Died On This Date (Decemeber 31, 2009) Earl Gaines / Nashville Soul Star
themusicsover Earl Gaines
August 19, 1935 – December 31, 2009
Earl Gaines was a Nashville soul singing legend who is best remembered for his lead vocals on the 1955 hit, “It’s Love Baby (24 Hours a Day)” for Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers. In later years, Gaines scored R&B hits of his own with “Hymn Number 5” and “The Best of Luck to You.” He retired from the business in 1975 but made a welcome comeback in the early ’90s. Earl Gaines was 74 when he passed away on December 31, 2009.
What You Should Own
Tim Hardin was an American folk singer and songwriter who is best remembered for his “If I Were a Carpenter” and “Reason to Believe.” After serving a tour of duty as a marine in Vietnam, Hardin moved to New York City where he became immersed in the local folk scene. In 1963, he moved to Boston where he was signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records. Unfortunately, Columbia didn’t quite understand what they had in Hardin, so he was dropped from the label before any records were released. He was soon snapped up by Verve who began releasing a series of albums that are considered milestones of the folk movement. His songs have been made into hits by the likes of 
Dennis Wilson was the founding drummer of the Beach Boys. It was Dennis who originally approached brother, Brian Wilson to form a band to write and perform songs about the beach life. And if any member of the group best exemplified that lifestyle, it was carefree Dennis, who in fact, was the only one who actually surfed. Although he primarily played the drums and sang back-up for the group, Dennis occasionally sang lead and would play the guitar and piano on his later solo albums. For the Beach Boys, Dennis sang “Do You Wanna Dance?” and “This Car of Mine.” In 1971, Dennis flirted with movie stardom by co-starring with Warren Oates and James Taylor in the now cult-classic film, Two-Lane Blacktop. During the late ’70s, Dennis released Pacific Ocean Blue, which although it didn’t sell terribly well, was a critical success and built itself a cult following in later years. Until it’s reissue in 2008, copies of it could fetch over $100 on eBay. Dennis suffered from personal demons most of his adult life, and with that came struggles with alcohol. On December 28, 1983, an apparently drunk Dennis drowned while diving to recover lost personal items at the marina where his old boat had once been docked. He was 39. Dennis’ father, 