Musician

Died On This Date (December 21, 1988) Paul Jeffreys / Cockney Rebel; Died On Pan Am Flight 103

themusicsover December 21, 2009 1 Comment

Paul Avron Jeffreys
February 13, 1952 – December 21, 1988

Paul Jeffreys is best remembered as the bassist for British rock band, Cockney Rebel. Formed by Steve Harley in 1972, the band hired Jeffreys once they heard him audition the following year. The band soon signed to EMI Records and released two influential albums with Jeffreys. After leaving Cockney Rebel, Jeffreys played with such bands as Be Bop Deluxe and the Electric Eels. On December 21, 1988, Paul Jeffreys and his new bride, Rachel Jones, died along with 270 others on Pan Am flight 103. The ill-fated plane exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a bomb placed on board. Jeffreys was 36 when he died.

Musician Rock

Died On This Date (December 20, 2009) James Gurley/ Played With Janis Joplin

themusicsover December 20, 2009 3 Comments

James Gurley
December 22, 1939 – December 20, 2009

James Gurley was a Detroit born rock guitarist who is best remembered for his work along with Janis Joplin in Big Brother & The Holding Company. Gurley began teaching himself to play the guitar when he was 19, mostly by practicing along with old blues records. In 1962, he moved to San Francisco and became immersed in the local music scene. In 1965, he was invited to join Big Brother. They soon added Joplin to sing lead, and after signing with Columbia Records, the group became a breakout act of the San Francisco scene. They released such landmark rock albums as 1967’s self-titled debut, and it’s follow-up, Cheap Thrills. Following the 1971 break up of Big Brother, Gurley continued on over the next three decades collaborating with other artists or playing bass in his own new wave band, Red Robin & the Worms. James Gurley, 69, died of a heart attack on December 20, 2009.

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Early Rock Folk Musician Pop Singer Songwriter

Died On This Date (December 20, 1973) Bobby Darin / Celebrated Pop Singer

themusicsover December 20, 2009 2 Comments

Bobby Darin (Born Walden Cassotto)
May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973

bobby-darin Bobby Darin was a pop singer and actor who scored numerous charting hits during a career that spanned from the mid ’50s until his death in 1973. He was of the Frank Sinatra mold in that he could interpret songs no matter what the genre and could also hold his own as an actor. He is best known for the hits, “Splish Splash,” “Beyond The Sea,” “If I Was A Carpenter,” and “Mack The Knife,” which sold over a million copies and earned him a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1960. He was also named Best New Artist that same year. As an actor, he is best remembered for his Academy Award Nominated supporting role in 1963’s Captain Newman, MD. He continued to record and act through the ’60s, but his health was starting to go south by the time the ’70s hit. On December 20, 1973, Bobby Darin, died from complications immediately following heart surgery. He was just 37.

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Blues Musician R&B Singer

Died On This Date (December 19, 2000) Pops Staples

themusicsover December 19, 2009 No Comments

Roebuck “Pops” Staples
December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000

thestaplesingers Pops Staples was the leader and father of renowned gospel and R&B group, the Staple Singers. His daughters Mavis, Cleotha and Yvonne, as well as son Pervis, all performed alongside him in the group. Staples grew up in Mississippi, where he was influenced by listening to or playing with local bluesmen like Robert Johnson, Son House and Charley Patton. He formed the Staple Singers in the late ’40s and began making records with them in early ’50s. One of their earliest songs, “This May Be The Last Time” became a hit for the Rolling Stones in later years. By the ’60s, the group were recording for Stax Records and churning out more pop-leaning hits like “Respect Yourself” and their biggest single, “I’ll Take You There.” During the ’80s, Staples performed as a solo act, mostly going back to his blues roots. His Father, Father album of 1995 won him a Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy, and in 1999, the Staple Singers were inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Pops Staples was 85 when he died on December 19, 2000 from head injuries sustained in a fall.

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Blues Musician Singer

Died On This Date (December 19, 1997) Jimmy Rogers / Played With Muddy Waters

themusicsover December 19, 2009 No Comments

Jimmy Rogers (Born James Lane)
June 3, 1924 – December 19, 1997

Jimmy Rogers was a blues musician and singer who helped develop the Chicago blues sound as a guitarist in Muddy Waters’ band. Rogers first learned to play the harmonica as a child, and by his teen years, he added the guitar and was well on his way to a career in music. He made his first record in 1948, and within a year, he was playing with Waters with whom he worked while continuing to make his own records on Chess. Rogers left Waters in 1954 and worked as a solo act, but joined up with Howlin’ Wolf in later years. He all but retired from the music business during the ’60s, working as a cab driver and later running his own clothing store. He worked with Waters on a reunion album in 1977 and made a complete comeback during the ’80s On December 19, 1997, Jimmy Rogers died of colon cancer at the age of 73.

Died On This Date (December 21, 1988) Paul Jeffreys / Cockney Rebel; Died On Pan Am Flight 103

Died On This Date (December 20, 2009) James Gurley/ Played With Janis Joplin

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Died On This Date (December 20, 1973) Bobby Darin / Celebrated Pop Singer

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Died On This Date (December 19, 2000) Pops Staples

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Died On This Date (December 19, 1997) Jimmy Rogers / Played With Muddy Waters

What You Should Own

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