Folk

Died On This Date (December 24, 2009) Tim Hart / Steeleye Span

Tim Hart
January 9, 1948 – December 24, 2009

Tim Hart is best remembered as a founding member of British electric folk band, Steeleye Span, who released a handful of moderately successful albums while Hart was in the group between 1970 and 1982.  He played guitar and sang for the band while writing some of their more traditional sounding songs.  In later years, Hart released a handful of solo releases included two children’s albums.  In late 2008, he was diagnosed with lung cancer which caused his death on December 24, 2009.  Tim Hart was 61 years old when he died.

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All Around My Hat - Steeleye Span

Died On This Date (December 20, 1973) Bobby Darin / Celebrated Pop Singer

Bobby Darin (Born Walden Cassotto)
May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973

bobby-darinBobby Darin was a pop singer and actor who scored numerous charting hits during a career that spanned from the mid ’50s until his death in 1973.  He was of the Frank Sinatra mold in that he could interpret songs no matter what the genre and could also hold his own as an actor.  He is best known for the hits, “Splish Splash,” “Beyond The Sea,” “If I Was A Carpenter,” and “Mack The Knife,” which sold over a million copies and earned him a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1960.  He was also named Best New Artist that same year.  As an actor, he is best remembered for his Academy Award Nominated supporting role in 1963’s Captain Newman, MD.  He continued to record and act through the ’60s, but his health was starting to go south by the time the ’70s hit.   On December 20, 1973, Bobby Darin, died from complications immediately following heart surgery.  He was just 37.

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Died On This Date (December 15, 2008) Davy Graham / English Folk Blues Guitarist

Davy Graham
November 22, 1940 – December 15, 2008

davy-grahamDavy Graham was an influential British acoustic guitarist who came to prominence during the British folk revival of the 1960s.  He has been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Bert Jansch, Paul Simon, John Renbourn, and Jimmy Page.  He has also been noted as the founder of world music in that he was one of the first to incorporate elements from other cultures into his music.  By the late ’60s, Graham had all but walked away from his music career, choosing instead to do charity work and teach guitar.   He made a brief return to the stage and studio around 2005, but died of lung cancer on December 15, 2008.  He was 68.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.

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Davy Graham

Died On This Date (December 5, 2009) Jack Rose / Gifted Freak-Folk Guitarist

Jack Rose
February 16, 1971 – December 5, 2009

Jack Rose was an acoustic guitarist and co-founder of the indie rock band, Pelt.  The band released a few EPs before Rose went off on his own, recording in a musical style reminiscent of John Fahey, Sandy Bull, and Robbie Basho.   In 2002, he released his first album on Eclipse Records, and then released several more LPs and EPs over the next seven years.  He also had a track on Devendra Banhart’s critically acclaimed freak folk compilation, Golden Apples of the Sun.  His records have been praised by such cutting edge media as The Wire and Pitchfork.  Rose recently finished his tenth album, Luck in the Valley, which is set for release in early 2010.  Jack Rose, 38, suffered a fatal heart attack on December 5, 2009.

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Luck In The Valley - Jack Rose

Died On This Date (December 4, 2009) Liam Clancy / The Clancy Brothers

William “Liam” Clancy
September 2, 1935 – December 4, 2009

Liam Clancy was an Irish folk singer who, along with his brothers, came to prominence during the ’60s folk revival as the Clancy Brothers.  Growing up, Clancy first gravitated toward the theater, producing, directing and starring in plays that ran in and around Dublin.  During the mid ’50s, he began performing and recording with his brothers and friend, Tommy Makem.  They soon moved to the U.S. where they became an integral part of the New York folk scene.  In 1961, the group was asked to be a last minute replacement on the Ed Sullivan Show.  After a then unheard of 16-minute performance, the Clancy Brothers were folk music’s new rising stars, landing a multi-album deal with Columbia Records.  They had a very successful career that also included album releases on the storied Vanguard Records.  No less than Bob Dylan has cited them as an influence on his career and reportedly called Liam the greatest ballad singer he ever heard.  Clancy recorded several critically acclaimed solo albums throughout his career as well.  Liam Clancy died of pulmonary fibrosis on December 4, 2009.  He was 74.

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Irish Troubadour - Liam Clancy