Died On This Date (June 9, 2013) Darondo / Revered San Francisco Soul Singer

Darondo (Born William Pulliam)
DOB Unknown – June 9, 2013

DarondoDarondo was a San Francisco funk and soul singer who found his career reignited during the late 2000s thanks to a few key film and TV song placements and reissues of his early recordings.  Although not a household name, Darondo is considered one of the greats of ’70s soul by those in the know.  With a flair for style and a somewhat unique and soulful voice, Darondo was a cult hero at best since he started making records during the ’60s. By the early ’70s, Darondo’s career seemed to be taking off.  He opened for Sly Stone and somehow earned enough money to drive around in a lavish Rolls Royce complete with a bar, hot plate, phone, and table that slid out of the trunk. Some swore he was a pimp, which he has always denied, although he generally dressed the part.  In 1973, he had a minor hit with “Didn’t I,” following which his career stalled thanks in part to legal disputes with his then-manager.  But the song (and Darondo’s career) began picking up steam for a comeback when a London DJ started playing it in 2008.  Fans of Breaking Bad might remember hearing it over the opening credits during the “Cancer Man” episode of the first season.  Darondo’s songs have also been featured in such recent films and television programs as Saint John Of Las Vegas, Life On Mars, Night Catches Us, and Jack Goes Boating.  Much of Darondo’s music has been lovingly compiled or re-released by Omnivore Recordings and Ubiquity/Luv N Haight Records.    Darondo was 67 when he died of heart failure on June 9, 2013.

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Died On This Date (December 26, 1999) Curtis Mayfield / Soul Music Pioneer

Curtis Mayfield
June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999

curtis-mayfieldCurtis Mayfield was a pioneering soul and funk musician who became a voice for Civil Rights during the ’60s.  Mayfield was still in high school when he began playing in local bands.  After dropping out, he joined the Impressions, a band he would soon front and become the main songwriter for.  The band would become popular during the late ’60s thanks to Mayfield-penned songs like “People Get Ready,” “Keep On Pushing,” and “We’re a Winner.”  Anthemic songs like these came at a time when African-Americans were looking for a voice, and artists like Mayfield, James Brown and Sly Stone provided it.  After going solo, Mayfield released his most popular album, the soundtrack to Superfly.  With hit songs like “Pusherman,” “Freddie’s Dead,” and “Superfly,” the album is considered one of the most influential in African-American history. It was also one of the earliest soul concept albums.  Mayfield stayed active throughout the ’80s, but in August of 1990, he was struck by falling lighting gear while backstage at a concert.  The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.  Amazingly, he was able to create one last album – writing the songs, directing the musicians and crew from a bed, and painfully recording the vocals while flat on his back.  The album was 1997’s New World Order.  On December 26, 1999, Curtis Mayfield, age 57, passed away following a decade of poor health and complications from the accident.

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Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions: The Anthology, 1961-1977 - Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions