Died On This Date (November 15, 2016) Mose Allison / Jazz And Blues Legend
themusicsover Mose Allison
November 11, 1927 – November 15, 2016
Mose Allison was a revered jazz and blues pianist and singer whose influence reached beyond his idioms and into rock and blues. Over the past four decades his songs have been recorded by the likes of the Clash, the Bangles, Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Robert Palmer, Bonnie Raitt, the Yardbirds, and most famously, the Who, whose version of “Young Mans Blues” reached the masses via their classic Live At Leeds album, and remained a concert staple ever since. Born and raised on his grandfather’s Mississippi farm, Allison spent his formative years picking cotton while learning to play the piano and trumpet. He was just 13 when he wrote his first song. After spending a couple of years in the Army, Russell completed college and then moved to New York City to launch his music career. While performing with such jazz luminaries as Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz, he recorded his debut album, Black Country Suite, which was released by Prestige in March of 1957. Difficult to classify, one label tried marketing him as a pop artist, while another tried blues, and yet another, jazz. Regardless of any difficulties they might have had, his fanbase grew with each album. Throughout his career, Allison received countless honors including the prestigious Jazz Master award by the National Endowment For The Arts in 2013. Mose Allison was 89 when he died of natural causes on November 15, 2016.
What You Should Own
Popsy Dixon was the drummer and harmony vocalist for American Soul/Gospel/Blues group, the Holmes Brothers. Formed in 1978, the trio built a legion of loyal followers thanks to their heavenly harmonies and overall sound that was once described by the New York Times as “deeply soulful, uplifting and timeless.” It was Dixon’s impeccable drumming and beautiful falsetto that made the group complete. Formed in Christchurch, Virginia, the Holmes Brothers moved to Harlem during the ’80s to try their luck in the city’s blues clubs. They signed their first record deal in 1989 and went on to release 12 albums, including three that landed in the top five of the Billboard Blues Album charts. The list of artists they recorded with includes Joan Osborne, Willie Nelson, Peter Gabriel, and Van Morrison. In 2014, they received an National Endowment For The Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Popsy Dixon was 72 when he died of liver cancer on January 9, 2014.
Known as the “Lion of the Blues” as well as the “
Levon Helm was a rock musician, singer and songwriter best known for his time spent in the Band, one of Canada’s most celebrated rock bands. Helm was still a few years shy of his teens when he first took up the guitar. The drums were soon to follow. After graduating from high school, he was invited by Ronnie Hawkins to join his back up band, the Hawks. Hawkins later recruited Canadian musicians, 
Harry “Cuby” Muskee was a Dutch blues singer who built a considerable following throughout the Netherlands during the ’60s and ’70s. Muskee was just 15 when he took up the guitar, and while he was in high school, he was turned on to jazz and Dixieland. He soon formed his first band, the Mixtures who played jazz primarily at school dances. Around that time, he began picking up the US Armed Forces Radio which was broadcasting to the American soldiers who were stationed in nearby Germany. It was on the radio that he began hearing American blues, and in particular,