Died On This Date (April 30, 1966) Richard Fariña / Respected ’60s Folk Singer
themusicsover Richard Fariña
March 8, 1937 – April 30, 1966
Along with being a beat writer, Richard Fariña was a folk singer-songwriter who performed and recorded with second wife, Mimi Fariña, sister of Joan Baez. As a counterculture author, Fariña had stories published in the Transalantic Review and Mademoiselle. He also wrote the critically acclaimed and cult favorite novel, Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me. Considered a protest singer, Fariña’s music career was born around 1961 in the Greenwich Village folk scene. At the time, he was married to Carolyn Hester who introduced him to Bob Dylan, thus launching a friendship that would eventually lead him to meet Joan Baez and younger sister, Mimi. After divorcing Hester, Fariña married Mimi and together they moved to the central coast of California where they began writing songs together. Mimi & Richard Fariña signed to Vanguard Records who released three albums, one of which after Richard’s untimely death. Just two days after the release of Been Down So Long, the Farinas were home celebrating Mimi’s 21st birthday. During the party, Richard got on the back of a friend’s motorcycle for a ride. Allegedly driving at a high rate of speed, the driver lost control of the bike on a windy road, causing it to crash. Richard Fariña was killed instantly at the age of 29.
What You Should Own
Will Owsley was a respected singer-songwriter, producer and musician who is best remembered as Amy Grant’s touring guitarist for more than 15 years. Over the course of his career, he also worked with Shania Twain, the Neville Brothers, Faith Hill and Wynonna Judd. Owsley also released a handful of albums under his own name, including 1999’s Owsley, which earned him a Grammy nomination for its engineering. During the early ’90s, he formed the power pop band, the Semantics with Zak Starkey and Millard Powers. Will Owsley died on April 30, 2010 of an apparent suicide.
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Gil Ellman was a big band musician and longtime Chicago area musical instrument merchant. Ellman began his life of music as a youngster when he learned to play the saxophone, clarinet and flute. His skills developed so well, that when he hit high school, he became its concert master. Shortly after graduating, and at just 18 years of age, Ellman opened his own shop where he repaired radios and such. He later became an instrument tech, working with the likes of 