Died On This Date (June 23, 2008) Dave Carpenter / Jazz Bass Journeyman
themusicsover Dave Carpenter
November 4, 1959 – June 23, 2008
Dave Carpenter was a much respected jazz bassist who, most recently was playing in a trio alongside Peter Erskine and Alan Pasqua. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Carpenter first took up the trumpet but switched to bass by his early teens. After graduating from college, he played with three of jazz’s then living greatest talents, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman. By the late ’80s, Carpenter was living in Los Angeles working in the studio with the likes of Ringo Starr, Celine Dion, Herbie Hancock and Barry Manilow. Dave Carpenter suffered a fatal heart attack in his home on June 21, 2008. He was 48.
Steven Wells was a British music journalist whose aggressive writings appeared in respected music magazines like NME. During the late ’70s and early ’80s, he touted the greatness of such punk acts as Black Flag and Butthole Surfers and the Mekons. For a time, Wells was also a stand-up comic, supporting such acts as Gang Of Four and the Fall. In 1992, Wells co-formed a video production company, directing videos for the likes of Manic Street Preachers and Skunk Anansie. Steven Wells died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 48.
Judy Garland was a star of stage, screen and a record through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years. Starting out on vaudeville with her sister act, The Gumm Sisters (she was born Francis Gumm), would go on to win an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, an Emmy and several Grammys. Best known for her iconic role as Dorothy in 1939’s The Wizard Of Oz, Garland also wowed audiences with her standing-room-only concert performances. She was considered by many to be the greatest female entertainer the US had ever produced. Despite her years of success and respect, Garland lived in a personal hell, no thanks in part to studio executives who told her she was too fat or unattractive. That lead to an addiction to weight loss pills and other drugs. Garland also suffered through financial troubles, often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. She reportedly attempted suicide on more than one occasion but finally succumbed to an accidental overdose of barbiturates on June 22, 1969, leaving behind two daughters, Lorna Luft and Liza Minnelli, as well as son, Joey Luft.
Sonny Stitt was an influential jazz saxophonist who amassed an incredible catalog of over 100 albums over his career. He is considered one of the greatest musicians of the bebop and hard bop sub genres, often compared to 