Died On This Date (July 26, 1990) Brent Mydland / Grateful Dead
themusicsover Brent Mydland
October 21, 1952 – July 26, 1990
Brent Mydland was the keyboardist for the Grateful Dead for an eleven year period that would see the band’s highest charting successes. Born a military child in Munich, Germany, Mydland moved with his family to San Francisco as an infant. As a child, Mydland learned to play the flute, accordion and piano. After graduating from high school in 1971, played in bands in and around the Bay area, ultimately landing in the Bob Weir Band in 1978. A year later he replaced Keith Godchaux in the Grateful Dead. He also played in Weir’s other side project, Bobby and the Midnites. Mydland wrote several of the Dead’s 80s period songs including such fan favorites as “Tons Of Steel,” “I Will Take You Home,” and “Hell In A Bucket.” Mydland significantly contributed to the band vocally as well, both as lead in some songs, and as a prominent harmony vocalist, adding a new flair to many of the bands older songs in concert. Brent Mydland died of a drug overdose at the age of 37 on July 26, 1990. He was replaced by Vince Welnick who committed suicide in 2006.
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Mary Wells was an American R&B singer whose voice helped usher in the Motown sound with such earl hits as 1964’s “My Guy.” Although Wells’ only #1 hit, it will go down in history as the song that broke the Beatles’ 1964 chart-topping streak. After a few moderate hits, Wells left Motown in 1965 and made a comparatively small amount of recordings until she all but retired in 1970. The late ’80s found Wells launching a much-welcomed comeback, releasing a couple well-received albums. But then in 1990, Wells was diagnosed with larynx cancer for which she had to spend what was left of her money on treatment. Thankfully friends and fans like Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Martha Reeves, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart and more donated large sums of money to help her out. On July 26, 1992, while in a hospital getting treated for pneumonia, Wells passed away from the effects of the cancer at the age of 49.
Ben Keith was a successful Nashville session player, producer, and singer-songwriter who is perhaps best remembered for his many collaborations with Neil Young. Keith first began making a name for himself in Nashville during the ’50s and ’60s when he played on numerous country and early rock ‘n roll hits. That list includes his steel guitar on 
Al Goodman was a respected baritone soul singer who was part of the ’70s hit-making group, the Moments. Formed in during the late ’70s, the Moments released their first record in 1968 and soon found themselves topping the R&B charts with tracks like “Love on a Two Way Street,” “If I Didn’t Care,” and “Look At Me (I’m In Love).” Hip Hop fans may recognize elements of “Love on a Two Way Street” throughout Jay Z’s 2009 hit, “Empire State Of Mind.” During the late ’70s, the group that also included Harry Ray and Billy Brown, rechristened themselves Ray, Goodman and Brown and delivered several more slow jam hits throughout the ’80s. Al Goodman was 63 when he passed away on July 26, 2010. Cause of death was not immediately released.
