1960. It is a prominent part of that peculiar subgenre of "teen tragedy" or "dead girl" songs that were so popular during that era.
Herb Kawainui Kane
Historian, artist, and ocean-going canoe designer and builder -- via the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Frank Dezelan
National League umpire -- via MLB.com. He was there at the 1970 All-Star Game Ray Fosse-Pete Rose dustup.
St. Clair Lee aka Bernard Lee
Vocalist -- via inlandsocal.com. Best known as a member of the vocal trio The Hues Corporation, who scored big with their 1974 hit, "Don't Rock the Boat."
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Gerald Stonehill
The world's leading expert on the Duo-Art, or "reproducing," piano, which acted like a player piano but could imitate the nuance of an individual keyboardist -- via the Telegraph.
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