Jimmy McCulloch
June 4, 1953 – September 27, 1979
Jimmy McCulloch was a rock guitarist who played with Thunderclap Newman, Stone the Crows, and most famously, Paul McCartney’s band Wings from 1974 to 1977. His most celebrated contribution to Wings was his lead guitar work on “Junior’s Farm.” Jimmy McColluch died of a heroin overdose at the age of 26.
Beau Velasco
August 15, 1978 – September 27, 2009
Beau Velasco was the founding drummer for up-and-coming electro-punk band, The Death Set. Formed in Australia in 2005, the band quickly moved to New York City and then settled in Baltimore where they began to build a following for their aggressive genre-bending music. In 2008, they signed to hip indie label, Counter Records, who released their debut album, Worldwide to positive reviews. Beau Valesco died on September 27, 2009. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Robert Palmer
January 19, 1949 – September 26, 2003
Robert Palmer was a popular English rock and blue-eyed-soul singer who had a much longer and fruitful career than many realize. He was just 15 when, in 1969, Palmer cut his first records as the lead singer of The Alen Bown Set. That following year, he formed his own band, Vinegar Joe, with whom he sang and played rhythm guitar. The group soon signed with Island Records and released three critically acclaimed yet commercially ignored albums before the label signed Palmer to a solo deal. He began releasing a string of moderately successful albums that featured such radio-friendly tracks as “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” “Bad Case of Loving You,” and “Clues.” The mid ’80s were particularly kind to Palmer. He first hooked up with members of Duran Duran to form Power Station who scored two huge hits with “Some Like It Hot” and “Get It On (Bang a Gong),” with Palmer on lead vocals. He soon followed that with a handful of his own hits, which included “Simply Irresistable,” “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On,” and “Addicted To Love.” His catchy dance-rock songs and titillating videos were a perfect match for MTV during its most popular and trend-setting era. Suddenly, Palmer found himself part of an internationally revered club of superstar pop singers that included the likes of Tina Turner, David Bowie and Rod Stewart. By design, Palmer’s output during the ’90s was much more eclectic, making it critically lauded, but never matching his commercial success of the ’80s. Palmer’s final album, 2003’s blues set, Drive, was praised by critics as his most sincere, if not best album he ever released. Robert Palmer suffered a fatal heart attack on September 26, 2003. He was 54 years old.
Bryan Morrison
DOB Unknown – September 26, 2008
Byran Morrison was a music publisher and manager who guided the careers of the Pretty Things and Pink Floyd during their early years. As a music publisher, he owned the valuable catalogs of Wham, T. Rex, the Bee Gees and the Jam. In 2006, Morrison was involved in an accident, leaving him in a coma ever since. On September 26, 2008, Bryan Morrison died due to an apparent infection at the age of 65.
Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums
Bessie Smith
July 9, 1892 or April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937
Bessie Smith was an influential blues and jazz singer who made an indelible mark on popular music during the ’30s and ’40s. Raised in poverty, Smith and her brother took to the streets of Chattanooga to sing for any change they could get for the family. Her break into show business came in 1912 when she successfully auditioned for a traveling vaudeville group. She settled for being a dancer however, since the group already had a female lead in Ma Rainey. Smith eventually moved over to live theater, making it all the way to Broadway on more than one occasion. She also appeared in the 1929 film version of St. Louis Blues. Known at the time as more of a blues singer, Smith moved over to swing in the early ’30s, thanks to legendary talent scout John Hammond, who brought her in to record for Okeh Records. Bessie Smith was killed following a horrific car accident. She had been the passenger in a car whose driver had likely fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the accident. Smith was 43 years old at the time of her death.
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