Died On This Date (May 19, 1969) Coleman “The Hawk” Hawkins / Jazz Sax Great
themusicsover Coleman Hawkins
November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969
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 Fletcher Henderson. By 1937 he found himself in Europe touring with the likes of Django Reinhardt and Benny Carter. Hawkins’ recording of “Body And Soul” in 1939 became the definitive version of a song that has since been recorded hundreds of times, and his solo is considered one of the finest performances ever in popular music. Hawkins died of pneumonia on May 19, 1969 at the age of 64.
What You Should Own
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.
Ian Curtis was the troubled singer and main songwriter for the Manchester rock band, Joy Division. Even as a young boy, Curtis showed signs of being a gifted writer, and by his late teens, he was turning his focus on becoming a rock performer. By 1978 he was fronting Joy Division. His lyrics were dark, sad and intensely hopeless. On stage, Curtis, who was epileptic, would mimic those fits while dancing. Unless of course he was having an actual seizure on stage. Fans sometimes didn’t know the difference. On May 18, 1980, two weeks after what would be Joy Division’s final show, Ian Curtis hanged himself in his kitchen. Some have speculated that the drugs he took for epilepsy and the exhaustive touring may have contributed to his desire to take his life. Others claim it was his disappointment over his failed marriage. Following the death of Curtis, the other members of Joy Division went on to form New Order.
Pee Wee Crayton was a brilliant Texas blues guitarist stylistically similar to 