Died On This Date (December 31, 1997) Floyd Cramer / Country Great
themusicsover Floyd Cramer
October 27, 1933 – December 31, 1997
Floyd Cramer was a legendary country pianist who is considered one of the foundations of the “Nashville Sound.” Cramer got his start in music in 1953 when he recorded his first record, “Dancin’ Diane” which lead to a tour with a then unknown Elvis Presley. In 1955, Cramer moved to Nashville and became one of the city’s busiest session players. He soon found himself playing on records by Presley, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and Roy Orbison, to name a few. Cramer released several albums on his own as well. From those came such hits as “Last Date,” “San Antonio Rose,” and “On The Rebound.” Floyd Cramer was 67 when he died of lung cancer on December 31, 1997.
What You Should Own
Joey Hopkins was the vocalist and programmer for avant-garde black metal band, Alien Syndrome 777. He also fronted Joey Hopkins Midget Factory and worked with Blackdrone, Inc. On December 28, 2008, 26 year-old Joey Hopkins was found unconscious in his car with the engine running. He was taken to a nearby hospital but could not be revived. He was pronounced dead on December 31. It is believed that he pulled over to the side of the road to rest but ultimately died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Tim Hardin was an American folk singer and songwriter who is best remembered for his “If I Were a Carpenter” and “Reason to Believe.” After serving a tour of duty as a marine in Vietnam, Hardin moved to New York City where he became immersed in the local folk scene. In 1963, he moved to Boston where he was signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records. Unfortunately, Columbia didn’t quite understand what they had in Hardin, so he was dropped from the label before any records were released. He was soon snapped up by Verve who began releasing a series of albums that are considered milestones of the folk movement. His songs have been made into hits by the likes of 