Died On This Date (September 19, 2011) Hal Roach / Chicago Jazz Musician
themusicsover Hal Roach (Born Rochester Coleman)
1929 – September 19, 2011
Hal Roach was a jazz pianist who, for the better part of 36 years, held court at the popular Eli’s The Place For Steak in Chicago. Roach was just a young child living in Mississippi when he learned to play the piano on a piece of cardboard. He eventually moved to Chicago with his family, and after serving in the US Army in Korea, Roach focused on his music and soon landed the gig at The Place For Steak. In 1994, Roach was at the piano when in walked President Bill Clinton who was in town for a fundraiser. Despite being forewarned by the Secret Service to keep it on the down-low, Roach immediately kicked into “Hail To The Chief.” Over the course of his career, Roach also entertained the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Liza Minnelli. As reported in the Chicago Tribune, Hal Roach was 82 when he passed away on September 19, 2011.
Thanks to Gary Case for the assist.
Richard Hamilton was a British artist who specialized in painting and collage. Known as the Father of Pop Art, and Britain’s answer to Andy Warhol, Hamilton made more than one lasting mark on popular music. During the mid ’60s, he became friends with Paul McCartney who eventually asked him to design the cover of what became the Beatles’ 1968 masterpiece The Beatles, known also as the White Album. It was Hamilton who came up with the simple yet iconic mostly plain white cover and inside collage. Prior to that, Hamilton issued a series of prints entitled Swinging London which featured shots of the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger as he was being arrested on drug charges. Richard Hamilton was 89 when he passed away on September 13, 2011.
Wilma Lee Cooper was an accomplished bluegrass and country performer who joined the ranks of the Grand Ole Opry in 1957. Born and raised on West Virginia, Cooper was just a child when she began singing in her family gospel group, the Leary Family. In 1939, she married fellow musician, Stoney Cooper with whom she went on to perform and record with as Wilma Lee & Stoney Copper and the Clinch Mountain Clan. Throughout the late ’50s and early ’60s, the duo released a series of charting records that included “Big Midnight Special” and “The Tramp On The Street.” After her husband passed away in 1977, Cooper continued on as a solo artist until a stroke in 2001 forced her retirement. She did however, return to the Opry stage in 2010 as part of a group sing-along to celebrate the venue’s grand re-opening. As reported in 
Known professionally as DJ Mehdi, Mehdi Faveris-Essadi was a prominent French DJ and producer who has been praised throughout the underground hip-hop scene for his skills at combining elements of hip-hop and electronica. During his early professional years, Faveris-Essadi was a DJ or producer for such acts as Different Teep, Ideal J, and 113. He also worked on several French film soundtracks. As his reputation grew, Faveris-Essadi began collaborating with the likes of Chromeo, Daft Punk and Asian Dub Foundation. Faveris-Essadi released a handful of his own critically albums as well, beginning with 2002’s The Story of Espion. On September 13, 2011, DJ Mehdi Faveris-Essadi died in a tragic mishap that resulted in his falling through the roof his house. He and friends had reportedly been on the roof celebrating his birthday.