Died On This Date (June 19, 2013) Slim Whitman / Country Music Legend
themusicsover Ottis “Slim” Whitman
January 20, 1923 or 1924 – June 19, 2013
Slim Whitman was an American country singer, songwriter and guitarist who is perhaps best remembered for his high voice and yodeling skills. Highly influential, even George Harrison and Michael Jackson have cited Whitman as an influence. Born in Tampa, Florida, Whitman served in the US Navy during World War II before launching his music career. While working in a shipyard, he was given the opportunity to sing on a local Tampa radio station only to be heard by Col. Tom Parker of Elvis Presley fame who helped secure Whitman his first recording contract with RCA Records in 1948. A series of country hits followed until 1955, when he scored his first #1 pop hit with “Rose Marie.” The record sat at the top of the UK charts for an unprecedented 11 weeks until Bryan Adams broke the record in 1991. In 1979, Whitman appeared in one of the earliest infomercials on television. The piece is considered THE most successful one ever, responsible for selling 1.5 million copies of his All My Best greatest hits album. Over the course of his career, Whitman sold over 120 million albums which include his most recent, 2010’s Twilight On The Trail, his first new studio album in 26 years. Slim Whitman died of heart failure on June 19, 2013. He was 90 years old.
What You Should Own
Todd Cerney was a brilliant songwriter, musician, and producer who was based in Nashville, Tennessee. Born in Detroit, Cerney moved to Nashville during the ’70s to further his career. His songs have been recorded by George Strait, Tanya Tucker, Jon Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Cheap Trick to name a few. His hits include the Grammy-nominated “I’ll Be Loving You” (Restless Heart) and the country chart topping “Good Morning Beautiful” (Steve Holy). As an in-demand session player, Cerney has performed live or recorded with a list of superstars that includes the Dixie Chicks, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, and Jackson Browne. In November of 2010, Todd Cerney suffered a brain seizure and subsequently learned he had stage four melanoma cancer. On March 14, 2011, Cerney died as a result of the cancer.
Jim Clench was a Canadian musician who is perhaps best remembered for his time in both April Wine and Bachman Turner Overdrive. For April Wine, he played and sang on their early ’70s albums, Electric Jewels, On Record, and Stand Back. He left the group in 1975. Three years later, he joined Bachman Turner Overdrive, replacing Randy Bachman who had just embarked on his solo career. He stayed with the group until their first break-up in 1979, playing and singing on Street Action and Rock ‘N Roll Nights. Clench also played bass and keyboards on Bryan Adams’ debut album. When April Wine reformed during the early ’90s, Clench was back on board. He played on their next four studio albums until leaving again in 2006. Jim Clench, aged 61, passed away on November 2, 2010. Cause of death was not immediately released.