Songwriter

Died On This Date (September 16, 1977) Marc Bolan / T. Rex

Marc Bolan (Born Mark Feld)
September 30, 1947 – September 16, 1977

Marc Bolan was a British rock singer songwriter and musician who, with his band T. Rex was one of the foundations of the glam rock movement that followed.  Bolan formed his first band when he was barely into his teens, and by 17, he was making a go of it along the British folk circuit.  In 1967, he joined a mod band called John’s Children who achieved moderate success throughout the UK.  Later that year, he left the group and joined forces with Steve Peregrin Took to form T. Rex.  With albums like T. Rex and The Slider, sparking the early ’70s glam movement that would directly influence rock bands from the New York Dolls to Gun ‘n Roses and beyond.  Songs like “Bang A Gong (Get It On),” “Jeepster,” and “20th Century Boy” would become signature songs of the era.  On September 16, 1977, the 29-year-old Marc Bolan was killed instantly when the car in which he was a passenger spun out of control and struck a tree.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Electric Warrior (Remastered) - T. Rex

Died On This Date (September 15, 2008) Rick Wright / Founding Member Of Pink Floyd

Richard Wright
July 28, 1943 – September 15, 2008

Rick Wright was a founding member of Pink Floyd.  His keyboards and vocals can be heard on such classic albums as The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, Wish You Were Here, Meddle, and Dark Side Of The Moon.  Helping form the band with Roger Waters, Syd Barrett and Nick Mason in 1965, Wright also contributed significantly as a songwriter and sang lead on a handful of the band’s early recordings.  He resigned from Pink Floyd during the recording of The Wall, but returned from time to time to work in the studio or on the road with the band, but more as a guest than a full member of the group.  Outside of Pink Floyd, Wright formed a short-lived band named Zee with whom he released one album, and recorded two solo albums.  None were able to ignite much of a career for him.  Rick Wright died of cancer at the age of 65.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Pink Floyd

Died On This Date (September 14, 2009) Patrick Swayze / Respected Actor and Song & Dance Man

Patrick Swayze
August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009

Patrick Swayze with actress, Norma Louise

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

Click to find DVD at amazon.com

Died On This Date (September 14, 1981) Furry Lewis / Country Blues Pioneer

Walter “Furry” Lewis
March 6, 1893 – September 14, 1981

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 Sleepy John Estes and Bukka White as part of a caravan tour.  He also opened for the Rolling Stones a couple of times and performed on the Tonight Show during the ’70s.  Furry Lewis died at the age of 88 as a result of pneumonia.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Furry Lewis



Died On This Date (September 13, 1996) Tupac Shakur / Hip Hop Great

Tupac Shakur (aka 2Pac)
June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996

The last known photo taken of Tupac Shakur, just 20 minutes before the shooting. With Suge Knight.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.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

All Eyez On Me (Remastered) - 2Pac