but the songs live on forever

Yardbirds

Blues Musician Singer

Died On This Date (June 1, 1948) Sonny Boy Williamson I / Blues Great

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John “Sonny Boy” Williamson
March 30, 1914 – June 1, 1948

Not to be confused with Rice “Sonny Boy Williamson II” Miller, another blues harmonica player, Sonny Boy Williamson was by all accounts the first on the scene to use the Sonny Boy moniker. As one of the most popular blues artists of his generation, Williamson was an influence on the likes of Junior Wells, Snooky Pryor, and Little Walter, as well as several non-harmonica players including Muddy Waters and even Jimmie Rodgers. He was both band leader and sideman during his career, mostly recording for the legendary Bluebird Records label. And his biggest hit “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” is one of the most covered song of the era, having been re-recorded by such artists as Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead, Steppenwolf, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, Muddy Waters, and perhaps most famously, the Yardbirds. Sadly, as he was walking home from a gig near his home on Chicago’s south side, Williamson was killed during a random mugging.

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Sonny Boy Williamson Vol. 1 (1937 - 1938) - Sonny Boy Williamson

Musician Producer Record Label Rock Singer

Died On This Date (May 30, 2003) Mickie Most / Record Producer

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Mickie Most
June 20, 1938 – May 30, 2003

Mickie Most with Suzi Quatro on left

Mickie Most was an English producer and label owner who had a run of Number One hits with a stable of artists that included the Animals, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and Herman’s Hermits.  Most started his career as a performer in London coffee houses where he met future partner and Led Zeppelin manager, Peter Grant.  He had a semi-successful run during the late ’50s and early ’60s but grew tired of the touring so he explored opportunities on the business side of music.  He started out in sales and merchandising and soon landed a gig in production at Columbia Records.  His first act was a little band he found called the Animals who he helped record a worldwide hit with “House Of The Rising Sun,” and in turn received a Grammy for Producer Of The Year in 1964.  Then came Herman’s Hermits who had a string of hits that at one time rivaled the Beatles.   Other artists he recorded included Lulu, Jeff Beck, the Seekers, Nancy Sinatra, the Yardbirds and Brenda Lee.   In 1968, Most partnered with Peter Grant to open RAK Management and a year later, RAK Publishing and RAK Records.  Artists signed to RAK Records included Suzy Quatro, Sweet, Hot Chocolate, and Chris Spedding.  By the ’80s, he had discovered Kim Wilde and produced her worldwide smash, “Kids In America.”  And later appeared as a harsh judge on a British television talent program called New Faces, which no doubt helped create a future television star by the name of Simon Cowell.  Most died of mesothelioma, a cancer generally associated with the exposure to asbestos.

Blues Musician Singer Songwriter

Died On This Date (May 25, 1965) Sonny Boy Williamson II

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Sonny Boy Williamson II (Born Rice Miller)
December 5, 1899 or May 11, 1908 – May 25, 1965

There’s likely only one person who could say they played alongside not only Robert Johnson, but also Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Eric Burden, and Robbie Robertson; that person was Sonny Boy Williamson II. Born on a plantation, Williamson worked along with his father as a sharecropper until he decided to head out on his own in the early ’30s with a harmonica along for the ride. He would meet up and play with the likes of Elmore James, Robert Lockwood Jr., and the great Robert Johnson. Besides having tremendous skills on the harmonica, Williamson learned a few tricks to dazzle his audiences, like playing it with no hands or playing it while nestled between his upper lip and nose. I should point out that around this time, there was another harmonica-playing Sonny Boy Williamson gaining popularity throughout the blues world. So to distinguish the two, this one (Rice Miller) was referred to as “Number 2” or “The Second,” even though he claimed to have started using the stage name first. Williamson made his first recordings for Trumpet Records in 1951, but when the label went bankrupt in 1955, his contract became the property of the renowned Chess Records who helped him achieve much greater success. By the ’60s he was being embraced by the new British blues-rock artists as a main influence affording him the opportunity to record with the Animals and the Yardbirds. Williamson recorded some 70 songs during his career, many of which are considered blues staples and have been covered by Aerosmith, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison, Nick Cave, the New York Dolls, and the Allman Brothers to name but a few. Sadly, as Williamson was gaining a new fame and fortune, he was found dead in his room on May 25, 1965 of an apparent heart attack.

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Musician Rock Singer

Died On This Date (May 14, 1976) Keith Relf / The Yardbirds

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Keith Relf
March 22, 1943 – May 14, 1976

At left with Andy Warhol & Jimmy Page

Keith Relf was the lead singer and harmonica player for the Yardbirds, the British blues rock band that launched Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. After the breakup of the Yardbirds, Relf worked in such bands as Renaissance and Armageddon as well as produced the likes of Amber, Saturnalia and Medicine Head. Relf’s life was tragically cut short at 33 when he was electrocuted while playing an improperly grounded guitar.

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Five Live Yardbirds - The Yardbirds

Musician R&B Songwriter

Died On This Date (March 31, 1986) O’Kelly Isley / Isley Brothers

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O’Kelly Isley
December 25, 1937 – March 31, 1986

Born on Christmas Day, 1937, O’Kelly Isley would, along with his brothers, Ronald Isley, Vernon Isley and Rudolph Isley grow up to write and record some of the greatest songs of R&B. Such hits as “Shout,” “It’s Your Thing,” and “The Lady (Part 1).” The Isley Brothers’ songs have been recorded by the, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Yardbirds, Alicia Keys, Aaliyah, the Beatles, and many many more! And who could forget the great scene in Animal House when Otis Day & The Knights’ version of “Shout!” made a great movie even better. O’Kelly Isley passed away from a sudden heart attack in 1986. He was 48.

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The Isley Brothers

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