Died On This Date (December 30, 1967) Bert Berns / Legendary Songwriter and Label Head

Bert Berns
November 8, 1929 – December 30, 1967

Photo From bertburns.com
Photo From bertburns.com

Bert Berns was a prolific songwriter and record producer whose impact on popular music cannot be denied.   His most celebrated songs as a songwriter include “Hang on Sloopy” (the McCoys), “Twist and Shout” (the Isley Brothers, the Beatles), “Tell Him” (the Exciters), “I Want Candy” (the Strangeloves, Bow Wow Wow), “Piece of My Heart” (Emma Franklin, Janis Joplin), and “Here Comes the Night” (Lulu, Them, David Bowie).  He also produced such hits as Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” Them’s “Gloria,” and “Under the Boardwalk” by the Drifters.  Berns also ran his own Atlantic affiliated label, Bang Records who was the one-time home to Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, the McCoys and many more.  Bert Berns was just 38 when he died of heart failure on December 30, 1967.



Died On This Date (December 30, 1998) Johnny Moore / The Drifters

Johnny Moore
December 14, 1934 – December 30, 1998

Johnny Moore is best remembered as the lead singer for famed doo-wop vocal group, the Drifters.  He was asked to join the group in 1951 but was soon drafted and had to leave the group.  In 1964, he rejoined after the group’s singer, Rudy Lewis had recently died.  Moore recorded the lead vocal of what would become the Drifters’ biggest hit, “Under the Boardwalk.”  He also sang on such records as “Come on Over to My Place” and “Saturday Night at the Movies.”  Johnny Moore stayed with the group until he passed away in 1998.



Died On This Date (December 30, 2008) Joey Hopkins / Alien Syndrome 777

Joey Hopkins (aka Nihil)
September 1, 1982 – December 30, 2008

joeyJoey Hopkins was the vocalist and programmer for avant-garde black metal band, Alien Syndrome 777.  He also fronted Joey Hopkins Midget Factory and worked with Blackdrone, Inc.  On December 28, 2008, 26 year-old Joey Hopkins was found unconscious in his car with the engine running.  He was taken to a nearby hospital but could not be revived.  He was pronounced dead on December 31.  It is believed that he pulled over to the side of the road to rest but ultimately died of carbon monoxide poisoning.



Died On This Date (December 29, 1980) Tim Hardin / Popular American Folk Singer

Tim Hardin
December 23, 1941 – December 29, 1980

tim-hardinTim Hardin was an American folk singer and songwriter who is best remembered for his “If I Were a Carpenter” and “Reason to Believe.”  After serving a tour of duty as a marine in Vietnam, Hardin moved to New York City where he became immersed in the local folk scene.  In 1963, he moved to Boston where he was signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records.  Unfortunately, Columbia didn’t quite understand what they had in Hardin, so he was dropped from the label before any records were released.  He was soon snapped up by Verve who began releasing a series of albums that are considered milestones of the folk movement.  His songs have been made into hits by the likes of Johnny Cash, Rod Stewart, Bobby Darin and Robert Plant.  Hardin had been struggling with both stage fright and heroin (which he had been introduced to in Vietnam), so he never was able to fully capitalize on the popularity of his songs due to his lack of consistent touring.  For financial reasons, he had to sell off his songwriting rights during the late ’70s.  On December 29, 1980, Tim Hardin, age 39, died of a heroin and morphine overdose.

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Tim Hardin

Died On This Date (December 29, 2008) Freddie Hubbard / Jazz Legend

Freddie Hubbard
April 7, 1938 – Decemb
er 29, 2008

freddie-hubbardFreddie Hubbard was a respected jazz trumpeter who was one of the leading players of the bop, be-bop and post-bop styles that became popular in the 1960s.  Besides having his own celebrated albums on Blue Note and CTI Records, Hubbard played on classic recordings by the likes of Eric DolphyJohn Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Herbie Hancock.  He won a Grammy for his 1972 release, First Light and continued to perform and record well into the ’90s.  Freddie Hubbard was 70 when, on December 29, 2008,  he died of complications from a heart attack he had suffered the previous month.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums

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