John Rostill was an English musician and songwriter who is perhaps best remembered as the second bassist for one of England’s most successful rock groups, the Shadows. With 69 UK charting singles (including 17 #1s) they have been recognized as England’s third most successful charted singles act in history. Only Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley sit above them. They are also credited for being one of the very first and most influential rock bands to come to prominence in the years leading up to the Beatles. After playing around London, at times backing such visiting acts as the Everly Brothers, Rostill was hired by the Shadows as a replacement for original bassist, Brian Locking. He played with the band from 1963 to 1968. After the group broke up in 1968, Rostill performed in Tom Jones’ touring band during the early ’70s. He was also a successful songwriter, having been recorded by Presley and Olivia Newton-John (“Let Me Be There,” “If You Love Me, Let Me Know,” and “Please Mr. Postman”). By late 1973, the Shadows had reformed and Rostill was about to join back with them when tragedy struck. On November 26, 1973, John Rostill, 31, was accidentally electrocuted while working in his home studio.
Tommy Dorsey
November 10, 1905 – November 26, 1956
Tommy Dorsey was a trombonist and band leader who came to prominence during jazz’s swing era. He was also the younger brother of another jazz great, Jimmy Dorsey with whom he found success as the Dorsey Brothers. Beginning his career in the Scranton Sirens at just 15, Dorsey backed such performers and Rudy Vallee and Paul Whiteman. He formed his first band in 1935 and began touring nationally. But as many big bands did in the aftermath of WW2, Dorsey broke up his band due to economics of the times. Dorsey also released numerous hit records during his career, including 17 that topped the charts. His biggest hit was “I’ll Never Smile Again” which featured Frank Sinatra on vocals. Tommy Dorsey, 51, died while choking in his sleep on November 26, 1956. Reports indicate that after eating a big meal, he took some sleeping pills and retired to bed. The dosage was apparently strong enough to not allow him to wake up while he choked to death.
Nick Drake was an English singer-songwriter who in spite of selling in the neighborhood of just 5000 copies of each of his albums when released, went on to become one of the most influential and respected artists of his generation. Drake came to relative prominence during the British folk movement of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Oft compared to the likes of Syd Barrett, Donovan and Van Morrison, Drake released just three albums between 1969 and 1972. They barely registered a blip back then, and the fact that Drake resisted performing live or granting interviews did nothing to help them find their audience. Suffering from depression and insomnia for much of his life, Drake let those demons populate his dark songs. During Drake’s final month’s, he became very reclusive, avoiding friends and family. Mental illness had obviously taken hold of Drake’s spirit. On November 25, 1974, Nick Drake, 26, died of an overdose of antidepressants in his parents home. Local officials ruled it a suicide, though many close to him and with him during his final days strongly believe it was an accidental overdose. Interest in Drake’s music continued to grow throughout the ’80s and ’90s as popular artists like Lucinda Williams, Elliott Smith, REM’s Peter Buck, and Robert Smith and of the Cure began citing him as an influence. His songs also began finding new fans from numerous film and TV placements, including the usage of “Pink Moon” in a popular Volkswagen commercial in 2000.
Freddie Mercury (Born Farrokh Bulsara)
September 5, 1946 – November 24, 1991
Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Freddie Mercury would become one of rock’s most beloved and dynamic performers as the lead singer of Queen. When Mercury was 17, he and his family fled Zanzibar to London due to the Zanzibar Revolution. Mercury had been performing in bands since his school days, and he wasn’t about to stop when he got to London. When he graduated from college in the late ’60s, he played in a handful of bands until he joined up with Brian May and Roger Taylor and later John Deacon, in what would soon be called Queen. The band became one of the biggest musical acts during the ’70s and ’80s thanks in part to Mercury’s operatic voice and jaw dropping showmanship. One show in particular, Queen’s comeback of sorts during the Live Aid concerts of 1985, has been called the greatest live performanc in the history of rock music. Mercury wrote many of the band’s biggest hits, including “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We Are The Champions,” “Killer Queen,” and arguably their greatest, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” In the spring of 1987, Mercury was reportedly diagnosed with AIDS, though it wouldn’t be officially announced publicly until November 23, 1991. Freddie Mercury died the next day of bronchial pneumonia as a result of AIDS.
Eric Carr (Born Paul Caravello)
July 12, 1950 – November 24, 1991
Eric Carr was a multi-instrumentalist, but primarily a drummer who goes down in rock ‘n roll history as the first replacement for Peter Criss in Kiss. Upon Criss’ official departure from Kiss in 1980, the band held auditions for a replacement. Although he submitted is application a day after the deadline and was the very last to try-out, Carr was selected to continue on with the band under the guise of “The Fox.” Over the course of his career with Kiss, Carr played on such albums as Creatures of the Night, Lick It Up, Animalyze, and Asylum. Carr also sang lead on a handful of songs during Kiss live shows, as well as on a re-recording of “Beth” which had originally sung by Criss. On November 21, 1991, Eric Carr, age 41, died of a brain hemmhorage that resulted from heart cancer which he had been suffering from for some time.
Kenny MacLean is best remembered as the bassist for Canadian new wave band, Platinum Blonde. Initially formed as a Police tribute band, Platinum Blonde went on to become one Canada’s most popular bands of the the era, selling in the multi-platinum status and earning two Juno nominations. During the ’90s, MacLean released a couple of solo albums and earned a Most Promising Male Vocalist Juno nomination. He went into music education during the 2000s, forming his own teaching academy in 2006. Kenny MacLean, 52, died of natural causes related to his heart on November 24, 2008.
Michael Lee (Born Michael Pearson)
November 19, 1969 – November 24, 2008
Michael Lee was a respected English drummer who, after a short career as the with ’90s rock band, Little Angels, began recording and touring with many of the era’s greatest musicians. His first gig of magnitude came in 1991 when he toured as part of the Cult’s band. In 1993, he began working with Robert Plant on record and on tour. That lead to a Led Zeppelin reunion of sorts when Plant began collaborating with Jimmy Page as Page and Plant. While working with Plant, Lee co-wrote “Please Read the Letter” which won a Grammy for Plant and Alison Krauss in 2009. Throughout his career, Lee also collaborated with a reconfigured Thin Lizzy, Quireboys, Lenny Kravitz, Ian Gillan, and Echo & The Bunnymen. Michael Lee died of an epileptic seizure in his home at the age of 39.
Roy Acuff was a country musician, singer, songwriter, promoter and publisher who was rightfully called, the King of Country Music. Acuff got his start when, in 1932, he was hired to entertain potential customers of a traveling medicine show. He left in 1934 to form his first band, the Crazy Tennesseans with whom he moved to Nashville in 1938. They were soon offered a contract with the Grand Ole Opry. In 1942, Acuff partnered with Fred Rose to open Acuff-Rose Music, which became Nashville’s biggest country music publishing company. The company quickly became very successful by hiring such songwriters as Lefty Frizzell, Roy Orbison, Don Gibson and many more. As a performer, Acuff’s career started to falter during the ’50s and ’60s due to the fickle tastes of music fans, but in the early ’70s, he experienced a bit of a comeback thanks to his appearance on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s landmark album, Will the Circle Be Unbroken. He continued to perform sporadically throughout his later life. Roy Acuff was 89 when he died of heart failure on November 23, 1992.
Donnell “Spade” Cooley
December 17, 1910 – November 23, 1969
Photo: Getty Images
Spade Cooley was a western swing fiddle player, band leader and television personality who came to prominence during the 1940s. Born in Oklahoma, Cooley eventually settled in Southern California where he and his band took up residence in the Venice Pier Ballroom. During the first part of the ’40s, the band performed a then-unheard of run of eighteen months. During that time, Cooley released his first of a string of Top 10 singles, “Shame On You.” By the early ’50s, Cooley was a popular face on film and television as well, appearing in almost forty westerns, and hosting his own television program from 1949 to 1959. His career came to an abrupt end in 1961 when he was convicted of beating his second wife, Ella Mae Evans, to death when she told him she wanted a divorce. After serving eight years of his sentence, Spade Cooley was permitted to perform at a sheriff’s benefit concert on November 23, 1969. Following his set, Cooley suffered a fatal heart attack backstage.
Junior Walker (Born Autry Mixon Jr.)
June 14, 1931 – November 23, 1995
Junior Walker was a saxophone player whose band, Junior Walker and the All Stars became part of the Motown family in 1961. In 1965, the band released the Walker penned “Shotgun” which reached the top of the Billboard R&B chart, and hit #4 on the pop chart. The tune became Walker’s signature song even though it was followed by several other hits over the next few years. Walker had another top 5 pop hit with “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” in 1969. In 1981, rock band, Foreigner took tapes of old Walker sax solos to put together their own “solo” to use as the centerpiece of their hit single, “Urgent.” On November 23, 1995, Junior Walker died of cancer at the age of 64.
Robert Lucas was one of four lead singers to front Canned Heat since its inception in 1965. Popular for it’s boogie blues rock anthems like “Going Up The Country” and “On The Road Again,” the band never stopped after the early deaths of it’s co-founders, Al Wilsonand Bob Hite. Lucas fronted the band twice during recent years, first in 1994 for about six years, and then again in 2005 for three years. He left the group to further a solo career which saw the recording of seven albums. Throughout his career, Lucas lent his guitar and harmonica skills to such legends as Big Joe Turner, Pee Wee Crayton, and Lowell Fulson. On November 23, 2008, Robert Lucas, 46, died of an apparent drug overdose.
Haydain Neale
September 30, 1970 – November 22, 2009
Haydain Neale was the lead singer for popular Canadian R&B band, jacksoul. Formed in the mid ’90s, jacksoul built a devoted following thanks to their mix of soul, jazz, funk, and rock. The band released their first album in 1996. In 2001, jacksoul won a Juno award for Best R&B/Soul Recording. In August of 2007, Neale suffered serious injuries when he and his scooter were hit by a car. He was still recuperating from his injuries at the time of his death. On December 1, 2009, jacksoul released their first album, SOULmate, since Neale’s accident. Haydain Neale was 39 when he died of cancer on November 22, 2009.
Janet Ertel
September 21, 1913 – November 22, 1988
Janet Ertel at bottom left
Janet Ertel was an original member or the pop vocal group, the Chordettes. Formed during the late ’40s, the group initially considered themselves as more of a folk group like the Weavers, but soon went in a pop direction. In 1952, the group performed on the popular Arthur Goddfrey Talent Scout program and handily won due to their beautiful harmonizing. That lead to a regular spot on the show as well as a recording contract with Cadence Records which had recently been started by Archie Bleyer. The went on to record numerous records, thirteen of which landed on the pop singles charts. Their biggest hits were “Lollipop” and “Mr. Sandman.” In 1954, Ertel married Bleyer that same year. She died of cancer on November 22, 1988.
John Osnes was a beloved lounge pianist and singer who first came to prominence in New York City where he played standards and Broadway hits. Over the course of his career, he entertained at private functions held by the likes of Al Gore, Rupert Murdoch and Neil Simon. In 2005, Osnes moved to Los Angeles where he quickly turned The Piano Bar in Hollywood into a favorite entertainment destination for the city’s beautiful people. On November 22, 2008 while walking home from an engagement, Osnes allegedly got into an altercation with a driver he felt came to close to him while walking in a crosswalk. Words and anger ensued and Osnes was allegedly killed during a physical confrontation with the driver. Swedish rapper David Jassey was later arrested for the murder of Osnes.
Alan Gordon was a songwriter many popular songs during the ’60s and ’70s. The list of those who have recorded his songs or co-written with him is staggering. It includes, Three Dog Night, the Turtles, Tammy Wynette, Alice Cooper, Bobby Darin, Freddy Fender, the Ojays, Frank Zappa, and the Lovin’ Spoonful. Two of the biggest hits co-written by Gordon and writing partner, Garry Bonner, were “Happy Together” (the Turtles) and “Celebrate” (Three Dog Night). Alan Gordon was 64 when he died of cancer on November 22, 2009.
Allen Shelton was a banjo virtuoso who came to prominence when he joined Jim & Jesse’s band in 1960. His outstanging finger play was particularly outstanding on such songs as “Bending the Strings,” which he wrote, and Jim & Jesse’s “Keep On The Sunny Side.” Shelton made his first solo album for respected roots label, Rounder Records, in 1976. His 2001 release, Shelton Special, also on Rounder is regarded as one of his best. Allen Shelton, 73, was suffering from leukemia when he passed away on November 21, 2009.
Matthew Ashman was one of the great true guitarists of the new wave era. He brought in a gritty rockabilly sound thanks to his big Gretsch hollow body guitar. He first came on to the scene during the late ’70s when he was asked to play guitar in Adam Ant’s band, Adam & the Ants. After the release of the band’s first album, 1979’s Dirk Wears White Sox, Sex Pistol’s manager Malcolm McLaren convinced Ashman and the rest of the band to leave Ant and work with him and his 14-year-old new wave prodigy, Annabella Lwin. The band they formed with Bow Wow Wow who would prove to be influential on such U.S. bands as Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their biggest hit came in 1982 with a cover of “I Want Candy,” oringinally recorded by the Strangeloves in 1965. Bow Wow Wow broke up in 1983, so Ashman continued on with different bands over the next several years, but nothing reached the success he had seen with Bow Wow Wow. On November 21, 1995, Matthew Ashman, 35, died of complications from diabetes.
Tom Evans is best remembered as founding guitarist and sometime vocalist for British rock band, Badfinger. Evans had been Liverpool when, in 1967, he was asked to join the Iveys, a Welsh band fronted by Pete Ham. Within a year the band was signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records. The Evan’s penned “Maybe Tomorrow” was the band’s first single and cracked the US top 100. In 1969, the band changed its name to Badfinger to record The Magic Christian which included “Come and Get It,” written by Paul McCartney. Evans sang lead on the track which became a top 10 single around the world. One of Badfinger’s follow-up singles was “No Matter What,” another instantly recognizable hit. As a session player, Evans played or sang on John Lennon’sImagine, George Harrion’sAll Things Must Pass, and Ringo Starr’s “It Don’t Come Easy.” Perhaps Evans’ most famous song as a songwriter was the huge Harry Nilsson hit, “Without You,” co-written with Ham. In 1975, Pete Ham committed suicide, putting an end to the original Badfinger. Evans continued on performing in other bands, including a couple of new versions of Badfinger. On November 19, 1983, Tom Evans, 36, took his own life by hanging from a tree in his yard. It has been speculated that he was overwhelmed by disputes over royalties and legal action that could have potentially destroyed him financially.
Doug Sahm was a Texas singer, songwriter and musician who was musical styles covered a wide spectrum, from country to Cajun to blues to western swing to rock. He was Tex-Mex. And he was Americana, some 30 years before the term was coined. A child prodigy, Sahm mastered at least a dozen instruments, his earliest being the guitar, violin and guitar by the time he was five. It was that same year he made his radio debut, and when he was 11, he made his first record. He even performed on stage with Hank Williams Sr. before he turned 12. By the end of the ’50s, Sahm was fronting his own band and touring around the clubs of Texas. In the mid ’60s, he formed the Sir Douglas Quintet, choosing the name as to be less conspicuously American during the British invasion. It only worked until Sahm opened his mouth and the band kicked into their obvious Tex Mex flavored rock ‘n roll. The band did score a top 20 hit in 1965 with “She’s About a Mover.” Three years later they hit again with “Mendocino” which cracked the top 15 and sold in excess of 3 million copies worldwide. Sahm was also a favorite session player and singer throughout his career. He’s recorded with the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and the Grateful Dead. In 1990, Sahm formed the Texas Tornados, a so-called Tex-Mex supergroup with Freddy Fender, Flaco Jimenez and old friend, Augie Meyers. The group recorded four albums including their Grammy wining debut, Texas Tornados. On November 19, 1999, Doug Sahm, 58, suffered a fatal heart attack while asleep in a Taos, New Mexico hotel room.
Junior Parker (Born Herman Parker)
May 27, 1932 – November 18, 1971
Junior Parker was a Memphis blues and R&B singer and musician who became successful thanks to a voice that has been described as “velvet smooth.” He began playing the local blues circuit while still in his teens, and by the early ’50s, he had already performed alongside Sonny Boy Williamson, B.B. King, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and Howlin’ Wolf. In 1951, Parker formed the Blue Flames who cut their first record with the help of Ike Turner. The record lead to a deal with Sam Phillips‘ Sun Records where he released a string of hits including the top 5 R&B hit, “Feelin’ Good,” and “Mystery Train,” which was later made into a hit by Elvis Presley. Parker continued to make records well into the ’60s, but none achieved the success of his earlier recordings. Junior Parker was 39 when he died during surgery for a brain tumor.
John Rostill was an English musician and songwriter who is perhaps best remembered as the second bassist for one of England’s most successful rock groups, the Shadows. With 69 UK charting singles (including 17 #1s) they have been recognized as England’s third most successful charted singles act in history. Only Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley sit above them. They are also credited for being one of the very first and most influential rock bands to come to prominence in the years leading up to the Beatles. After playing around London, at times backing such visiting acts as the Everly Brothers, Rostill was hired by the Shadows as a replacement for original bassist, Brian Locking. He played with the band from 1963 to 1968. After the group broke up in 1968, Rostill performed in Tom Jones’ touring band during the early ’70s. He was also a successful songwriter, having been recorded by Presley and Olivia Newton-John (“Let Me Be There,” “If You Love Me, Let Me Know,” and “Please Mr. Postman”). By late 1973, the Shadows had reformed and Rostill was about to join back with them when tragedy struck. On November 26, 1973, John Rostill, 31, was accidentally electrocuted while working in his home studio.
Nick Drake was an English singer-songwriter who in spite of selling in the neighborhood of just 5000 copies of each of his albums when released, went on to become one of the most influential and respected artists of his generation. Drake came to relative prominence during the British folk movement of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Oft compared to the likes of 
Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Freddie Mercury would become one of rock’s most beloved and dynamic performers as the lead singer of Queen. When Mercury was 17, he and his family fled Zanzibar to London due to the Zanzibar Revolution. Mercury had been performing in bands since his school days, and he wasn’t about to stop when he got to London. When he graduated from college in the late ’60s, he played in a handful of bands until he joined up with Brian May and Roger Taylor and later John Deacon, in what would soon be called Queen. The band became one of the biggest musical acts during the ’70s and ’80s thanks in part to Mercury’s operatic voice and jaw dropping showmanship. One show in particular, Queen’s comeback of sorts during the Live Aid concerts of 1985, has been called the greatest live performanc in the history of rock music. Mercury wrote many of the band’s biggest hits, including “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We Are The Champions,” “Killer Queen,” and arguably their greatest, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” In the spring of 1987, Mercury was reportedly diagnosed with AIDS, though it wouldn’t be officially announced publicly until November 23, 1991. Freddie Mercury died the next day of bronchial pneumonia as a result of AIDS.
Kenny MacLean is best remembered as the bassist for Canadian new wave band, Platinum Blonde. Initially formed as a Police tribute band, Platinum Blonde went on to become one Canada’s most popular bands of the the era, selling in the multi-platinum status and earning two Juno nominations. During the ’90s, MacLean released a couple of solo albums and earned a Most Promising Male Vocalist Juno nomination. He went into music education during the 2000s, forming his own teaching academy in 2006. Kenny MacLean, 52, died of natural causes related to his heart on November 24, 2008.
Michael Lee was a respected English drummer who, after a short career as the with ’90s rock band, Little Angels, began recording and touring with many of the era’s greatest musicians. His first gig of magnitude came in 1991 when he toured as part of the Cult’s band. In 1993, he began working with Robert Plant on record and on tour. That lead to a Led Zeppelin reunion of sorts when Plant began collaborating with Jimmy Page as Page and Plant. While working with Plant, Lee co-wrote “Please Read the Letter” which won a Grammy for Plant and Alison Krauss in 2009. Throughout his career, Lee also collaborated with a reconfigured Thin Lizzy, Quireboys, Lenny Kravitz, Ian Gillan, and Echo & The Bunnymen. Michael Lee died of an epileptic seizure in his home at the age of 39.
Junior Walker was a saxophone player whose band, Junior Walker and the All Stars became part of the Motown family in 1961. In 1965, the band released the Walker penned “Shotgun” which reached the top of the Billboard R&B chart, and hit #4 on the pop chart. The tune became Walker’s signature song even though it was followed by several other hits over the next few years. Walker had another top 5 pop hit with “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” in 1969. In 1981, rock band, Foreigner took tapes of old Walker sax solos to put together their own “solo” to use as the centerpiece of their hit single, “Urgent.” On November 23, 1995, Junior Walker died of cancer at the age of 64.
Haydain Neale was the lead singer for popular Canadian R&B band, jacksoul. Formed in the mid ’90s, jacksoul built a devoted following thanks to their mix of soul, jazz, funk, and rock. The band released their first album in 1996. In 2001, jacksoul won a Juno award for Best R&B/Soul Recording. In August of 2007, Neale suffered serious injuries when he and his scooter were hit by a car. He was still recuperating from his injuries at the time of his death. On December 1, 2009, jacksoul released their first album, SOULmate, since Neale’s accident. Haydain Neale was 39 when he died of cancer on November 22, 2009.
John Osnes was a beloved lounge pianist and singer who first came to prominence in New York City where he played standards and Broadway hits. Over the course of his career, he entertained at private functions held by the likes of Al Gore, Rupert Murdoch and Neil Simon. In 2005, Osnes moved to Los Angeles where he quickly turned The Piano Bar in Hollywood into a favorite entertainment destination for the city’s beautiful people. On November 22, 2008 while walking home from an engagement, Osnes allegedly got into an altercation with a driver he felt came to close to him while walking in a crosswalk. Words and anger ensued and Osnes was allegedly killed during a physical confrontation with the driver. Swedish rapper David Jassey was later arrested for the murder of Osnes.
Allen Shelton was a banjo virtuoso who came to prominence when he joined Jim & Jesse’s band in 1960. His outstanging finger play was particularly outstanding on such songs as “Bending the Strings,” which he wrote, and Jim & Jesse’s “Keep On The Sunny Side.” Shelton made his first solo album for respected roots label, Rounder Records, in 1976. His 2001 release, Shelton Special, also on Rounder is regarded as one of his best. Allen Shelton, 73, was suffering from leukemia when he passed away on November 21, 2009.
Doug Sahm was a Texas singer, songwriter and musician who was musical styles covered a wide spectrum, from country to Cajun to blues to western swing to rock. He was Tex-Mex. And he was Americana, some 30 years before the term was coined. A child prodigy, Sahm mastered at least a dozen instruments, his earliest being the guitar, violin and guitar by the time he was five. It was that same year he made his radio debut, and when he was 11, he made his first record. He even performed on stage with 
Junior Parker was a Memphis blues and R&B singer and musician who became successful thanks to a voice that has been described as “velvet smooth.” He began playing the local blues circuit while still in his teens, and by the early ’50s, he had already performed alongside 