On May 25th, in 1994, we lost a fusion jazz trendsetter, sideman, guitarist, funk pioneer, composer, bandleader, session musician, arranger, multi-label recording artist and former member of the funk band Stuff-Eric (J.) Gale. The Brooklyn native is most known as a session guitarist that’s been featured on over 500 recordings dating back to the 60s. Hip hop producers know him for his days as a bandleader in the 70s and the fusion jazz he created with Bob James, Grover Washington Jr., Idris Muhammad, Esther Phillips, Lalo Schifrin, Stanley Turrentine, Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock. The greater public know him from playing with Michael Jackson (Bad), Kenny Loggins (Celebrate Me Home), Teddy Pendergrass (TP), Carly Simon (Boys in the Trees), Van McCoy (The Disco Kid) and David Matthews (Dune).
Other notable musicians he’s played with as a sideman include: Ashford & Simpson, Paul Simon, Patti Austin, Van Morrison, Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, Yusef Lateef, Roberta Flack, Al Kooper and Freddie Hubbard. He released 9 LPs of his own from 1973 to 1983. Gale started playing guitar when he was 12. In the 60s, he started working with Maxine Brown, Jesse Belvin, King Curtis, the Drifters and Jimmy Smith. He quickly gained a reputation as a great guitarist which led to gigs with Peter Tosh, Aretha Franklin, Lee Scratch Perry, Herbie Mann, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Al Jarreau and Mose Allison. Simply put, it’s hard to find an artist Gale didn’t play for/with during the 60s and 70s. He was 55 when he passed.
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On May 25th, in 2006, we lost a groundbreaking Jamaican musician, songwriter, founder of the Aces, ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-Desmond Dekker (Desmond Adolphus Dacres). He had a hit single performing Jimmy Cliff’s-You Can Get It If You Really Want (1970). Dekker also helped spread the reggae sound to the greater world with early hits like-Israelites (1968) and 007-Shanty Town (1967). He got his start singing hymns in the church via his Grandmother who was highly religious. He became a welder in Kingston and would sing while on the job. His co-workers encouraged him to quit welding and pursue music full-time. In 1961, he followed their suggestions and auditioned for Coxsone Dodd first. The Studio One owner turned him down so he went to Duke Reid next (Treasure Isle Records). However, Reid also wasn’t feeling Dekker’s voice.
He went to Leslie Kong last, the owner of Beverley Records. Kong heard something in Dekker’s voice that Dodd and Reid did not. As a result, he signed him! Dekker worked with a few welders that wanted to or that could sing. One such aspiring singer was Bob Marley. Dekker took him to Kong and got him a deal as well. Bob recorded Judge Not and One Cup of Coffee in 1962. In 1963, two years after he signed with Kong, Dekker released his first single, the same song he sang at his audition-Honour Your Mother and Father. It became a hit for him and solidified his career. He hired 4 biological brothers to be his back up singers: Barry, Carl, Clive and Patrick Howard-The Aces. They became an official group called Desmond Dekker and the Aces in 1964. He was 64 when he passed.
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On May 25th, in 1943, singer, actress and TV host/personality-Leslie (Marian) Uggams was born in Harlem, New York City, New York. She’s most known for playing the role of Kizzy Reynolds in the ABC miniseries-Roots. She was a child star, becoming one of the first Blacks to appear on a major network when she played the role of Ethel Water’s niece on the ABC show-Beulah (1951). She had her singing debut on TV as well-The Lawrence Welk Show. In her teens she started singing on the NBC & CBS quiz show-Name That Tune. She also was a regular on the Sing Along With Mitch TV show. In the late 50s she made her recording debut on Columbia Records-The Eyes of God (1959). She had a few singles chart off the album. It was mostly pop covers and spiritually themed.
In the 60s, Uggams released 5 LPs in all, two of them on Columbia Records (1962, 1963) and three on Atlantic Records (1966, 1968, 1969). Her popularity as a singer and actress grew during the 50s and 60s. In 1967, she secured a role in the Broadway play-Hallelujah-Baby! (Uggams played Georgina). Lena Horne had turned the role down, and it was an introductory role for Uggams making her first appearance on Broadway. In 1969, CBS gave Uggams her own variety show called-The Leslie Uggams Show. It was the second American variety show on a major network hosted by a Black person. In the 70s, she acted in several films like Black Girl (1972), Skyjacked (1972) and Poor Pretty Eddie (1975). Uggams was a familiar face and voice in pop culture from the 1950s up to the 80s. She’s 75 today.
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HONORABLE MENTION: On May 25th, in 1936, seminal songwriter, pianist, arranger, composer, rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, guitarist, pop music innovator, pianist, singer, founding member of the Vibraharps and solo recording artist-Donnie Elbert was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He’s most known for singing cover versions of soul, pop and rock hits during the 60s. He started singing professionally in his teens with the Vibraharps. He went solo in 1957 and signed to DeLuxe Records (King Records subsidiary). He left DeLuxe in 1959, signed to Red Top & Vee-Jay Records, and sold over 250,000 copies of his 1960 single-Will You Ever Be Mine? He’s credited as a Northern Soul staple and was 52 when he passed (1989).
On May 25th, in 1977, one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all-time debuted in the US-Star Wars. It was created by George Lucas who tells the story of the Skywalker family. Lucas drew on Japanese Samurai culture to come up with the concept of the Force and Light Sabers-two major weapons used by Jedi Knights and those that side with the dark side. He originally wanted to do a space opera/saga on flash Gordon but couldn’t secure the rights so he made his own saga. He gave 20th Century Fox his draft in 1973 after he finished directing American Graffiti. It was called the: Journal of the Whills. They quickly invested, Lucas expanded his draft, and 4 years later-Star Wars hit theaters nationwide.
On May 25th, in 1981, we lost a prominent bluesman, rock ‘n’ roll trailblazer, soul music developer, singer, composer, songwriter, former professional boxer and the vocalist credited with sounding 'White’ while being Black-Roy (James) Brown. If James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, Roy Brown is the Godfather of James Brown. Without Roy’s vocal style, jump blues recordings and stage show, there wouldn’t be a James Brown, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Springsteen or Bobby Blue Bland. Brown was a major influence on all of them. The Louisiana native boxed as a welterweight in the early 40s, before singing full-time in the mid 40s. He was 60 when he passed.
On May 25th, in 2005, we lost a seminal session musician, singer, guitarist, songwriter, solo recording artist, former member of the James Gang, The Guess Who, Bush and Mandala-Domenic Troiano (Domenic Michele Antonio Troiano). I came across a solo LP of his in the dollar bin at a local record store-it's dope. Before that, I had never heard of him. He’s originally from Italy, but was raised in Canada. He’s been playing professionally since he was 15 and started as a guitarist in Ronnie Hawkins’ backing band-Robbie Lane & the Disciples. In the mid 60s he joined the Mandala (formerly the 5 Rogues). In the late 60s he co-founded Bush before going solo in 1970. He was 59 when he passed.
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