Died On This Date (October 12, 2011) Taz DiGregorio / Charlie Daniels Band
themusicsover Joel “Taz” DiGregorio
1944 – October 12, 2011
Taz DiGregorio is perhaps best remembered as the keyboardist for the iconic country southern rock outfit, the Charlie Daniels Band. A member of the internationally famous group for over 40 years, DiGregorio also handled backing vocals and co-wrote many of the band’s hits, including “Simple Man,” “The Legend Of Wooley Swamp,” and their signature song, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.” As reported by A Taste of Country, Taz DiGregorio died of injuries sustained in a single car accident on October 12, 2011. He was 67. The group’s Tommy Crain passed away in 2011 as well.
Thanks to Joel at New Releases Now for the assist.
What You Should Own
Tommy Crain was, simply put, one of the foundations of Southern Rock. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Crain first took up the piano at just six years of age. After a neighbor soon taught him to play the ukulele, he won a talent contest at his school and decided to devote his life to music. Next, he mastered the guitar and banjo, and began playing in local rock bands throughout high school. During the early ’70s, he formed a band called Buckeye who was invited to play the opening slot at Charlie Daniels’ very first Volunteer Jam Festival there in Nashville. And when Daniels needed a new guitarist about a year later, he hired Crain. Crain played in the Charlie Daniels Band for the better part of the next twenty years and co-wrote more than 50 of the band’s songs including Daniels’ signature tune, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.” The song earned Crain a Grammy in 1980. He left Daniels in 1989 to work on his own projects which most recently included Tommy Crain & the Crosstown Allstars. Crain died in his sleep on January 14, 2011, just days before what would have been his 60th birthday. Cause of death was not immediately released. The group’s 