Died On This Date (October 30, 2011) George Rountree / Four Tops Musical Director
themusicsover George Rountree
May 13, 1950 – October 30,2011
George Rountree is perhaps best remembered as the long time music director for legendary Motown group, the Four Tops. For over 30 years, Rountree helped the quartet deliver its best possible sound to adoring fans around the world. He also served as their arranger, composer, and keyboardist from time to time. Throughout the years, Rountree also performed with the likes of Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Temptations, Martha Reeves, and Frankie Valli, to name a few. George Rountree was 61 when he passed away on October 30, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Mary Wells was an American R&B singer whose voice helped usher in the Motown sound with such earl hits as 1964’s “My Guy.” Although Wells’ only #1 hit, it will go down in history as the song that broke the Beatles’ 1964 chart-topping streak. After a few moderate hits, Wells left Motown in 1965 and made a comparatively small amount of recordings until she all but retired in 1970. The late ’80s found Wells launching a much-welcomed comeback, releasing a couple well-received albums. But then in 1990, Wells was diagnosed with larynx cancer for which she had to spend what was left of her money on treatment. Thankfully friends and fans like Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Martha Reeves, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart and more donated large sums of money to help her out. On July 26, 1992, while in a hospital getting treated for pneumonia, Wells passed away from the effects of the cancer at the age of 49.
