Died On This Date (May 14, 2012) Belita Woods / R&B Singer

Belita Woods
 October 23, 1948 – May 14, 2012

Belita Woods was a Detroit, Michigan soul singer who first commanded attention while fronting Brainstorm during the ’70s.  Beginning as a solo act, Woods released her first single, “Magic Corner,” in 1967.  She later joined Brainstorm who, in 1977, released their debut album, Stormin’.  It included the disco hit, “Love Is Really My Game.”   The following year, Brainstorm released two more albums before Woods went off on her own again.  In 1992, she joined the P-Funk All-Stars, with whom she toured for many years. Through the course of her career, Woods sang on records by the likes of George Clinton, Prince, Bootsy Collins, and Betty Wright.  Belita Woods died of heart failure on May 14, 2012.  She was 63.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin from 2+ Printing for the assist.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Died On This Date (May 13, 2012) Donald “Duck” Dunn / Booker T. & The MG’s

Donald “Duck” Dunn
November 24, 1941 – May 13, 2012

As the house bassist for Stax Records throughout the ’60s and ’70s, Donald “Duck” Dunn provided the unmistakable bottom-end for countless soul and R&B songs that have stood the test of time. He can also be heard on some of the greatest rock recordings from the ’70s and ’80s.  From Otis Redding’s “I Can’t Turn You Loose,” Sam & Dave’s “Hold On I’m Coming,” and Albert King’s “Born Under A Bad Sign” to Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks’ “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,”  Dunn’s groove can not be missed.  And in between, there was Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, and Rod Stewart, to name a few.  And as bassist for Booker T. & the MG’s, Dunn made his mark on such iconic songs as “Green Onions.”  In 1980, Dunn played himself alongside John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as part of the Blues Brothers band both in the movie, and at live performances.  Although semi-retired by 2000, Dunn continued to play at occasional Booker T. gigs and other events well into the new decade.  Donald “Duck” Dunn died in his sleep following a performance in Tokyo, Japan on May 12, 2012.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Briefcase Full of Blues - The Blues Brothers

Died On This Date (May 5, 2012) Sweet Joe Russell / The Persuasions

Jesse “Sweet Joe” Russell
September 25, 1939 – May 5, 2012

Photo by Susana Millman

Sweet Joe Russell was an influential vocalist who, for the better part of five decades, sang with the a capella group, the Persuasions. Formed in Brooklyn in 1962, the Persuasions first found an audience on local street corners.  In 1970, after hearing them sing over the telephone, Frank Zappa signed them to his Straight Records and released their debut record, A Capella.  They went on to release numerous albums and record or tour with the likes of the Grateful Dead, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Joni Mitchell, and Liza Minnelli.  And it was Russell, with his sweet tenor, who was called “the voice of the Persuasions.”  Sweet Joe Russell died on May 5, 2012, after a long battle with diabetes.  He was 72.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Acappella - The Persuasions

Died On This Date (May 1, 2012) Charles “Skip” Pitts / Prominent Guitarist On “Shaft”

Charles Pitts
April 7, 1947 – May 1, 2012

Charles Pitts was a Memphis guitarist whose style of playing has prompted many sources to include him on the list of the architects of funk and soul guitar. By the time Pitts was just 11 years he had picked up the guitar and was learning on the street corners around his Washington DC neighborhood.  One of his early teachers was none other than neighbor, Bo Diddley, who offered the boy tips on how to play.  His other early sources of inspiration came from the likes of James Brown and Otis Redding who he saw perform at the Howard Theater which sat next door to a hotel his uncle owned.  Pitts eventually became a session player for Stax Records, playing on records and/or performing live with Wilson Pickett, Gene Chandler, the Isley Brothers, and Rufus Thomas, to name s few.  In 1971, Pitts came up with the iconic “wah wah” guitar sound that helped make Isaac Hayes‘ “Theme From Shaft” one of the most iconic songs of all time.  He went on to play with Hayes for nearly 40 years.  In later years, his riffs were been sampled by the Beasite Boys, Eazy-E, Massive Attack, and Dr. Dre.  Charles Pitts died of cancer on May 1, 2012.  He was 65.

Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.

 



Died On This Date (April 12, 2012) Andrew Love / The Memphis Horns

Andrew Love
November 21, 1941 – April 12, 2012

Photo by Dave Darnell

Andrew Love was a tenor saxophone player, who along with Wayne Jackson on trumpet, made an indelible mark on popular music as the Memphis Horns .  They have been called the greatest horn section soul music has ever known and played on virtually every Stax record that required a horn section.  Their signature sound can be heard on iconic Stax recordings from the likes of Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, and Otis Redding, to name a few.  If that weren’t enough, they can also be heard on Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Dusty Springfield’s “Son Of A Preacher Man,” and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds.”  They were also featured in U2’s film, Rattle And Hum.  Throughout their career, Love and Jackson played on more than 80 gold and platinum albums and upwards of 50 Number One singles.   In February of 2012, the Memphis Horns were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.  Andrew Love was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2002 and ultimate died from it on April 12, 2012.  He was 70 years old.