Wells Kelly was the founding drummer for Orleans, a soft rock band that formed in 1972. The band is best remembered for their ’70s pop hits, “Still the One” and “Dance With Me.” As early as 1977, “Still the One” has been played on numerous television shows and films. Over the course of their career, Orleans were a popular opening act for the likes of Jackson Browne, Little Feat and Melissa Manchester. After his run with Orleans, Kelly played with Steve Forbert, Clarence Clemons, and Meat Loaf. It was while on tour with Meat Loaf that Kelly, 34, was found dead of asphyxiation.
Frank De Vol
September 20, 1911 – October 27, 1999
Frank De Vol was a musician, composer, band leader, arranger, and actor who is perhaps best remembered as the ironically named Happy Kyne, who, with his Myrthmakers, were the house band for fictional talk show parodies Fernwood 2Night and later, America 2-Night. The television shows, which had sizable cult followings during the late’70s, were spin-offs of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and co-starred Martin Mull and Fred Willard as host and co-host. De Vol began playing music as a child, and had performed with a few different travelling orchestras before going off to become a recording artist. He also worked as an arranger during his early career, collaborating on records by the likes of Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, as well as on the # 1 hit, “Nature Boy” for Nat King Cole. Soon after, De Vol was signed to Columbia Records where he recorded several easy-listening albums that did quite well. He also created the scores or smaller pieces for numerous popular movies and television programs of the ’60s and ’70s. That list includes such films as Pillow Talk, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, and Cat Ballou, and TV shows, The Love Boat, The Brady Bunch, and My Three Sons. During the ’70s, De Vol acted in several television programs including Fernwood 2Night and America 2-Night, where his deadpan delivery as the mopey band leader who performed schmaltzy versions of pop hits of the day brought him many a new legion of fans. Frank De Vol was 88 when he passed away on October 27, 1999.
Ricky Parent is best remembered as a drummer for the pop metal band, Enuff Z’nuff. Born in New Jersey, Parent began playing the drums at the age of five. When he got older, he decided he wanted to pursue a career in music, so he moved to Los Angeles to find a band to work with. He landed a job with War & Peace, the band formed by ex Dokken bassist, Jeff Pilson. The band soon broke up and Parent was picked up by Vince Neil to lay down tracks for his first solo album. In 1992, Parent learned that Enuff Z’nuff was looking for a new drummer, so he moved to Chicago and got hired on as their drummer. He played in the band for the band for the next 13 years. Ricky Parent died of cancer at the age of 44.
Steve Peregrin Took (Born Stephen Porter)
July 28, 1949 – October 27, 1980
Steve Took is best remembered as the original drummer in Marc Bolan’s rock band, T. Rex. After answering an ad in a 1967 London newspaper, Took met Bolan and together, they formed T. Rex as a duo. While Bolan sang and played guitars, Took played bass and percussion. The band built a strong cult following in and around the UK after releasing three albums in the late ’60s. Famed UK disc jockey, John Peel helped them land a record deal. Unfortunately, Took’s excessive drug use and abnormal behavior lead to Bolan releasing him from the band after their first U.S. tour in 1971. Took began playing with a band called the Pink Fairies, while Bolan and his band’s fame took off. He also worked as a solo artist for a couple of years before his death. Steve Peregrin Took, 31, died after a night of drug use. Official reports indicate that he died from choking on a cocktail cherry, though some believe drugs played a part.
Tom Dowd was an innovative record producer and engineer who helped develop the Atlantic Records sound thanks to hundreds of popular albums he collaborated on. A master of physics, Dowd worked on the Manhattan Project while in the Army prior to his days at Atlantic. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the development of the first atom bomb. After his time in the service, Dowd got a job in the studio at Atlantic Records where he produced or engineered albums by the likes of Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Derek & the Dominos, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, the Allman Brothers, and many many more. Dowd was far from a silent producer behind the board. He has been credited numerous times for helping develop and shape the sound of the artist into what ultimately made them famous. He was also instrumental in the growth of stereo and eight-track recording in the industry. Dowd continued to work right up until the time of his death, October 27, 2002. He died of emphysema a week after his 77th birthday.