Died On This Date (November 15, 2011) Moogy Klingman / Co-Founder of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia
themusicsover Mark “Moogy” Klingman
September 7, 1950 – November 15, 2011
Moogy Klingman was a keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who is perhaps best remembered as a founding member of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia. Klingman was still in high school when he was fronting such bands as the Living Few and Glitterhouse. At 16 he found himself playing in the Blue Flame with Jimi Hendrix and Randy California. In 1969, Klingman hooked up with Rundgren and began playing keyboards in his band. He went on to play on several Utopia albums as well as nearly a dozen Rundgren long-players. He also played on and produced the Bob Dylan/Bette Midler duet, “Buckets of Rain.” Other artists Klingman worked with include Eric Clapton, Linda Ronstadt, Cyndi Lauper, and Jeff Beck, to name a few. Moogy Klingman, who had been suffering from cancer, passed away on November 15, 2011. He was 61.
Samuel George was the lead singer and drummer for early ’60s soul vocal trio, the Capitols. They were initially signed to Detroit’s Karen Records, and in 1963, they released their first single, “Dog and Cat.” After the record failed to catch on, the group split up. But in 1966, the group re-formed to record a song called “Cool Jerk” which was written to capitalize on a current Detroit dance craze. Backed by Motown’s legendary house band, the Funk Brothers, the Capitols delivered a single that shot to #7 on the pop charts and #2 on the R&B charts. The song remains a staple at oldies radio and has been covered by the likes of the Go-Go’s, Todd Rundgren and the Creation. On March 17, 1982, Samuel George died of stab wounds suffered during a domestic dispute.
Albert Grossman is best remembered as an artist manager representing, among others, Bob Dylan between 1962 and 1970. He also co-founded the Newport Folk Festival with George Wein in 1959. In 1961, Grossman put three folk singers together, Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and 