Buddy Miles was 60 years old when, on February 26, 2008, he died from congestive heart failure. Miles was the great drummer behind Jimi Hendrix’sBand of Gypsys. Prior to that he spent his teens playing in such bands as the Ink Spots, the Delfonics and withWilson Pickett. In the mid-’80s, Miles was introduced to a whole new generation as the voice of The California Raisins in the popular ad campaign. It is his voice that was heard singing “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” His drums could be heard throughout his career behind the likes of Carlos Santana, Cheech & Chong and even Phish. He also released several mind-blowing albums of his own throughout the years. Mitch Mitchell, drummer for Jimi Hendrix Experience was found dead in a hotel room on November 12, 2008.
Memphis Slim (Born John Chatman)
September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988
Photo By Raeburn Flerlage
Memphis Slim was a jump blues pianist and prolific composer who could count over 500 recordings as his own. He got his start during the early ’30s by playing honky-tonks and dance halls throughout Arkansas and Missouri. In 1939, he migrated up to Chicago where he started out playing gigs with Big Bill Broonzy. In 1940, Slim began making his own records. One of those recordings, “Nobody Loves Me” has been covered (as “Every Day I Have The Blues”) by the likes of Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Ella Fitzgerald, and Natalie Cole, to name just a few. Like so many of the blues greats of the first part of the 20th century, Slim made a nice comeback during the folk and blues revival of the early ’60s. He was so respected around the world, that the U.S. Senate once named him an Ambassador-At-Large of Good Will. Memphis Slim was 72 when he died of renal failure on February 24, 1988.
Ritchie Valens (Born Richard Valenzuela)
May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959
L-R: The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly
Ritchie Valens was one of the founding fathers of rock ‘n roll as well as a pioneer of Chicano rock. Born in Los Angeles, Valens was raised by parents who embraced the modern America where they now lived, but also kept one foot firmly planted in their Mexican roots. From an early age, Valens was exposed to Mexican folk music, but also absorbed the sounds of R&B and jump blues he heard on the radio. After his one and only audition while just 16 years old, Valens was signed to Bob Keane’s Del-Fi Records in May of 1958. In just a matter of months, Valens released hits like “Donna,” “Come On, Let’s Go,” and of course, “La Bamba,” which quickly became his signature song. He would later become an inspiration for the likes of Los Lobos, Carlos Santana and Los Lonely Boys. But less than a year after he signed his first recording contract, he died in one of pop music’s most famous tragedies. February 3, 1959…a date that has been called “the day the music died.” While on a U.S. mid west tour called the Winter Dance Party, Valens, Buddy Holly, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson were on a small Beechcraft airplane en route from Mason City, IA to Moorhead, MN. The winter weather was taking its toll on the traveling musicians. Waylon Jennings had originally been slated to fly ahead, but gave up his seat to Richardson at the last-minute. Shortly after take off, the plane carrying rock ‘n roll’s brightest new stars crashed into an empty field killing everyone on board. Initial reports blamed pilot error on Roger Peterson, but future examinations vindicated him, putting the blame squarely on the bad weather conditions. Ritchie Valens was just 17 at the time of his death.
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