Died On This Date (January 15, 2015) Kim Fowley / American Musician, Producer & Manager
themusicsover Kim Fowley
July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015
Kim Fowley was an American producer, musician, singer, songwriter, manager, disc jockey, music publisher, and film maker who is perhaps best remembered for forming and managing the Runaways. And legend has it that he was the one who created the phenomenon of lighting one’s match/lighter at a concert. Born in Los Angeles, Fowley got into the music business during the ’60s, initially producing and publishing novelty hits like “Alley Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles (which was basically just Fowley with mostly anonymous studio musicians) and “Popsicles and Icicles” by the Murmaids. The list of artists he either produce or write/co-write songs reads like a who’s who of ’70s rock and pop. That list includes Gene Vincent, KISS, Warren Zevon, Cat Stevens, Helen Reddy, Alice Cooper, the Byrds, and Kris Kristofferson. In 1975, he met Joan Jett who was looking to put an all-girl band together. A couple of weeks later, he met Sandy West outside of The Rainbow Bar and Grill on Sunset Blvd. Fowley gave Jett’s phone number to West, and the Ruaways were born. In 2010, Fowley was portrayed by Michael Shannon in the film, The Runaways. During his final years, he could be heard sharing his vast knowledge of pop music and pop culture via his regular program on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on SiriusXM. Kim Fowley was 75 when he died of bladder cancer on January 15, 2015.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.
What You Should Own
Tony Sheridan was an early English rock and roll singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most often recognized for his work with the pre-fame Beatles. He holds the honor of being only one of two non-Beatles to ever be credited on one of the groups recordings – the other being 
Big Jim Sullivan was one of the most requested and prolific session guitarists that England ever produced. Over a career that spanned over 50 years, he played on around 1000 records that charted in the UK, more than 50 reached number one. Legend has it that he played on upwards of 3000 records a year during the height of his career. Sullivan was just 14 when he started learning to play the guitar, and in just two years, he was playing professionally. In 1959, he joined a band called the Wildcats who were backing Marty Wilde at the time. The following year, the Wildcats backed 
Joe South was an Atlanta-born singer-songwriter who penned some of the most popular songs of his era. South was given his first guitar when he was just 11. A quick learner, he was playing on his local radio station within a year. Gifted electronically as well, South figured out how to build his own tiny radio station so he could broadcast his songs over the local airwaves. He apparently mounted it in his car in order to stay one step ahead of the FCC. In 1958, South scored a minor novelty hit with “The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor,” which generally resurfaces on the radio each year around Halloween. By the early ’60s, South was making a name for himself as a songwriter. His songs were either recorded or performed live by the likes of Billy Joe Royal (“Down In The Boondocks”), 
