Died On This Date (November 23, 2001) O.C. Smith / Had Hit With “Little Green Apples”
themusicsover Ocia Smith
June 21, 1932 – November 23, 2001
O.C. Smith was an R&B and jazz vocalist whose recording career began with a cover of Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” in 1955. In 1961, Smith was hired by Count Basie to sing lead in his band. He did so until 1965. Smith continued to perform and record on his own during and after that time, but didn’t strike gold until 1968 when his “Son Of Hickory Holler’s Tramp” reached #2 in the UK and landed in the U.S. top 40. He followed that up with “Little Green Apples,” which reached #2 on the U.S. pop chart, sold in excess of one million copies, and earned Smith a Grammy for song of the year in 1969. Smith continued to record records over the next two decades, many of which charted in either the U.S. or UK. In later years, he became a pastor and started his own church in Los Angeles. O.C. Smith was 69 when he passed away on November 23, 2001.
What You Should Own
Haydain Neale was the lead singer for popular Canadian R&B band, jacksoul. Formed in the mid ’90s, jacksoul built a devoted following thanks to their mix of soul, jazz, funk, and rock. The band released their first album in 1996. In 2001, jacksoul won a Juno award for Best R&B/Soul Recording. In August of 2007, Neale suffered serious injuries when he and his scooter were hit by a car. He was still recuperating from his injuries at the time of his death. On December 1, 2009, jacksoul released their first album, SOULmate, since Neale’s accident. Haydain Neale was 39 when he died of cancer on November 22, 2009.
John Osnes was a beloved lounge pianist and singer who first came to prominence in New York City where he played standards and Broadway hits. Over the course of his career, he entertained at private functions held by the likes of Al Gore, Rupert Murdoch and Neil Simon. In 2005, Osnes moved to Los Angeles where he quickly turned The Piano Bar in Hollywood into a favorite entertainment destination for the city’s beautiful people. On November 22, 2008 while walking home from an engagement, Osnes allegedly got into an altercation with a driver he felt came to close to him while walking in a crosswalk. Words and anger ensued and Osnes was allegedly killed during a physical confrontation with the driver. Swedish rapper David Jassey was later arrested for the murder of Osnes.