Died On This Date (June 2, 2012) Frazier Mohawk / Helped Form Buffalo Springfield
themusicsover Frazier Mohawk (Born Barry Friedman)
December 12, 1941 – June 2, 2012
Frazier Mohawk was a man of many talents who was a prominent if not well-known figure of the Los Angeles music scene of the 1960s. One of his earliest jobs was doing publicity for radio and television host, Bob Eubanks. He quickly parlayed that into doing sound mixes for bands performing on TV. He also worked as a publicist for Ike & Tina Turner and the Troubadour nightclub in those early days as well as the Beatles‘ Hollywood Bowl performance. In 1966, while Stephen Stills was staying at his house, Mohawk was driving Stills and Richie Furay along Sunset Boulevard when they passed Neil Young and Bruce Palmer who were driving in a hearse in the opposite direction. Mohawk turned the car around and the four met and soon formed Buffalo Springfield with Dewey Martin. Mohawk took care of much of the band’s early business – including landing them a career-defining slot on the Byrds tour, before they hired on management. As a producer, Mohawk worked with Nico, Paul Butterfield, and John Cale. He went on to open and run a studio/commune that was partially funded by Elektra Records in Northern California, but it eventually closed when it became more of a hang-out than a productive recording studio. Tired of the music industry, Mohawk moved to Canada during the mid ’70s and started a traveling circus, and later, Puck’s Farm which was a recording studio surrounded by family attractions. Frazier Mohawk was 71 when he passed away on June 2, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Thanks to Henk de Bruin for the assist.
Doug Dillard was a world-renowned banjo player and founding member of the Dillards. Formed in 1962, the pickers eventually added electric guitars, drums and keyboards to the mix which in turn, laid the foundation for country rock to come in the early ’70s, and newgrass in the ’80s and ’90s. Artists who have taken a cue for the Dillards include the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Eagles, New Grass Revival, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush, String Cheese Incident, Ricky Skaggs, and the Byrds. The Dillards made their mark on television as well. During the ’60s, they had a recurring role as the Darlings, a bluegrass band that performed on the Andy Griffith Show. The group continued to release albums well into the ’90s. Outside of the Dillards, Doug also performed alongside the Byrds‘ Gene Clark as the Dillard and Clark Band. Throughout his career, he either performed or recorded with the likes of Elton John, 
Jim Dickson was a recording engineer, producer, and eventual manager of the Byrds. He is often cited as one of the foundations of the ’60s folk-rock movement, particularly that which was coming out of Southern California. During his early years, Dickson produced records by the likes of Hamilton Camp, David Crosby, and the Dillards. He soon began managing a new band formed by Crosby and Chris Hillman who at first went by the Beefeaters and then the Jet Set. It was their desire to become Los Angeles’ answer to the Beatles. In 1964, Dickson was sent a demo of Bob Dylan’s then-unreleased “Mr. Tamborine Man,” which the band, now known as the Byrds, recorded and released. It would became one of the era’s definitive songs and helped launch a sound that inspired countless other musicians. To help the band build a following in those early days, Dickson enlisted the help of such famous friends as Jack Nicholson and 
Charlie Louvin was a longtime country singer and songwriter who became a national treasure singing alongside his brother Ira Louvin as the Louvin Brothers. From 1940 to 1963, the Louvin Brothers created a catalog of country and folk music that ushered in the use of close harmonies to the genres and would be a direct influence on the likes of the Byrds, the Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Alison Krauss, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Starting out as a Gospel group, the Louvin Brothers soon began singing secular songs so they could reach a larger audience. That lead to appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and several charting singles. The duo disbanded in 1963 and then in 1965, Ira was tragically killed in a car accident, so Charlie forged on as a solo artist. In recent years, Louvin’s career experienced a renaissance thanks to recognition from the likes of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Elvis Costello, and Bright Eyes to name just a few. Outside of tributes, his songs have been recorded by Uncle Tupelo, 
