Died On This Date (June 2, 1942) Bunny Berigan / Swing Jazz Trumpeter
themusicsover Rowland “Bunny” Berigan
November 2, 1908 – June 2, 1942
Rowland “Bunny” Berigan was born in Wisconsin in 1908 where he became proficient at the violin and trumpet at a very young age. By his late 20s, he was playing in a local and respected orchestra. Within a couple years, he was getting a lot work as a session man and was soon working with the Dorsey Brothers and Glenn Miller and soon he joined up with Benny Goodman to help define the swing era. As the ’30s came to a close, Berigan was a hot band leader in his own right, employing the likes of Buddy Rich and Ray Conniff. Unfortunately, Berrigan’s business sense wasn’t as strong as his playing abilities, so in 1940 he declared bankruptcy, forcing him to find work in Tommy Dorsey’s band. By this time, many years of alcohol abuse were taking its toll on his body causing him to become hospitalized while on tour. The doctors there discovered that he had a severe case of cirrhosis of the liver and advised him to give up drinking and stop playing the trumpet. Of course he didn’t listen, and on May 30, 1942, he suffered a massive hemorrhage which lead to his death two days later. Many may recognize his “I Can’t Get Started Without You,” from Roman Polanski’s Chinatown.
As one-time lead singer of the Temptations, David Ruffin is arguable the greatest lead voice to come out of Motown. From 1965’s “My Girl,” to “All I Need” and “I Wish It Was Rain,” Ruffin’s voice defined the group and perhaps the era. But mounting friction caused mostly by Ruffin’s swelling ego along with his addiction to cocaine began to tear the group apart, so he was replaced in 1968. Ongoing legal problems with Motown along with his growing dependency on drugs kept his post-Temptations career from reaching the level his true talent deserved. But in 1989, things appeared to be turning around when the Temptations were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Ruffin subsequently made peace with the other members of the group. He began working with 
Not to be confused with 
A a member of vocal group, the Jordanaires, Hugh Jarrett added a rich bass to the many classic recordings of