Died On This Date (August 26, 1992) Professor Eddie Lusk / Chicago Blues Musician
themusicsover Eddie Lusk
September 21, 1948 – August 26, 1992
Raised by parents who were Pentacostal ministers, Eddie Lusk was exposed to gospel music at a very young age. And although he, himself became ordained in 1968, he couldn’t resist the call of the blues music he heard around him on Chicago’s south side. A pianist since childhood, Lusk went on to play with some of the biggest names in contemporary blues. That list includes Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor. Lusk learned he was suffering from colon cancer in 1992. That revelation apparently lead him to jump to his death into the Chicago River on August 26, 1992.
Thanks to Suzanne Swanson for the assist
Aaliyah Haughton was a Brooklyn-born star on the rise when her life was tragically cut short. Raised in Detroit, she caught the singing bug early in life, leading her to perform on Star Search as as child and score a recording contract with famed Jive Records at just 12 years old. Her debut album, Age Aint Nothing But A Number sold an astonishing 2 million units. Her follow-up, One In A Million sold over 8 million world wide. Haughton was also getting started as an actress, appearing in 2000’s Romeo Must Die which lead to her title role in Queen Of The Damned. She released her third album, Aaliyah in 2001, and her career was on a serious roll when she found herself in the Bahamas to film the first video for the first single, “Rock The Boat.” On August 25th, after filming of the video was complete, Haughton and 8 other crew and passengers boarded a small plane to fly back home. The plane, loaded with heavy equipment and gear had trouble on take-off, crashing about 200 feet past the runway. All nine on the flight were killed. Aaliyah Haughton was just 22 years old.
Stan Kenton was a popular jazz pianist and band leader who made his mark as part of the West Coast jazz scene of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. He was considered an innovator in his day – taking what others called a “dance band,” and filling it out to what he preferred to call an “orchestra.” In doing so, he created what was then labeled a “wall of sound,” a term hijacked by Phil Spector in later years. His influence can be heard today across America’s high school and college jazz bands. Stan Kenton died on August 25, 1979 following a stroke. He was 67.
Arnie Treffers was the main songwriter and lead singer of Netherlands rock band, Long Tall Ernie & the Shakers who became local favorites in the mid ’70s. The band’s sound fell somewhere between