Died On This Date (June 24, 2008) Ira B. Tucker / Sang Lead For The Dixie Hummingbirds
themusicsover Ira B. Tucker
May 17, 1925 – June 24, 2008
Ira B. Tucker Sr. was the lead singer for the celebrated gospel vocal group, the Dixie Hummingbirds. Joining the group at the age of 13, Tucker fronted them for the next 70 years. They have been called a direct inspiration for the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Jackie Wilson and Aretha Franklin. Tucker died of heart failure at the age of 83.
Southern Gospel singer Dottie Rambo died May 11, 2008 from injuries sustained when her tour bus ran off the road on her way to a Mother’s Day concert. Rambo, who was elected to both the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame published more than 2500 songs. 
Known amongst fans of gospel music as the “Godfather Of Gospel,” the Rev. Timothy Wright pleased crowds and with his uplifting songs, usually backed by a powerful choir. He died of undisclosed causes on April 23, 2009 at the age of 61. Wright released several albums over his career, two of which were nominated for Grammys, and one reached the Top 20 on Billboard’s Gospel chart. In July of 2008, Wright’s car was struck by a wrong-way driver, sending him to the hospital with life threatening injuries and killing his wife and teenage grandson.
Pop Winans was the patriarch of the Winans, a popular Gospel singing family that achieved various levels of success both collectively and individually. He and his wife, Delores recorded and performed together (Mom and Pop Winans) and separately throughout their careers. Son and daughter, Bebe and CeCe Winans scored the biggest hits of the family with their “Addictive Love,” and “I’ll Take You There.” Grammy-nominated Pops Winans passed away on April 8, 2009 in a Nashville hospice facility where he had been since January of that year. He had been recovering from a heart attack and stroke in October of 2008.
Marva Wright was a popular New Orleans blues and Gospel singer who has rightfully been called the Blues Queen of New Orleans. Whether performing in area clubs or in front of thousands at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Wright was a familiar and welcomed site throughout the city for many years. She was a popular concert draw throughout Europe and beyond as well. Even though she began singing at the age of nine, Wright didn’t make it a career until she hit her 40s, and since then she has released several critically and fan acclaimed albums and even performed at the White House. Over the course of her career, she has performed with the likes of 