Died On This Date (February 27, 2010) Bobby Espinosa / Founding Keyboardist For El Chicano
themusicsover Bobby Espinosa
April 29, 1949 – February 27, 2010
Bobby Espinosa was a founding member and keyboardist for influential East Los Angeles jazz-rock band, El Chicano. Formed in the late ’60s, the band built a sizable following as part of fledgling scene of Latino bands that were creating pop music by marrying elements of R&B, jazz, Latin, rock, funk and soul. Other like-minded groups included Tierra, War, and to the north, Santana. The band is best remembered for their hits, “Viva Tirado,” “Tell Her She’s Lovely,” and their cover of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl.” Records like these helped popularize what has been called “brown-eyed soul.” Espinosa was born in Los Angeles and took a liking to music at an early age as his parents filled the home with the sounds of Salsa music. He learned to play the keyboards, and as a teenager, he joined local surf band, Mickey and the Invaders. He soon helped form the VIPs, which would eventually develop into El Chicano. The band continued to stay active, recording numerous albums and touring the world, ever since. They are considered direct influences on future generations of Chicano bands which include Los Lobos, Quetzal and Ozomatli. Bobby Espinosa was 60 when on February 27, 2010, he passed away following a long illness.
What You Should Own
Frank O’Keefe was and early bassist for southern rock band, the Outlaws. Although the band was riding high on a string of what would eventually become classic rock staples, O’Keefe decided to leave the band after suffering a broken neck from a fall in July, 1976. The trials of a hectic life on the road also helped in that decision. That neck injury lead to his reliance on pain medication for the rest of his life. On February 26, 1995, O’Keefe’s lifeless body was found by his roommate in his Clearwater, FL home. He apparently died as a result of drug and alcohol abuse.
Randall Bewley was the lead guitarist for Athens, Georgia alternative rock band, Pylon. Formed in 1979, Pylon were one of the fabled college town music scene’s most popular bands of their time. Even local musical icons the B-52s and R.E.M. championed Pylon whenever they could. Over the course of their career, Pylon released three albums along with an ep and a few singles. All of which became a fixture on college radio, and were part of the blueprint from which today’s indie rock was built. On February 23, 2009, Randall Bewley suffered a heart attack while driving near his home. The resulting accident put him in a coma. Two days later, he was taken off life support and passed away. He was 53 when he died.
