Died On This Date (August 17, 2012) Lou Martin / Played Keyboards For Rory Gallagher
themusicsover Lou Martin
August 12, 1949 – August 17, 2012
Lou Martin was an Irish keyboardist who is best remembered for his years playing with Rory Gallagher. Martin was just six years old when he began learning the piano, and when he was around 19, he formed his first band, Killing Floor. During the early ’70s, he left the group to play with Gallagher. He played with Gallagher both live and on record through the early ’90s. He can be heard on such albums as Blueprint, Tattoo, Defender, and Fresh Evidence. Away from Gallagher, Martin played with the likes of Screaming Lord Sutch, Chuck Berry, and Albert Collins. Having battled cancer and suffering a handful of strokes, Lou Martin passed away on August 17, 2012. He was 63.
George Gallacher was the co-founder and lead singer of ’60s psychedelic pop band, the Poets. Formed in Glasgow, Scotland 1962, the band we’re an instant local hit thanks to their marriage of blues, hard R&B, and melodic pop. They were often compared to early Kinks and the Small Faces. The hipper kids also liked their fashion sense – ruffled shirts, velvet jackets, and tight pants. By 1964, the Poets were one of the biggest concert draws in all of Scotland, and legendary artist manager and producer, Andrew Loog Oldham took note. The Rolling Stones manager took the group on and even prompted the Stones to mention them in interviews on occasion. He produced their first single for Decca, “Now Were Thru.” Although they never went on to release an entire album, nor had singles sell much beyond Scotland, most garage rock rarity collections which chronicle the era include at least one of their recordings. By the early ’70s, the group had disbanded, but came back together for a show or two in 2011. On August 25, 2012, George Gallacher was behind the wheel of his car when he suddenly became ill. He was immediately taken to a local hospital where he died of undisclosed reasons. He was 68.
Jason Noble was a guitarist and lead vocalist for three popular Louisville, Kentucky underground bands Rachel’s, Rodan, and Shipping News. With Rodan, Noble released 1994’s Rusty which is considered an early indie rock classic. His later groups, Rachel’s and Shipping News were equally influential even though their styles of music varied slightly. In 1999, Noble was diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma, a rare cancer that ultimately took his life on August 4, 2012. He was 40.
Paul Gray is best remembered as the founding bassist for popular alterna-metal band, Slipknot. Formed in Iowa in the mid ’90s, the band released their self-titled debut in 1999. Over the course of the coming year, they began to build an extremely loyal following thanks to appearances at OzzFest and other such high-profile gigs. Slipknot eventually went platinum. Their fourth album, 
Joe South was an Atlanta-born singer-songwriter who penned some of the most popular songs of his era. South was given his first guitar when he was just 11. A quick learner, he was playing on his local radio station within a year. Gifted electronically as well, South figured out how to build his own tiny radio station so he could broadcast his songs over the local airwaves. He apparently mounted it in his car in order to stay one step ahead of the FCC. In 1958, South scored a minor novelty hit with “The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor,” which generally resurfaces on the radio each year around Halloween. By the early ’60s, South was making a name for himself as a songwriter. His songs were either recorded or performed live by the likes of Billy Joe Royal (“Down In The Boondocks”), 