R&B

Died On This Date (August 6, 2010) Catfish Collins / Parliament-Funkadelic

Phelps “Catfish” Collins
1944 – August 6, 2010

Catfish Collins is best remembered as the rhythm guitarist on several influential recordings by P-Funk, Parliament-Funkadelic, and Bootsy’s Rubber Band, which was lead by his brother, Bootsy Collins.  During the late ’60s, Collins and his brother, Bootsy, and Phillipe Wynne helped form a band called the Pacemakers, that was soon hired by James Brown and transformed into his legendary backup band, the J.B.’s.  Collins played on such classics as “Super Bad” and “Get Up (I Feel Like A) Sex Machine.”  The Collins brothers eventually left Brown and formed Funkadelic.  Catfish Collins was 66 when he died of cancer on August 6, 2010.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist


Died On This Date (August 5, 2004) Willie Egan / Early R&B Great

Willie Egan
October 1, 1933 – August 5, 2004

Born in Louisiana but raised in Los Angeles, Willie Egan began playing the piano while still a pre-teen, and by the time he turned 15, he had a record deal and was cutting his first sides.  Over the next decade, Egan would release such early R&B gems as “Wow Wow” and “Wear Your Black Dress.”   Unfortunately, Egan never broke out as he should have – some blame poor management and sub par distribution of his records.  By the late ’60s he was all but forgotten, working as a hospital orderly.  In the early ’80s, Egan presumed dead, was located down-and-out in Los Angeles by a British record label head who arranged for him to perform in the UK, sparking a minor comeback.  A live album of that event as well as another studio album followed shortly thereafter.  On August 5, 2004 Walter Egan passed away after years suffering with cancer.

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Wow Wow Rockin' The Blues - Willie Egan

Died On This Date (August 2, 1983) James Jamerson / Bassist On Many Early Motown Hits; The Funk Brothers

James Jamerson
January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983

jamersonBorn in South Carolina, James Jamerson moved to Detroit where learned to play the bass in high school.  He soon started playing in the local jazz and blues clubs and by the early ’60s, he was working at Berry Gordy’s studio.  He, along with some of popular music’s greatest musicians were called the Funk Brothers and they can be heard on nearly every Motown record throughout the ’60s.  Jamerson played on literally hundreds of Motown songs including such hits as “My Girl” (the Temptations), “You Can’t Hurry Love (the Supremes), “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (Gladys Knight), and “What’s Goin’ On” (Marvin Gaye).   It has been said that Jamerson played on more #1 pop hits than the Beatles, who own that actual record.   Many of the world’s greatest bass players have pointed to Jamerson as their main influence.  That list includes John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Paul McCartney, and Jack Bruce.  Jamerson and Motown parted company in 1973 after which, he found work playing on such disco hits as “Boogie Fever” and “Don’t Rock The Boat.”   A longtime drinker,  James Jamerson died of cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure and pneumonia at the age of 47.



Died On This Date (July 30, 1993) Don Myrick / Earth, Wind & Fire

Don Myrick
1948 – July 30, 1993

Don Myrick at far right

Saxophonist Don Myrick was the section leader for the Phenix Horns, Esq and lent his talents to hit recordings by Earth, Wind & Fire and Phil Collins during the ’70s and early ’80s.  Prior to his seven years with Earth, Wind & Fire, Myrick played witht he likes of Bobby “Blue” Bland, Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington Jr., and Carlos Santana.  In 1978, Myrick won a Best Instrumental Grammy for his superb playing on Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Runnin’.”  Myrick also had a drug problem that lead to his tragic death in 1993.  While serving a warrent on a drug investigation, an LAPD officer knocked on Myrick’s apartment door.  After no answer, the officer entered the home with a key provided by the property manager to find Myrick standing there with what he believed to be a weopen in his hand.  The officer immediately shot and killed Myrick who was actually holding a barbeque lighter.  A search of the apartment apparently turned up a small amount of crack cocaine.  Two years later, Myrick’s widow was awarded $400,000 in a wrongful death suit against the City of Los Angeles.



Died On This Date (July 28, 1995) Eddie Hinton / Muscle Shoals Guitarist

Eddie Hinton
June 15, 1944 – July 28, 1995

Eddie Hinton was one of those great unknowns. As a session guitarist within the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, his brilliance can be heard on hits by the likes of Wilson Pickett, Arthur Conley, Aretha Franklin, Joe Tex, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, The Staple Singers, The Dells, Johnnie Taylor, Elvis Presley, the Box Tops, Boz Scaggs, and Otis Redding. And as a songwriter, he penned a few hits as well, including “Breakfast In Bed” which has been recorded by the Pretenders, Dusty Springfield and UB40. During the early ’80s however, Hinton’s career and personal life took a drastic turn for the worse, at one point, leading him to a life on the streets. But with the help of friends, he was able to rebound and get back to doing what he did best – writing, recording and touring. Things were going pretty smooth for Hinton until July of 1995. He had just come of the road and was finishing up a new album when he suffered a fatal heart attack on July 28. He was 51.

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Eddie Hinton