Died On This Date (January 17, 1970) Billy Stewart / R&B Singer
themusicsover Billy Stewart
March 24, 1937 – January 17, 1970
Billy Stewart was an R&B singer who achieved some success during the late ’50s and early ’60s. He started out in gospel before joining the Rainbows, a popular Washington DC area R&B vocal group. In 1956, he was reportedly discovered by Bo Diddley who brought him on as a back-up singer. He was soon signed by Chess Records where he released several hit R&B singles and albums throughout the ’60s. Tragedy struck in 1970, when he lost control of a car while on tour in North Carolina. The vehicle landed in a river, killing him and three members of his band. Billy Stewart was 32 years old when he died.
What You Should Own
Patti McCabe was a singer who released a handful of hits during the late ’50s as part of the all-girl trio, the Poni-Tails. Formed in a Cleveland-area high school, the group, made up of McCabe, Toni Cistone and Karen Topinka (who was replaced by LaVerne Novack), were soon signed by ABC/Dunhill Records who began releasing their singles in 1958. Their biggest was “Born Too Late” which reached #7 in the U.S. and #5 in the U.K. By 1960, the girls had released six singles, four of which charted in the U.S. or U.K., but they decided to call it quits and each left the music business. Patti McCabe died of cancer on January 17, 1989.
Ross Bagdasarian was perhaps better known by his alter ego, David Seville of Alvin & the Chipmunks fame. Bagdasarian was an accomplished actor, songwriter, singer, musician and producer who appeared in such films as Rear Window and Stalag 17. During the mid-’50s, he began releasing novelty records like “The Trouble With Harry,” and the #1 hit, “Witch Doctor,” under the name of David Seville. In 1958, he/Seville released “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” which became a smash hit and earned him two Grammys. The success of the record spawned several more Chipmunk releases, an animated television show and movies. On January 16, 1972, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 52 years old. A decade later, his son, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., picked up where his father left off, re-introducing the Chipmunks to new generations.
Carl Smith was a country music singer who was so respected that he was nicknamed, “Mr. Country.” A musician since grade school, Smith formed his first band at 15, and by the time he returned home from a term in the Navy, he was well on his way to a storied music career. Smith made his mark on country music during the ’50s, when he began releasing hits like, “Hey Joe,” “Ten Thousand Drums,” and “Wicked Lies.” During that decade, he scored over 30 Top-10 hits, five of which went to #1. In 1951, he married 
