Died On This Date (April 1, 2009) Duane Jarvis / Respected L.A. Singer Songwriter

Duane Jarvis
August 22, 1957 – April 1, 2009

duane-jarvisDuane Jarvis was one of those great talents that should have been more famous than they were.  Although Jarvis was born in Oregon, both Los Angeles and Nashville like to claim him as their own as well.   Much more than a superb singer and songwriter, Jarvis was also a master of the guitar, mandolin and bass.  Over the years he has worked with the Divinyls, Rosie Flores, Dave Alvin, John Prine, Victoria Williams, Dwight Yoakam, M. Ward, and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits.  Duane Jarvis died of cancer on April 1, 2009.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.


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Died On This Date (March 24, 2010) John Ciambotti / Bassist For Clover; Played With Elvis Costello

John Ciambotti
DOB Unknown – March 24, 2010

john-ciambottiJohn Ciambotti was a respected bass player who, as part of the ’70s group Clover, played in Elvis Costello’s band for the recording of My Aim is True.  Clover formed in 1967, and while building a San Francisco following, it served as a launching pad for the likes of Huey Lewis and Jeff Porcaro.  In 1977, the group was hired to back Costello on what would be his much-lauded debut album.  When Clover broke up in 1978, Ciambotti went on to be one of the industry’s most reliable session players.  He has played on landmark recordings by the likes of Carlene Carter, John Prine and Lucinda Williams.  In recent years, Ciambotti worked as a chiropractor and holistic healer specializing on musicians.  On March 24, John Ciambotti, age 67, died of an apparent abdominal aneurysm.




Died On This Date (February 23, 2003) Howie Epstein / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Howie Epstein
July 21, 1955 – February 23, 2003

Before Howie Epstein became a member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers he was playing behind John Hiatt in the ’70s (Slug Line, Two Bit Monsters), and Del Shannon in the ’80s.  It was while working on a Petty-produced Del Shannon album, that Epstein was offered a spot in Petty’s band.  He jumped at the chance and made his live debut alongside Petty on September 1, 1982.  Four days later, he was playing in front of one of the biggest rock crowds in history at the legendary US Festival in Southern California.  In 1988, Epstein met and began a romantic and professional relationship with Carlene Carter who was the daughter of June Carter and Carl Smith, and recently divorced from Nick Lowe.  Epstein helped revive Carter’s career which included a Grammy nomination in 1991.  Epstein was also building a solid reputation as a producer, even earning a Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy for John Prine’s The Missing Years.   Epstein died on February 23, 2003 from the effects of drug abuse, although not from an overdose.