Died On This Date (April 12, 2012) Andrew Love / The Memphis Horns
themusicsover Andrew Love
November 21, 1941 – April 12, 2012
Andrew Love was a tenor saxophone player, who along with Wayne Jackson on trumpet, made an indelible mark on popular music as the Memphis Horns . They have been called the greatest horn section soul music has ever known and played on virtually every Stax record that required a horn section. Their signature sound can be heard on iconic Stax recordings from the likes of Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, and Otis Redding, to name a few. If that weren’t enough, they can also be heard on Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Dusty Springfield’s “Son Of A Preacher Man,” and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds.” They were also featured in U2’s film, Rattle And Hum. Throughout their career, Love and Jackson played on more than 80 gold and platinum albums and upwards of 50 Number One singles. In February of 2012, the Memphis Horns were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Andrew Love was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2002 and ultimate died from it on April 12, 2012. He was 70 years old.
Billy Strange was a much-respected guitarist, songwriter, and arranger who made an indelible mark on pop music as one of the top session players in Los Angeles during the 1960s. And as a songwriter, he was no slouch either. Born in Long Beach, California, Strange was just 5 years old when he performed on a local radio station – reportedly winning a yodel contest. Roughly ten years later, he was given his first guitar, and within two years, he was on the road. During the mid ’60s, Strange found himself as part of a collective of L.A. studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, who would go down in history as the players on some of the most important pop, rock, and country records of the era. Most famously, Strange played on landmark recordings by the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), 
On January 8, 1935, Gladys Presley went into a very difficult labor as any expectant mother of twins would. At around 4:00 am, the first of two identical twins arrived stillborn. Having known that twins were on the way, the first was given the name Jessie Garon Presley. About a half hour later, a healthy 
Willie Mitchell is best remembered as the esteemed producer who helped develop the Memphis soul sound of the ’60s and beyond. Mitchell learned to play the trumpet as a child and by the time he was in high school he was playing in local jazz bands. He soon formed his own band that reportedly performed at numerous New Years Eve parties at