Died On This Date (March 15, 2015) Mike Porcaro / Bassist For Toto; Session Great

Mike Porcaro
May 29, 1955 – March 15, 2015

mike-porcaroMike Porcaro is perhaps best remembered as the longtime bassist for Toto, however, he didn’t become an official member until he replaced original bassist, David Hungate, in 1982.  He went on to tour and record with the band until his retirement in 2007. He can be heard on such Toto albums as Isolation, Fahrenheit,  The Seventh One, and their popular soundtrack to the motion picture Dune. As an in-demand session player, Porcaro’s list of credits reads like a who’s who of popular music of the past five decades.  That list includes albums by Aretha Franklin, Cher, Country Joe McDonald, Dan Fogelberg, Donna Summer, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Sparks, Steve Perry, Stevie Nicks, and Wanda Jackson.  In 2007, Porcaro retired from playing due to a numbness he was feeling in his fingers, and three years later, it was announced that he was suffering from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or as it is more commonly known, “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”  On March 15, 2015, Mike Porcaro finally lost his brave battle with the disease.  He was 59.

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Died On This Date (November 1, 2013) Bobby Parker / American Blues Guitar Legend

Bobby Parker
August 31, 1937 – November 1, 2013

bobby-parkerBobby Parker was an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter who counted no less than Led Zeppelin and the Beatles as his disciples.  His biggest hit, 1961’s “Watch Your Step,” was covered by Santana, Manfred Mann and the Spencer Davis Group, while its primary lick was borrowed by the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers, Deep Purple and countless more. John Lennon called “Watch Your Step” one of his favorite records of all time.  Born in Louisiana but raised in Los Angeles, California, Parker picked up the guitar at a young age.  During his early professional years, he played for the likes of Bo Diddley, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and the Everly Brothers.  He later toured with Check Berry and Little Richard among others. He settled in Washington, DC during the ’60s and continued to record and perform over the next four decades.  Bobby Parker was 76 when he passed away on November 1, 2013.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.

Died On This Date (November 26, 2011) Keef Hartley / Replaced Ringo Starr in Rory Storm & The Hurricanes

Keith “Keef” Hartley
April 8, 1944 – November 26, 2011

Photo by Jan Persson

Keef Hartley was a British drummer whose first notable gig came when he replaced Ringo Starr in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes when Starr was hired away by the Beatles.  It wouldn’t be a stretch in fact, to call Storm and his band equally popular as the Beatles throughout England – albeit during their early days only.  Following his tenure with Storm, Hartley went on to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.  He can be heard on such Mayall albums as The Blues Alone and Crusade.   Hartley went on to form the Keef Hartley Band – a jazz rock combo in the vein of Chicago.  In 1969, the group played Woodstock, but unfortunately followed Santana who had just played one of their greatest sets ever, so needless to say, they didn’t leave as lasting an impression as they might have otherwise.  Hartley went on to release several albums that did moderately well over the years.  Keef Hartley was 67 when he passed away on November 26, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.

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Keef Hartley Band

Died On This Date (March 13, 2011) Owsley Stanley / LSD Icon; Longtime Soundman for Grateful Dead

Augustus Owsley Stanley
January 19, 1935 – March 13, 2011

Owsley “Bear” Stanley was a sound engineer and former notorious LSD cook who was reportedly the first to manufacture large quantities of the drug.  His high-quality LSD, often given away for free, became plentiful in the San Francisco area during the mid ’60s so is credited for being an essential piece of the hippie movement.  As a respected sound engineer, Stanley was employed by (and also helped finance) the Grateful Dead.  He met members of the group during Ken Kesey’s famed acid tests of 1966 and became their first sound man.  He also co-designed their iconic “Steal Your Face” skull logo with Bob Thomas.   It was Stanley who developed the advanced high fidelity live sound system used by the Grateful Dead.  He also helped launch Meyer Sound, the respected concert sound system manufacturer.  During his years with the Grateful Dead, Stanley started the practice of taping the band’s rehearsals and live shows – this lead to the phenomenon of audience-generated tapes that spread well beyond the Dead.  He also made countless live recordings during the ’60s and ’70s of such acts as Jefferson Airplane, Miles Davis, Janis Joplin, Santana, and Johnny Cash to name just a few.   Owsley and his exploits have been documented in (or at least inspired) such songs as “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, “Kid Charlemagne” by Steely Dan, and numerous others.  On March 13, 2011, Owsley Stanley was killed when the car he was driving swerved off a road near his home in Queensland, Australia.  The car reportedly went down an embankment and crashed into some trees killing Owsley and injuring his wife.  He was 76.



Died On This Date (February 27, 2010) Bobby Espinosa / Founding Keyboardist For El Chicano

Bobby Espinosa
April 29, 1949 – February 27, 2010

bobby-espinosaBobby Espinosa was a founding member and keyboardist for influential East Los Angeles jazz-rock band, El Chicano.  Formed in the late ’60s, the band built a sizable following as part of fledgling scene of Latino bands that were creating  pop music by marrying elements of R&B, jazz, Latin, rock, funk and soul.  Other like-minded groups included Tierra, War, and to the north, Santana. The band is best remembered for their hits, “Viva Tirado,” “Tell Her She’s Lovely,” and their cover of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl.”  Records like these helped popularize what has been called “brown-eyed soul.”  Espinosa was born in Los Angeles and took a liking to music at an early age as his parents filled the home with the sounds of Salsa music.  He learned to play the keyboards, and as a teenager, he joined local surf band, Mickey and the Invaders.  He soon helped form the VIPs, which would eventually develop into El Chicano.  The band continued to stay active, recording numerous albums and touring the world, ever since.  They are considered direct influences on future generations of Chicano bands which include Los Lobos, Quetzal and Ozomatli.  Bobby Espinosa was 60 when on February 27, 2010,  he passed away following a long illness.

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20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection: The Best of El Chicano - El Chicano