Died On This Date (July 11, 1937) George Gershwin / Iconic Composer
themusicsover George Gershwin (Born Jacob Gershowitz)
September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937
Although his career spanned just around twenty years due to his untimely death, George Gerswhin, along with his brother Ira Gershwin, created some of the most popular music of all time. His compositions can, to this day, be heard on Broadway, in classical concert halls, films and television. Many of his songs have become standards and have been recorded by the biggest names in show business. That list includes Barbra Streisand, Sting, Janis Joplin, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Diana Ross, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and Louis Armstrong. George Gershwin died at the age of 38 during surgery for what was a brain tumor. There have been some who disputed that a tumor caused his death.
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Herman Brood was a popular Dutch rock musician, TV host, and painter who was called by at least one critic, “the Netherlands’ greatest and only rock ‘n’ roll star.” He achieved his musical fame during the ’70s and ’80s and became equally revered for his art work later in life. After tooling around in a few different bands and spending some time in jail for drug dealing, Brood started his own group, Herman Brood & the Wild Romance. The year was 1976, and Brood was quickly becoming famous – and equally infamous – for his sexually charged and drug fueled lyrics, as well as his candid and eyebrow-raising comments on those same topics in the press. Meanwhile his hard drug use was becoming legendary throughout the Netherlands. His then-girlfriend, Nina Hagen even released a song entitled “Herrmann Hiess Er” (“Herrmann Is High”) , reportedly about him. In 1979, Brood enjoyed a small bump when he toured the U.S. with the Cars, the Kinks, and Foreigner. During the ’80s and early ’90s, he recorded several albums, but soon began devoting most of his energy to visual arts. His dynamic and sometimes graffitti-inspired prints became very popular throughout Europe, while many of his murals found homes on public walls throughout Amsterdam. By the summer of 1991, Brood was apparently depressed over his inability to kick drugs and how their abuse had impared his health. On July 11, 2001, Herman Brood leaped to his death from the roof of the Amsterdam Hilton. He was 56.
Walter Hawkins was a Grammy winning Gospel singer and ordained Bishop who, with the help of his brother, Edwin Hawkins and their Edwin Hawkins Singers, recorded one of Gospel’s earliest crossover hits, “Oh Happy Day.” His wife, Tramaine Hawkins is an equally respected Gospel performer as well. Hawkins went solo while forming his own church during the early ’70s. His Love Center Choir won numerous accolades and found significant success with their Love Alive series which have sold in excess of one million copies. 1990’s Love Alive IV sat at the top of the Billboard Gospel charts of an astonishing thirty-three weeks. It has been reported that Hawkins contributed in one form or another to nearly 120 Gospel charting records. Over the course of his career, he collaborated with the likes of Jeffrey Osborne, 