Bobby Troup was a producer, jazz pianist and songwriter who penned one of pop music’s most lasting songs. He was also an actor who is familiar to many for his starring role in the popular ’70s drama, Emergency!. He played Dr. Joe Early opposite his wife, Julie London. In 1946, he wrote “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66,” which was first popularized by Nat King Cole, and later recorded by the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Cramps, Depeche Mode, Tom Petty and the Replacements to name just a few. As a producer, Troup recorded future wife, London’s “Cry Me A River,” which sold over a million copies. Troup made several of his own albums during the ’50s and ’60s, and even though they are considered a vital part of the history of West Coast Jazz, they never sold significantly. Bobby Troup died of a heart attack on February 7, 1999. He was 80 years old.
Carl Perkins was a rockabilly icon whose early successes helped raise Sun Records to its legendary status. He and label mates, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis were dubbed the Million Dollar Quartet. His biggest claim to fame was of course, “Blue Suede Shoes,” but many of his other songs have been recorded by the likes of Presley, Cash, the Judds, the Beatles (collectively and individually), Brian Setzer, and Patsy Cline. Perkins stayed busy touring, recording and appearing on radio and television through most of the ’50s and early ’60s but found his music falling out of favor at radio during the British Invasion of the mid ’60s. In later years he collaborated with such greats as Paul McCartney, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Bono, and Bob Dylan. In 1992, Perkins learned he had throat cancer and was 65 when he died as a result of it on January 19, 1998.
Roy Orbison was one of rock ‘n roll’s true pioneers. With his uniquely beautiful and almost operatic voice, dark and sometimes melodramatic songs, and a sound that was equal parts country and rockabilly, Orbison would directly inspire such future greats as Bruce Springsteen, Bono, John Lennon and Tom Petty. When describing his voice, Barry Gibb once called it “the voice of God.” Orbison began learning to play the guitar his father gave him on his 6th birthday. As he grew older, he found his biggest inspiration in the music of Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell, and Hank Williams. In 1956, he was offered a contract by Sun Records who released his first single, “Ooby Dooby” which sold a respectble 200,000 copies. Over the course of the next several years, he recorded no less than 20 top 40 singles, including “Only The Lonely,” “In Dreams,” “Crying,” and of course, “Oh, Pretty Woman.” When the British Invasion hit American soil during the early ’60s, Orbison, like many of rock’s first generation, were ironically pushed aside for the bands who found great inspiration in them. The ’70s found Orbison’s music embraced by some of the era’s most popular musicians. Artists like Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Gram Parsons and Nazereth were covering his songs either on record or in concert. In 1987, Orbison experienced a career revival thanks to a televised tribute and live album that found him sharing the stage with Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Jeff Lynne, Jackson Browne, and Bonnie Raitt. A year later, he was back in the studio as part of the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup that included George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan. Their first release sold over 3 million copies in the U.S. alone. During that time working with the Wilburys, Orbison was also busy recording what supposed to be his comeback album, Mystery Girl. Later that year found him making a handful of promotional dates for the Wilburys, putting the finishing touches on his album, and preparing for what he hoped would be his second shot at stardom. But on December 6, 1988, Roy Orbison, 52, died of a heart attack at his home. During the year that followed, Mystery Girl was released and it’s first single, “You Got It,” was a smash hit that cracked the top 10 in the U.S. The album reached #5 in the U.S. and #2 in the UK, putting him back where he was when he started his career, on top.
George Harrison
February 24*, 1943 – November 29, 2001
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George Harrison achieved massive fame and success as the lead guitarist for the Beatles. His post-Beatles career, whether as a solo artist or member of the Traveling Wilburys was just as critically acclaimed. Born in Liverpool, London, Harrison was still in grade school when he got his first guitar. Before long, he formed his own skiffle band, the Rebels. Another of his schoolmates, Paul McCartney had a band as well, the Quarrymen, along with John Lennon. Harrison was just 16 when McCartney heard his guitar playing and asked him to join the band. The group would soon morph into the Beatles, made up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best, who was later replaced by Ringo Starr. Following the unexpected 1962 death of Sutcliffe, it would be Harrison along with Lennon, McCartney and Starr, who would forever change the landscape of popular music. Although Lennon and McCartney were the primary songwriters of the group, Harrison contributed such later hits as “Taxman,” “Within You Without You,” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Following the Beatles’ break-up in 1970, Harrison immediately launched a successful solo career with the release of All Things Must Pass which included his first hit, “My Sweet Lord.” Over the better part of the next two decades, Harrison released a series of critical and commercial successes which included The Concert For Bangladesh, Living In The Material World, Dark Horse, and Cloud Nine. In 1988, Harrison formed the popular “supergroup,” the Traveling Wilburys which included Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty. Harrison also found success in the film industry. In 1978, he started his own production company, HandMade Films. Over the next 15 years, his company released such hits as Life of Brian, Shanghai Surprise and Time Bandits. On December 30, 1999, Harrison was the victim of an attack that was frightening similar to the one that killed John Lennon. In the early morning hours, Harrison and his wife, Olivia Harrison, were startled to hear an intruder loudly calling out George’s name from another room in their house. When he confronted the crazed man, he was stabbed seven times in a struggle that reportedly lasted 15 minutes. The assailant was subdued with the help of Olivia who hit him numerous times with a fireplace poker. George suffered a punctured lung and head injuries. The incident caused him to all but eliminate public appearances from that day forward. In 1997, Harrison discovered he was suffering from lung cancer. He was 58 when he died of the cancer on November 29, 2001.
*Despite what is reported elsewhere, George Harrison was actually born just before midnight on February 24, 1943. The wrong date was mistakenly written on his birth certificate. It was brought to his attention later in life.
Sandy West was the founding drummer for the influential all-girl rock band, the Runaways. Born and raised near the beaches of Southern California, West picked up the drums at the age of nine. She met record producer, Kim Fowley in 1975 and told him of her desire to form an all-girl rock band. He put her in contact with another like-minded teen, Joan Jett. They soon found Lita Ford and Cherie Currie, and the Runaways were born. Although the band stayed together for less than four years, their influence on rock ‘n roll cannot be denied. With songs like “Cherry Bomb,” and “Rock & Roll,” the band was soon signed to Mercury Records and opening for such acts as Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, and Van Halen. The Runaways disbanded in just four short years, so West went on to front her own band and play in other local groups, none sparking the kind of fame she experienced with the Runaways. She also never benefited financially from the band’s popularity. On October 21, 2006, Sandy West, 47, died of a brain tumor that was borne from lung cancer.
themusicsover 
Bobby Troup was a producer, jazz pianist and songwriter who penned one of pop music’s most lasting songs. He was also an actor who is familiar to many for his starring role in the popular ’70s drama, Emergency!. He played Dr. Joe Early opposite his wife, Julie London. In 1946, he wrote “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66,” which was first popularized by Nat King Cole, and later recorded by the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Cramps, Depeche Mode, Tom Petty and the Replacements to name just a few. As a producer, Troup recorded future wife, London’s “Cry Me A River,” which sold over a million copies. Troup made several of his own albums during the ’50s and ’60s, and even though they are considered a vital part of the history of West Coast Jazz, they never sold significantly. Bobby Troup died of a heart attack on February 7, 1999. He was 80 years old.
Carl Perkins was a rockabilly icon whose early successes helped raise Sun Records to its legendary status. He and label mates, 
