July 17 in music history


July 17: John Coltrane passed away in 1967 (read more) “My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being…When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups…I want to speak to their souls.” ~John Coltrane All a musician can do is to get closer to the sources of nature, and so feel that he is in communion with the natural laws. ~John Coltrane
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Harris April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo.
Winford Lindsey Stewart (June 7, 1934 – July 17, 1985), better known as Wynn Stewart, was an American country music performer. He was one of the progenitors of the Bakersfield sound. Although not a huge chart success, he was an inspiration to such greats as Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.
Spencer David Nelson Davies (born 17 July 1939) is a British musician and multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of the 1960s rock band, the Spencer Davis Group. Davis dropped the E in Davies and became Davis because in England and in the US his last name was pronounced “Daveys” and not Davis as in the Welsh pronunciation.
Ronald Franklin Asheton (July 17, 1948 – January 6, 2009) was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band The Stooges. He formed the Stooges along with Pop and his brother, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander. Asheton is ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Spotify Playlist – July 17