Died On This Date (August 17, 2012) Lou Martin / Played Keyboards For Rory Gallagher
themusicsover Lou Martin
August 12, 1949 – August 17, 2012
Lou Martin was an Irish keyboardist who is best remembered for his years playing with Rory Gallagher. Martin was just six years old when he began learning the piano, and when he was around 19, he formed his first band, Killing Floor. During the early ’70s, he left the group to play with Gallagher. He played with Gallagher both live and on record through the early ’90s. He can be heard on such albums as Blueprint, Tattoo, Defender, and Fresh Evidence. Away from Gallagher, Martin played with the likes of Screaming Lord Sutch, Chuck Berry, and Albert Collins. Having battled cancer and suffering a handful of strokes, Lou Martin passed away on August 17, 2012. He was 63.
George Gallacher was the co-founder and lead singer of ’60s psychedelic pop band, the Poets. Formed in Glasgow, Scotland 1962, the band we’re an instant local hit thanks to their marriage of blues, hard R&B, and melodic pop. They were often compared to early Kinks and the Small Faces. The hipper kids also liked their fashion sense – ruffled shirts, velvet jackets, and tight pants. By 1964, the Poets were one of the biggest concert draws in all of Scotland, and legendary artist manager and producer, Andrew Loog Oldham took note. The Rolling Stones manager took the group on and even prompted the Stones to mention them in interviews on occasion. He produced their first single for Decca, “Now Were Thru.” Although they never went on to release an entire album, nor had singles sell much beyond Scotland, most garage rock rarity collections which chronicle the era include at least one of their recordings. By the early ’70s, the group had disbanded, but came back together for a show or two in 2011. On August 25, 2012, George Gallacher was behind the wheel of his car when he suddenly became ill. He was immediately taken to a local hospital where he died of undisclosed reasons. He was 68.
Lillian Lopez is best remembered as the lead singer for ’70s disco outfit, Odyssey. Formed in New York City in 1977, the group initially included Lillian’s sister, Louise Lopez and friend, Tony Reynolds. Sister, Carmen Lopez performed with her siblings during their pre-Odyssey days. In December of 1977, the group scored a dance hit with “Native New Yorker,” which shot to #21 on the Billboard charts and #5 on the UK charts. Odyssey released numerous records over the next few years, but none did as well as “Native New Yorker” until 1982’s “Inside Out,” which reached #13 in the US and #3 in the UK. Much more popular in Europe, the group had no fewer than ten hits there including “Use It Up And Wear It Out” which topped the UK chart in 1980. Their music continues to be popular in the UK thanks in part to the Northern Soul scene. Lopez, the only original member of Odyssey, toured with them until her retirement in 2003. Lillian Lopez was 76 when she died of cancer on September 4, 2012.
Matthew Africa was a popular hip-hop DJ in the San Francisco bay area. Africa began building his following after he joined U.C. Berkeley radio station, KALX-FM. Over a career that spanned some 20 years, he was revered for his ability to find rare soul and hip-hop vinyl nuggets and introduce them to his audience. He went on to become a popular club, party, and event DJ while fans gobbled up his mix tapes. In recent years, Africa could be heard on