Died On This Date (June 24, 2008) Ira B. Tucker / Sang Lead For The Dixie Hummingbirds
themusicsover Ira B. Tucker
May 17, 1925 – June 24, 2008
Ira B. Tucker Sr. was the lead singer for the celebrated gospel vocal group, the Dixie Hummingbirds. Joining the group at the age of 13, Tucker fronted them for the next 70 years. They have been called a direct inspiration for the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Jackie Wilson and Aretha Franklin. Tucker died of heart failure at the age of 83.
Michael Brecker was a highly regarded and influential jazz saxophonist who many considered the greatest since 
Davy Graham was an influential British acoustic guitarist who came to prominence during the British folk revival of the 1960s. He has been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Bert Jansch, Paul Simon, John Renbourn, and Jimmy Page. He has also been noted as the founder of world music in that he was one of the first to incorporate elements from other cultures into his music. By the late ’60s, Graham had all but walked away from his music career, choosing instead to do charity work and teach guitar. He made a brief return to the stage and studio around 2005, but died of lung cancer on December 15, 2008. He was 68.
Byron Lee was a Jamaican musician, band leader and producer who has been credited for introducing the electric bass to Jamaica. He formed the Dragonaires in the early ’50s. They went on to become one of the most successful and influential ska bands Jamaica has ever known. As a producer, Lee worked with the likes of the Maytals. He later bought a recording studio and turned it into the best of it’s kind in Jamaican, hosting the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon among other major acts. In 2007, it became known that Lee was being treated for bladder cancer. Although he was no longer able to perform with the Dragonaires, he continued on in a management capacity. Byron Lee died of cancer at the age of 73.
Antonio Luis Alves de Souza was respected Brazilian drummer who, with his group, Olodum played a unique blend of Oludum percussion and reggae which they called samba reggae. In 1990, de Souza was invited by Paul Simon to play on his Rhythm of the Saints album and in 1991, to perform with him at his huge Central Park concert. In lieu of payment, de Souza asked Simon to give him money to purchase an old building that eventually housed an educational program for local adults and children. In 1996, de Souza performed in