Jerry Wallace
December 15, 1928 – May 5, 2008
Nicknamed “Mr. Smooth” Jerry Wallace was a popular country singer in the late ’50s and early ’60s. He had hits with “Primrose Lane,” “If You Leave Me Tonight I’ll Cry,” and “How The Time Flies.” He died of congestive heart failure on May 5, 2009.
Clement “Coxsone” Dodd
January 26, 1932 – May 5, 2004
Coxsone Dodd was the pioneering Jamaican DJ and producer that many credit for early development of reggae and ska. Dodd’s career in music began at an early age when he would spin records at this parents’ store. He grew that into a popular sound system business, employing the likes of Lee “Scratch” Perry an U-Roy to run the sound systems. Having spent some time in the United States, Dodd featured early American R&B records, first introducing many Jamaicans to the music. Realizing that he couldn’t keep up with the local demand for new music with imports from the States, Dodd decided to start his own record label and shortly thereafter, open his Studio One recording studio. Over the next two decades, Dodd would produce and release some of reggae’s greatest songs and albums from such artists as Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Sugar Minott, Ras Michael and Horace Andy. To many, he was to reggae what Berry Gordy was to R&B, and his “studio one sound” would become the blueprint for ska and rocksteady. Dodd died of a heart attack at the age of 74.
Bob Mercer
October 17, 1944 – May 5, 2010
Bob Mercer is perhaps best remembered as the music industry veteran who helmed the wildly successful Now That’s What I Call Music! hit compilation series. But to many of those with whom he worked, he was above all, a beloved mentor and motivator. Since the Now series debuted in the United States in 1998, it has sold in the neighborhood of 77 million units combined. What was fairly unique about the series at the time, at least in the US, was that the CDs collected the biggest current dor recent hits of the day, in a partnership with the major labels. To many, the series would be a flop, but of course they were proven wrong over and over again. During his career, Mercer also held executive positions at EMI UK (where he signed the Sex Pistols, Queen, and T. Rex to name a few), PolyGram’s TV division, and New Door Records. Bob Mercer was 65 when he died of lung cancer on May 5, 2010.
Willie Pooch (Born William Joseph)
1937 – May 5, 2010
Willie Pooch was a popular Columbus, Ohio area blues singer who began his career in gospel groups while still just a child in and around Tupelo, Mississippi. During his teens, he and his family moved to Chicago where Pooch fell under the tutelage of Luther Allison who schooled him in the art of the blues guitar. Over the next several years, Pooch played with the likes of Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor. After spending many years touring the mid west, Pooch settled in Columbus during the early ’60s. By then he was fronting his own band who became a local blues staple for the better part of the next four decades. On May 5, 2010, Willie Pooch died from complications of diabetes. He was 72 years old.
Paul Butterfield
December 17, 1942 – May 4, 1987
Paul Butterfield was a harmonica player and singer who was an integral part of the growth of blues rock. He was also part of the Chicago scene of the early ’60s that introduced the blues to middle class white kids. He was also one of the few “blues” artists that performed at Woodstock. In his early days, Butterfield, along with friend Elvin Bishop, played with the likes of Muddy Waters, Junior Wells and Howlin’ Wolf. He spent the next two decades performing and recording with various versions of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. In the early ’80s, Butterfield was diagnosed with peritonitis, a serious and painful inflammation of the intestines which would dog him for the rest of his life, and unfortunately, he developed an addiction to herion to help with the pain. His drug use eventually bankrupted him and ultimately took his life when he died of what was ruled an accidentaly overdose on May 4th, 1987. He was 44 years old.
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