Rock

Died On This Date (February 9, 1997) Brian Connolly / The Sweet

themusicsover February 9, 2010 8 Comments

Brian Connolly (born Brian McManus)
October 5, 1945 – February 9, 1997

Born in Scotland, Brian Connolly grew up to become the lead singer of the internationally acclaimed ’70s glam rock band, Sweet (sometimes referred to as The Sweet). When Connolly was a teen, he moved with his family to England where he eventually joined a band that included Ian Gillan and Mick Tucker. After the 1968 break-up of the band, Connelly and Tucker recruited Steve Priest and Frank Torpey to form a group that would eventually be known as Sweet. Over the next decade, the band released a series of albums that made them international superstars by successfully marrying the best of bubblegum with that of glam rock. Albums like Desolation Boulevard, Give Us A Wink and Level Headed produced iconic hits like “Ballroom Blitz,” “Fox on the Run,” “Action,” and “Love is Like Oxygen.” Connelly left the Sweet in 1978 and tried without much success to launch a solo career. He suffered multiple heart attacks in 1982 but soldiered on through the mid ’90s, either on his own or in reformatted versions of Sweet. On February 9, 1997, Brian Connelly, age 51, died liver failure that was likely brought on by many years of heavy alcohol consumption.

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Rock

Died On This Date (February 9, 1973) Max Yasgur / Hosted Woodstock On His Farm

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Max Yasgur
December 15, 1919 – February 9, 1973

Max Yasgur was just your average dairy farmer in upstate New York who unwittingly became a pop culture icon after he offered up his farm for a music festival that would become known as Woodstock. An unlikely supporter of “hippies” and their music, it has been reported that Yasgur leased the farmland to event organizers after a bad year for hay production. His apparent fee of $50,000 would help him purchase hay for his cows in the coming year. In the end, Yasgur, a staunch Republican who supported the Vietnam War, was a perfect host to his thousands of counter-culture guests, even providing free food and water to many. Yasgur sold the farm and moved to Florida in 1971 – likely due to the fact that many locals turned against him for hosting the festival. On February 9, 1973, Max Yasgur died of a heart attack at the age of 53.

Early Rock Musician Rock Singer Songwriter

Died On This Date (February 9, 1981) Bill Haley / Rock and Roll Pioneer

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Bill Haley
July 6, 1925 – February 9, 1981

Bill Haley was a popular rockabilly band leader who came to be known as the Father of Rock ‘n Roll thanks, in part, to his “Rock Around the Clock” record of 1954. Haley was just 13 when he got his first professional gig entertaining at a local auction in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1951, he formed a band with whom he’d soon come to be known as Bill Haley & His Comets. Two years later, their “Crazy Man, Crazy” became the first rock ‘n roll song to crack the Billboard singles chart where it peaked at #15. In April of 1954, Haley released “Rock Around the Clock” to little fanfare. His next single, a cover of Big Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” sold over a million copies and became the first rock ‘n roll song to crack the British charts. In 1955, the all-but-forgotten “Rock Around the Clock” appeared in the credits for the groundbreaking film, Blackboard Jungle. In a matter of weeks, the song sat at the top of the U.S. singles chart. The song found a new audience with the nostalgia fueled youth of the 1970s thanks to prominent placement in the American Graffiti film and Happy Days television series. Haley remained active on the road well into the ‘7os, but in the spring of 1980, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Bill Haley was 55 when he died in his home on February 9, 1981. Cause of death was listed as heart failure, but the brain tumor likely played a role.

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Early Rock Musician Rock Singer Songwriter

Died On This Date (February 8, 1990) Del Shannon / Early ’60s Rock ‘n Roll Star

themusicsover February 8, 2010 No Comments

Del Shannon (Born Charles Westover)
December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990

Del Shannon was a country leaning rock ‘n roll star of the early ’60s. His hits included “Hats Off to Larry,” “Little Town Flirt,” and 1961’s “Runaway,” which became a #1 single. Shannon continued to release moderate hits until he turned to producing during the mid ’60s. In a 1968 comeback attempt, Shannon released an album more fitting of the time, the psychedelic leaning The Further Adventures of Charles Westover. Although it was considered his masterpiece by many critics and core fans alike, it failed to produce any hit singles and struggled with sales. Shannon all but vanished from the music business during the ’70s, only to resurface in 1981 thanks to the help of fan, Tom Petty who produced and lent his Heartbreakers to his Drop Down and Get Me. The album was a welcome return, and Shannon continued to release albums throughout much of the ’80s. Around that time, his “Runaway” found a new audience by way of the NBC television drama, Crime Story, for which it became the theme song. As the ’90s dawned, there was talk that Shannon was to replace the recently deceased Roy Orbison in the Traveling Wilburys. Sadly however, Shannon, who reportedly struggled with depression, fatally shot himself at his Canyon Country, California home on February 8, 1990. He was 55.

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Musician Rock Singer

Died On This Date (February 7, 2000) Lonesome Dave Peverett / Lead Singer For Foghat

themusicsover February 7, 2010 No Comments

Dave Peverett
April 16, 1943 – February 7, 2000

Lonesome Dave Peverett is best remembered as a one-time lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Savoy Brown and later a founding member and lead singer of ’70s rock band, Foghat. A native of London, Peverett became a member of the blues rock band, Savoy Brown during the mid ’60s. In 1971, he and other members of the group left to form Foghat, another blues-based band, but one that put a bit more emphasis on the rock sound of the slide guitar, famously played by Rod Price. Throughout the ’70s, Foghat released a series of hit records including “I Just Want To Make Love To You,” “Stone Blue,” “Drivin’ Wheel” and their biggest, “Slow Ride.” All quickly became staples of FM rock stations. Foghat was one of the few rock bands that continued to stay popular during the disco era. As their popularity slowed down in the ’80s, Peverett decided to take a break to spend more time with his family. Even though the band had all but disappeared, their music lived on throughout the ’80s and ’90s thanks to Hollywood’s growing nostalgia for the ’70s. Foghat’s music provided much of the soundtrack for films trying to capture that era. During the mid ’90s, Peverett, on the urging of Rick Rubin, reunited with the original members of Foghat, but their second coming proved to be less fruitful, but they continued on in one form or another into the 2000s. On February 7, 2000, Lonesome Dave Peverett died of cancer at the age of 56.

Died On This Date (February 9, 1997) Brian Connolly / The Sweet

What You Should Own

Died On This Date (February 9, 1973) Max Yasgur / Hosted Woodstock On His Farm

Died On This Date (February 9, 1981) Bill Haley / Rock and Roll Pioneer

What You Should Own

Died On This Date (February 8, 1990) Del Shannon / Early ’60s Rock ‘n Roll Star

What You Should Own

Died On This Date (February 7, 2000) Lonesome Dave Peverett / Lead Singer For Foghat

What You Should Own

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