Died On This Date (June 29, 1969) Shorty Long / Gave Us “Devil With The Blue Dress On”
themusicsover Frederick “Shorty” Long
May 20, 1940 – June 29, 1969
Shorty Long was a singer, songwriter and producer associated with the Motown family for many years. His “Devil With The Blue Dress On” was the very first record to be released on Motown imprint, Soul Records. A later cover of it by Mitch Ryder would become a rock n’ roll standard. In 1968, he released “Here Comes The Judge,” which became his biggest hit. He was, incidentally, the only Motown artist outside of Smokey Robinson that was permitted to produce his own records. Shorty Long died in a Detroit River boating accident at the age of 29.
What You Should Own
George McCorkle is perhaps best remembered as a founding guitarist for popular American rock band, the Marshall Tucker Band. Formed in 1972, the group found tremendous success with such albums as Searchin’ For A Rainbow, Together Forever, and their platinum seller, Carolina Dreams. Their sound – equal parts rock, country, R&B, gospel, and jazz – helped define the ’70s rock era and laid the foundation for what would become called Southern rock. Besides his instantly recognizable guitar work in the band, McCorkle’s biggest contribution came by way of his “Fire On The Mountain,” which became their first top 40 hit. After leaving the Marshall Tucker Band in 1984, McCorkle worked as a songwriter and released his own album in 1999. George McCorkle was 59 died of cancer on June 29, 2007.
Rammellzee was a popular and influential New York City based performance artist, sculptor, graffiti artist, and hip hop singer. His vocal style, which dates back to the early ’80s, is said to have influenced the likes of the Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill. He released several records, though under different monikers, throughout his career, and had collaborated with Buckethead of Guns ‘N Roses fame. Rammellzee was 49 when he died on June 28, 2010. Cause of death was not immediately released.
