Died On This Date (April 23, 2011) Dutch Tilders / Dutch Australian Blues Musician
themusicsover Matthew “Dutch” Tilders
August 29, 1941 – April 23, 2011
Dutch Tilders was a blues musician born in the Netherlands but who moved to Australia with his family while still in his teens. Tilders was playing the harmonica by the time he landed his first gig at the age of 15, but soon switched to the guitar. He went on to release several albums while performing with the likes of Taj Mahal, John Mayall, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry. Back home in Australia, he was dubbed the “Godfather of Blues,” and even the great B.B. King once proclaimed that regardless of his European birth, Tilders was a genuine bluesman. He continued to tour as recently as late 2010 despite the fact that he was diagnosed with lung cancer in May of that same year. Dutch Childers officially retired in February of 2011 and passed away from the cancer on April 23, 2011. He was 69.
Tom King was the founder and lead guitarist of the Outsiders, a Cleveland, Ohio rock band that scored a huge hit with 1966’s “Time Won’t Let Me.” King co-wrote the song which went on to define the era and is generally included in any respectable ’60s rock compilation. Originally formed in 1958 as Tom King and the Starfires, the band ultimately signed to Capitol Records and changed their name to the Outsiders at the request of the label to sound more like the British Invasion bands of the mid ’60s. Unlike many of their peers, the band quickly became one of the scenes best live acts thanks to their years performing R&B standards as the Starfires. After a series of line-up changes and singles that didn’t perform as well as King had hoped, the band broke up in 1968. The group reformed with different line-ups in later years. In ailing health, Tom King passed away in a nursing home on April 23, 2011. He was 68.
Norio Ohga is best remembered as the president of Sony from 1982 to 1995. He also happened to be a professionally trained opera singer and musician. After writing a letter to the electronics giant to complain about the inferior sound quality of their cassettes, Ohga was offered a job. He rose through the ranks until he ultimately served as president and CEO. Under his watch, he helped develop the compact disc which went on to revolutionize the music industry and made Sony into the huge entertainment company it is today. Also while president, Ohga oversaw the purchase of Sony Pictures and the creation of CBS/Sony Records, now Sony Music. Norio Ohga was 81 when he passed away on April 23, 2011.
Hazel Dickens was a popular Appalachian bluegrass and folk singer, songwriter and musician who was revered for her beautiful voice as well as for her socially driven lyrics that tended to touch on feminism and pro-union causes. Born into a poor mining family in West Virginia, Dickens became friends with 
Joe Pennell was the lead guitarist for the Rivieras, a rock ‘n roll band whose only hit, “California Sun,” helped define what became known as “frat rock.” Formed in 1962 while its members where still in high school in South Bend, Indiana, the group was initially called the Playmates until they learned of another band using the same name. In 1964, they released “California Sun,” which quickly rose to #1 on the U.S. singles chart thanks to its driving beat and instantly recognizable surf guitar riff. Unfortunately, the record holds the dubious honor of being knocked from the top spot by “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” the first American hit for the Beatles. It would be one of the last hits by an American rock ‘n roll band before the British Invasion tightened its grip around the U.S. Shortly after he recorded the song, Pennell joined the Marines and didn’t learn of the record’s release until he heard it on the radio while serving. By all accounts, he never went back to a career in music, but went on to work for many years as a painter at AM General, a heavy vehicle manufacturer and future assembly line for the civilian Hummer. Joe Pennell was 66 when he passed away on April 21, 2011.