Notable Deaths - August 27
Here are the notable deaths on August 27 throughout the years:
William Edward Burghardt “W.E.B.” Du Bois (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) - An American civil rights activist, public intellectual, Pan-Africanist, sociologist, educator, historian, writer, editor, poet, and scholar. He became a naturalized citizen of Ghana in 1963 at the age of 95. His health had declined in 1962, and he died in Accra, Ghana at the age of ninety-five, one day before Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. At the March on Washington, prominent civil rights activist Roy Wilkins informed the hundreds of thousands of marchers and called for a moment of silence. In 1992, the United States Postal Service honored him with his portrait on a postage stamp.
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie “Gracie” Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) - An American comedienne who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns. In 1909, she joined her sister, Bessie, as a vaudeville performer. At a performance in 1922, Allen met Burns and the two formed a comedy act. The two were married on January 7, 1926 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Burns and Allen act began with Allen as the straight man, setting up Burns to deliver the punchlines…and get the laughs. In 1948, fellow comedian Jack Benny convinced Burns and Allen (among others) to join him in a move to CBS from NBC. The “Burns and Allen” radio show became part of the CBS lineup and a year later they also brought their show to television. They continued to use the formula which had kept them longtime radio stars, playing themselves only now as television stars, still living next door to Harry and Blanche Morton. They concluded each show with a brief dialogue performance in the style of their classic vaudeville and earlier radio routines. As the show wrap-up Burns would look at Allen and state “Say good night, Gracie” to which she would simply reply “Good night.” Allen fought a long battle with heart disease, finally dying from a heart attack in Hollywood in 1964. She was interred in a crypt at the Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California; Burns was interred at her side when he died thirty-two years later. “Gracie Allen and George Burns — Together Again,” reads the engraving on the marker. Here is a clip from the “Burns and Allen” show:
Brian Samuel Epstein (September 19, 1934 – August 27, 1967) - The manager of The Beatles. Through his company NEMS Enterprises, he also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, and Cilla Black. The Beatles recorded a demo in Decca’s studios…paid for by Epstein…which he later persuaded George Martin to listen to. Epstein was then offered a contract (after Martin had auditioned the group) by EMI’s small Parlophone label, even though they had previously been rejected by almost every other British record company. Epstein died of an accidental drug overdose at his home in London in August 1967. The Beatles’ early success has been attributed to Epstein’s management and sense of style. Paul McCartney said of Epstein: “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.” In the 1978 television special “The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash,” Epstein is parodied as the character “Leggy Mountbatten.”
Stephen “Stevie” Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) - An American blues-rock guitarist whose broad appeal made him an influential electric blues guitarist. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Stevie Ray Vaughan #7 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and Classic Rock Magazine ranked him #3 in their list of the 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes in 2007. During the early 1970s Vaughan played the Austin bar and club scene with the Cobras. After the Cobras broke up, in 1975 he started Triple Threat, which in 1978 became Double Trouble with Vaughan as lead singer. From Austin, their success spread throughout Texas. In the early 1980s, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger saw Vaughan and Double Trouble playing at a club, and invited them to play at a private party in New York. This led to their acquaintance with producer Jerry Wexler, who managed to get them their first big break performing at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival. As a result they were able to meet Jackson Browne, who gave the band free time in his Los Angeles studio, and David Bowie, who had Vaughan play lead guitar on his next album, Let’s Dance. Soon a record contract with Epic followed, as well as their first album release in 1983, the successful Texas Flood, which charted at number 38 and gained positive reviews. After a successful tour, their second album, Couldn’t Stand the Weather, charted at number 31 in 1984 and went gold in 1985. Their third album, Soul to Soul, charted at number 34 in 1985. On August 25 and August 26, 1990, Vaughan and Double Trouble finished the summer portion of the In Step Tour with shows at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, just outside of East Troy, Wisconsin. The musicians had expected a long bus ride back to Chicago. However, Vaughan was informed by a member of Eric Clapton’s crew that three seats were open on one of the helicopters returning to Chicago with Clapton’s crew, enough for Vaughan, his brother Jimmie, and Jimmie’s wife Connie. It turned out there was only one seat left; Vaughan requested it from his brother, who obliged. At 12:44 a.m. pilot Jeffrey Browne guided the helicopter off the ground. Moments after takeoff the helicopter crashed into a ski slope and all five on board were killed. Although the crash occurred only 0.6 miles from takeoff, it went unnoticed by those at the concert site. He is interred in the Laurel Land Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas. Here is a performance of his song “Texas Flood”: