Died On This Date (December 20, 2009) Brittany Murphy / Actress & Pop Singer

Brittany Murphy
November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009

Brittany Murphy is best remembered as a young American actress who appeared in such films as Girl Interrupted, Riding In Cars With Boys, and 8 Mile, opposite Eminem.  But she also had a bit of a music career as well.  By the time she was nine, Murphy landed a singing role in Les Miserables, and at 14, she was co-starring in the short-lived sit-com, Drexell’s Class.   In June of 2006, Murphy was invited to sing lead on dance producer Paul Oakenfold’s 2006 hit, “Faster Kill Pussycat.”  The frenetic single was a smash, topping the Billboard Dance Singles chart as well as reaching the top 10 on the UK charts.  She can also be heard singing Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland” and Queen’s “Somebody To Love” in the hit animated film, Happy Feet that same year.  Murphy also devoted her time to entertaining American soldiers as part of at least one USO tour.  On December 20, 2009, Brittany Murphy, 32, reportedly went into cardiac arrest in the shower of her Los Angeles home and was pronounced dead-on-arrival at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.



Died On This Date (December 20, 2009) James Gurley/ Played With Janis Joplin

James Gurley
December 22, 1939 – December 20, 2009

Photo by Bob Seidemann

James Gurley was a Detroit born rock guitarist who is best remembered for his work along with Janis Joplin in Big Brother & The Holding Company.  Gurley began teaching himself to play the guitar when he was 19, mostly by practicing along with old blues records.  In 1962, he moved to San Francisco and became immersed in the local music scene.  In 1965, he was invited to join Big Brother.  They soon added Joplin to sing lead, and after signing with Columbia Records, the group became a breakout act of the San Francisco scene.  They released such landmark rock albums as 1967’s self-titled debut, and it’s follow-up, Cheap Thrills.  Following the 1971 break up of Big Brother, Gurley continued on over the next three decades collaborating with other artists or playing bass in his own new wave band, Red Robin & the Worms.  James Gurley, 69, died of a heart attack on December 20, 2009.

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Cheap Thrills - Big Brother & The Holding Company

Died On This Date (December 20, 1999) Hank Snow / Country Great

Clarence “Hank”  Snow
May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999

hank-snowHank Snow was a prolific country star who, during a 30-year stretch of his career, logged in more than 70 country-charting singles, including at least seven that reached number one.  Over the course of a career that spanned six decades, he sold more than 80 million albums.  His songs have been covered by such greats as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, and the Rolling Stones.  After running away from an abusive home at 12, Snow went to work as a cabin boy on a fishing boat, learned to play the guitar he ordered from a department store catalog, and by 16, he was playing his first his first gigs.  He signed with RCA Records in 1936 and released records for them for the next 45 years.  After moving to Nashville, it was Snow who convinced the Grand Ole Opry to let a young Elvis Presley grace their stage for the first time in 1954.   He continued to use Presley as his opening act and later introduced him to Col. Tom Parker.  Hank Snow was 85 when he passed away at his home on December 20, 1999.

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The Essential Hank Snow - Hank Snow

Died On This Date (December 20, 1973) Bobby Darin / Celebrated Pop Singer

Bobby Darin (Born Walden Cassotto)
May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973

bobby-darinBobby Darin was a pop singer and actor who scored numerous charting hits during a career that spanned from the mid ’50s until his death in 1973.  He was of the Frank Sinatra mold in that he could interpret songs no matter what the genre and could also hold his own as an actor.  He is best known for the hits, “Splish Splash,” “Beyond The Sea,” “If I Was A Carpenter,” and “Mack The Knife,” which sold over a million copies and earned him a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1960.  He was also named Best New Artist that same year.  As an actor, he is best remembered for his Academy Award Nominated supporting role in 1963’s Captain Newman, MD.  He continued to record and act through the ’60s, but his health was starting to go south by the time the ’70s hit.   On December 20, 1973, Bobby Darin, died from complications immediately following heart surgery.  He was just 37.

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