Rock

Died On This Date (July 18, 1988) Nico / Velvet Underground

Nico (Born Christa Päffgen)
October 16, 1938 – July 18, 1988

Nico was a German-born singer, actress and model who is best remembered for her work with Velvet Underground as well as Andy Warhol.  As a young adult, Nico worked as a model, appearing in such magazines as Vogue and Elle.   After landing the lead in the 1963 French film, The Strip-Tease, Nico recorded the Serge Gainsbourg produced theme song.  In 1965, Nico recorded her first single with the help of Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones.  It was around this time that Nico began working with Andy Warhol who managing the Velvet Underground at the time.  The band reluctantly agreed to let Nico sing lead on three songs on their 1967 debut, The Velvet Underground & Nico,  considered one of the most influential albums of the era.  The partnership soon dissolved with Nico moving on to a critically acclaimed solo career.  She recorded and performed into the 1980s.  On July 18, 1988, Nico fell from her bicycle after suffering a minor heart attack.  Unconscious, she was taken to a hospital where she was misdiagnosed with heat stroke.  She died the next day of a cerebral hemorrhage from the fall.

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The Velvet Underground / Nico (Deluxe Edition) - The Velvet Underground

Died On This Date (July 17, 2009) Gordon Waller / Peter & Gordon

Gordon Waller
June 4, 1945 – July 17, 2009

gordon01Gordon Waller and Peter Asher were the popular ’60s duo, Peter and Gordon.  Since Asher’s sister, Jane Asher dated Paul McCartney at the time, Peter and Gordon were lucky enough secure unrecorded Lennon-McCartney songs for their own use. One of those songs, “A World Without Love” became their biggest hit.  They broke up in 1968 after which Waller recorded a handful of solo albums and appeared in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Peter and Gordon reunited a few times in later years.  Gordon Waller went into cardiac arrest on July 16, 2009 and died the next day.

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The Ultimate Peter & Gordon - Peter & Gordon

Died On This Date (July 17, 1996) Chas Chandler / The Animals; Managed Jimi Hendrix

Chas Chandler
December 18, 1938 – July 17, 1996

Chas Chandler wore many hats throughout his music career. During the early ’60s, he co-founded the Animals with Alan Price and Eric Burdon, playing bass for the band.  After the group broke up, he got into artist management, his famous client being Jimi Hendrix.  Later, he produced records for Slade and Nick Drake while running his own recording studio and eventually starting his own label, Barn Records.  In his later years, Chandler helped develop the Newcastle Arena, which opened in 1995.  Chandler died of a heart condition on July 17 of the following year.



Died On This Date (July 16, 1996) John Panozzo / Drummer For Styx

John Panozzo
September 20, 1948 – July 16, 1996

John Panozzo at far left

John Panozzo and his fraternal twin brother Chuck were founding members of iconic ’70s rock band, Styx. With Chuck on bass and John behind the drums, they were the musical backbone of the band that went on to record many of classic rock’s most beloved songs. Unfortunately like so many rock musicians of the era, drug and alcohol abuse began to wreak havoc on John’s liver resulting in cirrhosis forcing him into early retirement. The effects lead to his eventual death of gastrointestinal hemorrhaging at the age of 47.

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The Grand Illusion - Styx

Died On This Date (July 16, 1981) Harry Chapin / Popular ’70s Singer-Songwriter

Harry Chapin
December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981

A highly regarded singer-songwriter of the ’70s, Harry Chapin is perhaps best remembered for his timeless classics, “Taxi” and “Cats In The Cradle.”  After graduating from high school in New York City, Chapin originally set his sights on film making, directing the a boxing documentary, Legendary Champions, which was nominated for an Academy Award.   Chapin moved on to music, releasing his debut album in 1972.   It included the top 40 hit, “Taxi.”  It wasn’t until his fourth album, 1974’s Verities & Balderdash, that Chapin scored a bonafied hit with “Cats In The Cradle.”  The heartwarming song shot to #1 and forever cemented his musical legacy. What many don’t know is how much philanthropic work Chapin quietly did.  Whether helping colleges on Long Island or to wipe out hunger in the US, Chapin unselfishly donated time and money.  It has been reported that Chapin donated in the neighborhood of 30% of his concert earnings to charity.  On July 16, 1981, Chapin was involved in a fiery car accident and was airlifted to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest.  It was never determined if the heart attack factored in the accident.  He was 38 years old at the time of his death.

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Harry Chapin