Died On This Date (October 12, 1999) Frank Frost / Blues Harmonica Great

Frank Frost
April 15, 1936 – October 12, 1999

Frank Frost was a delta blues harmonica player who was arguably one of the best.  He cut his musical teeth however, on guitar, most significantly as part Sonny Boy Williamson’s touring band.  It was Williamson who taught him to play the harmonica.  He left Williamson in 1959 and began working with drummer Sam Carr and guitarist Big Jack Johnson.  It was this combo that caught the eye of legendary producer, Sam Phillips who produced his first album, Hey Boss Man!.  In later years, Frost formed his own record label, Earwig Music Company to showcase his music.  Frank Frost continued making records until into the late ’80s and died of cardiac arrest on October 12, 1999 at the age of 63.

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Harpin' On It - Frank Frost

Died On This Date (October 11, 2009) Don Decker / Lead Singer Of Anal Blast

Don Decker
September 11, 1968  – October 11, 2009

analblastDon Decker was the lead singer and main songwriter for Anal Blast, the Minneapolis pornogrind/death metal band .  Formed in 1994, the band released just two albums, Vaginal Vampire and Battered Bleeding Bitch.  Cause of death has not been released, though some reports indicate it may be related to a condition for which he received a liver transplant in recent years.  Decker was 41 years old.



Died On This Date (October 10, 2008) Alton Ellis / Godfather Of Rocksteady

Alton Ellis
September 1, 1938 – October 10, 2008

Known as the “Godfather Of Rocksteady,” Alton Ellis was a Jamaican musician who took the elements of ska and slowed them down to a more relaxed beat.  It in turn, paved the way for what we now know as reggae.  A prolific singer, Ellis began his career with Eddy Perkins in the late ’50s as part of a duo, Alton & Eddy, who scored a big Jamaican hit with their “Muriel.”  In the early ’60s, he formed his group, the Flames just as ska was taking hold throughout Jamaica.  He slowed the beat down and recorded a hit song called “Rock Steady” which became the new genre’s name.  In 1967, he recorded a song called “Mad Men” that included a three-note descending horn line which became became a constant in more than 100 reggae songs to follow.  Reinterpretations of it can be heard in hip-hop songs by the likes of Tupac Shakur, KRS-One, and the Notorious B.I.G..  Ellis continued to stay active until his health began to give out in the mid 2000’s.  Diagnosed with cancer in late 2007, Alton Ellis died from it on October 10, 2008.  He was 70 years old.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.

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Sunday Coming - Alton Ellis

Died On This Date (October 10, 2009) Luis Aguile / Beloved Argentine Singer

Luis Aguile (Born Luis Picca)
February 24, 1936 – October 10, 2009

luisaguile4Luis Aguile was an Argentine singer and songwriter who is best remembered for his international hit, “Cuando Seli de Cuba.”  With some 400 songs to his credit, Aguile established himself as one of the premier performers in Latin America.  In 1990, he wrote and recorded the team anthem for Monterrey’s national soccer team.  It is one of the most popular sports anthems in the world.  Luis Aguile died of stomach cancer at the age of 73.

Died On This Date (October 9, 1978) Jacques Brel / Belgian Singer-Songwriter

Jacques Brel
April 8, 1929 – October 9, 1978

brelJacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who came to prominence in Europe during the 1950s.  And although he wrote and sang exclusively in French, many of his songs have been covered in English by such notable performers as Ray Charles, David Bowie and Dusty Springfield.  He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide.  His career started modestly in the cabarets of Paris, but by the mid ’50s, his talent could not be denied, so he began touring Europe and beyond.  He also made a name for himself in film.  A longtime smoker, Brel was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1973 and died from it five years later at the age of 49.

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Jacques Brel