Died On This Date (February 20, 2013) Cleotha Staples / The Staple Singers
themusicsover Cleotha Staples
1934 – February 20, 2013
Cleotha Staples, along with her siblings, Mavis, Pervis and Yvonne, and their father, Pops Staples, made up one of the most influential soul groups of the 20th Century. Formed in Chicago by Pops in 1948, the Staple Singers got their start singing in churches in and around Chicago. In 1957, they released their first hit single, “Uncloudy Day.” In 1970, the group signed with Stax Records and began releasing a string of hits that ran through much of the decade. Their hits included “I’ll Take You There,” “Respect Yourself,” and “Let’s Do It Again.” In 1976, they performed an epic version of “The Weight” with the Band in the latter’s legendary swan song film, The Last Waltz. In 1999, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cleotha was the oldest of the Staples sisters, and it is her beautiful soprano that can be heard on their classic recordings. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease through most of the 2000s, and passed away on February 20, 2013. She was 78.
Damon Harris was a 3-time Grammy Award winning member of the legendary Motown group, the Temptations. At just 20 years old, Harris was the youngest member of the outfit when he took 
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.
Fontella Bass was a beloved R&B singer who is best remembered for her hugely popular hit of 1965, “Rescue Me.” Born into a music family – her mother was Martha Bass of the Clara Ward Singers – Bass began playing piano and singing in the church choir at a very young age. By the time she was nine, she was accompanying her mother on tours of the U.S. As a teenager, Bass began earning her living by singing in local clubs and such. Having grown up on St. Louis, Bass cut a several early records there, with some being produced by 
Billy Scott was a popular R&B singer whose hits from the ’60s and ’70s struck a chord along the beach music scene of along the southeast coast of the United States. Beach music is a variant of R&B which is closely associated with shag dancing, popular in and around the North and South Carolina beach communities. Born in Huntington, West Virginia, Scott took an early shine to the rhythm and blues songs he heard on the radio. He honed his chops while performing in various groups while still in the Army, and after being honorably discharged in 1964, he changed his name professionally to Billy Scott and began performing with his wife as the Prophets. Over the course of his career, Scott had hits with “I Got The Fever” – a gold record, “Seaside Love,” and “California.” The Prophets (later known as the Georgia Prophets) went on to have numerous regional hits throughout the ’70s. Scott continued to perform in front of adoring crowds along the Beach Music circuit well into his 60s. Billy Scott was 70 when he died of liver and pancreatic cancer on November 17, 2012.