Died On This Date (April 3, 2009) Charlie Kennedy / Played Sax With Gene Krupa
themusicsover Charlie Kennedy
July 2, 1927 – April 3, 2009
Charlie Kennedy was a brilliant alto saxophonist who made his mark on the jazz world by performing in Gene Krupa’s band in the late ’40s. His solos can be heard on several of Krupa’s signatures songs of that era. Kennedy moved to the Los Angeles area in 1950 where he did session work on films like West Side Story and My Fair Lady. Kennedy passed away on April 3, 2009 after a struggle with pulmonary disease.
Buddy Rich was an American jazz drummer who was considered by many to be the greatest drummer, period. His power and speed were unmatched. He was the backbone behind classic recordings by a who’s who of popular music, including 
Known as the “King of Ragtime,” Scott Joplin took banjo and piano music out of the brothels and raised it to a true art form. Born in Texas to a former slave father, Joplin tought himself how to play on a piano of a local white family. He was soon studying under a German instructor. All of these experiences helped him develop a sound that was truly unique. In 1899, his “Maple Leaf Rag” was published and went on to become one of the most popular instrumentals of all time, a true American standard. Another of his tunes, “The Entertainer” turned a new generation on to his music and helped spark the ragtime revival of the mid ’70s. Featured in the Paul Newman/Robert Redford film, The Sting, the song started receiving heavy airplay which helped its opening to become on of the most recognizable in pop music history. Joplin was just 48 when he died of what has been reported as the result of syphilis.
