Born on Christmas Day, 1937, O’Kelly Isley would, along with his brothers, Ronald Isley, Vernon Isley and Rudolph Isley grow up to write and record some of the greatest songs of R&B. Such hits as “Shout,”“It’s Your Thing,” and “The Lady (Part 1).” The Isley Brothers’ songs have been recorded by the, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Yardbirds, Alicia Keys, Aaliyah, the Beatles, and many many more! And who could forget the great scene in Animal House when Otis Day & The Knights’ version of “Shout!” made a great movie even better. O’Kelly Isley passed away from a sudden heart attack in 1986. He was 48.
As a much in-demand bass guitar journeyman, Rick Grech landed the ultimate rock dream job in 1969 when he was nabbed to play alongside Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Steve Winwood in the newly formed Blind Faith. After a disappointing start, Blind Faith disbanded so Grech stayed on with Winwood in the reformed Traffic. However, Grech’s drug use got in the way, so he was let go from the band and went on to do session work for the likes of Rod Stewart, Muddy Waters and Ronnie Lane. By the mid-70s, Grech grew frustrated with his career and tired of the music industry in general so he retired and went into the carpet business. His drug of choice became alcohol which reportedly led to his death from liver and kidney failure at just 43.
Victor “Vivian” Stanshall
March 21, 1943 – March 5, 1995
Vivian Stanshall was, among other things, an eccentric English musician, songwriter and singer. He is perhaps best remembered a founding member of the eclectic psychedelic jazz rock band, Bonzo Dog Band. Formed in 1962 while Stanshall was in art school, the ensemble soon became popular thanks, in part to its vaudeville-type live shows and revolving group of invited guests. That list included Eric Clapton, Elton John, and Eric Idle. Of note to current indie rock fans, Death Cab For Cutie is also the title of a song written by Stanshall. As the band’s popularity increased, so did the demand for their live show. It has been reported that Stanshall battled with stage fright and increasing panic attacks so he turned to prescription drugs and alcohol for release. That, plus the others getting burned out by the heavy touring schedule, lead to their break-up in 1970. Following the Bonzo Dog Band, Stanshall continued to form other, but less notable bands over the next several years. On March 5, 1995, Vivian Stanshall died in his bed as the result of a fire due to faulty wiring. He was 51 years old.
Richard Manuel was a Canadian multi-instrumentalist and singer who is best remembered as a long-time member of perhaps the greatest “back up” band in history, the Band. Manuel first started working with his former Band mates when, at just 17, he joined rockabilly great, Ronnie Hawkins’ backing band, the Hawks. About two years later, that unit morphed into the Band, which would count Manuel, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson as its most celebrated members. Manual mostly played piano in the group. When Bob Dylan decided to go electric during the mid ’60s, it was the Band he called to serve as his backing band. And when he went on hiatus after being injured in a motorcycle accident in 1967, the Band holed up in a big pink house in Woodstock, New York to record what would become their acclaimed debut album, Music From Big Pink. Manuel wrote its “Tears of Rage” (with Dylan), “In A Station,” “We Can Talk,” and “Lonesome Suzy.” The band continued to release respected albums and collaborate with other performers, all culminating in a remarkable “farewell concert” on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. In front of an unsuspecting audience, the Band gave the show like no other, sharing the stage with such invited guests and admirers as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Dylan, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison and more. Each artists’ performance was arguably the single greatest of their careers. The evening was captured on film by Martin Scorsese and released as The Last Waltz, considered one of rock music’s greatest concert films. Sadly however, Manual was a chronic substance abuser along the way. His inner demons finally got the best of him when, on March 4, 1986, he hung himself in his hotel room after a show. Richard Manual was 42 when he died.
Although he lost his site to retinoblastoma at just eight months, Jeff Healey would grow to become one of the greatest blues guitarists the world had ever seen. He could definitely hold his own alongside such greats as Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Buddy Guy. Beginning at age three, Healey would master the unusual style of playing his guitar flat on his lap. He would start his career in various jazz bands but would later dabble in blues rock with the release of his 1988 platinum debut album, See The Light. Throughout the years, he amassed a huge personal record collection that included a reported 25,000+ 78s, mostly made up of his true love, Jazz. Healey died of cancer on March 2, 2008, just a few weeks before the release of his tenth album, Mess Of Blues, his first rock album in eight years.