Died On This Date (April 16, 2008) Joe Feeney / Lawrence Welk Show
themusicsover Joe Feeney
August 15, 1931 – April 16, 2008
Joe Feeney began singing at a very young age while growing up in Nebraska. After graduating from high school, he began entering singing contests where he did quite well and even appeared on Arlene Francis’ Talent Patrol program. It was in 1956 that his boss at a Omaha radio station sent his tapes to the offices of Lawrence Welk. Welk offered him a job on his show. Feeney’s run on the show continued until it ended production in 1982. His renditions of Irish classics were among the favorites of Welk’s audiences. Feeney served in the US Army during the Korean War and had the honor of not only singing for five US Presidents, but for Pope Paul VI. Feeney died as a result of emphysema in April 16, 2008 even though he never smoked. It is thought that he may have come down with the illness from the many years of performing at smoke-filled venues. One of his ten children is Chris Feeney, who sings in the LA Opera company.
Dee Holmes was a beloved singer who made a name for herself throughout the New Jersey Shore music scene and beyond. She also worked as a voice instructor. During the early ’70s Holmes sang back-up in the Bruce Springsteen Band, the legendary forerunner of the more familiar E Street Band. Holmes reunited with Springsteen when she sang with him on “My City Of Ruins” for the televised 9/11 fundraiser, America: A Tribute To Heroes. She reportedly sang with Springsteen on numerous other occasions throughout the years as well. Dee Holmes was 63 when she passed away on April 16, 2010.
At 6′-8″, Joey Ramone towered, both literally and physically, over the punk rock world as the leader of the Ramones. His early life was a exemplified of that cliche of the awkward kid who doesn’t fit in, and needs the escape that only rock ‘n’ roll can provide. He found refuge in records by the Beatles, the Who and Phil Spector’s “wall of sound.” In 1974, he co-founded the Ramones, who many consider to be the the first real punk band. Beneath Joey’s vocal barrage and the band’s assault of bass, drums and guitar, lay some of the most beautiful melodies rock music has ever heard. And they told more in two minutes than many bands can say across an entire CD. The Ramones were the blue print. When discussing his awesome Underground Garage channel on Sirius Satellite, Little Steven Van Zandt describes the programming as “groups that inspired 
John Fred was one of the earliest practitioners of “blue-eyed soul.” His biggest hit, “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” was in fact a parody of the Beatles’ “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.” Released in 1968, it became an immediate smash and has since sold over 5 million copies. John Fred & the Playboy Band suddenly broke far beyond his beloved Gulf Coast region. Unfortunately, because of the song, he was unfairly branded a novelty and never had another hit. And it wasn’t until many years and legal battles later, that he was able to collect full legal rights to and royalties from the song. Fred became a fixture in Baton Rouge as he stayed active in the local music scene, hosted his own radio show, and even coached the high school basketball and football team. He released his final album in 2002, but fell ill just a couple of yeas later resulting in a kidney transplant. His health continued to fail until his 2005 death due in part to complications from that transplant. In 2007, he was inducted into the The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.