Died On This Date (January 21, 2017) Maggie Roche / The Roches
themusicsover Maggie Roche
October 26, 1951 – January 21, 2017
Maggie Roche, along with her sisters, Terre and Suzzy, wrote and performed primarily folk music as the Roches. Formed in Park Ridge, New Jersey in 1973, the group went on to release numerous critically acclaimed albums. They got their first break when Maggie and Terre were invited to sing harmony on Paul Simon‘s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. Before they knew it, the due was signed to Columbia Records who released their debut in 1975. Suzzy soon joined and they re-christened themselves as the Roaches and released their Robert Fripp produced self-titled debut in 1979. The album included two of their best known songs, “Hammond Song” and “The Married Men,” both written by Maggie. In later years, they slowed down in terms of touring but continued recording as a trio, as duos, and individually. Their last studio album as the Roches, Moonswept, was released in 2007. Maggie Roche died of cancer on January 21, 2017. She was 65.
What You Should Own
Jack Hardy was a respected and influential New York singer-songwriter who came to prominence in the early ’70s. After building a following in Greenwich Village, Hardy began hosting a weekly gathering of local singer-songwriters in his apartment. It eventually became a must-visit for aspiring songwriters which included the likes of Suzanne Vega and John Gorka, to name a few. By the ’80s, Hardy was becoming quite popular – mainly in Europe, and was touring with friend, David Massengill as the Folk Brothers. He released several albums over the course of his career and has been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Vega, David Wilcox, and the Roches. Jack Hardy was 63 when he passed away on March 11, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released, but he had reportedly been diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks prior.