Died On This Date (June 26, 2006) Johnny Jenkins / Blues Guitarist

Johnny Jenkins
March 5, 1939 – June 26, 2006

Johnny Jenkins was a flashy electric blues guitarist who, during the early ’60s lead a Memphis band called the Pinetoppers.  In 1962, Jenkins and the band were at the legendary Stax studio working on a new record when his driver – Jenkins didn’t have a driver’s license – was offered a chance to record a track during some leftover studio time.  That driver happened to be Otis Redding, and the song he recorded was “These Arms Of Mine,” which would launch his career.  Jenkins played on that track and was eventually offered the lead guitar position in Redding’s band, but declined – as the story goes – because he was afraid of flying.  Redding, of course died a few years later in a plane crash.  In the meantime, Jenkins was building his own following, thanks in part to his flashy guitar playing and on-stage gimmicks that were later replicated by one of his biggest fans, Jimi Hendrix.  Although he had released a couple of critically acclaimed albums, Jenkins found only moderate success so he all but retired from the music business in the early ’70s.  One of his early albums, Ton-Ton Maoute!, featured young session player Duane Allman and is considered to be a southern blues/rock essential.  He made a brief comeback during the mid ’90s and released three more albums.  Johnny Jenkins was 67 when he died of a stroke on June 26, 2006.

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Died On This Date (June 15, 1968) Wes Montgomery / Jazz Legend

John “Wes” Montgomery
March 6, 1925 – June 15, 1968

The brother of fellow jazz greats, Buddy Montgemery and Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery was an acclaimed jazz guitarist whose style of playing strongly influenced the likes of, not only jazz artists like Pat Metheny an George Benson, but also such rock greats as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and  Joe Satriani.  A relative late-comer to music, Montgomery taught himself to play the guitar at the age of nineteen, and although he could not read music, he had the uncanny ability to learn by ear.  Throughout his short career by jazz standards, Montgomery was known to astound the likes of John Coltrane (who asked him to join his band), and Cannonball Aderley (who helped him get his first record deal) with his supurb playing.   Wes Montgomery died of a heart attack at the young age of 45.

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Died On This Date (June 2, 2008) Bo Diddley / Blues Icon

Bo Diddley (Born Ellas Otha Bates)
December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008

Known as “The Originator,” Bo Diddley was arguably THE flash point of rock ‘n roll.  He took the blues and injected a shot of the devil into it, forever bridging the gap between the two art forms.  As a singer, guitarist and songwriter, Diddley was a direct influence on many of the greatest artists in rock history.  The “Bo Diddley Beat” directly inspired the likes of Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, the Grateful Dead, U2, George Thorogood, Elton John and countless others. Bo Diddley died of heart failure on June 2, 2008.  He was 79.

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Died On This Date (June 1, 2008) Alton Kelley / Famed Psychedelic Rock Poster Artist

Alton Kelley
June 17, 1940 – June 1, 2008

Alton Kelley, was a  graphic artist who created some of the most iconic images in rock history.  Along with partner, Stanley Mouse, Kelly created the “skull and roses” logo for the Grateful Dead.  He was also designed or co-designed album covers or posters for such acts as Steve Miller Band, Journey, Jimi Hendrix, Big Brother & The Holding Company, and Quicksilver Messenger Service.   He helped launch concert poster as a legitimate art form.  Alton Kelley died after a long struggle with osteoporosis at the age of 67.

kelley

Died On This Date (April 7, 1981) Kit Lambert / Managed The Who

Kit Lambert
May 11, 1935 – April 7, 1981

kitKit Lambert was the son of British composer, Constant Lambert. After a stint in the army he returned to Britain to work in film. He teamed up with director Chris Stamp to make a documentary about an unknown band. That band was the High Numbers who would later become better known as the Who. The film would never be finished as Lambert decided to manage the Who instead. It was Lambert who convinced Pete Townshend to move on from their simple pops songs and start to create the more complex sounds that would result in their classic Tommy album. The resulting success of the Who ultimate lead to the demise of their relationship with Lambert who was eventually replaced. The ’70s were not good to Lambert as he continued to deal with a substance abuse problem. At one point he was made a Ward of the Court in order to avoid prison on drug charges. Because of this, he barely saw any money from the fortune that was made of off his productions of Who and Jimi Hendrix albums. Kit Lambert died on April 7, 1981 of a cerebral hemorrhage he suffered after falling down the stairs at his mother’s house.