Died On This Date (February 22, 2012) Billy Strange / Legendary Session Guitarist & Songwriter
themusicsover Billy Strange
September 29, 1930 – February 22, 2012
Billy Strange was a much-respected guitarist, songwriter, and arranger who made an indelible mark on pop music as one of the top session players in Los Angeles during the 1960s. And as a songwriter, he was no slouch either. Born in Long Beach, California, Strange was just 5 years old when he performed on a local radio station – reportedly winning a yodel contest. Roughly ten years later, he was given his first guitar, and within two years, he was on the road. During the mid ’60s, Strange found himself as part of a collective of L.A. studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, who would go down in history as the players on some of the most important pop, rock, and country records of the era. Most famously, Strange played on landmark recordings by the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), Nat King Cole, Nancy Sinatra, Willie Nelson, and Elvis Presley (whose “A Little Less Conversation” was co-written by Strange. Others who recorded Strange-penned songs include Chubby Checker, the Champs, Hank Snow, and Glen Campbell. In the early ’70s, Strange moved to Nashville where he co-owned and ran the Sinatra’s publishing company. Billy Strange was 81 when he passed away on February 22, 2012.
Thanks to Brett Ortone for the assist.
Christopher Reimer was the guitarist for critically acclaimed Canadian noise rock band, Women. Formed in 2007, Women released two albums, Women and Public Strain, before going on hiatus in 2010. In 2008, Pitchfork named their “Black Rice” as the 18th best song of the year. Reimer went on to perform with the Dodos and Neko Case. Christopher Reimer passed away in his sleep on February 21, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Joe Thompson was a renowned bluegrass and old-time folk fiddle player who, for the past several decades, kept the tradition of black country fiddling alive around the world. Thompson was just 6 or 7 years old when he first picked up the fiddle, learning to play by watching his father. His first fiddle lacked strings so he fashioned them out of wire from a screen. By the time Thompson was 8, he had already landed his first gig, playing with his brother at local dances and such. He would continue to do so well into the 1930s. As the years went on, Thompson found himself touring the world and playing every major bluegrass festival along the way. He even graced the stage of Carnegie Hall. In 2007, he was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. And in 2009, he recorded and released an album with the popular African-American neo-trad trio, the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The album, Carolina Chocolate Drops & Joe Thompson was released to cheers from fans and critics alike. Joe Thompson was 93 when he passed away on February 20, 2012.
Michael Davis was the bassist for Detroit garage rock legends, the MC5 who were heavy influences on the punk movement to soon follow. More than just another loud blues-rock band, the MC5 were endeared by fans for their anti-establishment lyrics. The band’s use of itself as a political voice inspired future generations to do the same. Bands like the Clash and Rage Against the Machine have cited them as an influence for doing just that. Following his departure from the group, Davis played in Destroy All Monsters, an underground band that found a strong cult status among punk fans. In the mid 2000s, Davis and his wife founded The Music Is Revolution Foundation whose mission is to build public awareness that music education can help students improve their overall grades. Davis was also a talented visual artist who found his work gracing clothing, skateboard decks and much more. Michael Davis died of liver failure on February 17, 2012. He was 68. MC5 band mates, 
Jon McIntire is best remembered as the two-time manager of the Grateful Dead. It was under his watch – first in the early ’70s and again during the ’80s – that the “Deadhead” phenomenon was born, and most sources credit McIntire for making it happen. When the band’s Grateful Dead album (also known as Skull and Roses) came out in 1971, McIntire had a note inserted that read “Dead Freaks Unite! Who are you? Where are you? How are you? Send us your name and address and we’ll keep you informed.” What followed was a devotion by fans around the world, the likes of which had never been seen and will likely be never seen again. It was during the McIntire era that the band also released Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty – two of rock’s most influential albums. He parted ways with the Dead in 1974 and went on to shepherd Bob Weir’s solo career. He returned to manage the band in 1984 and oversaw their biggest commercial successes, In the Dark, and the “Touch of Grey” single, which was their only one to ever crack the Top 10. Jon McIntire was 70 when he died of cancer on February 16, 2012.