Died On This Date (October 6, 2015) Billy Joe Royal / Had Several Pop & Country Hits
themusicsover Billy Joe Royal
April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015
Born and raised in Georgia, Billy Joe Royal was a pop and country singer who had a string of hits during the ’50s and ’60s and ’80s. His biggest hit came by way of 1965’s “Down In The Boondocks,” which reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and helped define the soft rock sound of its day. Hits like “I Knew You When,” “Hush,” and “Cherry Hill Park” followed. During the ’70s, Royal experienced a comeback of sorts when his “Heart’s Desire” found fandom along the UK Northern Soul circuit. During the ’80s, Royal became one of the first pop stars to successfully crossover to country. He had several Top 10 hits including “I’ll Pin A Note On Your Pillow” and “Tell It Like It Is.” Billy Joe Royal was 73 when he died in his sleep on October 6, 2015. Cause of death was not immediately released.
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Charanjit Singh was a multi instrumentalist from Mumbai, India, who, during the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, found his calling playing guitar and synthesizer on numerous Bollywood soundtracks. In 1982, he released Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat to little fanfare. But when it was reissued in 2010, it was embraced by the acid house community who acknowledged Singh as a pioneer of the genre. The sound he created clearly had an influence on the likes of Aphex Twin and Ceephax. Charanjit Singh was 75 when he died in his sleep on July 5, 2015.
Wendell Holmes was the guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the legendary gospel, R&B, and blues band, the Holmes Brothers. Formed in 1978, the trio built a legion of loyal followers thanks to their heavenly harmonies and overall sound that was once described by the New York Times as “deeply soulful, uplifting and timeless.” Formed in Christchurch, Virginia, the Holmes Brothers moved to Harlem during the ’80s to try their luck in the city’s blues clubs. They signed their first record deal in 1989 and went on to release 12 albums, including three that landed in the top five of the Billboard Blues Album charts. The list of artists they recorded with includes Joan Osborne, Willie Nelson, Peter Gabriel, and Van Morrison. In 2014, they received an National Endowment For The Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Wendell Holmes died from complications due to pulmonary hypertension. He was 71.