The young life of Dinah Washington came to and end today (December 14, 1963). The singer was found dead from an overdose on presecription sleeping pills by husband Dick “Night Train” Lane, a pro football player. The pair had been married for six months when Washington died, although it was her seventh marriage.
The Moonglows recorded their version of “Blue Velvet” today (December 13, 1956.) The Moonglows were headed by Harvey Fuqua, who was the nephew of Ink Spots’ guitarist, Charles Fuqua.
On December 9, 1981 Sonny Til of The Orioles died at the age of 56.
The Orioles and The Ravens are considered the pioneering R&B groups that set the standard for the thousands to come in the 1940’s 50’s and 60’s.
Sonny was born Earlington Tilghman on August 18, 1925 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Today (December 7) is Pearl Harbor Day, the day the Japanese attacked U.S warships off the coast of Hawaii in 1941.
In addition to pulling the U.S. into a world war, the action unwittingly spawned thousands of songs created and sung by men and women who were shipped off to defend their respective countries.
