Died On This Date (October 5, 2008) Lloyd Thaxton / ’60s TV Dance Show Host
themusicsover Lloyd Thaxton
May 31, 1927 – October 5, 2008
One-time popular KHJ radio personality, Lloyd Thaxton became the host of his own pop music television show during the 1960s. The Lloyd Thaxton Show began as a local Los Angeles show only in 1961, but once it went into national syndication in 1964, it became the highest rated musical variety program on television for nearly a decade. Over the course of its run, the show featured such guests as Bobby Vee, the Byrds, Sonny & Cher, the Kinks, and the Bobby Fuller Four. Lloyd Thaxton died of multiple myeloma at the age of 81.
Mike Alexander was the founding bassist for English thrash metal band, Evile. The group originally formed in 2000 as a cover band called Metal Militia, and then morphed into Evile in 2004. They soon signed to Earache Records and are now considered the spark of the current thrash metal revival. Over the years they’ve shared the stage with the likes of Machine Head and Megadeth. They released their debut album for Earache in 2007 and their second in September of 2009. While touring to promote the new album, Mike Alexander collapsed the morning after a show in Sweden. He was taken to a local hospital where he died of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 32.
Danny Gatton was a guitar player’s guitar player. His playing was admired by no less than Slash, Eric Clapton, 
Al Gallodoro was a jazz saxophonist whose career began in the 1920s and spanned nearly eight decades until just prior to his death in 2008. He is best remembered for his association with Paul Whiteman, playing in his orchestra from 1936 to 1940. He went on to play bass clarinet in NBC’s Symphony Orchestra. Gallodoro made his final appearance on September 20, 2008 and then passed away 2 weeks later at the age of 95.