Died On This Date (March 21, 2011) Loleatta Holloway / Soul and Disco Star
themusicsover Loleatta Holloway
November 5, 1946 – March 21, 2011
Loleatta Holloway was a beloved soul and disco singer who, over the course of a career that spanned more than 40 years, landed numerous singles on the pop, R&B and dance charts. Her hits included such dance floor fillers as “Love Sensation” and “Hit and Run,” as well as the soulful ballad, “Cry To Me.” But it might have been her powerful vocal parts (sampled) in Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch’s 1991 #1 smash “Good Vibrations” that she is most often associated with. The song would signal a comeback for Holloway and help propel Marky Mark (aka Mark Wahlberg) to an eventual world-class film career. It was Holloway’s original recording of “Love Sensation” that is predominantly featured on the record. Holloway began her career as a Gospel singer in Chicago, at one time even singing with the great Albertina Walker. In the ’70s she began making soul records and by the end of the decade she was delivering disco hits. That continued until disco took a back seat to new wave and hair metal during the mid to late ’80s. And then as hip-hop and sampling took hold in the ’90s, Holloway was back in vogue. She continued recording and performing live well into the 2000s. On March 21, 2011 Loleatta Holloway passed away following a brief illness. She was 64.
Nathaniel Hall, who was more commonly known by his stage name, Nate Dogg, was a popular rapper and singer who got his start on the same Long Beach, California streets as Snoop Dogg and Warren G. His smooth voice was one of the greatest to come out of the G-Funk era of hip-hop. Hall began singing in his church choir when he was a child, then dropped out of high school to join the U.S. Marines where he served for three years. After his return to the Long Beach area, Hall joined up with fellow Rollin 20 Crips gang members, Snoop Dogg and Warren G to form a rap group, 213. Together they recorded their first demo at a local record store, and when Dr. Dre heard it, he offered Hall a slot to sing on his now legendary The Chronic album. From there, Hall got signed to Dre and Suge Knight’s Death Row Records. Over the next several years, he released a handful of albums and was nominated for four Grammys. Either singing on his own records or guesting on others, Hall appeared on the Singles chart over 40 times. In December of 2007, Hall suffered a stroke which reportedly left the left side of his body paralyzed. He suffered a second stroke in September of 2008 but was expected to make at least a partial recovery with physical therapy. On March 15, 2011, Nate Dogg suffered yet another stroke and died. He was 41.
Herman Ernest was a respected New Orleans drummer who, over the course of his career appeared on countless records including those with the likes of Kermit Ruffins, Shemekia Copeland, Jeremy Davenport, and Dr. John. Ernest, who was also known as “Roscoe” to friends and fans, called his hard-hitting style of drumming, “diesel funk.” He spent many years playing with Dr. John – appearing 0n numerous albums over the past two decades as well as on stage as part of his Lower 911 Band. His last appearance with him was on December 30, 2010. Herman Ernest died on March 6, 2011 following a long battle with cancer. He was 59.
Born in South Carolina, Marvin Sease initially considered himself a gospel singer, performing in area gospel groups while still in his teens. At the age of 20, he moved to New York City where he joined the Gospel Crowns. He soon left them to form his own R&B group, Sease, along with his three brothers. After knocking around with them for a few years, Sease went off on his own. In 1986, he released his self-titled debut which included “Ghetto Man,” a song that helped grow his profile along the “chitlin circuit” of the southern states. Within a year, he was signed to Polygram Records, who re-released the album with the bonus track of “Candy Licker,” which quickly became a crowd and jukebox favorite thanks to its racy lyrics. He released several more albums over the next ten years or so, charting on the Billboard blues and pop charts here and there. Marvin Sease was 64 when he passed away on February 8, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.