Died On This Date (March 22, 2005) Rod Price / Foghat
themusicsover Rod Price
November 22, 1947 – March 22, 2005
Rod Price was one of rock music’s greatest slide guitarists. Best known as for his work as lead guitarist for Foghat, Price’s electrifying assault helped propel the band to the top of the pack in America during the 1970s. After leaving the band in 1980, Price pretty much vanished from the music scene until he re-joined the group in the mid-90s. They were never able to recapture the glory, so they again parted ways in 1999 when Foghat’s singer, Dave Peverett was diagnosed with cancer. In the early 2000s, Price was making a solid living as a solo artist and teaching guitar. Tragically, he died after falling down his stairs while having a heart attack.
What You Should Own
An avid surfer, drummer Don Murray spent much of his youth surfing along the south bay area of Southern California. During high school he joined a Westchester band called the Nightriders, which included Al Nichols (guitar), Howard Kaplan (tenor sax), Chuck Portz (bass), and Glen Wilson (drums). According to Mark Volman, “The name would change again to The Crossfires with the addition of Dale Walton on Rhythm guitar and Mark Volman on sax. Dale would eventually be replaced by Tom Stanton. Jim Tucker would replace Stanton and that line-up of Nichol, Kaylan, Portz, Murray, Kaplan (Kaylan) & Volman would become the Turtles.” On January 1, 1996, Murray entered the surf for what would be his last time. Just two days later he was admitted into the hospital for a routine ulcer surgery. He died from post- operative complications two months later.
After World War II ended, the big band sound began to lose its luster and smaller boogie woogie, western swing, honky-tonk and rhythm & blues combos began taking hold across America. It was inventor Leo Fender who figured out that the electric guitar was about to gain massive popularity with musician’s and audiences alike, so he set out to create one that was easy to hold, easy to tune and easy to play. And so came the birth of the Fender Stratocaster, and the company and lifestyle that would bear his name. Fender passed away in 1991 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, but not before giving to us the guitar-of-choice of so many legends of pop music.
To many, Dean Paul Martin was best known as Dean Martin’s son, but to music fans he was Dino of Dino, Desi and Billy. The Desi being Desi Arnaz Jr. Forming the group in their early teens, DD&B had a couple of semi hits that targeted the teenage girl crowd. As he grew older, Dino became Dean Paul and went on to make a name for himself playing tennis. He even played Wimbledon. Flying was yet another passion of Martin’s. He got his pilot’s license at just 16 and later earned his wings with the Air National Guard. Then in 1987, Martin was flying his National Guard fighter jet when a bad snowstorm caused him to crash it in the mountains for California, killing him and his Weapons System Officer on impact. He was once married to Olympic ice skater, Dorothy Hammill and actress Olivia Hussey.