Died On This Date (January 20, 2010) Lyn Tait / Influential Reggae Guitarist

Lyn Taitt
June 22, 1934 – January 20, 2010

Lyn Taitt was a reggae guitarist best known for his work on rocksteady recordings.  As a child, Taitt first learned to play the steel drum, but by his mid teens he switched over to guitar.  His style was percussive and inventive, making him one of the first stand-outs of ska and rocksteady.  Over the course of his career, he played on hundreds of records, and worked with producers like the great Joe Gibbs and Coxsone Dodd.  His guitar work has graced records by the likes of Lee Scratch Perry, Bob Marley, Desmond Dekker and Ken Boothe.  In 1968, he moved to Canada where he stayed an active part of the Montreal reggae scene well into the 21st century.  Lyn Tait died of cancer on January 10, 2010.  He was 75.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.

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Lyn Taitt & The Jets

Died On This Date (January 20, 2006) Dave Lepard / Crashdiet

Dave Lepard (Born David Hellman)
May 28, 1980 – January 20, 2006

dave-lepard

Dave Lepard is best remembered as the lead singer and guitarist for Swedish glam metal band, Crashdiet.  Formed in 2000, the band built a sizable cult following due in part, to an image and sound that took its cue from the likes of Guns ‘n Roses, Motley Crue and Hanoi Rocks.  They released their debut album, Rest in Sleaze in 2005.  That following January, Dave Lepard committed suicide at the age of 25.

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Generation Wild - Crashdïet

Died On This Date (January 20, 2002) John Jackson / Piedmont Blues Legend

John Jackson
February 24, 1924 – January 20, 2002

Photo by John Benicewicz

John Jackson was a Piedmont blues musician who, although he had plenty of local fans dating back to the 1940s, was not introduced to a national audience until the folk and blues revival 1960s.  His strong baritone voice, gentle acoustic picking, and occasional butter knife slide eventually endeared him to blues fans all over the world.  He was one of the last surviving bluesmen of the original generation.  John Jackson was 77 when he died of liver cancer on January 20, 2002.

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Rappahannock Blues - John Jackson

Died On This Date (January 20, 2009) David “Fathead” Newman

David “Fathead” Newman
January 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009

Photo by Tom Fougerousse
Photo by Tom Fougerousse

David “Fathead” Newman was an influential saxophonist who began his career in 1954 as part of Ray Charles’ band.  In later years he collaborated with many of popular music’s most respected musicians.  That list includes Herbie Mann, B.B. King, Stanley Turrentine, Aretha Franklin, and Eric Clapton.  Over the course of his career, Newman recorded 38 of his own albums.  On January 20, 2009, David “Fathead” Newman died of pancreatic cancer.  He was 75 years old.

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Davey Blue - David

Died On This Date (January 20, 2010) Joe Ptacek / Singer For Broken Hope

Joe Ptacek
May 1, 1972 – January 20, 2010

Joe Ptacek was the co-founder and lead singer for Illinois death-metal band, Broken Hope.  Formed in the Chicago area in 1988, the band released five albums for Metal Blade Records before disbanding in 2002.  The band had recently been discussing reforming.  On January 20, 2010, Joe Ptacek died of an apparent self-inflicted gun shot.  He was 37 years old.

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Swamped In Gore - Broken Hope