Died On This Date (January 7, 1964) Cyril Davies / British Blues Musician
themusicsover Cyril Davies
January 23, 1932 – January 7, 1964
Cyril Davies was one of the pioneers of the British blues movement of the 1960s. He began his career during the ’50s when he actually played the banjo in an acoustic skiffle group. He soon switched to the harmonica, eventually becoming Britain’s first Chicago blues style player. In 1962, he and fellow musician, Alexis Korner, opened the popular Ealing Club. It was there that they founded Blues Incorporated, a highly influential electric blues band that counted Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Charlie Watts as members over the years. The club became hangout for up-and-coming musicians like Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones and Eric Burden who generally ended up jamming together by the end of the night. Cyril Davies was 31 when he died on January 7, 1964. Cause of death was either leukemia, lung cancer or pleurisy, depending upon your source.
Bobby Robinson was a pioneering R&B and later, hip-hop record producer, as well as a longtime record store owner. He opened Bobby’s Record Shop in 1946, making it the first Black-owned business on Harlem’s famous 125th Street. The store and cultural landmark remained open until he was forced to close in 2008 due to his landlord’s desire to raze and rebuild at that spot. As a producer, Robinson had a hand in creating a string of R&B and hip-hop hits that stretched from the early ’50s through the mid ’80s. The list of greats that he enjoyed success with includes Gladys Knight & The Pips, 
