Died On This Date (October 17, 2011) Edgar Villchur / Revolutionized Hi-Fi Equipment

Edgar Villchur
May 28, 1917 – October 17, 2011

Photo by Rosemary Villchur

Edgar Villchur was an inventor whose 1954 development of an acoustic suspension loudspeaker provided a better bass response while dramatically reducing the size of the speaker than ever before.  His invention, the AR-3 speaker is on display at the Smithsonian Institute.  Besides high-end speakers, his company, Acoustic Research, Inc. manufactured turntables and other stereo components that he came up with.  At its peak, the company owned an impressive 32 % of the United States speaker market.   In 2006, Hi-Fi News put him at the top of their list of the 50 Most Important Audio Pioneers.  He was also largely credited for bringing the hi-fidelity experience into the home.   When he sold his company in 1967, Villchur signed a no-complete agreement, so ironically, he moved into the field of hearing aid research and development.  He ultimately created the multichannel compression hearing aid which has since become the industry standard.   Edgar Villchur was 94 when he passed away in his home on October 17, 2011.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.



Died On This Date (October 17, 2011) Keith Landers / Fronted Johnny Dee & The Rocket 88’s

Johnny Dee (Born Keith Landers)
DOB Unkown – October 17, 2011

As the front man of Johnny Dee & the Rocket 88’s, Keith Landers was a familiar face throughout central Texas.  As Abilene, Texas’ premier oldies party band, the Rocket 88’s have played for prominent political figures, foreign dignitaries, and numerous celebrities.  They have shared the stage with the Beach Boys, Charlie Daniels, James Brown, and Rick Nelson, to name a few.   Landers began making music as far back as anyone can remember and was forming bands while still in high school.  With names like Omaha and Cadillac, Landers was rocking clubs from Abilene to Austin by the early ’70s.  In 1974, he reinvented himself Johnny Dee and began his long career playing the rock ‘n roll sounds of the ’50s.  Even as music tastes changed over the years, Johnny Dee & The Rocket 88’s never seemed to fall out of fashion and continued to entertain crowds across America well into the 2000s.  Keith Landers was 60 when he died of a heart attack on October 17, 2011.

Thanks to Don Smith for the assist.