Died On This Date (March 15, 2011) Nate Dogg / Popular West Coast Rapper
themusicsover Nate Dogg (Born Nathaniel Hall)
August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011
Nathaniel Hall, who was more commonly known by his stage name, Nate Dogg, was a popular rapper and singer who got his start on the same Long Beach, California streets as Snoop Dogg and Warren G. His smooth voice was one of the greatest to come out of the G-Funk era of hip-hop. Hall began singing in his church choir when he was a child, then dropped out of high school to join the U.S. Marines where he served for three years. After his return to the Long Beach area, Hall joined up with fellow Rollin 20 Crips gang members, Snoop Dogg and Warren G to form a rap group, 213. Together they recorded their first demo at a local record store, and when Dr. Dre heard it, he offered Hall a slot to sing on his now legendary The Chronic album. From there, Hall got signed to Dre and Suge Knight’s Death Row Records. Over the next several years, he released a handful of albums and was nominated for four Grammys. Either singing on his own records or guesting on others, Hall appeared on the Singles chart over 40 times. In December of 2007, Hall suffered a stroke which reportedly left the left side of his body paralyzed. He suffered a second stroke in September of 2008 but was expected to make at least a partial recovery with physical therapy. On March 15, 2011, Nate Dogg suffered yet another stroke and died. He was 41.
What You Should Own
David Emmanuel, known professionally as Smiley Culture was a popular reggae singer and DJ who had several UK hits during the ’80s. His two most popular were 1984’s “Cockney Translation” and “Police Officer.” As a DJ for Saxon Studio International sound system, Emmanuel worked with the likes of Maxi Priest and Tippa Irie. In 1986 he appeared alongside David Bowie, Ray Davies and Sade in the Julien Temple film, Absolute Beginners. On March 15, 2011, David Emmanuel, age 48, died during a reported police raid on his home. Early reports indicate he was killed by a self-inflicted stab wound but that a local watchdog group was investigating. In a twist of irony, his 1984 hit, “Police Officer” told the story of a time he was arrested for marijuana possession but was let go when an officer recognized him as a reggae star.
Ronnie Hammond was the lead singer for successful southern rock band, the Atlanta Rhythm Section. The group itself was born out of a group of in-demand studio musicians from the Atlanta, Georgia area. When the band was recording their first album in 1972, Hammond happened to show up at the studio as an assistant engineer, and once the guys heard him sing, they asked him to join the band. Hammond sang for ARS on their first six albums, during their peak years. In 1978, they released Champagne Jam which included the popular single of the same name. It would become their biggest hit and take them from playing clubs and into arenas and stadiums. In August of that same year, the band was invited by President Jimmy Carter to play at the White House. Hammond left the group in 1982 to pursue a solo career. He reunited with them in 1988 and continued on for the next decade or so. On March 14, 2011, Ronnie Hammond died of heart failure. He was 60.
Todd Cerney was a brilliant songwriter, musician, and producer who was based in Nashville, Tennessee. Born in Detroit, Cerney moved to Nashville during the ’70s to further his career. His songs have been recorded by George Strait, Tanya Tucker, Jon Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Cheap Trick to name a few. His hits include the Grammy-nominated “I’ll Be Loving You” (Restless Heart) and the country chart topping “Good Morning Beautiful” (Steve Holy). As an in-demand session player, Cerney has performed live or recorded with a list of superstars that includes the Dixie Chicks, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, and Jackson Browne. In November of 2010, Todd Cerney suffered a brain seizure and subsequently learned he had stage four melanoma cancer. On March 14, 2011, Cerney died as a result of the cancer.