Larry Reinhardt
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Best of Iron Butterfly Evolution
Born on July 7, 1948 in Florida.
Larry Reinhardt was an American rock guitarist who played with Iron Butterfly and Captain Beyond. At one time Reinhardt was known by the nicknames “El Rhino” and “Ryno”.
Reinhardt died on January 2, 2012, aged 63.
Comments OffBill Tapia
Filed under: Musicians — Tags: Bill Tapia — admin @ 12:27 pm
Livin’ It Live
Born on January 1, 1908 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Bill Tapia was an American musician, born to Portuguese parents. At age 10, Tapia was already a professional musician, playing “Stars and Stripes Forever” for World War I troops in Hawaii. In his long career beginning in vaudeville and quickly expanding as a jazz guitarist and ukulele player he performed with names such as Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley and Hawaiian musicians such as King Bennie Nawahi, Sol Ho‘opi’i, and Andy Iona.
Bill Tapia died on December 2, 2011 (aged 103) in Los Angeles, California.
Comments OffGary Garcia
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Pac-Man Fever
Gary Garcia was a part of the Buckner & Garcia duo consisting of himself and Jerry Buckner from Akron, Ohio. Their first collaboration was in 1980, when they wrote a novelty Christmas song, “Merry Christmas in the NFL”, imagining Howard Cosell as Santa Claus. Performed under the pseudonym “Willis The Guard & Vigorish”, the song reached #82 on the Billboard charts despite limited airplay after Cosell found the song offensive. In 1981, the duo wrote a sentimental country song called “Footprints in the Sand,” performed by Edgel Groves. They also wrote the lyrics for extra verses of an extended version of the WKRP in Cincinnati theme song in 1982. However, the duo is best known for the song “Pac-Man Fever”, which became a large novelty hit in 1982, peaking at #9 in the United States.
Gary Garcia died at his home in Englewood, Florida on November 17, 2011 from undisclosed causes.
Comments OffMoogy Klingman
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Moogie
Born on September 7, 1950 in Great Neck, New York.
Mark “Moogy” Klingman was an American musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of Todd Rundgren’s musical team Utopia, and later became a solo recording artist, bandleader and songwriter. He released two solo recordings, and his songs have been covered by artists as wide ranging as Johnny Winter, Carly Simon, James Cotton, Thelma Houston, Eric Clapton, Barry Manilow and Guns N’ Roses. He played on stage with Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Luther Vandross, Jeff Beck and Allan Woody & Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers and Gov’t Mule. Other than Rundgren, his longest musical association may have been with Bette Midler, serving as her band leader and who adopted as her signature song (You Gotta Have) Friends, composed by Klingman and William “Buzzy” Linhart.
Klingman died of bladder cancer, in New York on November 15, 2011, at the age of 61.
Comments OffBob Brunning
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Born on June 29, 1943 in England.
Bob Brunning was a British musician best known for his role as original bass guitar player with the blues rock band Fleetwood Mac. After his stint in Fleetwood Mac, he joined Savoy Brown before embarking on a career in teaching which lasted 30 years. He did not abandon music however, and played in the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band, Tramp, and later the DeLuxe Blues Band.In 1972 he played bass guitar on the 22nd Streatham Cub Scouts LP Songs for Your Enjoyment. The album featured folk songs as well as the Scout theme song “Kumbaya”.Brunning also authored many books. He has written several about Fleetwood Mac, the British blues scene, and music in general. His works about his former group include Behind The Masks, published in 1990, 1998’s Fleetwood Mac: The First 30 Years, and The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies.
Brunning died on October 18, 2011.
Comments OffChuck Ruff
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Born on May 25, 1951 in Reno, Nevada.
Chuck Ruff as an American rock drummer well known for his work with Edgar Winter on the popular instrumental “Frankenstein”. He played in the rock group Sawbuck with Ronnie Montrose and Bill Church from 1968–1970. Ruff and Montrose later joined Edgar Winter with Dan Hartman to form The Edgar Winter Group in 1972. It was with this band that he had his biggest successes: first with the album They Only Come Out at Night (1973), featuring “Frankenstein” which reached No. 1 in the U.S. in May 1973, and the top 15 single “Free Ride”, which reached No. 14 that same year. The album Shock Treatment, which featured the song “Easy Street”, was also successful. In 1977, Ruff joined Sammy Hagar and performed on the albums Street Machine (1979) and Danger Zone (1979), including the song “Bad Reputation” which is in the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Chuck Ruff died in San Francisco, California on October 14, 2011 after a long illness.
Comments OffJoel DiGregorio
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Born on January 8, 1944
Joel DiGregorio was a longtime member and keyboardist for the Charlie Daniels Band. He was self-taught on the keyboards, practicing from tunes by Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and Little Richard following his attendance at a Ray Charles concert.He fulfilled his goal of becoming a professional musician, initiating his career with the group Paul Chaplain and his Emeralds, best known for their minor hit “Shortnin’ Bread” (1960). By the early 1960s, the group disbanded, leaving DiGregorio (who was seventeen) to find other gigs which included playing in a lounge band in Florida. In 1964, he met and joined Charlie Daniels who at that time was in a band called the Jaguars. A few years later, DiGregorio was drafted and served with the US Army. Upon his return home, he resumed his career with Daniels and following some ensemble changes The Charlie Daniels Band launched what was to become a commercially successful body of work, beginning with their self-titled debut album in 1970. In 1979, their signature hit “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” which achieved a number 3 placing on the US Pop Charts, was co-written by DiGregorio. In addition to his work with Daniels, he recorded the solo projects Midnight in Savannah (2008) and Shake Rag (2008).
DiGregorio was killed in a car accident in Cheatham County, Tennessee, on October 12, 2011. He was 67 years old.
Comments OffMikey Welsh
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Born on April 20, 1971 in Syracuse, New York.
Mikey Welsh was an American artist and musician, best known as the former bassist of Weezer. He played with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo during Cuomo’s time in Boston during the hiatus in the band Homie. Following original bassist Matt Sharp’s decision to leave Weezer to focus on his group, The Rentals, Welsh was chosen to take over for him. Welsh played with Weezer from the time that they regrouped in 2000 until August 2001, when he suffered a mental breakdown. Shortly afterwards, he retired from music to focus on his art career.
Mikey Welsh died on October 8, 2011 from a suspected drug overdose.
Comments OffMarv Tarplin
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Born on June 13, 1941 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Marv Tarplin was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Miracles during the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group’s original members and co-wrote several of their hits, including the 2007 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted “The Tracks of My Tears”.He is also a winner of the BMI Songwriter’s Award , and The ASCAP Award Of Merit .
Tarplin died in Las Vegas, on September 30, 2011. Aged 70.
Comments OffJessy Dixon
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Born on March 12, 1938 in San Antonio, Texas.
Jessy Dixon was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and pianist, with success among audiences across racial lines. He garnered seven Grammy nominations during his career.Musicians with whom he worked include Paul Simon, Andrae Crouch, DeGarmo & Key and most recently Bill Gaither in the Homecoming series of concerts. He wrote songs for Amy Grant, Natalie Cole, Cher, and Diana Ross. Dixon was an ordained minister with Calvary Ministries International of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Dixon died on September 26, 2011 at his home in Chicago, aged 73.
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