THE OBIT PATROL: 2011-03-06

Monday, March 14, 2011

Arnie Carruthers

Jazz pianist -- via the Spokesman-Review.

John Studebaker "Jack" Hardy

Folk singer and promoter -- via the New York Times. He helped the early careers of such performers as Tracy Chapman, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin and Suzanne Vega.

Robert P. Marcucci

Songwriter, manager and producer -- via westernboothill.com. He discovered both Frankie Avalon and Fabian; his life was the inspiration for the 1980 film "The Idolmaker."

Gene Kramer

Globe-trotting newsman -- via the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kippy Casado

Actress and TV host -- via Latin Gossip.

Norman Taylor

Television engineer -- via the Independent. Quite by accident, he created the unique original opening for BBC's "Doctor Who" series --

Betty Paul

Writer and actress -- via the Telegraph.

Steven Kroll

Children's book author -- via School Library Journal.

William "Beau Dollar" Bowman

Singer and drummer -- via rocksbackpagesblogs.com. A funky frontman for the Dapps and Beau Dollar and the Coins, his name later inspired the name of Dap Records, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings!

Owsley "Bear" Stanley aka Augustus Owsley Stanley III

1960's icon -- via the New York Daily News. He did so much to enable the era to happen -- he was the first to manufacture LSD in large quantities. He was an innovative and masterful sound engineer, working primarily with the Grateful Dead.

He designed the Dead's Lightning Bolt Skull logo.

He inspired the "Dancing Bear" symbols commonly associated with the band. (Indeed, he created the freeform, flailing "dead dance" still seen at many concerts.)

He initiated the practice of taping Dead shows (as well as taping many other bands of the era -- many tapes are still unreleased). The band Blue Cheer was named after one of his hallucinogenic products. The Steeley Dan song "Kid Charlemagne" was inspired in part by his exploits.

He was a consciousness expander, and a lover of good music. Thank you, Bear!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Joe Morello

One of the greatest of all jazz drummers -- via WGBH. He was recorded on more than 120 albums, 60 of which were with Dave Brubeck. His skills inspired much of Brubeck's composition of the classic album "Take Five."

Friday, March 11, 2011

Hugh Martin

Tony- and Oscar- nominated composer, arranger, playwright and accompanist -- via TheaterMania. With Ralph Blane, he wrote the score for 1944's "Meet in St. Louis," including the classic songs "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Trolley Song" and "The Boy Next Door."

He and Blane were also nominated for this song from 1947's "Good News":

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Jean Dinning

Singer and songwriter -- via the Orange County Register. A member of the vocal trio The Dinning Sisters, her claim to fame will be the fact that she wrote the hit song "Teen Angel" for her brother, Mark. Surprisingly, the song was banned for a year by many radio stations until becoming a number-one hit in 1960. It is a prominent part of that peculiar subgenre of "teen tragedy" or "dead girl" songs that were so popular during that era.