Paulo Moura
July 15, 1932 – July 12, 2010
Paulo Moura was a respected Brazilian saxophonist and clarinetist who, over the course of his career played Carnegie Hall with Sergio Mendes, performed on Cannonball Adderley’s Cannonball’s Bossa Nova, and became the first Brazilian to win a Latin Grammy (2000). Paulo Moura was 77 when he died of lymphoma on July 12, 2010.
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.
Herman Brood
November 5, 1946 – July 11, 2001
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.
Thanks to Anne Bentley for the assist.
Hubert Johnson
January 14, 1941 – July 11, 1981
Hubert Johnson was a singer in the Motown group, the Contours. While other Motown groups were polished and finely dressed, the Contours were rough around the edges and raw, their shows full of high energy. It was Johnson who arranged for the group to sing for his cousin, Jackie Wilson who later, introduced them to Motown’s Berry Gordy. After nearly being dropped by the label after a lackluster first single in 1961, the group recorded and released “Do You Love Me?” which rose to the top of the R&B and to #3 of the pop charts. Today, the song is one of the most popular songs of that era. The song nearly cracked the Top 10 again, when it was featured in the 1988 film, Dirty Dancing. Hubert Johnson committed suicide on July 11, 1981.
Hayward “Chuck” Carbo
1926 – July 11, 2008
Chuck Carbo was best known as the singer for New Orleans R&B group, the Spiders. The group formed in the ’50s and included Carbo’s brother Leonard “Chick” Carbo. During their early years, the group had several R&B hits, including “I Don’t Want To Do It,” “You’re The One,” and “Witchcraft,” the latter two being later hits for Lou Rawls and Elvis Presley, respectively. It has been reported that the Spiders were the inspiration for Buddy Holly naming his band, the Crickets, who in turn was the inspiration for the name, the Beatles. Carbo eventually left the group to start a solo career. His career found a resurgence in the early ’90s when he was signed to Rounder Records who released his critically acclaimed, Drawers Table which included such guests as Dr. John. Chuck Carbo died on July 11, 2008 after a long illness. He was 82.
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