Musician

Died On This Date (January 17, 1998) Cliffie Stone / Country Singer

Cliffie Stone (Born Clifford Snyder)
March 1, 1917 – January 17, 1998

Cliffie Stone was a country singer, musician and songwriter as well as a producer and A&R man for Capitol Records during the label’s early years.  As a bassist, he played in big bands that became popular throughout Southern California thanks to appearances on local radio shows.  In 1946, he was hired by Capitol where he signed Tennessee Ernie Ford and Hank Thompson, among others.  He released a handful of his own albums during the 1950s.  During the ’60s, Stone found more success with his own publishing company, Central Songs.  On January 17, 1998, Cliffie Stone died of a heart attack at the age of 81.

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Cliffie Stone

Died On This Date (January 17, 1970) Billy Stewart / R&B Singer

Billy Stewart
March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970

Billy Stewart was an R&B singer who achieved some success during the late ’50s and early ’60s.  He started out in gospel before joining the Rainbows, a popular Washington DC area R&B vocal group.  In 1956, he was reportedly discovered by Bo Diddley who brought him on as a back-up singer.  He was soon signed by Chess Records where he released several hit R&B singles and albums throughout the ’60s.  Tragedy struck in 1970, when he lost control of a car while on tour in North Carolina.  The vehicle landed in a river, killing him and three members of his band.  Billy Stewart was 32 years old when he died.

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20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Billy Stewart - Billy Stewart

Died On This Date (January 16, 2010) Carl Smith / Country Music Legend

Carl Smith
March 15, 1927 – January 16, 2010

Carl Smith was a country music singer who was so respected that he was nicknamed, “Mr. Country.”  A musician since grade school, Smith formed his first band at 15, and by the time he returned home from a term in the Navy, he was well on his way to a storied music career.  Smith made his mark on country music during the ’50s, when he began releasing hits like, “Hey Joe,” “Ten Thousand Drums,” and “Wicked Lies.”  During that decade, he scored over 30 Top-10 hits, five of which went to #1.  In 1951, he married June Carter with whom he had a daughter that would grow up to perform under the name, Carlene Carter.  During the late ’50s, he divorced Carter, moved to California, appeared on television and films, and married another country hit maker, Goldie Hill.  Smith stayed active in the music industry until his retirement in 1983.  Carl Smith was 82 when he passed away on January 16, 2010.

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Carl Smith

Died On This Date (January 16, 1975) Paul Beaver / Beaver & Krause

Paul Beaver
1925 – January 16, 1975

Paul Beaver was one of electronic music’s early pioneers.  Armed with a Moog synthesizer, he partnered with Bernie Krause to form Beaver & Krause in 1966.  Besides being one of the first groups to release an electronic pop album, Beaver & Krause helped spread the use of synthesizers to the rock community.  The Byrds, the Doors and Simon & Garfunkel are all said to have been inspired by Beaver & Krause to experiment with the instrument.  Beaver & Krause albums are also considered by some to have sparked the New Age movement.  Over the course of his career, Beaver contributed to recordings by the Monkees and the Mamas and the Papas.  Paul Beaver suffered a brain aneurysm in 1975 and passed away at 50 later that year.

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Beaver & Krause

Died On This Date (January 16, 2010) Jimmy Wyble / Guitarist; Played With Bob Wills & Benny Goodman

Jimmy Wyble
January 25, 1922 – January 16, 2010

Jimmy Wyble is best remembered as a guitarist who made significant contributions to worlds of jazz and Western swing.  During the early days of his career, Wyble played country-western, most notably in Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys.  After serving a few years in WWII, Wyble set his sites on jazz and formed his own combo.  He released his first album, The Jimmy Wyble Quintet in 1953.  In the coming years, he played in both Benny Goodman’s and Red Norvo’s bands.  While playing for the latter, he toured with Frank Sinatra.  Wyble was a session player throughout most of the ’60s and ’70s, playing on such television shows as The Flip Wilson Show, and on such film soundtracks as Ocean’s Eleven and The Wild Bunch.  He was also a respected guitar teacher who taught the likes of Steve Lukather.  Jimmy Wyble passed away from heart failure just days before his 88th birthday.