Died On This Date (February 25, 2012) Louisiana Red / Blues Great
Louisiana Red (Born Iverson Minter)
March 23, 1932 – February 25, 2012
Louisiana Red was an Alabama-born blues musician who counted over 50 albums to his credit. Red began making records in 1949, with his first label being the legendary Chess Records. What followed was a series of singles and albums, many of which are essential for any respectable blues collection. A couple of his key albums were The Lowdown Back Porch Blues and Seventh Son, both released in 1963. During the late ’50s, Red performed with the great John Lee Hooker in Detroit. And in 1983, he was awarded a prestigious WC Handy Award. Louisiana Red was 79 when he passed away on February 25, 2012.
What You Should Own



Mike Melvoin was a much-respected jazz pianist whose talent can be heard on countless records by some of the biggest names in music. Since 1961, Melvoin graced recordings by such luminaries as
Billy Strange was a much-respected guitarist, songwriter, and arranger who made an indelible mark on pop music as one of the top session players in Los Angeles during the 1960s. And as a songwriter, he was no slouch either. Born in Long Beach, California, Strange was just 5 years old when he performed on a local radio station – reportedly winning a yodel contest. Roughly ten years later, he was given his first guitar, and within two years, he was on the road. During the mid ’60s, Strange found himself as part of a collective of L.A. studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, who would go down in history as the players on some of the most important pop, rock, and country records of the era. Most famously, Strange played on landmark recordings by the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds),
Christopher Reimer was the guitarist for critically acclaimed Canadian noise rock band, Women. Formed in 2007, Women released two albums, Women and Public Strain, before going on hiatus in 2010. In 2008, Pitchfork named their “Black Rice” as the 18th best song of the year. Reimer went on to perform with the Dodos and Neko Case. Christopher Reimer passed away in his sleep on February 21, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Joe Thompson was a renowned bluegrass and old-time folk fiddle player who, for the past several decades, kept the tradition of black country fiddling alive around the world. Thompson was just 6 or 7 years old when he first picked up the fiddle, learning to play by watching his father. His first fiddle lacked strings so he fashioned them out of wire from a screen. By the time Thompson was 8, he had already landed his first gig, playing with his brother at local dances and such. He would continue to do so well into the 1930s. As the years went on, Thompson found himself touring the world and playing every major bluegrass festival along the way. He even graced the stage of Carnegie Hall. In 2007, he was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. And in 2009, he recorded and released an album with the popular African-American neo-trad trio, the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The album, Carolina Chocolate Drops & Joe Thompson was released to cheers from fans and critics alike. Joe Thompson was 93 when he passed away on February 20, 2012.