Died On This Date (April 7, 2013) Andy Johns / Legendary Record Producer & Engineer

Andy Johns
January 1, 1952 – April 7, 2013

andy-johnsAndy Johns was an English record producer and engineer whose resume reads like an encyclopedia of rock.  Still in his teens, Johns hit the ground running working as Eddie Kramer‘s second engineer on recordings by the likes of Jimi Hendrix.  Over the next four decades, Johns left his mark on such iconic albums as Led Zeppelin‘s IV, Physical Graffiti, and Houses Of The Holy;  the Rolling StonesSticky Fingers, Exile On Main St., and Goat’s Head Soup; Free‘s Highway; and  Television’s Marquee Moon.  He also produced or engineered albums for Van Halen, Humble Pie, Ron Wood, L.A. Guns, Cinderella, Chickenfoot, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Miller, Mott The Hoople, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, and many more.  Albums on which he worked have reportedly sold more than 160 million copies in all.  He was the younger brother of the equally impressive producer and engineer, Glyn Johns.  Andy Johns was 61 when he died on April 7, 2013.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums and Brett Ortone at Go Aloha Entertainment for the assist.

 

Died On This Date (July 10, 2011) Travis Bean / Innovative Guitar Maker

Clifford Travis Bean
August 21, 1947 – July 10, 2011

Photo by Rick Oblinger

Travis Bean was a Los Angeles, California area electric guitar maker who helped revolutionize the instrument during the 1970s.  In 1974, he launched Travis Bean Guitars to mass produce high-end electric guitars that had solid aluminum necks instead of the customary wood ones.  Besides giving the instruments a unique tone and durability, the metal added heft and cost to the guitars, upwards of $1000 each, which was a fairly large sum at that time.  Loyal fans of Bean’s guitars included Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Keith Richards and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, and jazz great, Stanley Jordan.  Bean also constructed a similar bass guitar that was used by the likes of Bill Wyman.  Bean halted production of the guitars in 1979 rather than compromise on the quality to meet lower cost demands.  Over 3600 guitars and basses came off the line during the five years of production.   Bean returned with another round of similar guitars and basses during the late ’90s.   Travis Bean was 63 when he died on July 10, 2011 following a long battle with cancer.

 



Died On This Date (January 10, 1997) Kenny Pickett / The Creation

Kenny Pickett
September 3, 1947 – January 10, 1997

Kenny Pickett at front

Kenny Pickett was the lead singer of British mod band, the Creation.  With a sound and style similar to the Kinks and the Who, many have wondered why they were never more popular.  They had solid songwriting, a great vocalist and a guitarist who Pete Townshend once asked to join the Who.  At one point Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones was in the band.  Their “Making Time” is one of the greatest rock songs of the era.  Although they never really caught on in the UK or the US, they were pretty popular in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. And the great independent label, Creation Records is said to be named after them.  Pickett suffered a fatal heart attack on January 10, 1997.

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Our Music Is Red - With Purple Flashes - The Creation