Died On This Date (May 24, 2008) Jimmy McGriff / Jazz Great
Jimmy McGriff
April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008
Jimmy McGriff was a jazz organist that was known for his talent on the Hammond B-3. Very gifted as a child, McGriff learned the piano at five years old and by the time he was a teen, he was also playing the saxophone, vibes, drums and bass. Although he didn’t take up the Hammond B-3 organ until in his twenties, he would be come the instrument he was most closely associated with. Over the course of his career, McGriff played with the likes of Jimmy Smith, Junior Parker, Buddy Rich, and Carmen MacRae. He died of Multiple Sclerosis on May 24, 2008.
What You Should Own


Jay Bennett was an exceptional, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer most famously known for his years in Wilco. Prior to Wilco, Bennett helped found Titanic Love Affair in the early ’90s. He joined Wilco in 1994 and stayed with the group until a less-than-amicable split in 2001. After Wilco, Bennett released a handful of studio albums while appearing on several as an in-demand studio musician. He also produced albums by the likes of Blues Traveler. In May of 2009, Bennett filed a lawsuit against Jeff Tweedy of Wilco claiming, according to Paste Magazine, “Tweedy owes Bennett ‘damages of at least $50,000’ for his time in the band, including his less-than-favorable depiction in the 2002 Wilco documentary, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.” Jay Bennett passed away of an accidental overdose from a prescription painkiller on May 23, 2009 . He was just 45.
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