Died On This Date (August 19, 1979) Dorsey Burnette / Rockabilly Pioneer
themusicsover Dorsey Burnette
December 28, 1932 – August 19, 1979
Dorsey Burnette was born into a musical family that included brother, Johnny Burnette. But early on in life, the brothers pursued another dream, boxing, each becoming Golden Gloves champs. In 1949, they met fellow pugilist, Paul Burlison who also shared an interest in music. They soon formed the Rock and Roll Trio which would become one of the foundations of American rockabilly. Dorsey continued to perform with the group and later as a solo artist well into the ’70s. His music found a home with rockabilly, pop and country fans alike. Dorsey Burnette died of a massive coronary on August 19, 1979. He was just 46.
What You Should Own
LeRoi Moore was the saxophonist in and founding member of the Dave Matthews Band. Moore met Matthews in 1991 and the two began to collaborate and eventually form the band. He also wrote several songs for DMB, including the hits, “Stay (Wasting Time)” and “Too Much.” LeRoi Moore died of pneumonia related to an ATV accident three weeks prior. He was severely injured when he flipped an ATV on his property. Moore was 46 when he died.
Pervis Jackson was an original member of ’60s R&B vocal group, the Spinners. He was known for his rich baritone voice on such hits as “They Just Can’t Stop It (Games People Play)” and “One Of A Kind (Love Affair).” He continued to sing with the group until just one month prior to his death from cancer. He was 70 years old.
Joe Shikany was a respected guitarist in Seattle’s rock scene for the better part of three decades. One of his early bands, Bighorn was signed to Columbia Records who released their debut album in 1979. In recent years, Shikany was lead guitarist in Paul Rodgers‘ touring band. Joe Shikany died in a freak accident when he was hit by an airborne tree while trying to secure a dock during a storm. He was 58.