Died On This Date (January 30, 1980) Warren Smith / Rockabilly Pioneer

Warren Smith
February 7, 1932 – January 30, 1980

Warren Smith was a rockabilly pioneer who, in 1956, had a hit with his first record, “Rock & Roll Ruby.”  It was recorded by Sam Phillips for his Sun Records and ended up outselling the Sun debuts from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins.  Smith continued to record for Sun through the ’50s, but only saw moderate success, likely due to the fact that the label was putting all of its promotional muscle behind his more famous label mates.  During the ’60s, Smith switched gears and released several country records for Liberty Records.  Smith’s career faltered due to drug and alcohol issues, but he found himself back in demand during the rockabilly revival of the late ’70s.   On January 30, 1980, Warren Smith, age 47, died of a heart attack on the eve of what would have been his comeback tour of Europe.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon

Warren Smith

Died On This Date (January 19, 1998) Carl Perkins / Rockabilly Icon

Carl Perkins
April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998

carl-perkinsCarl Perkins was a rockabilly icon whose early successes helped raise Sun Records to its legendary status.  He and label mates, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis were dubbed the Million Dollar Quartet.  His biggest claim to fame was of course, “Blue Suede Shoes,” but many of his other songs have been recorded by the likes of Presley, Cash, the Judds, the Beatles (collectively and individually), Brian Setzer, and Patsy Cline.  Perkins stayed busy touring, recording and appearing on radio and television through most of the ’50s and early ’60s but found his music falling out of favor at radio during the British Invasion of the mid ’60s.  In later years he collaborated with such greats as Paul McCartney, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Bono, and Bob Dylan.  In 1992, Perkins learned he had throat cancer and was 65 when he died as a result of it on January 19, 1998.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Carl Perkins

Died On This Date (October 7, 2009) Steve Ferguson / NRBQ

Steve Ferguson
November 21, 1948 – October 7, 2009

fergusonSteve Ferguson is best remembered as a founding guitarist of the New Rhythm and Blues Quintet (later Quartet), or NRBQ.  Formed in 1967 in Miami, Florida, the group has amassed a fanatical cult following for its musical gumbo of R&B, jazz, rockabilly, blues, country, and bar-band rock ‘n roll.  After playing on just two albums, including a collaboration with Carl Perkins, Ferguson left the group to launch a solo career.  Over the next couple of decades, Ferguson kept busy either playing solo, collaborating with former NRBQ band mates, or  producing the likes of Johnnie Johnson, Chuck Berry’s former pianist.  Although not a name that is recognizable to most music fans, Steve Ferguson is considered one of the era’s greatest and perhaps most underrated guitar players.  He died of cancer at the 61 on October 7, 2009.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

NRBQ