Guitar legend Eric Clapton was born on this day, March 30th, in 1945. Favorite Eric Clapton Song: “Let It Grow.” Happy Birthday, Eric!
Tag Archives: legend
Remembering Guitar Legend Les Paul
Les Paul, inventor of the solid-body electric guitar, passed away on August 13th, 2009 at the age of 94, due to complications from pneumonia. This news makes me so sad, I can’t even think of anything to say about it right now, but you can read an obit from the New York Times at This Link.
Hall of Fame Drummer Earl Palmer Dead at 83
I wanted to let the dust settle a bit on the news about Travis Barker’s plane crash before posting a little memoriam for legendary session drummer Earl Palmer, who passed away on Friday, September 19th, 2008 after a long illness. He was 83. Palmer played with artists as diverse as Little Richard and Elvis Costello and even recorded drums on the Flintstones’ theme song. Along with Hal Blaine, he is considered to be one of the top session drummers of all time. He will be missed.
Death of a Legend: RIP Ahmet Ertegun
Another little piece of the music industry as we once knew it (read: back in the ’70s) is lost forever with the passing of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of the once great Atlantic Records, who died on December 14th, 2006. Ertegun was 83 years old. In an added note of poignancy, he had been in a coma for weeks after injuring his head in a fall at a Rolling Stones concert on October 29th.
Not only did Ertegun sign Led Zeppelin, but Ahmet Zappa, Frank’s youngest son is also named after him. A couple of years ago, when I was temping to supplement my meager income as a freelance writer, I did a few days stint at Atlantic Records working their switchboard. A few times when Ertegun’s assistant was away from her desk and I had to cover his phone, I got to pick up his extension and say “Mr. Ertegun’s office.” It actually gave me a tiny thrill to say that. Sadly, I never got to meet him even though he was just down at the end of the corridor from where I was sitting.
Speaking from Los Angeles, singer Daryl Hall (Hall & Oates) had the following to say about Ertegun’s passing:
“Ahmet Ertegun was a giant in the record business. He cared first and foremost about the ARTIST and the MUSIC – much more than the business. He believed that if the Artist was true to him or herself, good business would follow. Sadly in today’s atmosphere, this isn’t the case. But, during Ahmet’s days of influence it was! He was one of the first people to realize our potential and supported us during our beginning – the most important time. We couldn’t have done what we did without Ahmet and Arif Mardin’s support and encouragement. He changed music and created what I consider its golden age. He will be sorely missed.”