Died On This Date (August 21, 2005) Robert Moog / Invented Moog Synthesizer
themusicsover Dr. Robert Moog
May 23, 1934 – August 21, 2005
Robert Moog is best known for his groundbreaking invention, the Moog Synthesizer, which helped revolutionize music, and became an essential instrument for electronic music in particular. A highly educated electrical engineer by trade, Moog founded two electronic instrument companies and was a vice president at Kurzweil during the ’80s. In 1969, he was awarded his first patent for a synthesizer that utilized a keyboard. He went on to hold several more related patents. Moog has twice been recognized by the Grammys for his contributions to popular music. Since its invention, the Moog Synthesizer was utilized by such musicians as Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, John Cage and Walter Carlos (now Wendy Carlos), whose Switched On Bach and the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange are became landmark recordings. Robert Moog was 71 when he died of a brain tumor on August 21, 2005.
Johnny Carter was a tenor vocalist in the doo wop groups, the Flamingos and later, the Dells. He joined the Dells in 1960, and stayed with them for the better part of 50 years. Elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of both the Flamingos and the Dells, Carter is one of a select few that have been inducted twice. He passed away on August 21, 2009 at the age of 75. Co-founder, 
Jerry Finn was a well-respected producer who lent his talents to a who’s who of alternative rock, artists like Blink-182, Green Day, Sum 41, AFI, Rancid, the Offspring, Morrissey, Alkaline Trio and many others. While working on a Morrissey release in July of 2008, Finn suffered a massive brain hemmorage. Never regaining consciousness, he was taken off life support on August 9 and passed away twelve days later. He was just 39.
Larry Knecthel was a Los Angeles session keyboardist and bassist who played on hits by the likes of the Doors, Simon & Garfunkel and the Beach Boys. After spending a few years as part of Duane Eddy’s touring band in the early ’60s, Knechtel went to work in the studio with Phil Spector, adding his own mark to the legendary “wall of sound.” Knechtel also played on several Doors records since they didn’t have their own bassist. He joined the easy rock band, Bread in 1971. In later years, Knecthel did session work for producer Rick Rubin, most notably on albums by the Dixie Chicks and Neil Diamond. Larry Knechtel passed away in a Yakima hospital just two weeks after his 69th birthday.
