Died On This Date (September 21, 2011) John Larson / The Ides Of March

John Larson
DOB Unknown – September 21, 2011

John Larson was a trumpet who is perhaps best remembered for his tenure in the ’60s rock band, the Ides of March, and more specifically, for his performance in their hit song, “Vehicle.”  Larson joined his fellow Chicago-area classmates in the band in 1968 and immediately contributed to their horn-driven sound which was not dissimilar to that of fellow rock band, Chicago, but with perhaps a bit more dirty soul.  When “Vehicle” came out in 1970, it quickly shot to #2 on the Billboard singles chart, and to this day is considered one of the greatest rock songs of its era.  The band’s fan base quickly grew and so did interest in them on the road.  They went on to tour with Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Janis Joplin, to name a few.  They also toured Canada as part of the legendary Festival Express which was filmed and made into a documentary of the same name in 2003.  The group split up in 1973, but reunited in 1990, with Larson on board for their entire run, until his final gig in 2010.  John Larson died of cancer on September 21, 2011.  He was 61.

Thanks Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.

What You Should Own

Vehicle - The Ides of March

Died On This Date (August 28, 2007) Hilly Kristal / Owned CBGB’s

Hilly Kristal
September 23, 1931 – August 28, 2007

Hilly with Little Steven
Hilly Kristal with Little Steven

Opened in 1973, Hilly Kristal’s CBGB became the epicenter of the punk and new wave movement thanks to his early bookings of such acts as Blondie, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Patti Smith, Television and the Ramones.  After moving to New York City after serving in the Marines, Kristal became manager of the storied Village Vanguard jazz club where he booked such acts as Miles Davis.  In 1968, he co-founded the Central Park’s Schaefer Music Festival which, over the next decade, hosted the likes of the Who, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, the Doors and Aerosmith.  In 1973, he opened CBGB – OMFUG, which stood for  “Country, BlueGrass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers.”  He closed the club during a much publicized rent dispute in 2006.  Hilly Kristal died of lung cancer at the age of 75.


Died On This Date (August 16, 1938) Robert Johnson / Blues Icon

Robert Johnson
May 11, 1911 – August 16, 1938

Member of the 27 Club

Although his recording career remarkably spanned roughly one year, Robert Johnson is considered by many to be the most influential blues artists of all time.  And although his entire catalog of recordings fill just two compact discs, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #5 on their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. His minimal recording output couldn’t deny the considerable vocal, guitar-playing and songwriting talent he possessed.  And that fact that not much is known about his history coupled with the fact that only two photographs of him even exist, add to a legend that is as big as any in popular music.  Even the most respected historians of music could, at best, find sources who claimed they heard “this” or “that” about Johnson’s life in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi.  A popular legend has it that he went to a darkened Mississippi crossroad with his guitar and met a man representing the devil who tuned his guitar and played a few songs on it, there bequeathing Johnson phenomenal guitar skills in exchange for is soul.   True or not, Johnson has been called the “grandfather of rock ‘n roll,” a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and has been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Jeff Beck to name just a very few.  Robert Johnson’s death is as mysterious as his life,with the most popular, though disputed story being that he drank whiskey that had been laced with strychnine by the jealous husband of a woman Johnson is said to have flirted with at a juke joint.  He allegedly died a slow and painful death from the poison a few days later, at the age of just 27.  A further testament to the overall mystery surrounding Johnson’s life is the fact there are three separate tombstones said to mark his place of burial.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings - Robert Johnson

Died On This Date (August 6, 1973) Memphis Minnie / Early Blues Great

Memphis Minnie (Born Lizzie Douglas)
June 3, 1897 – August 6, 1973

With a career that spanned an impressive four decades, Memphis Minnie is considered one of the most influential female blues guitarists of all time, and having started her career in the ’20s, she is definitely a blues pioneer.  Minnie learned to play the guitar as a child, and by the time she was 14, she had run away from home and joined the Ringling Brothers circus.  In 1929, she landed her first contract with Columbia Records who released her first hit, “Bumble Bee.”  In the early ’40s, Minnie added the electic guitar to her country blues repertoire, being one of the first blues artists to do so, thus paving the way for Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Jimmy Rogers.  Minnie continued to perform and record until her health started to decline in the mid-’50s, at which time she retired.  She died of a stroke in a Memphis nursing home on August 6, 1973.

 

Died On This Date (June 10, 2010) Barbara Skydel / Veteran Booking Agent

Barbara Skydel
DOB Unknown – June 10, 2010

Barbara Skydel was a well-known and respected booking agent for the better part of the last forty years.  She began her career with Premier Talent Agency where she immediately proved her worth by taking on Led Zeppelin’s legendary 1969 U.S. west coast tour.  Skydel soon found herself working with such acts as Bruce Springsteen, Grand Funk Railroad, Van Halen, U2, and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.  By the mid ’80s, she was a partner at the firm, which by then was one of the biggest in the world.  As the first female executive at a major talent agency, Skydel earned the respect of both peers and artists alike.  No less than U2’s Bono had referred to her as “Aunty Barbara.”  In 2002, Premier merged with the William Morris Agency where Skydel remained as Senior Vice President until her retirement in 2009.  Later acts that she handled included Sebastian Bach, the Pretenders, Keith Richards and the Who.  Barbara Skydel passed away on June 10, 2010.  Cause of death was not immediately released.