Died On This Date (March 28, 1974) Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup / Mississippi Blues Great

Arthur Crudup
August 24, 1905 – March 28, 1974

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Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup was a Mississippi blues man who, even though his “That’s Alright, Mama” became one of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits, he still had to work most of his life as a laborer and moonshiner to put food on the table.  And even though there are countless other covers of his tunes, he still lived in near poverty for his entire life. Besides Presley, artists like Bob Dylan, Creedance Clearwater Revival, John Lee Hooker, Wanda Jackson, Elton John, Junior Wells and the Stray Cats owe a lot more than just gratitude to Arthur Crudup who had to labor most of his life until he passed away from complications of heart disease and diabetes at 71.



Died On This Date (March 10, 2009) Freddy Frogs / ’80s Rockabilly Revivalist

Freddy Frogs (Born Ferdinando Toscano)
September 21, 1942 – March 10, 2009

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Freddy Frogs was a dynamic performer during the rockabilly’s revival of the ’80s, when he was popular draw at clubs throughout New York and beyond.  As was the case with most rockabilly revivalists, Frogs found his most success in the U.K. where his band, the BMT’s had a hit with “Crazy Little Mama.”  It has been reported that upon his return from England, he convinced the Stray Cats to go play the U.K., which ultimately sparked their successful career.  Freddy Frogs, age 66, died of a heart attack on March 10, 2009