Died On This Date (January 18, 1995) Sean McDonnell / Surgery
themusicsover Sean McDonnell
DOB Unknown – January 18, 1995
Sean McDonnell was the lead singer for New York City based post-hardcore band, Surgery. In 1991, the band was signed to indie stalwarts, Amphetamine Reptile Records who released their debut, Nationwide. In 1994, when it seemed like any band that wore flannel shirts was getting noticed by major labels, Surgery was picked up by Atlantic Records. That following January, Sean McDonnell died from complications of asthma.
Eric Ferris was a rising star in the record industry. He began his career in 1998 as an assistant at Creative Artist Agency (CAA), then moved over to the label side as an assistant at Virgin Records where he worked his way up to VP of Marketing. He helped build the careers of such artists as Lenny Kravitz, N.E.R.D., the Rolling Stones and Smashing Pumpkins. He later moved on the Hollywood Records to be their Sr. VP of Marketing. He passed away on January 18, 2008 from neuro-endocrine cancer.
Kate McGarrigle, along with her sister Anna McGarrigle, made up the popular Canadian folk duo, Kate and Anna McGarrigle. They began singing and playing in folk groups during the ’60s, but went off on their own during the early ’70s, releasing their debut album in 1975. Over the course of their career together, they released ten albums, two of which won Juno Awards (Canada’s answer to the Grammys). Their songs have been recorded by the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Billy Bragg, and Emmylou Harris. They have also collaborated with Nick Cave. Having been married once to Loudon Wainwright III, Kate is the mother of popular contemporary singer-songwriters, Martha Wainwright and Rufus Wainwright, with whom she made her final television appearance on a 2008 episode of Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…. Diagnosed with cancer in 2006, Kate McGarrigle died of clear cell sarcoma on January 18, 2010. She was 63.
