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Posts Tagged ‘The Beatles’

RIP, Alvin Lee (March 6, 2013) Ten Years After

Posted by themusicsover on March 6, 2013

Alvin Lee (Born Graham Barnes)
December 19, 1944 – March 6, 2013

alvin-lee-1

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Alvin Lee was an English rock musician who is best remembered as founder and lead singer of the influential blues rock band, Ten Years After.  Considered one of rock’s greatest guitarists, Lee began playing at age 13.  In 1962, he formed his first band, the Jaybirds, who haunted the same Hamburg clubs that had recently hosted the pre-fame Beatles.  By the late ’60s, the Jaybirds morphed into Ten Years After who quickly built a sizable following throughout Europe and scored a record deal with Deram Records.  Finding their way to the San Francisco airwaves, songs from their self-titled debut caught the ear of Bill Graham who invited them to tour the US in 1968.  The following year, they played the Woodstock Festival and appeared in the iconic film documentary of the event.  Soon, the band found themselves playing arenas and stadiums all over the world, and Lee’s remarkable talent as a guitarist could not be denied.  After recording 10 albums with the group, Lee decided to move on in 1974.  What followed were a series of solo albums and collaborations with the likes of George Harrison, Mylon LeFevre, Bo Diddley, and Jerry Lee Lewis.  He reunited with Ten Years After for a couple of albums and tours during the late ’70s.  Lee continued recording and touring until the release of his final album, 2012′s Still On The Road To Freedom.  Alvin Lee died unexpectedly on March 6, 2013.   According to a post on his website, he “unexpectedly passed away early this morning after unforseen complications following a routine surgical procedure.”  He was 68.

Thanks to David Plastik of eRockPhotos for the assist.

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RIP, Tony Sheridan (February 16, 2013) Early Beatles Collaborator

Posted by themusicsover on February 16, 2013

Tony Sheridan (Born Anthony McGinnity)
May 21, 1940 – February 16, 2013

tony-sheridanTony Sheridan was an early English rock and roll singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most often recognized for his work with the pre-fame Beatles.  He holds the honor of being only one of two non-Beatles to ever be credited on one of the groups recordings – the other being Billy Preston.  Sheridan is also the only non-Beatle to sing lead on a single with them that charted (“My Bonnie”). Sheridan took an early liking to music, and at age seven, already knew how to play the violin.  He soon switched to the guitar, and by the time he was 16, he was fronting his own band.  Within a few years, he was either backing or sharing the stage with American musicians while they toured through the UK.  That list includes Gene Vincent, Conway Twitty, and Eddie Cochran.  During the early ’60s, Sheridan was recording in Hamburg and generally hired pick-up bands to back him on stage.  In 1961, thanks to a mutual admiration, he hired the Beatles, who at the time, were made up of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Pete Best.  Polydor producer, Bert Kaempfert, caught their act and convinced Sheridan to record with them.  The songs recorded during those 1961 sessions included, most famously, “My Bonnie,”  “The Saints,” “Cry For A Shadow,” and “Ain’t She Sweet.”  The latter two were utilized by the Beatles.  The 1st US pressing of “My Bonnie”/”The Saints” is one of the most collectible 45′s out there with a mint copy fetching $15,000 back in 2007.  During the mid-’60s, Sheridan moved his style to a more jazz and blues sound but unfortunately, most of his fans didn’t go along for the ride.  Although his record sales dwindled, he still remained a popular live act for many years.  In 1967, Sheridan went over the Vietnam to perform for the American troops.  During one such trip, he and his band were fired upon, killing one musician and leading to false reports that Sheridan himself, was killed. For his efforts during the war, the US Army made Sheridan an honorary Captain.  He continued to perform and record until heart surgery forced him into retirement in 2012. Tony Sheridan was 72 when he passed away on February 16, 2013.

Thanks to Brett Ortone at Go Aloha Entertainment for the assist.

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RIP, Rick Huxley (February 11, 2013) Dave Clark Five Bassist

Posted by themusicsover on February 11, 2013

Rick Huxley
August 5, 1942 – February 11, 2013

rick-huxleyThere was a moment during the ’60s when Rick Huxley was arguably the biggest bass player in popular music.  It was the British Invasion and the band in which he played, the Dave Clark Five, was comfortably seated right behind fellow invaders, the Beatles.  Formed in 1958, the band was the Fab Four’s biggest challengers during the early ’60s until the Rolling Stones roared in.  With the Dave Clark Five, Huxley played on such pop music staples as “Glad All Over,” “Bits and Pieces,” and “Catch Us If You Can.”  In March of 1964, the band became the second British Invasion band to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show.  Their two-week run immediately followed the Beatles’ original three-week stint.  The group broke up in 1970 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Tom Hanks in 2008, with Huxley on hand to accept the honor.  Other groups he played with include the Riverside Blues Boys and the Spon Valley Stompers.  Rick Huxley was 72 when he passed away on February 11, 2013.   Cause of death was not immediately released, though he had been battling emphysema.



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RIP, Patty Andrews (January 30, 2013) The Andrews Sisters

Posted by themusicsover on February 1, 2013

Patty Andrews
February 16, 1918 – January 30, 2013

patty-andrewsPatty Andrews, along with her two older sisters, Maxene Andrews and LaVerne Andrews were known professionally as the Andrews Sisters, the best-selling female vocal group in pop music history. Over their career, the Andrews’ recorded over 600 sides that sold over 75 million copies in all. They had 113 charted hits, 46 of which landing in the top 10, a feat that surpassed even Elvis Presley and the Beatles. The original group’s run came to an end when LaVerne died of cancer in 1967.  Patty was the last of the siblings to pass away on January 30, 2013.

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RIP, Ravi Shankar (December 11, 2012) World Renowned Indian Musician

Posted by themusicsover on December 11, 2012

Ravi Shankar (Born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury)
April 7, 1920 – December 11, 2012

With George Harrison

Ravi Shankar was and Indian musician and composer who is widely considered the most well-known musician India has ever produced.  As a master of the sitar, Shankar heavily influenced the later music of the Beatles, and in particular, George Harrison, with whom he collaborated during the ’70s.  Learning to play music as a child, Shankar was barely in his teens when he began playing behind a dance group that featured his brother.  The group toured Europe and the United States during the ’30s, exposing Shankar to western culture and music.   By the dawn of the ’60s, Shankar was finding fans of his music the world over, and while recording in Los Angeles, he was overheard by members of the Byrds, who went on to incorporate Indian sounds into their music.  That lead to an introduction to Harrison, who ultimately exposed the sitar to many by way of “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” on the Beatles’ Rubber Soul album.  Soon, other rock musicians began adding the sitar to their music, resulting in the sub-genre of rock known as raga.  “Within Without You” on the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is another fine example of Shankar’s influence on their sound.  In 1967, Shankar performed at the Monterey Pop Festival, and in 1969, at Woodstock, but he soon decoded to distance himself from the hippie movement.  In 1971, Shankar performed at the Harrison-organized Concert For Bangladesh. The resulting album went on to top most of the charts around the world and was named Album of the Year at the 1973 Grammys.  Shankar continued to collaborate with Harrison including a 1973 tour of North America which included a stop at the White House and a visit with President Gerald Ford.  Over the course of his career, Shankar sold millions of albums, won three Grammys, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his music featured in the film, Gandhi.  In December of 2012, he was nominated for yet another Grammy to be awarded in 2013.  His children include musicians Norah Jones, Annapurna DeviShubhendra “Shubho” Shankar, and Anoushka Shankar, with whom he toured well into his final years.  Ravi Shankar was 92 when he passed away on December 11, 2012.

Thanks to Craig Rosen and Number 1 Albums for the assist.

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The Sounds of India - Ravi Shankar

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