Musician

Died On This Date (April 26, 2011) Phoebe Snow / American Singer-Songwriter

Phoebe Snow (Born Phoebe Laub)
July 17, 1952 – April 26, 2011

Phoebe Snow was an American singer-songwriter who is perhaps best remembered for her 1975 hit, “Poetry Man.”  Regularly exposed to music while growing up, Snow picked up the guitar at an early age.  She was still in her teens when she began playing at amateur nights throughout New York’s storied Greenwich Village folk clubs.  It was at one of these venues that Snow was discovered by an executive at Shelter Records who signed her and released her self-titled debut album,  Phoebe Snow in July of 1974.  The album included her Top 5 hit, “Poetry Man.”  The album ultimately reached #4 on the Billboard album charts and earned Snow a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, a cover of Rolling Stone, and several memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live.   In 1975, Snow gave birth to her severely brain-damaged daughter Valerie, but instead of placing her in a care facility like most, she opted to care for her herself, which she did until Valerie passed away in 2007.  Throughout Snow’s career, she released numerous critical and fan favorite albums and performed with a who’s who of pop royalty.  That list includes Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Queen, and Bonnie Raitt, to name just a few.    In 1997, Snow sang the Rosanne theme during the closing moments of the final episode, and years later, became perhaps the most unlikely person in history to sing at both Camp David (for President Bill Clinton), AND at Howard Stern’s wedding.  On January 19, 2010, Phoebe Snow suffered a brain hemorrhage and was placed in a medically induced coma.  She briefly regained consciousness but ultimately passed away on April 26, 2011.  She was 58.

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Phoebe Snow - Phoebe Snow

Died On This Date (April 23, 2011) Dutch Tilders / Dutch Australian Blues Musician

Matthew “Dutch” Tilders
August 29, 1941 – April 23, 2011

Dutch Tilders was a blues musician born in the Netherlands but who moved to Australia with his family while still in his teens.   Tilders was playing the harmonica by the time he landed his first gig at the age of 15, but soon switched to the guitar.  He went on to release several albums while performing with the likes of Taj Mahal, John Mayall, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry.  Back home in Australia, he was dubbed the “Godfather of Blues,” and even the great B.B. King  once proclaimed that regardless of his European birth, Tilders was a genuine bluesman.  He continued to tour as recently as late 2010 despite the fact that he was diagnosed with lung cancer in May of that same year.  Dutch Childers officially retired in February of 2011 and passed away from the cancer on April 23, 2011.  He was 69.



Died On This Date (April 23, 2011) Tom King / The Outsiders

Tom King
DOB Unknown – April 23, 2011

Tom King was the founder and lead guitarist of the Outsiders, a Cleveland, Ohio rock band that scored a huge hit with 1966’s “Time Won’t Let Me.”   King co-wrote the song which went on to define the era and is generally included in any respectable ’60s rock compilation.  Originally formed in 1958 as Tom King and the Starfires, the band ultimately signed to Capitol Records and changed their name to the Outsiders at the request of the label to sound more like the British Invasion bands of the mid ’60s.  Unlike many of their peers, the band quickly became one of the scenes best live acts thanks to their years performing R&B standards as the Starfires.  After a series of line-up changes and singles that didn’t perform as well as King had hoped, the band broke up in 1968.   The group reformed with different line-ups in later years.  In ailing health, Tom King passed away in a nursing home on April 23, 2011.  He was 68.



Died On This Date (April 22, 2011) Hazel Dickens / Bluegrass Icon

Hazel Dickens
June 1, 1935 – April 22, 2011

Hazel Dickens was a popular Appalachian bluegrass and folk singer, songwriter and musician who was revered for her beautiful voice as well as for her socially driven lyrics that tended to touch on feminism and pro-union causes.   Born into a poor mining family in West Virginia, Dickens became friends with Pete Seeger‘s brother and fellow musician Mike Seeger, who prompted her desire to get involved with the highly active Baltimore-Washington folk music scene of the ’60s.  She and Seeger’s wife, Alice Gerard went on to perform and record as Hazel & Alice.  By the mid ’70s, Dickens was working as a solo artist.  Four of her early recordings can be heard in the award-winning mining documentary, Harlan County, USA.  She also appeared in the film as well as Matewan and Songcatcher.  Although she stopped putting out albums in the mid ’80s, Dickens could still be found performing live for many years to come, even as recently as at Austin’s SXSW music conference in March of 2011.  Hazel Dickens passed away on April 22, 2011.  She was 75.

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By the Sweat of My Brow - Hazel Dickens

Died On This Date (April 21, 2011) Joe Pennell / The Rivieras; Had Hit With “California Sun”

Joe Pennell
November 15, 1944 – April 21, 2011

Joe Pennell was the lead guitarist for the Rivieras, a rock ‘n roll band whose only hit, “California Sun,” helped define what became known as “frat rock.”  Formed in 1962 while its members where still in high school in South Bend, Indiana, the group was initially called the Playmates until they learned of another band using the same name.  In 1964, they released “California Sun,” which quickly rose to #1 on the U.S. singles chart thanks to its driving beat and instantly recognizable surf guitar riff.  Unfortunately, the record holds the dubious honor of being knocked from the top spot by “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” the first American hit for the Beatles It would be one of the last hits by an American rock ‘n roll band before the British Invasion tightened its grip around the U.S.  Shortly after he recorded the song, Pennell joined the Marines and didn’t learn of the record’s release until he heard it on the radio while serving.  By all accounts, he never went back to a career in music, but went on to work for many years as a painter at AM General, a heavy vehicle manufacturer and future assembly line for the civilian Hummer.  Joe Pennell was 66 when he passed away on April 21, 2011.

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The Rivieras