Died On This Date (November 14, 2012) Martin Fay / The Cheiftains
themusicsover Martin Fay
September 19, 1936 – November 14, 2012
Martin Fay is best remembered as the founding fiddler for the Chieftains. Formed in 1962, the Cheiftains went on to become arguably the biggest Irish folk band in history. If nothing more, they helped popularize their native music the world over for the better part of 50 years. To date, the band has earned six Grammys and has been named “Ireland’s Musical Ambassadors.” Fay learned to play the violin as a child, and by his late teens, he was playing in the Abbey Theatre orchestra in Dublin. By the early ’60s, Fay was earning his living by playing music, and in 1963, he and the Chieftains released their self-titled debut on Claddagh Records. From then on, the band seemed to tour the world non-stop, even playing in front of over 1 million people during Pope John Paul II‘s visit to Dublin in 1979. In 2001, Fay retired from the road but continued to record and perform with the Chieftains, but only in Ireland. In all, he played on over 30 albums before retiring completely in 2002. Martin Fay was 76 when he passed away on November 14, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released, although, he had reportedly been ill for quite some time prior.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus at the Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.
What You Should Own
Nils Koppruch was a German singer-songwriter who also worked as a freelance artist. Strongly influenced by American folk, blues, Americana, and bluegrass, Koppruch built a dedicated following as the front man for Finch from 1996 to 2006. After Finch dissolved, Koppruch continued on as a solo artist performing in a style he called “city folk.” He toured throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, gaining loyal fans along the way. Koppruch released two solo albums, The Hell Do (V2 Records) in 2007 and Caruso in 2010. In 2012, he collaborated with Gisbert zu Knyphausen on an album entitled simply, I. Nils Koppruch was 46 when he passed away on October 10, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Raylene Rankin was the co-lead singer for influential Canadian Irish folk group, the Rankin Family. Formed in 1989, the group, which also included siblings, Jimmy, Cookie, Heather, John Morris, and David, won numerous awards, including six Juno Awards – Canada’s answer to the Grammys. Shortly after the Rankin Family formed, they began self-releasing their music on cassette. By the early ’90s, they were signed to EMI Records and touring all over Canada and beyond. The 1992 EMI re-release of their Fair Thee Well Love sold more than 500,000 in its initial years. The group released several more albums through the years including the quadruple platinum North Country, and their most recent, 2009’s These Are The Moments. Meanwhile, Raylene released a handful of solo albums as well. During the she early 2000s, Raylene was diagnosed with cancer, and on September 30, 2012 she died of breast cancer. She was 52 when he passed away.
Although known the world over for his portrayal of two iconic television characters, Andy Griffith was also a Grammy-winning singer. Regularly exposed to music from a young age, Griffith gravitated toward the arts while in school. While growing up, he performed in many local productions while learning to sing and play the trombone. After graduating from college with a degree in music, Griffith headed to Broadway. But by the late ’50s he was earning rave reviews for his performances in films like A Face In The Crowd and No Time For Sergeants. In 1960, Griffith began starring as Sheriff Andy Taylor, the non-gun toting lawman in the television comedy series, The Andy Griffith Show. The program, which ran until 1968, went on to become one of the most beloved television series of all time. Another of Griffith’s iconic characters came in the form of Ben Matlock in the legal drama series, Matlock. The popular show, which began in 1986, ran until 1995, after which Griffith went on to appear in countless films and television programs. Being a trained singer and musician afforded Griffith the opportunity to perform in some of his acting roles, most notably, The Andy Griffith Show and A Face In The Crowd. Over the years, he released over a dozen albums which were generally Southern Gospel. His 1996 album, I Love To Tell The Story: 25 Timeless Hymns, sold over a million copies and earned him two Grammys. Griffith stayed active well into the 2000s with numerous cameos and such. On July 3, 2012, it was reported that Andy Griffith passed away of natural causes. He was 86.
John Koko was a stand-up bassist who is best remembered for his many years playing in the popular Hawaiian trio, Makaha Sons. Raised in Oahu, Koko began performing live as far back as the age of 12. Koko started with the Makaha Sons (then, the Makaha Sons of Niihau) during the mid ’70s. They eventually shortened their name and went on to help popularize Hawaiian music throughout the world while picking up several prestigious awards along the way. With the group, Koko had the opportunity to play Carnegie Hall twice and perform for President Bill Clinton. Suffering from heart related issues, John Koko passed away on June 25, 2012. He was 51.