Died On This Date (July 3, 1969) Brian Jones / The Rolling Stones

Brian Jones
February 28, 1942 – July 3, 1969

brian-jonesMember of the 27 Club

Brian Jones was a multi-instrumentalist who is most famously known as founding member and guitarist for the Rolling Stones.  By the age of 17, Jones was already adept at the clarinet and saxophone and had taken up the guitar.   While in high school, Jones got his then 14 year-old girlfriend Valerie Corbett pregnant and was forced to leave the school in shame.  When he announced to Corbett that he wanted her to have an abortion, she refused and broke up with him for good.  After the child’s birth, Corbett gave him to an infertile couple who apparently never learned  the identity of the boy’s father.  Corbett later married a friend of Jones.   By the early ’60s, Jones was in London where he became immersed in he local blues scene, playing with the likes of Alexis Korner, Jack Bruce and Bill Wyman.  In a short time, he was forming the nucleus of what would become the Rolling Stones who played their first gig on July 12, 1962.   When the group eventually began recording, it was Jones’ exceptional abilities on various instruments that would help define the Rolling Stones sound.  As the band’s fame and fortune grew, tension between Jones and the other members followed the same trajectory.  By all accounts, his growing addiction to various drugs and alcohol didn’t help.  By the summer of 1968, Jones was barely contributing to the band’s recordings, his final participation being on Beggars Banquet before parting ways the following year.  By all appearances, his life was on a downward spiral due to his drug dependency, his estrangement from the band that he had created, as well as his growing legal and financial troubles.  On the night of July 3, 1969, Brian Jones was found unconscious (and perhaps dead) at the bottom of his swimming pool.  As expected, there are many theories about the mysterious death of Brian Jones. Was it suicide?  An accident?  Did his bad heart or liver simply give out as the coroner stated?  Or was he perhaps murdered by a worker at the house?  Years later, that builder, Frank Thorogood allegedly confessed to the murder on his deathbed.  Although that “confession” was made to one-time Rolling Stones driver, Tom Keylock, many doubt its validity since there were no witnesses to the “murder” or the “confession.”

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Aftermath - The Rolling Stones

Died On This Date (July 3, 1972) Mississippi Fred McDowell / Blues Icon

Mississippi Fred McDowell
January 12, 1904 – July 3, 1972

Mississippi Fred McDowell was born outside of Memphis and picked up the guitar at the age of 14.   By his early 20s, McDowell was playing dances in and around Memphis, mastering the art of the slide guitar.  In the late ’50s, he was exposed to a larger audience thanks to recordings he made for folklorist, Alan Lomax.  He was a direct influence on Bonnie Raitt, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, the Rolling Stones and countless others.  McDowell died of cancer at the age of 67.

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Mississippi Fred McDowell

 

Died On This Date (July 2, 2009) Tom Keylock / Rolling Stones Confidant

Tom Keylock
August 9, 1926 – July 2, 2009

With Brian Jones

Tom Keylock was initially the Rolling Stones’ driver during the early years of their career.  Due to his strong loyalty to the band, he quickly moved up through the ranks to more care-taker and confidant of the group.   His duties over the years included acting as body guard, road manager, escort, cook and “fixer.”  He established a personal relationship with the guys, who oftentimes sought his counsel on relationships and such.  When Brian Jones drowned in 1969, it was Keylock that was one of the first on the scene, resulting in unfounded rumors about his possible involvement in the mysterious death.  After leaving the Stones, Keylock started his own chauffeur company, and in the ’80s, he worked as a driver for England’s football team.  He passed away at the age of 82.

Died On This Date (June 28, 2009) Tom Wilkes / Grammy Winning Album Cover Artist

Tom Wilkes
July 30, 1939 – June 28, 2009

Photo by Fritz Drumm
Photo by Fritz Drumm

One of the many unsung heroes of popular music, Tom Wilkes was a designer who created the covers for, among others,  Janis Joplin’s Pearl, the Rolling Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet, Neil Young’s Harvest, and the London Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Tommy, for which he won a Grammy.  Throughout his career, Wilkes was the art director for the Monterey Pop Festival, A&M Records and ABC Records.  Wilkes passed away in his home at the age of 69.  Cause of death not immediately released.

Died On This Date (June 14, 1995) Rory Gallagher / Irish Blues Rock God

Liam Rory Gallagher
March 2, 1948 – June 14, 1995

Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Rory Gallagher was an Irish blues rock guitar great who sold more than 30 million albums and is considered one of the greatest musicians Ireland has ever produced. Gallagher first began making waves with his mid ’60s blues rock trio, Taste.  The band began building a solid reputation in London and soon found themselves opening for such bands as Cream and Blind Faith.  By the early ’70s, Taste had broken up and Gallagher was now leading a trio under his own name, making some of his best and most popular albums.  In 1972, the trend-setting Melody Maker magazine named him Top Musician Of The Year.  It was during this period that Gallagher was being strongly considered for the Rolling Stones, Deep Purple AND Canned Heat.  By the ’80s however, Gallagher was falling deeper into drug and alcohol addiction, and his musical output suffered from it.  He made his final performance in January of 1995, and was in such bad health, he soon needed a liver transplant.  Unfortunately, an infection developed following the surgery, and he died at the age of 47.

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Irish Tour (Live) - Rory Gallagher