Died On This Date (July 8, 2012) Uncle Lionel Batiste / New Orleans Jazz Great
themusicsover Lionel Batiste
February 1, 1931 – July 8, 2012
Uncle Lionel Batiste was a bass drummer, singer and assistant leader of the Treme Brass Band. Batiste was just 11 when he began his career by playing his bass drum in the Square Deal Social & Pleasure Club. A long time fixture on the streets of New Orleans, Batiste was an unofficial ambassador of the great city as well as a musical influence on countless musicians who have since devoted their lives to music as well. When the streets of the Crescent City became flooded in the days following Hurricane Katrina, Batiste reportedly kept afloat by sitting on top of his bass drum. A few years later, he could be seen from time to time performing with the marching band in the HBO series, Treme. Lionel Batiste was 81 when he passed away on July 8, 2012
What You Should Own
Keyboardist Dennis Flemion, along with his brother Jimmy Flemion made up the Milwaukee, Wisconsin lo-fi duo, the Frogs. Formed in 1980, the band wrote and performed short pop songs that tended to invite controversy for their lyrical themes dealing with homoerotica, race, and religion. Although they never really broke out of their cult status, that cult was very loyal and included some of rock music’s most influential figures. During the early to mid ’90s, the Frogs were invited to open for the likes of Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Mudhoney. 
Although known the world over for his portrayal of two iconic television characters, Andy Griffith was also a Grammy-winning singer. Regularly exposed to music from a young age, Griffith gravitated toward the arts while in school. While growing up, he performed in many local productions while learning to sing and play the trombone. After graduating from college with a degree in music, Griffith headed to Broadway. But by the late ’50s he was earning rave reviews for his performances in films like A Face In The Crowd and No Time For Sergeants. In 1960, Griffith began starring as Sheriff Andy Taylor, the non-gun toting lawman in the television comedy series, The Andy Griffith Show. The program, which ran until 1968, went on to become one of the most beloved television series of all time. Another of Griffith’s iconic characters came in the form of Ben Matlock in the legal drama series, Matlock. The popular show, which began in 1986, ran until 1995, after which Griffith went on to appear in countless films and television programs. Being a trained singer and musician afforded Griffith the opportunity to perform in some of his acting roles, most notably, The Andy Griffith Show and A Face In The Crowd. Over the years, he released over a dozen albums which were generally Southern Gospel. His 1996 album, I Love To Tell The Story: 25 Timeless Hymns, sold over a million copies and earned him two Grammys. Griffith stayed active well into the 2000s with numerous cameos and such. On July 3, 2012, it was reported that Andy Griffith passed away of natural causes. He was 86.
Yomo Toro was a beloved Puerto Rican musician whose prowess with the cuatro – a mandolin-type of stringed instrument – helped define the New York City Latin music scene of the ’50s and ’60s. Toro was just six when he picked up the instrument, and by 15 he was already fronting his own band. He commuted between Puerto Rico and New York City beginning in 1953, and ultimately moved there in 1957. During the ’70s, he recorded with and traveled the world as part of the legendary Salsa group, the Fania All-Stars. Fania Records is considered the finest Salsa label the world has ever known. During the ’60s and ’70s, Toro hosted his own local television program, The Yomo Toro Show. Over the course of his career, he released over 20 albums and appeared on more than 150 others. He recorded with the likes of Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, David Byrne, Paul Simon, Harry Belafonte, and Linda Ronstadt. Yomo Toro was 78 when he died of kidney failure on June 30, 2012.