Died On This Date (August 29, 2012) Bill Tillman / Blood, Sweat & Tears
themusicsover Bill Tillman
DOB Unknown – August 29, 2012
Bill Tillman was a gifted saxophone player and flutist who is perhaps best remembered for his three years playing in popular American rock band, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Like contemporaries, Chicago, BS&T pioneered the use of a horn section as a lead instrument in rock music. Tillman played in the group’s horn section between 1974 and 1977 and can be heard on eight of their albums. Born and raised in Texas, Tillman was recognized by the Texas Public School Board as the most outstanding musician of 1965. He soon hit the road, playing tours for the likes of Gladys Knight – as music director, the Coasters, Chuck Berry, and Roy Orbison. In 1978, Tillman began a two-year run as a soloist for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He also released a handful of his own albums beginning in the ’80s and culminating with 2000’s Altogether. On August 29, 2012, Bill Tillman passed away after reportedly hitting his head during a fall in his bathroom. He was 65 and was awaiting a was apparently on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.
Chris Lighty was a respected artist manager who counted Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mariah Carey, Ja Rule and 50 Cent as clients. Raised in New York City, Lighty landed his first significant gig in 1988 with Russell Simmon’s Rush Management. After learning the ropes and building a solid reputation as a man who could build brands, Lighty formed Violator Management. His early roster included Busta Rhymes, L L Cool J, and Missy Elliott. Before long, Lighty was representing some of the biggest names in entertainment, and while doing so, becoming one of the most significant business forces in rap history. Chris Lighty reportedly died from a self-inflected gunshot wound at his home on August 30, 2012. He was 44.
Chavela Vargas was a Costa Rico-born singer who grew up to be one of the most respected singer of Mexican Rancheras the world has ever known. When she was just 14, Vargas moved to Mexico to pursue her dream of singing, but it wasn’t until 1961 that she recorded her first album, Noche de Bohemia. She spent the next 50 years making up for lost time with the release of more than 80 albums. She was immensely popular during the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, keeping company with the likes of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Augustin Lara. Vargas more or less retired during the late ’70s, but came back to the stage strong in 1991. In 2003 – at the age of 83 – Vargas made her Carnegie Hall debut. Chavela Vargas was 93 when she passed away on August 5, 2012.
Stuart Swanlund was a guitarist who is best remembered as the longtime slinger for southern rock legends, the Marshall Tucker Band. Joining the group in 1985, Swanlund held the longest tenure outside of founding member, Doug Gray. He can be heard on such albums as Southern Spirit, Still Smokin’, and Walk Outside The Lines. Swanlund also played in Chicago rock band, Tone Generators. Stuart Swanlund was 54 when he reportedly died in his sleep of natural causes. He was preceded in death by other Marshall Tucker Band members, 
James McLaren was a beloved Welsh music journalist and most recently, assistant producer at BBC Wales. He also managed and edited the Welsh Music Foundation’s monthly newsletter, Sound Nation, where he enthusiastically covered the Welsh music scene. James McLaren was killed in an automobile accident on the M48 Motorway in Wales. He was 34.