Songwriter

Died On This Date (December 22, 1985) D. Boon / The Minutemen

Dennes “D.” Boon
April 1, 1958 – December 22, 1985

d-boon

Member of the 27 Club

D. Boon was the founder, lead singer, guitarist and primary lyricist for Southern California punk band, the Minutemen. Formed in 1980, the trio included bassist Mike Watt and George Hurley on drums.  Though mostly underground, their influence on alternative rock can not be denied, particularly on bands like Sublime.  The band recorded four albums and eight EPs for SST Records, helping bring the label international acclaim.  In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine selected Boon as the 89th greatest guitarist of all time and included the Minutemen’s Double Nickels on The Dime on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.  On December 22, 1985, Boon was laying in the back of the band’s tour van when they got in an accident along an Arizona highway.  Because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt, Boon was thrown from the van and was killed instantly at the age of 27.

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Double Nickels On the Dime - Minutemen

Died On This Date (December 21, 1988) Paul Jeffreys / Cockney Rebel; Died On Pan Am Flight 103

Paul Avron Jeffreys
February 13, 1952 – December 21, 1988

Paul Jeffreys is best remembered as the bassist for British rock band, Cockney Rebel.  Formed by Steve Harley in 1972, the band hired Jeffreys once they heard him audition the following year.  The band soon signed to EMI Records and released two influential albums with Jeffreys.  After leaving Cockney Rebel, Jeffreys played with such bands as Be Bop Deluxe and the Electric Eels.  On December 21, 1988, Paul Jeffreys and his new bride, Rachel Jones, died along with 270 others on Pan Am flight 103.  The ill-fated plane exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a bomb placed on board.  Jeffreys was 36 when he died.



Died On This Date (December 20, 1999) Hank Snow / Country Great

Clarence “Hank”  Snow
May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999

hank-snowHank Snow was a prolific country star who, during a 30-year stretch of his career, logged in more than 70 country-charting singles, including at least seven that reached number one.  Over the course of a career that spanned six decades, he sold more than 80 million albums.  His songs have been covered by such greats as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, and the Rolling Stones.  After running away from an abusive home at 12, Snow went to work as a cabin boy on a fishing boat, learned to play the guitar he ordered from a department store catalog, and by 16, he was playing his first his first gigs.  He signed with RCA Records in 1936 and released records for them for the next 45 years.  After moving to Nashville, it was Snow who convinced the Grand Ole Opry to let a young Elvis Presley grace their stage for the first time in 1954.   He continued to use Presley as his opening act and later introduced him to Col. Tom Parker.  Hank Snow was 85 when he passed away at his home on December 20, 1999.

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The Essential Hank Snow - Hank Snow

Died On This Date (December 20, 1973) Bobby Darin / Celebrated Pop Singer

Bobby Darin (Born Walden Cassotto)
May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973

bobby-darinBobby Darin was a pop singer and actor who scored numerous charting hits during a career that spanned from the mid ’50s until his death in 1973.  He was of the Frank Sinatra mold in that he could interpret songs no matter what the genre and could also hold his own as an actor.  He is best known for the hits, “Splish Splash,” “Beyond The Sea,” “If I Was A Carpenter,” and “Mack The Knife,” which sold over a million copies and earned him a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1960.  He was also named Best New Artist that same year.  As an actor, he is best remembered for his Academy Award Nominated supporting role in 1963’s Captain Newman, MD.  He continued to record and act through the ’60s, but his health was starting to go south by the time the ’70s hit.   On December 20, 1973, Bobby Darin, died from complications immediately following heart surgery.  He was just 37.

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Died On This Date (December 19, 1993) Michael Clarke / The Byrds

Michael Clarke (Born Michael Dick)
June 3, 1946 – December 19, 1993

michael-clarke

Michael Clarke was a rock drummer who, according to legend, was hired by the Byrds in 1964 primarily because he looked like Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones.  Prior to his short run with the Byrds, Clarke had never played the drums, or much of any other instrument for that matter.  Once hired, he practiced on cardboard boxes until he got his first drum kit.  In 1967, the Byrds released him.  He apparently developed some drumming skills because he later played with the Flying Burrito Brothers, Firefall and Jerry Jeff Walker.  During the ’80s, he joined up with Byrds former singer Gene Clark in a Byrds reunion/tribute group of sorts.  He also played in Byrds Celebration during the early ’90s.  A heavy drinker for many years, Michael Clarke, age 47, died of liver failure on December 19, 1993.