Died On This Date (February 5, 2013) Paul Tanner / Glenn Miller Orchestra; Played On “Good Vibrations”
themusicsover Paul Tanner
October 15, 1917 – February 5, 2013
Until his passing, Paul Tanner was the last surviving member of the original Glenn Miller Orchestra. Born into a musical family, Tanner was already touring the country by his late teens. During one of those gigs, Tanner was approached by Miller who asked him to join his band. He played trombone for Miller from 1938 to 1942. After Miller went off to play in the Army Air Force Band, Tanner went on to do session work in Los Angeles, and teach music for 23 years at UCLA. He also performed with the ABC Orchestra for 16 years, sharing the stage with Andre Previn and Leonard Bernstein to name just two. During the ’50s, Tanner developed an spacey-sounding instrument called an electro-theremin and by doing so, became a pioneer of electronic music as we know it today. With his electro-theremin, Tanner can be heard on music played during the My Favorite Martian television series as well as other programs and films. He also played the instrument on the Beach Boys‘ “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times,” “Wild Honey,” and most notably, “Good Vibrations.” Paul Tanner was 95 when he passed away on February 5, 2013.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist
Ann Rabson was an influential blues singer and musician who is often recognized for helping bring blues women to the forefront of the genre. Over a career that began in 1962, Rabson performed and recorded as a solo act and as part of an acoustic blues collective known as Sapphire, the Uppity Blues Women. Over the course of her career, she received several 
Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner was the longtime lead singer for arguably America’s greatest funk band, the Ohio Players. Formed in Dayton, Ohio as the Ohio Untouchables in 1959, it would be a few years before they regrouped as the Ohio Players and brought Bonner on board. First the band’s lead guitarist, Bonner’s charisma on stage could not be denied, so he soon took over as front man as well. It wasn’t until 1973 that the band hit its stride with the release of their first #1 R&B single, “Funky Worm.” The record ultimately sold over 1 million copies and helped the group land a deal with Mercury Records. Over the next three years, the Ohio Players scored seven Top 40 singles, two Gold Albums and three Platinum. In all, they sold well over 4 million albums. Their hits included such era definers as “Fire,” “Who’d She Coo?” “Skin Tight” and “Love Rollercoaster,” which claimed one of pop music’s greatest urban legends as well. Mid way through the #1 hit, a high-pitched scream can be heard, leading many to believe that a woman was murdered in the studio with her scream unknowingly recorded. Of several myths that were spawned, the most absurd was that while the band was recording, the cover photo shoot of Playboy model, Ester Corbet, was taking place in an adjacent room. Badly burned and disfigured by the hot honey which was poured on her, Corbet ran into the studio threatening to sue the band. The myth goes on to claim that the band’s manager stabbed her to death in the control room in order to shut her up. All caught on tape, of course. The problem with that scenario is that Corbet is still alive and apparently burn free as of this writing. The reality is that keyboardist Billy Beck provided the infamous scream. Meanwhile, the Ohio Players forged on through the ups and downs of their popularity with Bonner at the helm well into the 2000s. Leroy Bonner was 70 when he passed away on January 26, 2013. Cause of death was not immediately released.