RIP: Liam Clancy, Aaron Schroeder, Jack Rose
Liam Clancy, the last surviving member of the seminal Irish folk band the Clancy Brothers, died on Friday at a Cork hospital at age 74. Bob Dylan once declared, “I never heard a singer as good as Liam ever. He was just the best ballad singer I’d ever heard in my life. Still is, probably.”
Aaron Schroeder wrote or co-wrote 17 songs that were recorded by Elvis Presley, including five of his No. 1 hits: “It’s Now or Never,” “Good Luck Charm,” “Stuck On You,” “I Got Stung” and “A Big Hunk o’ Love.” Schroeder also wrote songs for Frank Sinatra, Roy Orbison, Perry Como, Barry White and Nat King Cole. He founded the independent label Musicor Records, was Gene Pitney’s manager and produced his hit “Town Without Pity.” And he wrote the theme song, “Scooby Doo, Where Are You?”
I had never heard of Jack Rose until I heard about his death. But this obituary of the Philadelphia guitarist by David Morris at Strangeglue.com, so moved me that I felt he had been my friend for years. Excuse me. I must go now to search for some Jack Rose recordings…
R.I.P. Jack Rose. He actually played twice in Albany in the last year, once at the gallery on Lark with the No More Bush tour, and once with Michael Chapman, Wovoka, and Burnt Hills. Nice guy, and a great guitar player. Pax, PhilthyRex
Whoa. That had completely escaped my memory banks, but now that you mention it, I do remember the Chapman date. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see him play at either gig … otherwise, I’m sure I would have remembered. Thanks
Wow! Thanks for sharing the Jack Rose obit package, Greg. For me, the lesson here is how ephemeral and arbitrary stardom is, how ubiquitous and hungry talent is, and how easy it is to miss greatness even when it shows up right in our town. I never saw this guy play, either – and now feel I should have. Who else are we missing?
Here’s a video from 5/8/09 from the ASAC show!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeB7l3V9Ga4&feature=player_embedded#