Died On This Date (July 28, 1995) Eddie Hinton / Muscle Shoals Guitarist

Eddie Hinton
June 15, 1944 – July 28, 1995

Eddie Hinton was one of those great unknowns. As a session guitarist within the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, his brilliance can be heard on hits by the likes of Wilson Pickett, Arthur Conley, Aretha Franklin, Joe Tex, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, The Staple Singers, The Dells, Johnnie Taylor, Elvis Presley, the Box Tops, Boz Scaggs, and Otis Redding. And as a songwriter, he penned a few hits as well, including “Breakfast In Bed” which has been recorded by the Pretenders, Dusty Springfield and UB40. During the early ’80s however, Hinton’s career and personal life took a drastic turn for the worse, at one point, leading him to a life on the streets. But with the help of friends, he was able to rebound and get back to doing what he did best – writing, recording and touring. Things were going pretty smooth for Hinton until July of 1995. He had just come of the road and was finishing up a new album when he suffered a fatal heart attack on July 28. He was 51.

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Eddie Hinton

Died On This Date (May 31, 2000) Johnnie Taylor / Soul Singer

Johnnie Taylor
May 5, 1938 – May 31, 2000

Johnnie Taylor was one of those rare talents who could adapt his style to fit whatever the current trend was looking for. He found success with gospel, soul, blues, doo wop, and disco. Taylor’s first break came in 1957 when he replaced Sam Cooke as front man of the Soul Stirrers, the influential gospel group. In 1961, he signed to Cooke’s label, Star Records. But when Cooke was murdered in 1964, Taylor moved back to Memphis where he was signed to the legendary Stax Records where he had a string of R&B hits that primarily showcased his smooth crooning. Then came the mid ’70s, and Taylor found himself on CBS Records where in 1976, he delivered one of disco’s biggest smashes, “Disco Lady.” That song would become the very first single to be certified Platinum by the RIAA. It went on to sell more than two million copies. By the ’80s, disco was dead and so was Taylor’s ascension to the top, so he went back to where it all began and signed with Malaco Records, a label that let him revisit the sound of his early career, the blues. His career stayed active through the late ’90s, but on May 31, 2000, Johnnie Taylor suffered a fatal heart attack.

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The Very Best of Johnnie Taylor - Johnnie Taylor

Died On This Date (December 11, 1964) Sam Cooke / Soul Great

Sam Cooke
January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964

sam-cookeSam Cooke was one of soul music’s most respected and influential artists.  Over a career that spanned just seven years, he placed almost thirty songs on the Top 40 charts.  More than that, Cooke was a savvy businessman and was a visible participant in the Civil Rights movement.  His hits included “A Change is Gonna Come,” “You Send Me,” “Twistin’ the Night Away,” and “Chain Gang.”  Cooke first came to prominence in 1950 as the singer for the influential gospel group, the Soul Stirrers.  By the mid ’50s, he began releasing crossover pop records, and in 1961, he started his own record company, SAR Records, which soon signed the likes of Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Womack.  Shortly thereafter, he formed his own publishing and management companies.  On December 11, 1964, Sam Cooke, age 33 was shot and killed.  That much we know.  Official reports concluded that the manager of a motel shot him in self-defense during an altercation in which she felt threatened by Cooke, who was acting deranged and was wearing just a jacket and shoe.    What officials finally surmised was that Cooke was at the motel with a woman who may or may not have been a hooker.  And after the woman ran off with his clothes and money to either rob him or escape an attempted rape, Cooke went into a rage which lead to the altercation with the hotel manager.  Although the case was closed as a “justifiable homicide,” many close to Cooke strongly believe that the reported events of the evening were fabricated to cover up his murder.

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30 Greatest Hits - Sam Cooke Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 (Remastered) - Sam Cooke