Died On This Date (May 21, 2008) Michelle Meldrum / Guitarist for Meldrum, Phantom Blue
themusicsover Michelle Meldrum
September 28, 1968 – May 21, 2008
Michelle Meldrum was a hard rock guitarist who was in Phantom Blue and her own Meldrum. Born in Detroit, Meldrum moved with her family to Los Angeles when she was 13. It was around that time that she picked up the guitar. It was only a matter of time before Meldrum formed her first band, Wargod, followed by Phantom Planet, an all-girl metal band that she co-founded. The band was signed to Shrapnel Records and later, Geffen Records. The band became very popular with metal fans thanks in part to tours with Black Label Society, Sepultura and Danzig. On May 16, 2008, Michelle Meldrum fell into an unexpected coma due to a cerebral hemorrhage. She died three days later due to a cystic growth on her brain. She was 39.
What You Should Own
Coleman Hawkins was one of jazz’s first influential saxophonists. Just out of high school, Hawkins hit the road as part of Mamie Smith’s band, and just a couple of years later he teamed up with 
Henry “Butch” Stone is best remembered as a singer and saxophonist with Les Brown & His Band of Renown. Stone learned to play the sax as a child and went on to play, as well as sing, in his high school band. By the ’40s, he was playing in Brown’s band with whom he stayed for many years. Stone’s “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” was very popular at the time. Throughout his career, Stone entertained American soldiers as part of Bob Hope’s shows well over a dozen times. He passed away at the age of 96.
Along with his brothers, Ricardo Abreu formed Los Papines, a popular Cubun band over 45 years ago. The band was somewhat unique in that it was just vocals and percussion. The band has been very influential to countless Afro-Cuban musicians that have come since. They have been named a National Cultural Heritage of Cuba. Abreu died of a stroke at the age of 75.