Died On This Date (February 14, 2013) Shadow Morton / Successful Record Producer & Songwriter
themusicsover George “Shadow” Morton
September 3, 1940 – February 14, 2013
Shadow Morton was a much-respected record producer whose contributions to popular music include producing and writing hits for the Shangri-Las. He was particularly adept at composing songs loaded with teen melodrama that became staples of the era. His song-writing hits for the Shangri-Las include “Leader of the Pack,” “Give Him a Great Big Kiss,” and “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” which happens to be the first song he ever wrote. With just those four songs alone, it’s easy to argue that without Morton, the ’60s girl-group phenomenon might never have happened. In 1967, he produced “Society’s Child,” a hit for Janis Ian. He also is credited for discovering Vanilla Fudge and producing their first three albums, which included their hit, “You Keep Me Hanging On.” The production of Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” is also given to Morton. During the ’70s, Morton worked with the New York Dolls, producing their second album, Too Much Too Soon. Shadow Morton died of cancer on February 14, 2013. He was 72.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.
Reg Presley was the front man for legendary British garage band, the Troggs. Their biggest hit came with their 1966 cover of Chip Taylor’s “Wild Thing” which reached #1 on the Billboard singles chart that year. Their version came in at #257 on Rolling Stone‘s list of The Top 500 Songs of All Time. Their follow-up single, “With A Girl Like You” was nearly as popular in the UK, but failed to ignite in the US. Their three most popular singles, the two listed above along with “Love Is All Around,” sold over a million copies each. Besides the impact their “Wild Thing” continues to have on rock music to this day, the band itself can take at least partial credit for influencing the birth of punk and garage rock. As a songwriter, Presley’s biggest hit was “Love Is All Around,” which was another big hit in the UK, but barely cracked the Top 100 in the US. It did however, enjoy a new life when Wet Wet Wet topped the UK charts with it in 1994. At over 1.8 million copies sold at the time, it was the tenth biggest selling single in England. Th royalties Presley enjoyed from its sales went to fund his research on crop circles on which he wrote the 2002 book, Wild Things They Don’t Tell Us. Presley continued to tour with the Troggs up until his retirement in 2012 due to health concerns. Reg Presley was 71 when he died of cancer and a series of strokes on February 4, 2013. Troggs founding drummer, 
Ann Rabson was an influential blues singer and musician who is often recognized for helping bring blues women to the forefront of the genre. Over a career that began in 1962, Rabson performed and recorded as a solo act and as part of an acoustic blues collective known as Sapphire, the Uppity Blues Women. Over the course of her career, she received several 
Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner was the longtime lead singer for arguably America’s greatest funk band, the Ohio Players. Formed in Dayton, Ohio as the Ohio Untouchables in 1959, it would be a few years before they regrouped as the Ohio Players and brought Bonner on board. First the band’s lead guitarist, Bonner’s charisma on stage could not be denied, so he soon took over as front man as well. It wasn’t until 1973 that the band hit its stride with the release of their first #1 R&B single, “Funky Worm.” The record ultimately sold over 1 million copies and helped the group land a deal with Mercury Records. Over the next three years, the Ohio Players scored seven Top 40 singles, two Gold Albums and three Platinum. In all, they sold well over 4 million albums. Their hits included such era definers as “Fire,” “Who’d She Coo?” “Skin Tight” and “Love Rollercoaster,” which claimed one of pop music’s greatest urban legends as well. Mid way through the #1 hit, a high-pitched scream can be heard, leading many to believe that a woman was murdered in the studio with her scream unknowingly recorded. Of several myths that were spawned, the most absurd was that while the band was recording, the cover photo shoot of Playboy model, Ester Corbet, was taking place in an adjacent room. Badly burned and disfigured by the hot honey which was poured on her, Corbet ran into the studio threatening to sue the band. The myth goes on to claim that the band’s manager stabbed her to death in the control room in order to shut her up. All caught on tape, of course. The problem with that scenario is that Corbet is still alive and apparently burn free as of this writing. The reality is that keyboardist Billy Beck provided the infamous scream. Meanwhile, the Ohio Players forged on through the ups and downs of their popularity with Bonner at the helm well into the 2000s. Leroy Bonner was 70 when he passed away on January 26, 2013. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Known throughout the industry as “The Songwriter’s Best Friend,” John Braheny was a successful songcrafter as well as the author of to best-selling manual, The Craft and Business of Songwriting. Braheny began his career during the late ’60s as a recording artist – his only album, Some Kind of Change came out in 1970. S0me may argue that this album was the birth of the Laurel Canyon country rock scene since its “December Dream” was later popularized by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys. In 1971, Braheny co-founded the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase which at one point or another showcased such future greats as Stevie Nicks, Dianne Warren, Janis Ian, and 