Musician

Died On This Date (April 14, 2007) Don Ho / World Renowned Hawaiian Musician

Don Ho
August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007

Don Ho was a popular Hawaiian musician whose middle-of-the-road stylings earned him several top-selling albums and numerous television appearances. When one thought of Hawaii in the late ’60s and ’70s, they no doubt envied the lifestyle as portrayed by Do Ho. He quickly became a live hit in Las Vegas, Reno, Los Angeles and New York, but it wasn’t until the release of “Tiny Bubbles” in 1966, that Ho reached International fame, landing him on the Billboard Album Charts where he stayed for nearly a year. The television parts began rolling in . Ho, usually appearing as himself, was featured in The Brady Bunch, The Fall Guy, Batman, I Dream Of Jeannie, and Charlie’s Angels. He also had his own ABC-TV show called The Do Ho Show. It premiered in October of 1976 but lasted only five months. His later years found him starting Honey Records, the home of his recordings as well as those by fellow Islanders. He made a few more television appearances and did regular performances at his own Hawaiian club, Hoku. Do Ho passed away from heart failure on April 14, 2007 at the age of 77.

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Don Ho: Greatest Hits - Don Ho

Died On This Date (April 14, 2005) Tom Payne / The Leonards

Tom Payne
July 4, 1960 – April 14, 2005

tommypayne3Tom Payne was the original bassist for Los Angeles based garage rock band, the Leonards.  Originally from the Detroit area, Payne and the band migrated to L.A. in the late 80s to try to get noticed.  However, with a sound closer to the Replacements than Ratt, the group struggled to get noticed along the Sunset Strip.  But they persevered, building a loyal fan base that they can still count on to this day.  In 2004, Tom Payne discovered he had cancer, so he left the band and moved back to Michigan to be with his family.  He died as a result of the cancer on April 14, 2005



Died On This Date (April 14, 2010) Joe Markowski / Twisted Sister

Joe Markowski (aka Fast Joey Brighton)
DOB Unknown- April 14, 2010

Joe Markowski was a respected drummer who is perhaps best remembered for playing with Twisted Sister for about a year starting in 1981.  Markowski was also an in-demand drum teacher who, over the course of his career, tutored the likes of Bobby Rondinelli who played for Black Sabbath and Rainbow, and Joe Franco of Twisted Sister.  Joe Markowski was 57 when he passed away on April 14, 2010.  Cause of death was not immediately released.



Died On This Date (April 13, 2005) Johnnie Johnson / Pianist for Chuck Berry

Johnnie Johnson
July 8, 1924 – April 13, 2005

Johnnie Johnson was a jazz and blues pianist who joined forces with Chuck Berry with whom he spent over twenty years collaborating on such rock ‘n’ roll classics as “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” and “Nadine,” even though he never received song-writing credits or royalties. It has been reported that “Johnnie B. Goode” was actually inspired by Johnson. After his run with Berry, Johnson was all but retired from music and working as a bus driver in St. Louis until he heard the praise being given him by the likes of Keith Richards. That motivated him to get back into music and record his first album in 1987 which lead to him sharing the stage with such luminaries as Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, and John Lee Hooker, and later hitting the road as part of Bob Weir’s Ratdog. In 1999, writer Travis Fitzpatrick released a biography of Johnson entitled Father of Rock and Roll: The Story of Johnnie B. Goode Johnson. It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. In 2001, Johnson received his well-deserved place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 81.

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Johnnie Johnson

Died On This Date (April 13, 2008) Syke Dyke / Trouble Funk

Syke Dyke (Born Robert Reed)
DOB Unknown – April 13, 2008

Known professionally as Syke Dyke, Robert Reed was the founding keyboardist and singer for legendary Washington DC go-go group, Trouble Funk.  The group formed in 1977 and quickly separated themselves from other funk groups of the time by adding a raucous party vibe and 60s style horn section to their music.  If R&B had a “punk” side, it was Trouble Funk.  They built an incredibly loyal following due to their “can’t miss” live shows.  Sales for the group’s 1982 debut, Drop The Bomb showed promise outside of the DC area, but they were never able to build upon its success.  Reed passed away on April 13, 2008 after struggling with pancreatic cancer.  He was 50 years old.