Died On This Date (June 9, 2008) Nick Sanderson / The Gun Club, Earl Brutus
themusicsover 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.
Crispian St. Peters 
Kenny Rankin was one of America’s most popular soft rock singer-songwriters during the 1970s. Frequently appearing on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, Rankin released his debut album in 1967. That album, Mind Dusters, included the hit, “Peaceful” which not only became his signature song, but was also hits for Helen Reddy and Georgie Fame. His “On And On” would later become a huge hit for Stephen Bishop. Rankin had such fans in Paul McCartney and 
Besides winning a Grammy for his own work, keyboardist Billy Preston made major contributions to some of the greatest names in pop music history. He can be heard playing alongside the Rolling Stones, Little Richard, 
Dana Key was a prominent Christian rock musician who is perhaps best remembered as one half of DeGarmo & Key, a duo he had with Eddie DeGarmo. Formed in 1978, DeGarmo & Key released several popular Christian based albums throughout the the ’80s and ’90s, many of which nominated for Grammy and Dove awards. In 1985, their “Six Six Six” became the first video by a Christian music act to air on MTV. Key was also a direct descendant of Francis Scott Key who wrote the “Star Spangled Banner.” After he retired from performing, Key ran the popular Memphis independent label, Ardent Records. On June 6, 2010, Dana Key died unexpectedly of a ruptured blood clot. He was 56 years old.