Died On This Date (August 11, 2012) Von Freeman / Chicago Jazz Great
themusicsover Earle “Von” Freeman
October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012
Von Freeman was an influential jazz saxophonist who was revered the world over by fans of hard bop. Even though his skills matched that of say, John Coltrane, Freeman never enjoyed the commercial success of the jazz titans beside whom he could easily stand. This was perhaps by design. When once called by Miles Davis to replace Coltrane, Freeman respectfully declined. After serving in the Navy – and playing in the Navy Band – during WWII, Freeman settled back in his hometown of Chicago where he and his brother, George Freeman, backed national acts when the toured through town. That list includes Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Freeman also played in Sun Ra’s band during the early ’50s. In 1972, he began making his own albums, most of which were critical favorites. Even though his early records showcased a musical genius that was beyond most, it wasn’t until later releases, like 2004’s The Great Divide, that Freeman achieved some commercial success. He did, however, receive one of music’s highest honors, a Jazz Masters Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Von Freeman was 88 when he died of heart failure on August 11, 2012.
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Ranking Trevor was a Jamaican singer who, during the 1970s, helped popularize the usage of “toasting” which was an early form of rap that eventually gave birth to hip-hop. Ranking Trevor launched his career as a deejay while in his early teens, and by the time he turned 15, he had already cut his first record. Most of Ranking Trevor’s recordings were made at the legendary Channel One studio. His most famous were “Caveman Skank” and “Three Piece Chicken and Chips,” both of which charted in England. Because of his popularity in the UK, he lived there through most of the ’70s and ’80s, but ultimately settled back in Jamaica during the ’90s. On August 7, 2012, Ranking Trevor died from injuries he sustained when he was thrown from his motorcycle during an apparent accident with an automobile. The date of Ranking Trevor’s birth vary from source to source, but most put his age at 60 at the time of his death.
Marvin Hamlisch was a New York City born composer who is one of just two people (the other being Richard Rodgers) to have won an Emmy, an Oscar, a Tony, a Grammy, and a Pulitzer Prize. His total count was four Emmys, three Oscars, one Tony, four Grammys, one Pulitzer Prize, plus two Golden Globes. A child prodigy, Hamlisch was just seven when he was accepted to Julliard’s pre-college division. Years later, his first job was as Barbra Streisand’s rehearsal pianist for Funny Girl. His movie score credits include The Way We Were, The Sting, Ordinary People, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Sophie’s Choice. For Broadway, he composed the award-winning score for A Chorus Line among others. A songwriter as well, Hamlisch wrote hits for Lesley Gore and Carly Simon. Marvin Hamlisch was 68 when, on August 6, 2012, he died following a brief illness. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Johnnie Bassett was an American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who, over the course of a career that spanned some 60 years, worked as a band leader as well as an in-demand session player for many of music’s biggest names. The list of those that the self-taught guitarist played with includes B.B.King, 
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Jimmy Jones got his start in show business as a tap dancer after he moved with his family to New York City as a teen. By the mid ’50s, Jones was singing in local doo-wop groups, but soon went solo. In 1959, he recorded “Handy Man,” a song that he co-wrote, for Cub Records. The record soared to #3 on the US singles chart and topped the charts in the UK as well. That was quickly followed by “Good Timin,'” which did nearly as well. Each sold over a million copies. In later years, both 