Died On This Date (June 25, 1987) Boudleaux Bryant / Wrote Many Pop Hits

Boudleaux Bryant
February 13, 1920 – June 25, 1987

Along with his wife, Felice, Boudleaux Bryant wrote such early pop hits as “Bye Bye Love,” “Rocky Top,” and “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” the last two being big hits for the Everly Brothers. The future Mr. & Mrs. Boudleaux met in 1945 and so began a successful songwriting partnership (and marriage) that would last some forty years. During that time, they wrote songs for a virtual who’s who of popular music. That list includes Tony Bennett, the Grateful Dead, Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Nazareth, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Simon & Garfunkel, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly and Sarah Vaughan. Together they penned over 1500 recorded songs which obviously landed them into several songwriter halls of fame. Boudleaux Bryant passed away from natural causes on June 25, 1987



Died On This Date (May 10, 2010) Frank Frazetta / Created Several Iconic Album Covers

Frank Frazetta
February 9, 1928 – May 10, 2010

Photo by David W. Coulter

Frank Frazetta was a Brooklyn-born illustrator, painter, and sculptor who is best remembered for his fantasy and science fiction artwork that graced the pages and covers of countless comic books, movie posters, graphic novels and other books of fiction.  In particular, he helped define the standard artwork style for the “sword and sorcery” genre.  His contributions to popular music were no less important as his iconic artwork graced album covers throughout the ’70s and early ’80s, as well as a handful in more recent years.  His best known covers are Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ With Disaster,” “Molly Hatchet,” and “Beatin’ The Odds.”  He also provided the cover art for Nazareth’s “Expect No Mercy,” Yngwie Malmsteen’s “War To End All Wars,” and most recently, Wolfmother’s “Wolfmother.”  Frank Frazetta was 82 when he suffered a fatal stroke on May 10, 2010.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com
Click to find at amazon.com

Died On This Date (April 30, 1999) Darrell Sweet / Nazareth Drummer

Darrell Sweet
May 16, 1947 – April 30, 1999

darrell-sweetAt the time of his death of a heart attack in 1999, Darrell Sweet was co-founder and drummer for the Scottish hard rock band, Nazareth. By the 1975 release of Hair Of The Dog, Nazareth were bona fide international superstars. And as if the title track weren’t great enough, Hair Of The Dog also begat rock’s definitive version of “Love Hurts,” perhaps the greatest power ballad of its generation.  On April 30, 1999, Darrell Sweet died of a heart attack he suffered at the New Albany Amphitheater where the band was scheduled to perform later that evening. He was 51.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Hair of the Dog - Nazareth

Died On This Date (April 22, 2003) Felice Bryant / Wrote Many Pop Hits

Felice Bryant
August 7, 1925 – April 22, 2003

Along with her husband Boudleaux, Felice Bryant, wrote such early pop hits as “Bye Bye Love,” “Rocky Top,” and “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” the last two being big hits for the Everly Brothers. The future Mr. & Mrs. Boudleaux met in 1945 and so began a successful songwriting partnership (and marriage) that would last some forty years. During that time, they wrote songs for a virtual who’s who of popular music. That list includes Tony Bennett, the Grateful Dead, Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Nazareth, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Simon & Garfunkel, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly and Sarah Vaughan. Together they penned over 1500 recorded songs which obviously landed them into several songwriter halls of fame. Felice Bryant passed away from natural causes on April 22, 2003.