Died On This Date (October 19, 2014) John Holt / Reggae Great
themusicsover Winston “John” Holt
July 11, 1947 – October 19, 2014
John Holt was a respected reggae singer and songwriter who began his career by performing at talent shows in an around Kingston as far back as 12 years old. After winning upwards of two dozen of these contests, Holt recorded his fist single, “Forever I’ll Stay,” for the great Leslie Kong. The year was 1963, and two years later, he joined a band that would eventually become the Paragons, one of reggae’s biggest acts during the golden age of mid ’60s rocksteady. During that period, Holt wrote one of the band’s best known hits, “The Tide Is High,” which became a worldwide smash for Blondie in 1980. After the Paragons disbanded in 1970, Holt went on to have a successful solo career becoming one of Jamaica’s biggest stars of the ’70s. His hits included “Stick By Me,” “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” and “Touch Me In The Morning.” Holt released more than 40 albums and toured regularly throughout his career. In 2004, he was recognized with the Order Of Distinction by the Jamaican government for his contribution to the island’s music. In June of 2014, Holt was diagnosed with colon cancer and fell ill in August. He was 67 when he passed away on October 19, 2014.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.
What You Should Own
Paul Revere was the founder, keyboardist and iconic face of late ’60s/early ’70s rock and roll band, Paul Revere & the Raiders. Formed in Boise, Idaho in 1958 as the Downbeats (with Mark Lindsay on lead vocals), the band scored its first regional hit in 1961 with 
Jimi Jamison is perhaps best remembered as a lead singer of ’80s rock band Survivor. Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Jamison began singing and playing the guitar and piano as a child. By the time he hit middle school, he was already playing in a band. During the early ’80s, Jamison became the lead singer of a band called Cobra, and a few years later, he was invited to front Survivor after original lead vocalist (and “Eye Of The Tiger” singer) Dave Bickler left due to serious issues with his vocal cords. Jamison’s first recording with the group was the hit, “The Moment of Truth,” for the Karate Kid soundtrack. That was quickly followed by the Vital Signs album which went Platinum and reached #16 on the US album charts. The album spawned the hits, “High On You,” “The Search Is Over,” and “I Can’t Hold Back.” Its follow-up, When Seconds Count, also cracked the Top 50 on the US album charts powered by several radio-friendly pop-rockers. The list of hit songs that Jamison sang lead on include “Burning Heart” from the Rocky IV soundtrack, and “I’m Always Here,” the theme song of the popular Baywatch television series. He was also an in-demand session singer, having recorded with the likes of Joe Walsh and ZZ Top, whose Billy Gibbons often referred to him as the fourth member of the group. Jamison continued to record and perform as a solo act, and upon occasion, with Survivor well throughout the rest of his life. His most recent solo album, Never Too Late, was released in 2012. Jimi Jamison was 63 when he died of a heart attack on August 31, 2014.
