Died On This Date (August 24, 1978) Stacy Sutherland / 13th Floor Elevators

Stacy Sutherland
May 28, 1946 – August 24, 1978

sutherlandStacy Sutherland was the original guitarist in Roky Erickson’s 13th Floor Elevators, a psychedelic garage band that burst out of Austin, Texas in 1965.  Sutherland also had a hand in writing some of the band’s material.   And it was Sutherland’s use of reverb and echo that inspired a generation of garage bands.  When Erickson was committed to a mental institution in 1969, the band members went their separate ways with Sutherland formed his own band.  Later that year, he went to prison on drug charges.  Upon his release during the mid ’70s, Sutherland attempted to make another go with it, but was losing his battle with alcohol addiction.  On August 24, 1978, Stacy Sutherland, age 32,  was shot and killed by his wife during a domestic dispute.  His death was ruled an accident.

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Easter Everywhere - The 13th Floor Elevators

Died On This Date (August 24, 1978) Louis Prima / Jazz Legend

Louis Prima
December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978

Louis Prima was a popular jazz trumpeter, singer, and band leader who came to prominence performing and recording with his then-wife, Keely Smith.  Thanks to his big personality on stage, Prima and his jazz combo became a popular Las Vegas draw during the ’50s.  Prima and Smith won a Grammy in 1959 for their single, “That Old Black Magic.”  His widest exposure came thanks to the 1967 Disney film, Jungle Book.  In it, Prima voiced the popular orangutan, King Louie and sang the hit song, “I Wanna Be Like You.”  In 1975, Prima’s doctors discovered a stem brain tumor.  During the surgery to remove it, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, putting him into a coma.  He passed away on August 24, 1978 at the age of 67.

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Capitol Collectors Series: Louis Prima - Louis Prima

Died On This Date (August 24, 2009) Joe Maneri / Jazz Saxophonist

Joe Maneri
February 9, 1927 – August 24, 2009

joe_maneriJoe Maneri was  jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who came to some prominence during the ’90s.  He specialized in taking traditional ethnic folk elements and embellishing them with his own avant garde free-form jazz.  He has been compared to Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra.  Thanks to composer John Zorn, a 1963 unreleased album found a home on his Avant Records in the late ’90s, exposing him to new fans than ever before.  Maneri went on to record several more albums throughout the late ’90s and 2000s.  Fan and comic writer, Harvey Pekar used Maneri’s music in his 2003 film, American Splendor.  Joe Maneri passed away at a Boston hospital due to complications from heart surgery.  He was 82.

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The Trio Concerts - Joe Maneri Trio