Died On This Date (March 4, 2010) Johnny Alf / The Father Of Bossa Nova
themusicsover Johnny Alf
May 19, 1929 – March 4, 2010
Johnny Alf was a Brazilian singer and pianist who is rightfully considered the “Father of Bossa Nova.” During his formative years of learning to play music, Alf took a particular liking of the jazz of early America. He later married that music with the Latin rhythms he grew up with to form a new style, soon to be called Bossa Nova. His “Rapaz de Bem” and “O Tempo e o Vento” are considered the birth of Bossa Nova. Johnny Alf was 80 years old when he died of prostate cancer on March 4, 2010.
John Cephas was a blues guitarist and singer who, with his musical partner and harmonica player, Phil Wiggins helped keep the Piedmont style of blues alive well into the 21st century. Cephas began playing with Wiggins after meeting each other at a folk festival in the mid ’70s. Over the course of their career together, they released over a dozen albums for such respected blues labels and Flying Fish and Alligator. 1987’s Dog Days Of August earned them a 
Norman “Hurricane” Smith was a British engineer and producer who worked closely with George Martin and who could count the Beatles, Pink Floyd and the Pretty Things among his successes. He was lead engineer on every song the Beatles ever recorded at EMI Studios. After being promoted to A&R and Producer at EMI, he signed Pink Floyd to the label. And along with his work with both Pink Floyd and the Pretty Things, he reluctantly helped usher in what would become known as psychedelic rock. In the early 1970s, Smith recorded under the name Hurricane Smith and had a couple of hits including “Don’t Let It Die” and “Oh Babe, What Would You Say?.” 
Dusty Springfield was one of Britain’s most popular female singers of the ’60s. What endeared her to fans was the sensuality she added to what was being defined as “white soul.” Over the course of her early career, Springfield scored hits with such songs as “I Only Want To Be With You,” “Wishin’ and Hopin,'” the Academy Award winning, “The Look of Love,” and her most iconic hit, “Son of a Preacher Man.” In 1969, Springfield, in a move she felt would better legitimize her talent, went to Nashville to work with some of the city’s best session players. What they came up with, was Dusty in Memphis, arguably one of popular music’s greatest albums. It earned her a Grammy nomination as well as a home in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Springfield all but disappeared from the public eye for nearly two decades until, in 1987, her career was resurrected by of all acts, the Pet Shop Boys. Their collaboration on “What Have I Done To Deserve This?” shot to #2 on both the U.K. and U.S. charts and was one of the era’s most popular videos on MTV. Her career got another boost in 1994, when “Son of a Preacher Man” was prominently featured in Quentin Tarantino’s landmark film, Pulp Fiction. That same year however, Springfield was diagnosed with breast cancer, but she continued to work until her final live performance in December of 1995. On March 2, 1999, 59-year-old Dusty Springfield died as a result of the cancer.
