
Here are two of those things, both sad, as it turns out: Charles Westover, known to the pop world as Del Shannon and the author and performer of timeless hits like “Runaway†and “Little Town Flirt,†died on this date in 1990 in Santa Clarita, CA, and Jimmy Smith, the man who for all practical purposes invented soul jazz and completely remade the Hammond B3 organ over in his own image, died on this date in Scottsdale, AZ in 2002. That’s a lot of great music right there, and while February 8 rose out of the roulette wheel to claim these two musicians for its own, stilling both forever, their legacy and work are still with us. Life happens, and life happens on specific dates, then moves ahead one click, and life ends on specific dates, too, and then moves on another click. Here’s a suggestion for today, a day that seems at first glance to be a lackluster placeholder between football and broken hearts: Take a moment to think about Del Shannon and Jimmy Smith, and maybe even add a track or two from each to your iPod. February 8, like every other day of the year, really has no sentiment or mercy, but these two musicians, who share a death date, had plenty of both. Here’s a tip of the hat to Del Shannon and Jimmy Smith.
Del Shannon - Runaway
Del Shannon - Drop Down and Get Me
Jimmy Smith - Prayer Meeting
Jimmy Smith - The Sermon