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Posts Tagged ‘The Yardbirds’

Died On This Date (November 15, 2016) Mose Allison / Jazz And Blues Legend

Posted by themusicsover on November 15, 2016

Mose Allison
November 11, 1927 – November 15, 2016

mose-allisonMose Allison was a revered jazz and blues pianist and singer whose influence reached beyond his idioms and into rock and blues.  Over the past four decades his songs have been recorded by the likes of the Clash, the Bangles, Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Robert Palmer, Bonnie Raitt, the Yardbirds, and most famously, the Who, whose version of “Young Mans Blues” reached the masses via their classic Live At Leeds album, and remained a concert staple ever since.  Born and raised on his grandfather’s Mississippi farm, Allison spent his formative years picking cotton while learning to play the piano and trumpet.  He was just 13 when he wrote his first song.  After spending a couple of years in the Army, Russell completed college and then moved to New York City to launch his music career.  While performing with such jazz luminaries as Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz, he recorded his debut album, Black Country Suite, which was released by Prestige in March of 1957. Difficult to classify, one label tried marketing him as a pop artist, while another tried blues, and yet another, jazz.  Regardless of any difficulties they might have had, his fanbase grew with each album. Throughout his career, Allison received countless honors including the prestigious Jazz Master award by the National Endowment For The Arts in 2013.  Mose Allison was 89 when he died of natural causes on November 15, 2016.

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Died On This Date (July 13, 2011) Jerry Ragovoy / Wrote Numerous Pop Hits

Posted by themusicsover on July 13, 2011

Jerry Ragovoy
September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011

Photo by Fernando Leon

Jerry Ragovoy was a prolific hit songwriter who over a career that spanned some 50 years, wrote or co-wrote some of popular music’s most iconic songs.  As one of the most important songwriting figures in the Philadelphia and New York soul scenes of the ’60s, his songs have been enjoyed by millions.  His most famous tunes were “Time Is On My Side” (Irma Thomas, the Rolling Stones), “Cry Baby,” and “Piece Of My Heart” (Janis Joplin).  His songs have also been recorded by Garnet Mimms, Howard Tate, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Costello, the Yardbirds, the Small Faces, Dusty Springfield, Chaka Kahn, the Moody Blues, Barry White, Bonnie Raitt, and many more.  Ragovoy also produced several records throughout his career as well.  Those he worked with in that capacity include Dionne Warwick and Paul Butterfield.  Jerry Ragovoy died on July 13, 2011 of complications from an earlier stroke.  He was 80.

Thanks to Benji Isabel for the assist.

What You Should Own

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Died On This Date (January 15, 1994) Harry Nilsson / Iconic Singer-Songwriter

Posted by themusicsover on January 15, 2010

Harry Nilsson
June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994

Harry Nilsson was a critically and commercially successful singer-songwriter who came to prominence during the 1970s.  He is best remembered for his hits, “Without You” (actually written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger)  and “Everybody’s Talkin'” from the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack.  Nilsson began his career as a songwriter in the early ’60s and by 1964, he was working for Phil Spector.  During those early years, his songs were being recorded by the likes of the Monkees, Glen Campbell, the Shangri-Las and the Yardbirds.  He began releasing records under his own name in 1966.  Nilsson’s profile was significantly raised when he was embraced and touted by Paul McCartney and John Lennon as their favorite American artist.  During the ’70s, Nilsson had a flat in London where he’d stay from time to time.  It is notorious for being the location where both Cass Elliot and Keith Moon died four years apart.  Nilsson began to slow his career down by the ’80s.  After Lennon was murdered in 1980, he devoted much of his time and effort to raising money for gun control organizations.  Harry Nilsson suffered a massive heart attack in 1993 and died of heart failure on January 15, 1994.  He was 52.

What You Should Own

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Nilsson Schmilsson - Harry Nilsson

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