Nick Massi (Born Nicholas Macioci)
September 19, 1927 – December 24, 2000
Nick Massi, third from left
Nick Massi is best remembered as one of the original Four Seasons, Frankie Valli’s rock vocal group that scored with such hits as “Sherry,” “Rag Doll” and “Dawn (Go Away).” Massi sang bass, played bass guitar, and arranged many of the early songs for the group. He parted ways with the Four Seasons in 1965 and went on to have a successful career as an artist. Nick Massi died of cancer on December 24, 2000.
Tim Hart is best remembered as a founding member of British electric folk band, Steeleye Span, who released a handful of moderately successful albums while Hart was in the group between 1970 and 1982. He played guitar and sang for the band while writing some of their more traditional sounding songs. In later years, Hart released a handful of solo releases included two children’s albums. In late 2008, he was diagnosed with lung cancer which caused his death on December 24, 2009. Tim Hart was 61 years old when he died.
Dan Hamilton was the founding lead singer and guitarist of Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, a soft-rock band who came to prominence thanks to a string of hits during the ’70s. Before the formation of the band however, Hamilton found some success as a songwriter, penning “Diamond Head,” which was a minor hit for the Ventures. Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds formed in 1965 as the T-Bones, the backing band for Hamilton’s brother, actor Judd Hamilton who had just been signed to Liberty Records. In 1970, they signed their own deal and changed their name to Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. It was then they began releasing such hits as “Don’t Pull Your Love,” and “Fallin’ In Love.” In 1993, Hamilton suddenly developed an illness that baffled his doctors. He went from a physically active man to one who had difficulty walking and doing most other physical activities. It was eventually determined that he was suffering from a rare hormone disorder called Cushing’s Syndrome. Dan Hamilton was 48 when he died as a result of the condition on December 23, 1994.
Norman “Dutch” Mason
February 19, 1938 – December 23, 2006
Dutch Mason was a Canadian musician and singer who fans dubbed, the Prime Minister of the Blues. Mason began his music career during the ’50s in rock ‘n roll and rockabilly, but switched to the blues during the ’60s. By the ’70s, he was one of the most popular touring acts throughout Canada. Over the course of his career, he released over a dozen albums and was nominated for at least two Juno Awards, Canada’s version of the Grammys. He also hosted his own yearly blues festival where performers from all over the world came to play. Dutch Mason, 68, passed away from health related issues on December 23, 2006.
Joe Strummer (Born John Mellor)
August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002
Joe Strummer was the co-founding lead singer of the Clash, arguably the most influential band on modern rock. The Clash made their professional debut on America’s bicentennial, July 4, 1976, in support of the Sex Pistols at a Sheffield, England club. They soon signed with CBS Records and began releasing some of rock music’s most important albums. It was the band’s seamless marriage of punk, reggae and rockabilly along with their politically charged lyrics that endeared them to both critics and fans alike. Their ambitious by punk standards double-album, London Calling, was selected by Rolling Stone magazine as the best album of the ’80s even though it was released in 1979. Much like the Beatles in their time, the Clash made many a young kid around the world pick up a guitar and start a band. Along with the Sex Pistols, they laid the foundation of what would eventually be called alternative rock. Following the break up of the Clash in 1986, Strummer contributed to the Sid and Nancy soundtrack and gave a hand to former Clash mate, Mick Jones’ new band, Big Audio Dynamite, as well as the Pogues. Strummer also made a go at acting, appearing in such films as Walker, Straight To Hell, and Mystery Train. By 1999, Strummer had formed a new group called the Mescaleros, a band that carried on in the spirit of the Clash. They made three albums together before Strummer’s untimely death. On December 22, 2002, Joe Strummer, 50, died suddenly of a congenital heart defect.