A sad year for music

It's been a sad year for musicians this year, with the deaths of greats like Ray Charles, Rick James, Illinois Jacquet, film scorers Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith, Jan Berry (of Jan and Dean), and just today, the deaths of both Donald Leslie and Ernie Ball. Now, for any musicians out there, especially guitar players, the name Ernie Ball will immediately ring a bell. Ernie Ball is one of the most prolific string manufacturers in the world, and it's products are used by profesional musicians worldwide (including myself. Ernie Ball Super Slinkys on my '65 Kingston.) Ernie Ball died today, at the age of 74, in his home in San Luis Obispo, California.

His strings and instruments were used by music stars over the past four decades, from B.B. King to Metallica. Beginning with a small music shop in the San Fernando Valley, Ball built a business with annual sales of $40 million and a worldwide reputation. Along the way, he bucked traditional thinking in the music business.

``He changed the way people thought of guitar accessories, and how they sold and marketed them, and to this day the Ernie Ball way is the industry standard,'' his son, Sterling Ball, said in a statement.
[ Gaurdian Unlimited]

While the name Ernie Ball may quickly be recognized, the name of Donald Leslie may not be, but his invention, the Leslie Rotating Speaker, or Leslie Cabinet, as it is more frequently referred to, is a sound that all music fans have heard. It's the rotating speaker cabinet that gives all electric organs, specifically Hammonds, that cool, groovy, jazzy tone that we have all come to love. Both these heavy musical pioneers will be sorely missed.

I hope that a whole slew of young lions keeps on innovating, both with music, but also with the technology that goes into making music. It's the only thing that's gonna keep us alive, cause Britney Spears sure ain't gonna do it.

Now, to my overall point... which escapes me right now. Ahh well, it's almost 5, I think Blaise and I'll go have a pint for Ernie and Don.

Cause Britney Spears sure ain't gonna do it...