2010

Died On This Date (March 9, 2007) Brad Delp / Lead Singer For Boston

Brad Delp
June 25, 1951 – March 9, 2007

Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Brad Delp was the unmistakable voice of Tom Scholz’s arena-rock band Boston, one of the break-out acts of the 1970s.  Born in 1951, Delp was one of countless teenagers who, after witnessing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, knew that rock ‘n roll was to be his life’s calling.  Delp first began working with Scholz in the latter’s 1969 band, Mother’s Milk.  The group was soon renamed Boston and released its self-titled debut in 1976.  With hits like “More Than A Feeling,” “Peace of Mind,” and “Foreplay/Long Time,” the album propelled the group into the international spotlight and, with over 17 million copies sold, became the biggest selling debut album in history.  It still stands as one of the iconic releases of the era.  It’s quick follow-up, Don’t Look Back sold an astonishing four million in just its first month, and went on to sell seven million.  The group’s Third Stage followed in 1986, and in 1991, Delp left the group to form RTZ.  Delp and Scholz reunited in Boston in 1994, but as would be expected, they never achieved the success of their first releases.  It should be noted that Delp wrote or co-wrote several of Boston’s songs over the years.  In later years, he performed in various groups or projects.  On March 9, 2007, Brad Delp shocked friends, family, and fans by taking his own life when, on the eve of his wedding, he lit two charcoal barbecues in a sealed bathroom.  He was 55 when he died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

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Boston - Boston

Died On This Date (March 9, 2005) Chris LeDoux / Country Star and Rodeo Champ

Chris LeDoux
October 2, 1948 – March 9, 2005

At right with Chris LeDoux (Center)

Chris LeDoux was a country music star who, unlike most, was the real deal.  Prior to his quick rise to fame thanks to a helping hand from admirer, Garth Brooks, LeDoux was a champion rodeo rider.  He is likely the only World Bareback Riding Champ to sell over six million albums.  LeDoux began his riding career in 1970, and soon began self-recording songs about life on the circuit.  His tunes quickly struck a chord with fellow riders, ranchers and cowboys for their authenticity and heart.  He was soon selling thousands of tapes out of his truck at rodeos and such.  The story goes that he manufactured over one million cassettes on a dual-tape machine in his barn, with his mother setting the egg timer for twenty minutes to remind her to go out and flip over the tapes.  Things dramatically changed in 1989, when a lyric in Brooks’ hit “Much To Young To Feel This Damn Old” pointed out that the only thing that kept the aging narrator going in a world of younger riding competitors was “a worn out tape of Chris LeDoux.”  That brought tremendous attention to LeDoux who had never met Brooks.  He was soon signed to Liberty Records, also Brooks’ label at the time.  Over the next decade, LeDoux released several popular country albums for Liberty and played to large theaters and arenas full of adoring fans.  Like Brooks, he brought the electricity and flash of rock ‘n roll to the country setting.  On March 9, 2005, Chris LeDoux died of cancer of the bile duct.  He was 56 years old.

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Western Underground - Chris LeDoux

Died On This Date (March 9, 2009) Hal Gaba / Co-owned Concord Music Group

Hal Gaba
January 22, 1946 – March 9, 2009

hal-gabaHal Gaba was an entertainment industry veteran who, over the course of his career, was an acquisitions consultant for Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin’s Tandem production company, ran Embassy Pay Television Unit, and owned multimedia holding company, ACT III Communications.  Over the last ten years of his life, he was the CEO and C0-owner of Concord Music Group, the acclaimed independent jazz label.  Hal Gaba was 63 when he died of cancer on March 9, 2009.



Died On This Date (March 8, 1973) Ron “Pigpen” McKernan / Grateful Dead

Ron McKernan
September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973

Member of the 27 Club

Ron “Pigpen” Mckernan is best remembered as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he mostly played the keyboards.  It was during his early days singing and performing at San Francisco area coffeehouses and record stores that he met Jerry Garcia, which lead to his membership in the Zodiacs, which begat Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, which begat the Warlocks, which ultimately became the Grateful Dead.  It was McKernan who sang such early concert staples and “Turn on Your Lovelight” and “In The Midnight Hour,”  including its legendary 48-minute version at Woodstock.  An abuser of alcohol, McKernan was diagnosed with congenital biliary cirrhosis in 1970.  His health worsened over the next couple of years and his final concert with the Dead was on June 17, 1972.  He ultimately died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage on March 8, 1973 at the age of 27.

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American Beauty (Bonus Track Version) [Remastered] - Grateful Dead

Died On This Date (March 8, 1995) Ingo Schwichtenberg / Helloween

Ingo Schwichtenberg
May 18, 1965 – March 8, 1995

Ingo-SchwichtenbergIngo Schwichtenberg was the founding drummer for speed metal pioneers, Helloween.  Formed in Germany in 1984, the band has released numerous charting albums all over the world.  Schwichtenberg’s drumming proficiency has been an influence to many metal drummers to follow.  In 1993, he was fired from the band for reasons that stemmed from his dependency on drugs and alcohol as well as an apparent mental disorder.  After parting ways with Helloween, Schwichtenberg continued on a downward spiral which lead to him jumping to his death in front of an oncoming subway on March 8, 1995.  He was 29 years old.

What You Should Own

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Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy World Tour (Live In Sao Paulo) - Helloween