Died On This Date (October 7, 1966) Johnny Kidd \ ’60s British Rock Star
themusicsover Johnny Kidd (Born Frederick Heath)
December 23, 1935 – October 7, 1966
Johnny Kidd was the lead singer and songwriter for Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, a British band that was building momentum just before the Beatles broke, but soon became overshadowed by them. There sound was the blueprint from which garage rock was built. In 1960, the band released the Kidd-written “Shakin’ All Over” which shot to the top of the UK charts. The Guess Who had a hit in the US with it in 1965, and the Who’s 1970 live version from Live At Leeds ultimately became the recognizable version of it. Johnny Kidd was 30 years old when he was killed in a car accident on October 7, 1966.
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