Died On This Date (July 26, 2011) Frank Foster / American Jazz Sax Great
themusicsover Frank Foster
September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011
Frank Foster was a jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger who is most often associated with Count Basie for whom he played for many years. Foster learned to play the sax and other wind instruments at a young age, and after going to college and serving in Korea for the U.S. Army, Foster joined the Count Basie Orchestra where he stayed for the next two decades. While in Basie’s employ, Foster also arranged many of his songs. That list includes “Shiny Stockings,” “Down For The Count,” and “Blues Backstage.” During the ’70s, Foster went off to play with Elvin Jones, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, and Jimmy Smith. He rejoined the Count Basie Orchestra in 1986 and remained until 1995. Throughout his career, Foster also released numerous of his own albums for such prestigious labels as Blue Note, Savoy, and Concord. He also won two Grammys, and in 2002, he was awarded the Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment of the Arts. In 2001, Foster suffered a stroke which left him unable to play, but he continued on as a band leader, composer, and arranger for many years to come. On July 26, 2011, Frank Foster passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 82.
What You Should Own
Mike Reaves was a guitarist in alternative metal band, Full Devil Jacket. Formed as Voodoo Hippies in Jackson, Tennessee, the band changed its name to Full Devil Jacket just before being signed to Island Records during the late ’90s. The band went on to release an EP and their self-titled full length debut which quickly went gold. The band was a popular live draw and toured with the likes of Creed, Stone Temple Pilots, and Type O Negative. Following his departure from Full Devil Jacket, Reaves played with Travisty and collaborated with 3 Legged Dog, Jasmine Cain and Randy Lovelace. During the spring of 2010, Reaves was diagnosed with prostate cancer which ultimately took his life on July 25, 2011. He was 52.
Dan Peek is perhaps best remembered as a member of popular soft-rock band America between 1970 and 1977 – the group’s most successful period. While in the band which also included Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, Peek played guitar, bass, and keyboards, and sang back up on such hits as “Sandman,” “A Horse With No Name,” and “Ventura Highway.” As a songwriter, he contributed such charting singles as “Lonely People,” “Don’t Cross The River,” and “Today’s The Day.” In 1977, Peek left the group to pursue a solo a career, being one of Christian rock’s earliest successes. His first single, “All Things Are Possible,” reached #1 on the Contemporary Christian charts, and by landing on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts, became one of Christian rock’s first crossover hits. Although Peek never officially reunited with America, Bunnell and Beckley did sing on his solo debut, and he occasionally joined them on stage throughout the years. Peek all but retired from music during the ’90s, releasing a sporadic album or collaborating with others here and there. In recent years, he released new recordings via his website. Dan Peek was 60 when he passed away on July 24, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Bill Morrissey was a respected folk singer-songwriter who, since the release of his 1984 self-titled debut, built a sizable following thanks to his thought-provoking narratives that typically dealt with the ups and downs of life in small town America. Morrissey released ten albums throughout his career, with two earning him Grammy nominations. Bill Morrissey was 59 when he died of heart disease on July 23, 2011.