Died On This Date (April 3, 2011) Richard Patterson / Respected Canadian Rock Drummer
themusicsover Richard Patterson
1944 – April 3, 2011
Richard Patterson was a Canadian drummer who is perhaps best remembered for his time playing in the Esquires, a popular Ottawa band during the 1960s. Formed in 1962, the band also included Bruce Cockburn at the tail end of its run. A year after forming, the band signed with Capitol Records, making them one of the first if not THE first Canadian band to sign with a major label. Over the next few years, the band released such hit records as “Atlantis” and “So Many Other Boys.” In 1964, the band won an RPM award, which was basically a Canadian Grammy in those days. And when major recording artists of the day came to Canada, it was likely that the Esquires opened for them. Such acts included the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Clark Five. The band broke up in 1967, but briefly reunited in 1987. Richard Patterson, who had been suffering from a neurological disorder, passed away on April 3, 2011.
Thanks to Gerald Dewan for the assist.
Larry Knecthel was a Los Angeles session keyboardist and bassist who played on hits by the likes of the Doors, Simon & Garfunkel and the Beach Boys. After spending a few years as part of Duane Eddy’s touring band in the early ’60s, Knechtel went to work in the studio with Phil Spector, adding his own mark to the legendary “wall of sound.” Knechtel also played on several Doors records since they didn’t have their own bassist. He joined the easy rock band, Bread in 1971. In later years, Knecthel did session work for producer Rick Rubin, most notably on albums by the Dixie Chicks and Neil Diamond. Larry Knechtel passed away in a Yakima hospital just two weeks after his 69th birthday.
With Dean Torrence, Jan Berry successfully recorded as Jan and Dean, one of the true pioneers of what would become known as surf music. Along with the Beach Boys, they ruled the genre during the late ’50s through the mid ’60s. Their smash hits included “Surf City,” “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena,” and the prophetic “Dead Man’s Curve.” If being pop stars didn’t take enough time, Berry was also an exceptional college student attending both UCLA and what is now known as the UC Irvine School Of Medicine. Two years into med school, tragedy struck. While on his way to a business meeting, Berry crashed his Corvette into a parked gardener truck on a Beverly Hills road not far from the actual “Dead Man’s Curve” of Sunset Blvd. The accident left Berry with brain damage and partial paralysis from which he never fully recovered. He was able to stay productive through the ’70s and ’80s as a producer and sometime performer and was involved with several Jan and Dean reissue packages into the 2000s. Berry passed away at age 62.
Alan W. Livingston was the executive with Capitol Records who played a significant role in bringing two future pop culture icons to the world. First in 1946, he created the character, Bozo The Clown for a series of children’s records and sing-along books. It was his first duty at the fledgling company and it was the very first such learning tool for children. He has been credited for building the company from its $6 million a year beginnings into one of the industry’s powerhouses taking in over $100 million a year. When he was president during the ’60s, he led the company down a the path of rock ‘n roll by signing the likes of the Beach Boys, the Band, and his most celebrated “discovery,” the Beatles. Alan Livingston was 91 when he passed away on March 13, 2009.