Died On This Date (September 14, 2009) Patrick Swayze / Respected Actor and Song & Dance Man
themusicsover Patrick Swayze
August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009
Although best remembered as a handsome leading man in many popular films throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Patrick Swayze left his mark on popular music as well. Besides starring in such music-centric films as Dirty Dancing and Ghost, Swayze achieved success as a song and dance man on stage, starring in such musicals as Guys and Dolls, Goodtime Charley and Chicago. Thanks to his role in Ghost, Swayze earned a place in the hip-hop cultural via the lyric “I’m Swayze” as in “I’m Ghost,” or “I’m gone.” In 1987, Swayze earned a Golden Globe nomination for a song he co-wrote and recorded for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, “She’s Like The Wind.” Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January of 2008, Patrick Swayze succumbed to the disease on September 14, 2009. He was 57.
What You Should Own
Furry Lewis is one of country blues’ pioneers, making his name as a songwriter and guitarist in the early decades of the 20th century. He started performing at local parties while still in his teens, and by the late ’20s, he was recording sides for Vocalion Records in Chicago. Lewis had minor successes during his early years, but still needed to rely on his job as a city street sweeper until his retirement in 1966. His career rebounded during the folk revival of the ’60s, even being the topic of the Joni Mitchell song, “Furry Sings The Blues” (aparrently he was not a fan). The ’70s found Lewis touring the country along with 
Tupac Shakur was a hip hop artist whose professional career basically began as a roadie and backup dancer for Digital Underground in the late ’80s, and ended as one of the biggest selling artists of all time. He has sold upwards of 75 million albums before and since his untimely death. Shakur’s albums generally portrayed a life growing up with violence, racism and the hardships some face growing up in the inner city. For the most part, his songs professed social and racial equality. Shakur was no stranger to the judicial system. In 1995, he was convicted for sexual assault, which many believe never happened, and was sentenced to prison. While serving his time, his album Me Against The World was released. He became the only artist in history to have a #1 album while incarcerated. On September 7, 1996, was involved in an altercation following a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas. Later that evening while riding in a car driven by Suge Knight, a car pulled up beside Knight’s vehicle. At least one occupant fired around a dozen shots into the car, hitting Shakur four times. The 25 year-old Tupac Shakur died from injuries sustained during the shooting six days later. His murder has never been solved.
