Died On This Date (June 28, 2009) Tom Wilkes / Grammy Winning Album Cover Artist
themusicsover Tom Wilkes
July 30, 1939 – June 28, 2009
One of the many unsung heroes of popular music, Tom Wilkes was a designer who created the covers for, among others, Janis Joplin’s Pearl, the Rolling Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet, Neil Young’s Harvest, and the London Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Tommy, for which he won a Grammy. Throughout his career, Wilkes was the art director for the Monterey Pop Festival, A&M Records and ABC Records. Wilkes passed away in his home at the age of 69. Cause of death not immediately released.
Stefanie Sargent was the guitarist for Seattle all-girl punk band, 7 Year Bitch. The band formed in 1990 and was signed to indie label, C/Z Records by 1991. Building a fan base due in part to their aggressive shows and songs, they reached a point where they were even sharing the stage with the band that had inspired them, the Gits. Things were going well for the band as they were just about to release their debut album. But just before its release, Stefanie Sargent died of a heroin overdose just days after her 24th birthday.
Marie Castello was the real life “Madam Marie” character in the Bruce Springsteen song “4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy).” The 1973 song finds Springsteen asking, “Did you hear the cops finally busted Madam Marie for tellin’ fortunes better than they do,” even though in real life, she never was. Castello began telling fortunes in her small Asbury Park boardwalk shop in 1932, and by the late ’60s, a young Springsteen reportedly visited with her often and would play his guitar outside her shop. According to Springsteen lore, it was during one of those visits that Castello told him he would one day be famous. Springsteen continued to stop by and visit in recent years. Over the years, Castello read fortunes of many famous entertainers who came to town. That list included 
Known as the “King of the Strings,” Joe Maphis was arguably one of country music’s most accomplished electric guitarists, or at the very least, one of its most exciting to watch and hear. Maphis began making a name for himself as part of the Bakersfield scene of the ’40s and ’50s. He released several records, the most successful being “Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (and Loud, Loud Music).” Throughout his career, Maphis played with such luminaries as Wanda Jackson, 