Died On This Date (February 24, 2011) Eddie Serrato / Drummer For ? And The Mysterians
themusicsover Eddie Serrato
December 5, 1945 – February 24, 2011
Eddie Serrato was the original drummer for the legendary Michigan garage band, ? and the Mysterians. It is he you can hear playing on their classic hit, “96 Tears.” Formed when Serrato was recruited from a local Mexican band in 1962, ? and the Mysterians went on to be called by some as the world’s first punk band – if not exactly that, they were without a doubt one of the first Latin rock bands to score a #1 pop hit in America. The success of that record – which has been covered live or recorded by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Iggy Pop, Garland Jeffreys, and Aretha Franklin – was enough to get the band a nationally televised performance on American Bandstand. The group released several more moderately successful records throughout the rest of the ’60s, many of which were co-written by Serrato. He left the band 1968, with ? and various configurations of the Mysterians, both with and without him, continuing to perform well into the 2000s. Serrato himself went on to produce Tejano music during the latter part of his life. On February 24, 2011, Eddie Serrato died of a heart attack at a local hospital where he had been recuperating from an undisclosed surgery. He was 65.
Thanks to Su for the assist.
What You Should Own
Terry Clements is perhaps best remembered as the longtime guitarist for folk legend, Gordon Lightfoot. He joined up with Lightfoot in 1970 and continued to play with him for some 40 years. Clements was just five years old when he picked up the guitar, and over the years his playing would be influenced by the likes of Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, and Dick Dale. After high school, he served in the US Navy for a couple of years and then returned to his music career, first playing with Golden Sunflower while working as a session player for Lou Adler, and later joining forces with Lightfoot with whom he stayed until the final years of his life. Terry Clements was 63 when he died on February 20, 2011. The cause was attributed to a stroke he had recently suffered.
JP Fraley was a bluegrass fiddler who is considered by many to have been the one of the greatest to ever come out of Kentucky. After years working in the local mines, and later as a sales rep for mining equipment, Fraley became a professional musician. He recorded three albums for the revered roots label, Rounder Records – each one included his wife, Annadeene Fraley on guitar. The two spent most of their lives together, having met as children. Fraley spent much of his time teaching young fiddlers and wrote several instruction books. During the ’70s, Fraley began his annual Mountain Music Gathering which started out as a family reunion but quickly grew into one of the biggest old-time music festivals in northeastern Kentucky. JP Fraley was 87 when he passed away on February 17, 2011.
Rick Kulwicki is best remembered as a guitarist for Denver, Colorado punk band, the Fluid. Formed in 1984 out of the ashes of Madhouse, the Fluid went on to release a handful of albums for Rayon, Glitterhouse, Hollywood and most notably, Sub Pop Records. They have the distinction of being the first non-Seattle band signed to that revered label. The band broke up in 1993 and reunited in 2008. All the while, Kulwicki was a constant and respected player throughout the vibrant Denver rock scene. He was most recently a member of the Buckingham Squares. Rick Kulwicki was 49 when he passed away on February 15, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
George Shearing was a popular and influential jazz pianist and composer who could claim over 300 pieces as his own. Born blind in London, Shearing spent his early professional career playing in an all-blind band – he started playing the piano at just three years old. During his late 20s, Shearing moved to the United States where he continued to master his complex style of swing, bop and bebop. In 1949, he formed the George Shearing Quintet and went on to record for such labels as Verve, Capitol, and MGM. His hits included “Lullaby Of Birdland” and “September In The Rain.” Over the years he’s collaborated with the likes of 