Died On This Date (December 25, 2010) Tony “T-Bone” Bellamy / Redbone
Tony “T-Bone” Bellamy (Born Anthony Avila)
September 12, 1940 – December 25, 2009
Tony Bellamy is best remembered as the one-time lead guitarist for the Native American rock band, Redbone. Formed in 1969, the band achieved its most success during the early ’70s. In 1974 they scored their biggest hit single with “Come and Get Your Love,” which reached the top 5 on the Billboard singles chart. Prior to his days with Redbone, Bellamy played with Dobie Gray and the pre-Moby Grape band, Peter and the Wolves. He left Redbone in 1977 and went on to form his own group, Bimbam. He reunited with Redbone for special events in later years. Tony Bellamy was 69 when he died of liver failure on Christmas Day, 2009. Lolly Vegas, Redbone’s founding lead singer died the following March.
Thanks to Crag Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.

Billy Hill was a Songwriter Hall of Fame tunesmith who penned several hits throughout the ’30s. Born in the Boston, Hill studied music and played the violin and piano, eventually earning a living at it as part of dance bands. His first hit as a songwriter came with 1933’s “The Last Roundup,” which made that year’s The Hit Parade and lead to him becoming one of Tin Pan Alley’s most successful writers. His most well-known first came to prominence in 1936. “The Glory Of Love” was made into a hit that year by 


Tim Hart is best remembered as a founding member of British electric folk band, Steeleye Span, who released a handful of moderately successful albums while Hart was in the group between 1970 and 1982. He played guitar and sang for the band while writing some of their more traditional sounding songs. In later years, Hart released a handful of solo releases included two children’s albums. In late 2008, he was diagnosed with lung cancer which caused his death on December 24, 2009. Tim Hart was 61 years old when he died.
Eddie Hazel was a pioneering funk guitarist best remembered for his work with Parliament and Funkadelic. Hazel learned to play the guitar as a child growing up on New Jersey. In 1967, he was hired by George Clinton to play back-up for his doo-wop group, the Parliaments. The backing band eventually came to be known as Funkadelic and enjoyed a life both with and without the Parliaments, later known simply as, Parliament. Funkadelic released three albums with Hazel. They are considered milestones of the funk genre. A heavy drinker, Eddie Hazel died on December 23, 1992 from liver failure and internal bleeding caused by stomach issues related to his drinking. He was 42 when he died.