Died On This Date (January 5, 1998) Sonny Bono / Sonny & Cher
themusicsover Salvatore “Sonny” Bono
February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998
Sonny Bono was a successful singer, songwriter, producer and actor who came to the world’s attention in the mid ’60s when he partnered with his wife, Cher to form the singing and comic duo, Sonny & Cher. One of Bono’s first jobs in the music business was assisting producer, Phil Spector. He was also writing songs, penning such pop classics as “Things You Do To Me” (Sam Cooke), “Needle and Pins” (the Searchers, Jackie DeShannon, Tom Petty), and of course, “I Got You Babe,” “The Beat Goes On” and many more made famous by Sonny & Cher. In 1971, CBS debuted The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour which was a top 20 hit for its four-season run. Sonny and Cher split both professionally and personally in the mid ’70s, afterwhich Bono periodically made television guest star appearances into the ’90s. In 1988, Bono was elected mayor of Palm Springs, California, an office he held until 1992. By all accounts he did a great job and was very popular in the position. On January 5, 1998, Sonny Bono died of injuries he sustained from accidentally skiing into a tree at near Lake Tahoe.
What You Should Own
Jose “Crunchy” Espinosa was a founding member of Los Angeles Latin rock/funk/hip-hop collective, Ozomatli. Formed in 1995, the band, which has counted as many as many as 10 members, quickly became local favorites thanks in part to their highly energetic shows and dance friendly message songs. With a sound rooted deep in Latin folk and lyrics in both Spanish and English, it was no doubt they’d become hometown favorites. The band is also highly regarded for using its popularity to lend a voice to people of struggle. During the 2000 Democratic Convention, Ozomatli staged a large protest concert outside of the event. In 1998 they released their self-titled debut that included the uptempo song “Como Ves” which became a film and TV staple and helped the band build its sizable following outside of Southern California. They have since released several more records, toured the world many times over, and wowed audiences at the biggest music festivals across the United States. Their fans range from lovers of traditional Latin music, Salsa, hip-hop, jamband, and alternative rock. Outside of Ozomatli, Espinosa collaborated with the likes of the Black Eyed Peas, Ubalaye, Money Mark, and the Salvador Santana Band. Jose “Crunchy” Espinosa died of cancer on January 5, 2011.
Sandro de America was an Argentine singer and actor who rose to prominence during the ’60s. He began his career imitating 
