Died On This Date (April 7, 1981) Kit Lambert / Managed The Who

Kit Lambert
May 11, 1935 – April 7, 1981

kitKit Lambert was the son of British composer, Constant Lambert. After a stint in the army he returned to Britain to work in film. He teamed up with director Chris Stamp to make a documentary about an unknown band. That band was the High Numbers who would later become better known as the Who. The film would never be finished as Lambert decided to manage the Who instead. It was Lambert who convinced Pete Townshend to move on from their simple pops songs and start to create the more complex sounds that would result in their classic Tommy album. The resulting success of the Who ultimate lead to the demise of their relationship with Lambert who was eventually replaced. The ’70s were not good to Lambert as he continued to deal with a substance abuse problem. At one point he was made a Ward of the Court in order to avoid prison on drug charges. Because of this, he barely saw any money from the fortune that was made of off his productions of Who and Jimi Hendrix albums. Kit Lambert died on April 7, 1981 of a cerebral hemorrhage he suffered after falling down the stairs at his mother’s house.



Died On This Date (January 10, 1997) Kenny Pickett / The Creation

Kenny Pickett
September 3, 1947 – January 10, 1997

Kenny Pickett at front

Kenny Pickett was the lead singer of British mod band, the Creation.  With a sound and style similar to the Kinks and the Who, many have wondered why they were never more popular.  They had solid songwriting, a great vocalist and a guitarist who Pete Townshend once asked to join the Who.  At one point Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones was in the band.  Their “Making Time” is one of the greatest rock songs of the era.  Although they never really caught on in the UK or the US, they were pretty popular in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. And the great independent label, Creation Records is said to be named after them.  Pickett suffered a fatal heart attack on January 10, 1997.

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Our Music Is Red - With Purple Flashes - The Creation

Died On This Date (December 2, 1997) Michael Hedges / Acoustic Guitar Great

Michael Hedges
December 31, 1953 – December 2, 1997

Michael Hedges was a New Age multi-instrumentalist who is mostly remembered for his stellar acoustic guitar work.  Hedges was still in college when he was signed to respected folk, acoustic and new age label, Windham Hill, in the early ’80s.  His first two albums for the label can, as far as acoustic guitar records are concerned, rightfully stand alongside the best of John Fahey or Leo Kottke.  In later recordings, he occasionally branched out to include vocals and more pop leaning songs and instrumentation.  Guitar greats no less than Pete Townshend, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Vai and David Crosby have all praised his guitar talent.  On December 2, 1997, Michael Hedges, age 43, was killed when he lost control and crashed his car while driving along a slick and windy road along the coast north of San Francisco.

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Breakfast In the Field - Michael Hedges

Died On This Date (November 5, 2005) Link Wray / Early Electric Guitar Great

Fred “Link” Wray
May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005

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Link Wray was a loud playing rock ‘n roll guitarist who was credited for popularizing the “power chord” which would be become the staple for hard rock, heavy metal and punk in later years.  Nothing better exemplifies Wray’s loud use of the power chord than his 1958 instrumental hit single, “Rumble.”  Wray began singing and playing guitar as a youngster, but when he caught tuberculosis while serving in Korea, a lung was removed, so he had to give up singing, and therefore put more emphasis on his guitar.  During the mid ’50s, Wray and his group were the house band for a daily Washington DC music television program called Milt Grant’s House Party, where they backed up the likes of Ricky Nelson and Fats Domino.  It was while entertaining the show’s audience between acts that Wray came up with the instrumental that would later be called “Rumble” when picked up and released by Cadence Records.  Even though the song had no lyrics, it caused a bit of a stir upon release.  Due to it’s “aggressive” sound and title, many radio stations banned it because they felt it glorified juvenile delinquency.   Wray, and in particular, that song have been noted as direct influences on the likes of Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young.  During the ’70s and ’80s, Wray’s career experienced a renaissance during the rockabilly revival.  He joined up with Robert Gordon for a couple of critically acclaimed and relatively successful rockabilly flavored albums.  A number of Wray’s classic recordings have found new life thanks to prominent placement in such films as Pulp Fiction, Pink Flamingos and Independence Day. Link Wray was 76 when he passed away on November 5, 2005.

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Link Wray

Died On This Date (September 7, 1978) Keith Moon / The Who

Keith Moon
August 23, 1946 – September 7, 1978

Keith Moon was one of rock’s greatest drummers.  Playing behind  the Who, Moon’s sloppy yet spectacular playing fueled some of the greatest songs in rock history.  Moon began playing the drums at the age of 12, and at 16 he was asked to join the Who after Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle witnessed him nearly destroy his drum kit at the audition.  That lead to the band doing the same to their instruments at the end of their early shows, a practice that has been imitated by rock bands ever since.  Moon was also just as destructive off stage as many a hotel manager can attest to.  Legend has it that he was banned for life from Holiday Inn, Sheraton and Hilton Hotel chains.   Keith Moon died of an accidental overdose on September 7, 1978, just two weeks after the release of the classic Who Are You album.  The drug he overdosed on was prescribed to help him in his battle against alcoholism.  He died in a flat owned by Harry NilssonMama Cass Elliot died in the same room of that flat four years earlier.

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Tommy (Deluxe Edition) - The Who