Singer

Died On This Date (December 10, 2011) Karryl “Special One” Smith/ Hip-Hop’s Conscious Daughters

Karryl Smith
DOB Unknown – December 10, 2011

Karryl “Special One” Smith was one half of the popular San Francisco hip-hop duo, the Conscious Daughters.  Smith formed the act with Carla “CMG” Green in 1992, and within a year, they were signed to Paris’ label, Scarface Records. Their first album, 1994’s Ear To The Street, included their first hit, “Somethin’ to Ride (Fonky Expedition).”  They went on to secure a deal with the iconic Priority Records who released their follow-up, Gamers, which landed on the Billboard charts and sold upwards of 300,000 copies.  More releases followed, including 2011’s The Jane Of All Trades.   Special One was reportedly found dead inside her home on December 10, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.



Died On This Date (December 7, 2011) Bob Burnett / The Highwaymen

Bob Burnett
February 7, 1940 – December 8, 2011

Photo by Mark Swirsky

Bob Burnett was an original member of the Highwaymen, an influential collegiate folk group whose “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore” and “Cotton Fields” were two of the most significant songs to come along during the ’60s folk scene.  Formed in 1958, the group drew sizable crowds along the college circuit while popularizing traditional American music to a whole new generation.  In 1961, the group scored its biggest hit with “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore,” which reached #1 on the singles chart and sold over a million copies.  That was followed by the nearly as successful, “Cotton Fields.”  The Highwaymen broke up in 1964, freeing up Burnett to pursue a law degree from Harvard.  After accomplishing that, he went on to have a long and successful career in law and banking.  In 1990, the Highwaymen reunited for a second run which found them doing weekend concerts and recording several more albums.  Bob Burnett, 71, died as the result of brain cancer on December 7, 2011.  He follows band mates Chan Daniels, Dave Fisher, and later member, Gil Robbins (father of actor, Tim Robbins), who have all passed away as well.

Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.

What You Should Own

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The Folk Hits Collection - The Highwaymen

Died On This DAte (December 6, 2011) Dobie Gray / Soul & Country Singer-Songwriter

Dobie Gray
July 26, 1940 – December 6, 2011

Dobie Gray was an American soul (and later, country) singer and songwriter who, over a career that started in 1960, released hits like “The In Crowd” and “Drift Away,” which sold over a million copies and remains a staple on radio.  Born into a family of Texas sharecroppers, Gray was exposed to gospel music at an early age thanks to an uncle who was a Baptist minister.  By the early ’60s, he was living in Los Angeles where he met Sonny Bono who connected him with his first label, Stripe Records.  It wasn’t long until Gray was putting out a string of hits like “Look At Me,” “See You At The Go-Go,” and of course, “The In Crowd” and “Drift Away.”  The latter has been also recorded by such luminaries as Rod Stewart, Roy Orbison, the Neville Brothers, and Humble Pie. When he wasn’t making records, Gray worked as an actor – he spent over two years as part of the Los Angeles cast of Hair.  During the mid ’70s, Gray moved to Nashville where he wrote songs that were recorded by the likes of Charley Pride, George Jones, Ray Charles and Don Williams.  He also released a handful of moderately successful records at that time.  During the mid ’80s, Gray signed with Capitol Records and released a few country records that performed fairly well on the country charts.  Dobie Gray was 71 when he passed away in his sleep on December 6, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released, though he had been ill.

What You Should Own

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Best of Dobie Gray (Re-Recorded Versions) - Dobie Gray



Died On This Date (December 5, 2011) Violetta Villas / Polish Torch Singer; ’60s Las Vegas Star

Violetta Villas (Born Czesława Cieślak)
June 10, 1938 – December 5, 2011

Violetta Villas was a Polish soprano singer who, instead of taking the obvious route of opera, chose a career in pop music.  Known as much for her magnificent head of blond curls as her four-octave voice, Villas starred in six films and recorded nearly 300 songs in ten different languages.  In 1966, Villas was hired by the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas to perform in their Casino de Paris.  Her run lasted until 1971, and along the way she was joined on stage by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Barbra Streisand, and Paul Anka.  During the late ’70s, Villas returned to Poland to care for her dying mother, and was forced to hand her passport over to the Communist regime who forbade her from leaving the country for more than ten years.  She was able to return to the world stage in 1987 so she toured the United States and Canada one last time.  Violetta Villas was 73 when she passed away on December 5, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.



Died On This Date (December 4, 2011) Hubert Sumlin / Chicago Blues Legend

Hubert Sumlin
November 16, 1931 – December 4, 2011

Hubert Sumlin was a Chicago Blues electric guitarist and singer who is most often remembered for his time playing with Howlin’ Wolf during the 1960s.  Decades later, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at #43 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time. Raised in Arkansas, Sumlin was just six when he began playing to guitar, and he was still just a youngster when he first met Wolf after sneaking into one of his shows.  Years later, Wolf, who had by then settled in Chicago, invited Sumlin to move up and join him in his band.  By 1955, Sumlin was the lead guitarist of the group, and would stay as such for the rest of Wolf’s career.  Sumlin can be heard on Wolf’s landmark album, Howlin’ Wolf, which is considered one of the greatest blues albums of all times.  He also played with Muddy Waters for a brief time.   Sumlin released several of his own albums between 1964 and 2004 when he had to give up recording after having one of his lungs removed.  He did, however, continue to perform up into his final years.   In 2008, Sumlin was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, and over the years he received four Grammy nominations.  Hubert Sumlin died of heart failure on December 4, 2011.  He was 80.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.

What You Should Own

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I Know You - Hubert Sumlin