Died On This Date (February 1, 2012) David Peaston / Popular R&B and Gospel Singer

David Peaston
March 13, 1957 – February 1, 2012

Born in St. Louis, MO, David Peaston grew up to be a successful Gospel and R&B singer during the ’90s.  After starting out as a teacher, Peaston moved to New York City during the early ’80s in order to pursue a career in music.  After winning several televised singing competitions, he was signed to Geffen Records who released his first single, “Two Wrongs (Don’t Make It Right,” which reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1989.  Several charting singles and popular albums followed.  His mother, Martha Bass, was part of the Clara Ward Singers, while his sister, Fontella Bass has enjoyed tremendous success as a singer as well. David Peaston died from complications of diabetes on February 1, 2012.  He was 54.

 

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Died On This Date (February 1, 2012) Don Cornelius / Creator & Host Of “Soul Train”

Don Cornelius
September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012

Don Cornelius was the creator, writer, producer, and host of the extremely influential American dance program, Soul Train.  Launched in October of 1961 after Cornelius noticed a void of nationally broadcast television shows that catered to the African-American audience, Soul Train ran until March of 2006.  Cornelius hosted the program from its inception until 1993.  Soul Train has been praised for influencing countless African-American kids while bringing black music into the white neighborhoods.  Over the years, the show featured lip-synched performances by everyone from James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin, to Michael Jackson, Ice Cube and Prince.  Two popular segments of the show were the “Soul Train Scrabble Board” where two dancers tried to un-scramble letters to identify a significant person in African-American culture, and the oft-imitated “Soul Train Line” where the dancers formed two lines and then strutted their stuff with a partner down the middle.  In 1987, Cornelius launched the Soul Train Awards, a nationally broadcast program that honored the year’s best artists in R&B, Soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop.  The show ran until 2000.  Throughout the years, Cornelius was honored and/or parodied in countless sit-coms, rap songs, and films.   In the early hours of February 1, 2012, police responded to the home of Don Cornelius where they found him dead of what initially appeared to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  He was 75.

Thanks to Bruce Kilgour at Slipped Disc Entertainment for the assist.

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Died On This Date (January 31, 2012) King Stitt / Legendary Jamaican DeeJay

King Stitt (Born Winston Spark)
September 17, 1940 – January 31, 2012

King Stitt was, until the time of his passing, recognized as Jamaica’s oldest living deejay.  Stitt’s career dated back to the mid ’50s when he began deejaying for the legendary Coxsone Dodd on his Sound System.  Before he knew it, Stitt was releasing such influential deejay tracks as “Lee Van Cleef,” “Dance Beat,” and “Fire Corner” with such producers as Clancy Eccles and of course, Dodd himself.  In recent years, Stitt was featured in the The Studio One Story documentary and the to-be-released Legends Of Ska concert doc.   King Stitt was 71 when he passed away on January 31, 2012.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Eric Foss at Secret Stash Records for the assist.

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King Stitt

Died On This Date (January 31, 2012) Leslie Carter / Aspiring Singer, Sister Of Nick Carter & Aaron Carter

Leslie Carter
June 6, 1986 – January 31, 2012

Leslie Carter was an aspiring pop singer and songwriter who happened to be the sister of world-famous singers, Nick Carter and Aaron Carter.  Singing since a young age, Carter was signed to Dreamworks Records in 1999 and released the moderately successful single, “Like Wow” in 2001. The song received a fair amount of airplay and was featured on the Shrek soundtrack.  Carter and Dreamworks parted ways before her debut album, Leslie Carter, could be released.  In 2006, Carter relaunched her career with a new band, The Other Half, who had a more rock-leaning sound than her early pop days.   The band broke up in 2009.  Carter was also featured with her family on their own House Of Carters reality show in 2006.  Leslie Carter was 25 when she passed away on January 31, 2012.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.



Died On This Date (January 29, 2012) Tony Tecumseh / Founder of ’60s Psych Band, Afterglow

Tony Tecumseh
DOB Unknown – January 29, 2012

Tony Tecumseh was the founder, guitarist a lead singer of influential ’60s psychedelic pop band, Afterglow.   Tecumseh, who was a Modoc Indian, was a direct descendent of Winema.  Formed during the mid ’60s, Afterglow recorded their self-titled debut album,in San Francisco during 1967.  They were, at the time, a popular draw at parties, school dances and such throughout Northern California, and they opened for such acts as the Turtles and the Beau Brummels.   Unfortunately, Afterglow broke up shortly after the release of Afterglow, which went on to become highly coveted by collectors of psych rock.  The album was re-issued by Sundazed Records in 1995.  The band reunited in 2007 but Tecumseh was unable to participate due to health issues, while a PBS documentary about the band is expected to air in 2012.  Tony Tecumseh was 71 when he passed away on January 29, 2012.

Thanks to Paul Moshay for the assist.