Died On This Date (December 1, 1993) Ray Gillen / Black Sabbath; Badlands
themusicsover Ray Gillen
May 12, 1959 – December 1, 1993
Ray Gillen was a hard rock singer who, although he spent a minute as lead singer of Black Sabbath, is perhaps best remembered as the lead singer of Badlands. Gillen had been singing for a series of New Jersey area bands when, in 1986, he was summoned to substitute for then-Black Sabbath vocalist, Glenn Hughes, who was suffering from vocal problems. Following the tour, Gillen began working with Black Sabbath on their The Eternal Idol album, but never finished the sessions due to various factors. In 1988, Gillen formed Badlands with Jake E. Lee, best known as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist, Craig Chaisson, and Eric Singer. Gillen fronted Badlands for three albums, Badlands, Voodoo Highway, and Dusk. The band’s self-titled debut sold respectably due to video play on MTV, but the follow-ups barely registered a blip, so Gillen broke up the band in 1989. Over the next couple of years, he worked on a handful of other projects. On December 1, 1993, Ray Gillen, age 32, died of AIDS-related complications.
What You Should Own
Jack Cooke was a bluegrass bassist and singer best remembered for his time playing in Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys. Cooke first came to prominence as part of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys with whom he played from 1956 to 1960. He played on some of Monroe’s biggest hits, including the classic, “Big Mon.” After leaving Monroe, he fronted his own band for a few years until getting the call to join Stanley in 1970. He played in the Clinch Mountain Boys up until early 2009. Cooke received a Grammy in 2002 as part of the Jim Lauderdale & Ralph Stanley album, Lost in the Lonesome Pines. Jack Cooke, 72, passed away at a local hospital on December 1, 2009.
Donald Washington, Sr. was Philadelphia-area tenor saxophonist who was a vital part of the local jazz scene from the late ’60s through the mid ’80s. Over the course of his career, he played with the likes of 
Nat Kipner was an Australian producer and songwriter who also had his own label, Spin Records, during the ’60s. His was the first label to sign the Bee Gees to a record deal. He also produced hit records for the band. As a songwriter, he found success with “Too Little Too Late,” the 1978 #1 duet for Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. Nat Kipner was 86 when he died of congenital heart failure on December 1, 2009.
