Rock

Died On This Date (June 10, 2008) Red Shea / Canadian Guitarist Played With Gordon Lightfoot

Red Shea
DOB Unknown – June 10, 2008

redsheaRed Shea was a much respected Canadian guitarist who was closely associated with Gordon Lightfoot.  Known for his superb picking style, Shea is often credit for giving Lightfoot his unique sound.  Beginning his career in television, Shea was part of the house band on Music Hop, Canada’s answer to American Bandstand.   Alex Trebeck was the show’s announcer at the time.  In 1965, Shea moved on to work with Lightfoot, with whom he stayed for the next ten years.  Shea later went back to Canadian television where he hosted his own variety show.  Red Shea died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 70.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.


Died On This Date (June 10, 2009) Barry Beckett / Produced Records By Bob Seger, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams Jr.

Barry Beckett
February 4, 1943 – June 10, 2009

barryBarry Beckett was a respected Nashville session musician as well as a producer who’s resume is a veritable who’s who of popular music.  Over the years he’s produced classic recordings by the likes of Bob Dylan, Hank Williams Jr., Bob Seger, Joan Baez, Dire Straits, Etta James, Jerry Jeff Walker to name just a few.  As a musician, Beckett was part of both the storied Fame AND Muscle Shoals rhythm sections, working on such pop music milestones as “Land of 1000 Dances” (Wilson Pickett), “When A Man Loves A Woman” (Percy Sledge), and “Torn Between Two Lovers” (Mary MacGregor).   He passed away in his home at the age of 66.

Thanks to Craig Rosen of Number1Hits for the assist.

Died On This Date (June 9*, 2010) Ken Brown / The Quarrymen; Credited For Formation Of The Beatles

Ken Brown
DOB Unknown – June 9, 2010 (Presumed)

Ken Brown, standing with the Quarrymen (1959)

Ken Brown is perhaps best remembered as the guitarist in the Quarrymen who was to some, the main reason the Beatles ever formed.  While Paul McCartney and John Lennon were writing songs together, Brown was playing in the Les Stewart Quartet with George Harrison.  In the summer of 1959, Pete Best’s mother opened the Casbah Coffee Club where Brown got the group booked as the house band.  But due to a dispute over rehearsals, Stewart lost interest so Brown asked Lennon and McCartney to join the band and they quickly renamed themselves the Quarrymen.  That following October, the band found themselves in a disagreement over money, so McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Stu Sutcluffe (who had recently joined the band) left the group, soon recruited Best, and the rest is history.  In later years, Brown could be found making music in his home studio and playing occasional reunion gigs or Casbah anniversary shows.  On June 14, 2010, Brown’s body was found in his home after a family member became concerned having not heard from him for a while.  Cause of death was not immediately released, but foul play is not suspected, and it is believed that he had been dead for several days [Ed.: I settled on June 9 as the date until I hear otherwise]. Ken Brown was 70 years old when he passed away.

Died On This Date (June 9, 2008) Nick Sanderson / The Gun Club, Earl Brutus

Nick Sanderson
1961 – June 9, 2008

Nick Sanderson, was the one-time drummer for seminal rock band, the Gun Club as well as the singer in the highly influential Earl Brutus,  but his carer started in the Manchester industrial band, Clock DVA in 1983.  About a year later, Sanderson was backing then-former Gun Club singer, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, who would later invite him to join a re-formed Gun Club.  Following Pierce’s death in 1997, Sanderson joined Earl Brutus as singer.  In recent years, he was playing in a band called Freeheat alongside Jim Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain.   Nick Sanderson died of lung cancer in 2008.

Died On This Date (June 8, 2010) Crispian St. Peters / Had Pop Hit With “The Pied Piper”

Crispian St. Peters (Born Robin Smith)
April 5, 1939 – June 8, 2010

Crispian St. Peters was a popular English pop singer-songwriter who is perhaps best dismembered for his two mid ’60s, “You Were On My Mind” and “The Pied Piper.”  St. Peters launched his music career in during the late ’50s, at first performing as part of various groups until finally going out under his own name and signing with Decca Records in 1965.  “The Pied Piper” was a Top 5 hit in the U.S. and quickly became his signature song.  He continued to stay active for the better part of the next three decades until a stroke in 1995 resulted in his retirement.  Crispian St. Peters was 71 when he passed away on June 8, 2010.

Thanks to Ed Hardy for the assist.

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