Died On This Date (February 26, 2011) Rick Coonce / Drummer For The Grass Roots

Rick Coonce
August 1, 1946 – February 26, 2011

Rick Coonce is perhaps best remembered as a long time drummer for popular Los Angeles rock band, the Grass Roots.  The Grass Roots sold millions of albums and charted several times on both sales and radio charts during the late ’60s and early ’70s.  Records like “Lets Live For Today,” “Midnight Confessions,” and “Temptation Eyes” are considered staples from the era.  Coonce provided the back beat for the band during their hit period of 1967 to 1971.   After leaving the group in 1971, he moved to Canada where he continued to record and perform with other bands.  Rick Coonce was 64 when he passed away on February 26, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Gerald Dewan for the assist.

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The Grass Roots

Died On This Date (February 26, 2011) Mark Tulin / Bassist For The Electric Prunes & Smashing Pumpkins

Mark Tulin
November 21, 1948 – February 26, 2011

Mark Tulin is best remembered as the bassist for influential ’60s garage psych band, the Electric Prunes.  Formed in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California in 1965, the band churned out several era-defining songs including “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night,” “Get Me To The World On Time,” and “Kyrie Eleison/Mardi Gras (When the Saints),” which was prominently featured in the iconic film, Easy Rider.  Tulin was active in the group from its inception until 1968 and then for a reunited configuration from 2001 until his passing.  In 2009, he was asked by Billy Corgan to join Smashing Pumpkins, first in the studio for the recording of Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, and later to fill in on a few live dates.  Tulin also joined Corgan in his Sky Saxon tribute band, Spirits In The Sky, which included Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction.  Toward the end of 2010, he was back in the studio working on a new album with the Electric Prunes.  On February 26, 2011, while volunteering with an underwater clean-up on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles, 62-year-old Mark Tulin collapsed and died.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

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The Electric Prunes

Died On This Date (February 25, 2011) Darryl Morden / Respected Music Journalist

Darryl Morden
March 14, 1958 – February 25, 2011

Darryl Morden was a music journalist whose media included radio, print, television and the internet.  Over the course of his career, his features could be found in such respected outlets as the Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Buzzine, examiner.com, and Launch/Yahoo.   At one point, Morden was the head writer and producer of American Top 4o with Casey Kasem, and later Shadoe Stevens.  He also created, produced and edited the World Chart Show, the first of its kind dedicated to world-wide audience.  Darryl Morden died of cancer on February 25, 2011.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.



Died On This Date (February 25, 2011) Diane Izzo / Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter

Diane Izzo
1967 – February 25, 2011

Diane Izzo was a respected Chicago-raised singer-songwriter who, upon the release of  her 1999 debut, One, was called one of the best to come out of that city in recent years.  She never released another album, but left behind several worth in unreleased songs.  On February 25, 2011, Diane Izzo passed away after a brave battle with cancer.  She was 43.



Died On This Date (February 24, 2011) Eddie Serrato / Drummer For ? And The Mysterians

Eddie Serrato
December 5, 1945 – February 24, 2011

Eddie Serrato was the original drummer for the legendary Michigan garage band, ? and the Mysterians. It is he you can hear playing on their classic hit, “96 Tears.”  Formed when Serrato was recruited from a local Mexican band in 1962, ? and the Mysterians went on to be called by some as the world’s first punk band – if not exactly that, they were without a doubt one of the first Latin rock bands to score a #1 pop hit in America.   The success of that record – which has been covered live or recorded by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Iggy Pop, Garland Jeffreys, and Aretha Franklin – was enough to get the band a nationally televised performance on American Bandstand.   The group released several more moderately successful records throughout the rest of the ’60s, many of which were co-written by Serrato.   He left the band 1968, with  ? and various configurations of the Mysterians, both with and without him, continuing to perform well into the 2000s.  Serrato himself went on to produce Tejano music during the latter part of his life.  On February 24, 2011, Eddie Serrato died of a heart attack at a local hospital where he had been recuperating from an undisclosed surgery.  He was 65.

Thanks to Su for the assist.

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Cameo Parkway: The Best of ? & the Mysterians, 1966-1967 - ? & The Mysterians