AUGUST 26, 2000 – Bassist DOUG WOODY (b. October 3, 1955 in Nashville, Tennessee as Douglas Allen Woody) was found dead sitting up in a chair at the Marriott Courtyard Motel in Queens, New York. A preliminary autopsy performed was inconclusive and showed no immediate cause of death. He was survived by his wife Jenny and daughter Savannah.Best […] More
SEPTEMBER 14, 1998 – Blues/jazz singer JOHNNY ADAMS (b. January 5, 1932 in New Orleans, Louisiana as Laten John Adams) died at age 66 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana after a long battle with prostate cancer. Known as “The Tan Canary” for the multi-octave range of his singing voice, his swooping vocal mannerisms and falsetto, Adams’ biggest hits were […] More
SEPTEMBER 14, 1985 – The popular series “The Golden Girls” debuted on NBC-TV. Its theme song was “Thank You for Being a Friend,” written by Andrew Gold (August 2, 1951 – June 3, 2011) but sung by a jingle singer named Cynthia Fee. Gold’s version was released in 1978 and reached #25 in the US.This breezy […] More
SEPTEMBER 14, 1970 – 20 year-old singer/songwriter/musician Stevie Wonder married 24 year-old singer Rita “Syreeta” Wright (August 3, 1946 – July 6, 2004). Wright met label-mate Wonder in 1968, and the two began dating the following year. On the advice of Wonder, Wright became a songwriter. Their first collaboration, “It’s a Shame,” was recorded by The […] More
SEPTEMBER 14, 1981 – Singer/songwriter/guitarist FURRY LEWIS (b. March 6, 1893 or 1899 in Greenwood, Mississippi as Walter E. Lewis) died of a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee. He was buried in the Hollywood Cemetery, in South Memphis, where his grave bears two headstones, the second purchased by fans. Lewis, who had worked as a street sweeper for […] More
SEPTEMBER 14, 1979 – Based on The Who’s 1973 rock opera, the film “Quadrophenia” was released. It featured Phil Daniels as Jimmy, a 1960s Mod, supported by Leslie Ash, Toyah and, towards the end of the film, The Police frontman Sting. It was directed by Franc Roddam in his feature directing début. Unlike the film adaptation […] More
SEPTEMBER 14, 1989 – Musician/bandleader/composer PEREZ PRADO (b. December 11, 1916 in Matanzas, Cuba as Dámaso Pérez Prado) died of a stroke in Mexico City, Mexico at age 72. Although he did not create the genre (Orestes López and his brother Cachao did in 1937), Perado has been recognized as a key figure in the popularization of mambo […] More
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 – Singer/songwriter/musician JACKIE LOMAX (b. on May 10, 1944 in Wallasey, Cheshire, England) died at age 69 on the Wirral Peninsula of cancer while staying in England for the wedding of his daughter. Lomax’s second wife, the former Annie Richardson, died a year earlier. Their survivors included his daughters, Vicki, Louise and Janine, all from […] More