Died On This Date (September 4, 2012) Hilde Heltberg / Norwegian Singer-Songwriter
themusicsover Hilde Heltberg
September 30, 1959 – September 4, 2011
Hilde Heltberg was a popular singer-songwriter from Oslo, Norway. She launched her career during the late ’70s, finding inspiration from the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton. By the early ’80s, Heltberg had played in such local groups as Uncle John’s Band and X-tra. She released her first solo album in 1982, and went on to release a total of 12. She competed in the esteemed Eurovision Song Contest on four separate occasions. Hilde Heltberg was 51 when she died of cancer on September 4, 2011.
What You Should Own
Wild Man Fischer was a cultish singer-songwriter whose unconventional music and actions could be attributed to mental illness. He’s been called severely paranoid schizophrenic, manic depressive, and an acid casualty. Fischer was kicked out of high school for singing in class, and at 16 was institutionalized after attacking his mother with a knife. Upon his release the following year, he landed on the streets of Los Angeles where he continued to sing his outlandish songs to pedestrians at just 10 cents each. Another venue he enjoyed was Dodger Stadium where he serenaded fans while selling peanuts. He also entered area talent shows, and it was at one of these that he caught the attention of 
Andrew Gold was an American Singer-Songwriter who, over a career that spanned nearly four decades, scored hits with “Oh What A Lonely Boy,” “Thank You For Being A Friend,” “Never Let Her Slip Away,” and “Final Frontier.” Born into a show business family – his mother, Marni Nixon provided the singing voices for many actresses in musicals, while his father, Ernest Gold was an Oscar-winning composer, Gold joined their ranks by his early 20s. His first band of note, Bryndle, included 
Phoebe Snow was an American singer-songwriter who is perhaps best remembered for her 1975 hit, “Poetry Man.” Regularly exposed to music while growing up, Snow picked up the guitar at an early age. She was still in her teens when she began playing at amateur nights throughout New York’s storied Greenwich Village folk clubs. It was at one of these venues that Snow was discovered by an executive at Shelter Records who signed her and released her self-titled debut album, Phoebe Snow in July of 1974. The album included her Top 5 hit, “Poetry Man.” The album ultimately reached #4 on the Billboard album charts and earned Snow a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, a cover of Rolling Stone, and several memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live. In 1975, Snow gave birth to her severely brain-damaged daughter Valerie, but instead of placing her in a care facility like most, she opted to care for her herself, which she did until Valerie passed away in 2007. Throughout Snow’s career, she released numerous critical and fan favorite albums and performed with a who’s who of pop royalty. That list includes Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Queen, and Bonnie Raitt, to name just a few. In 1997, Snow sang the Rosanne theme during the closing moments of the final episode, and years later, became perhaps the most unlikely person in history to sing at both Camp David (for President Bill Clinton), AND at Howard Stern’s wedding. On January 19, 2010, Phoebe Snow suffered a brain hemorrhage and was placed in a medically induced coma. She briefly regained consciousness but ultimately passed away on April 26, 2011. She was 58.
