Died On This Date (December 2, 2014) Bobby Keys / Longtime Rolling Stones Saxophonist
themusicsover Bobby Keys
December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014
Bobby Keys was one of the greatest saxophone side men the rock world has ever known. Born in Lubbock County, Texas, Keys picked up the saxophone at an early age, and by the time he was 15, he was touring with Bobby Vee and Buddy Holly. Throughout the years, he played on 100s of recordings, along with albums by Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, the Who, Eric Clapton, and Elvis Presley, to name but a few. But it was with the Rolling Stones that Keys truly made his biggest contributions to popular music. He can be heard on every Stones album between 1969 and 1974, and from 1980 to their most recent. He’s also played on nearly every tour since 1970. His most famous solo is arguably the one he played on “Brown Sugar.” Suffering from Cirrhosis in later years, Bobby Keys passed away in his home on December 2, 2014. He was 70.
Thanks to David Plastik for the assist.
Charlie Haden was an American jazz bassist who was most notably part of the Free Jazz movement of the ’50s and ’60s. It was his work in Ornette Coleman‘s quartet during that time that endeared him to fans and critics alike. The Coleman albums on which he played been called “game changers”, but it was 1959’s The Shape Of Jazz To Come that is considered a landmark of the genre. During the late ’60s and early ’70s, Haden worked with the great Keith Jarrett, playing on several albums that received critical acclaim as well. In 1969, Haden formed the Liberation Music Orchestra whose output was more politically based, with Carla Bley contributing heavily. Haden’s most commercially successful period began in the late ’80s with the formation of his Quartet West. The configuration released albums well into the 2000s, The list of artists with whom Haden recorded over the years was not limited to jazz and includes Elvis Costello, Ginger Baker, Beck, Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, and Robert Downey Jr. Haden’s children have enjoyed careers in music as well – his son Joshua Haden is a member of the indie rock band, Spain, while his triplet daughters, Petra Haden, Tanya Haden, and Rachel Haden make up the acclaimed alt-country band, the Haden Triplets. Charlie Haden was 77 when he passed away on July 11, 2014, following a lengthy illness.
Ken Russell was a celebrated British director who courted controversy in both film and television for his use of sexuality and the church within his themes and imagery. Russell made a huge mark on popular music as well with his 1975 rock film Tommy, based on the Who’s album of the same name. The landmark movie starred the band’s Roger Daltrey as Tommy, Pete Townshend, 