Died On This Date (June 18, 2009) Ali Akbar Khan / Popular Indian Musician
themusicsover Ali Akbar Khan
April 14, 1922 – June 18, 2009
Ali Akbar Khan was a master of the Sarod who came to America from his native India in 1955 and along with Ravi Shankar, was instrumental in introducing Indian music to the western world. Throughout his career, Khan recorded 95 albums, was nominated for five Grammys, and scored music for many films. In 1967, he established the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, CA. Khan died of kidney failure at the age of 87.
Mick Hodgkinson was an English singer, guitarist and cult hero who, during the late ’70s, settled in Woodstock, New York, and immersed himself in the local music scene. Within no time, he formed his first band, Johnny Average and the Falcons that was made up of musicians that were in town working at the legendary Bearsville Studios. The list of artists that played with the falcons included John Sebastian and Shane Fontayne. The group would eventually become the nucleus of 
Hank Medress will always be remembered as the singer of American pop classic, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” but his contributions to popular music go much deeper. As a singer or producer, he’s worked directly with such artists as Neil Sedaka, the Chiffons, the Happenings and Tony Orlando. He was also instrumental in the creation of New York Dolls singer, David Johanson’s popular 80’s alter ego, Buster Poindexter. Medress died of lung cancer on June 18, 2007 at the age of 68.
Karl Mueller played bass for Minneapolis alternative rock band, Soul Asylum who came out of the same scene that gave us Husker Du and the Replacements. But while the latter were building critical and commercial success, Soul Asylum seemed to have a hard time getting out of their shadows. But that all changed in 1992 with the release of Grave Dancers Union. The first single, “Runaway Train” became a worldwide hit thanks to a striking video that put focus on the plight of runaway teens. The video struck a chord and suddenly, Soul Asylum became household names. The band even performed at Bill Clinton’s Inaugural Ball. The band was on a lengthy hiatus by the end of the ’90s, and were beginning to work up new material when Mueller was diagnosed with throat cancer in May of 2004. He would succumb to the cancer on June 17, 2005 at the age of 41.
Eon was a pioneer in the genres of techno and house music. His 1992 Void Dweller album is considered one of the best. He is also known for the rave hit, “Spice” from 1990. He found his early audiences thanks to airplay on London’s pirate radio stations. Eon died of complications from pneumonia on June 17, 2009.