Died On This Date (December 16, 2011) Jennifer Miro / The Nuns
themusicsover Jennifer Miro (Born Jennifer Anderson)
May 3, 1957 – December 16, 2011
Jennifer Miro was a keyboardist and singer who played in the pioneering San Francisco punk band, the Nuns. Formed in 1975, the band, which included Alejandro Escovedo and Jeff Olener, brought on Miro who had grown tired of playing in a local Doobie Brothers cover band. The band quickly found its audience with the Bay Area’s underground punk lovers, and on January 14, 1978, they found themselves opening for the Sex Pistols‘ final concert at the legendary Winterland Ballroom. For a brief time, the Nuns were managed by Bill Graham, but they parted ways due to Graham reportedly taking offense to their song, “Decadent Jew.” After the Nuns broke up in 1979, Miro played with the VIPs and later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a solo career. She also worked with Narada Michael Walden and later found some success as a fetish model. The Nuns reunited a couple of times during the ’80s and late ’90s. On December 16, 2011, Jennifer Miro died from complications of liver and breast cancer. She was 54.
Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.
Bob Brookmeyer was an American jazz musician, arranger and composer who is most often remembered for his contributions to Gerry Mulligan’s Quartet during the late ’50s. He went on to work with the likes of 
Billie Joe Spears was a popular American country singer who made her biggest mark during the 1970s. With hits like “Mr. Walker It’s All Over,” “Blanket On The Ground” and “What I’ve Got In Mind,” Spears hit the Top 10 of the country charts five times between 1969 and 1977. Her bluesy voice and slick pop-leaning production helped define the popular “countrypolitan” of the era. As country tastes changed in America during the 1980s, Spears popularity dwindled at home, but she did however, continue to sell records and perform in front of sell-out crowds in the UK, where she was dubbed “The Queen Mother Of Country Music.” In 1993, Spears survived triple bypass surgery but continued to tour and record well into the 2000s. Her most recent album was 2005’s I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry. Billie Jo Spears died of cancer on December 14, 2011. She was 74.
Ed Roman was a fiercely independent Las Vegas guitar builder whose creations were lovingly played by Ted Nugent, 
Nicholas Bliss was a Chicago area jazz trumpeter who came to some prominence during the 1970s. Born in Iowa, Bliss moved with his family to Chicago when he was just seven years old. He took up the trumpet during high school and was awarded a scholarship to De Paul University to study music. Before long, Bliss was making a name for himself throughout the nightclubs of Chicago. During the ’70s, he led a Dixieland band at the city’s storied private prohibition styled speakeasy, the Gaslight Club. It has been reported that the nightclub was Hugh Hefner’s inspiration for his Playboy Clubs. Bliss performed at the Gaslight Club for many years and also acted as its talent booker for a time. When the nightclub added locations in Paris, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC, he oversaw the musicians at those locales as well. After retiring from performing, Bliss became president of the local musicians union, serving from 1977 to 1982. Nicholas Bliss died of kidney failure on December 13, 2011. He was 90.