Died On This Date (April 19, 2005) Bryan Ottoson / American Head Charge
themusicsover Bryan Ottoson
1978 – April 19, 2005
Member of the 27 Club
Bryan Ottoson was a guitarist for Minneapolis hard rock band, American Head Charge. Their music is generally categorized as “industrial metal.” By 2000, the band had moved to Los Angeles and signed to Rick Rubin’s American Recordings. Rubin produced their debut. The next few years found the band’s fan base quickly growing, sharing tours with the likes of Slipknot, Ministry, and Mudvayne. On April 19, 2005, Ottoson’s lifeless body was found in his tour bus bunk prior to a show in South Carolina. Officials determined that he had overdosed on prescription medicine. It appears to have been accidental.
What You Should Own
At 71 in 2005, Rick Lewis was the last surviving member of doo wop group, the Silhouettes. Although credited to the entire group, Lewis was the songwriter of their huge hit, “Get A Job,” which by many accounts is the quintessential doo wop song. The group performed the song numerous times on American Bandstand, and it was later featured in movies such as American Graffiti and Stand By Me. Lewis died of multiple organ failure on April 19, 2005 at the age of 71.
Bernard Edwards was a bass player and prolific producer. In the mid ’70s, Edwards formed Chic, a disco group that had a massive hits with “Le Freak” and “Good Times.” Edwards went on to produce hits for some of pop music’s biggest names throughout the ’80s and ’90s. That list includes Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Power Station, Robert Palmer, Debbie Harry, Johnny Mathis, and Duran Duran. While in Tokyo for a concert in 1996, Edwards became ill. He was found dead in his hotel room. Cause of death was determined to be pneumonia.
