Died On This Date (April 15, 2011) Kent Morrill / Thee Fabulous Wailers
themusicsover Kent Morrill
April 2, 1941 – April 15, 2011
Kent Morrill was the lead singer and keyboardist for Seattle, Washington-area ’60s rock band, the Fabulous Wailers. Having been with the group since inception, Morrill was the only original member still playing with the group in recent years. Formed at the tail end of the ’50s, many consider the Fabulous Wailers THE first garage rock band due to their down-and-dirty mix of saxophone driven R&B and rave-up rock ‘n roll. The band released several albums and 45s throughout the years, but it was their late 50s/early 60s output that is generally included in any respectable first generation garage rock collection. Records like “Tall Cool One,” “Dirty Robber,” and “Out Of Our Tree” received significant airplay during their peak years, but it was their recording (with Rockin’ Robin Roberts) of Richard Berry’s “Louie Louie” that inspired Paul Revere & the Raiders to do the same, and lead to fellow Northwest band, the Kingsmen to ultimately record its definitive version. In more recent years, Morrill was also performing as a Roy Orbison impersonator in Las Vegas and other parts of the world. Kent Morrill was 70 when he passed away on April 15, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
What You Should Own
Billy Bang was a respected jazz violinist and Vietnam vet who has been recognized as a driving force of New York City’s experimental jazz movement of the 1970s. Bang picked up the violin while still in school, but only because he was assigned the smaller instrument due to his smallish stature. Bang ultimately left high school early and was drafted by the US Army just in time to serve a tour of combat duty during the Tet Offensive. Upon his return home, Bang, like so many others like him, had a hard time adjusting to civilian life, so he became politically active and began working with a group of underground revolutionaries. While on an outing to gather weapons at a pawn shop, Bang couldn’t help but notice the violins hanging on a wall, so he bought one and changed his life path. Bang eventually found himself playing in 
Lacy Gibson was a gifted Chicago blues guitarist who over a career that spanned six decades came to be known as a musician’s musician thanks in part to his flashy jazz-influenced guitar skills. He was also revered for his soulful voice. After moving to Chicago from North Carolina in 1949, Gibson immediately immersed himself in the city’s storied blues scene, learning directly from the likes of 
Randy Wood was a successful music industry executive who is perhaps best remembered for being the man behind Dot Records. Wood had just returned home after serving in World War II when he opened an appliance store in Gallatin, TN. When he started music – mostly pop and classical albums – young customers began coming in, but asking for the rhythm & blues records they heard on a powerful station from faraway Nashville, Tennessee. Wood quickly realized there was a need for a mail-order record business, and 78RPM was born. By sponsoring a show on that Nashville station, WLAC-AM, spots for Randy’s Record Shop’s mail-order services could be heard clear across the United States and beyond. With the income he was realizing from orders, Wood soon launched Dot Records out of the store. The label quickly turned a profit as Wood figured out that white performers singing watered-down R&B songs was a recipe for success. His artists like Pat Boone were turning songs by Little Richard and Fats Domino into pop hits while helping to further popularize the R&B singers as well. Others he signed to Dot included 
