Dick Halligan, Jerry Weiss and Randy Brecker of the rock and roll band "Blood, Sweat And Tears" perform onstage at Steve Paul's The Scene nightclub on Nov. 25, 1967 in New York.
Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/GIBlood, Sweat & Tears co-founder Dick Halligan, who won two Grammys with the classic jazz-rock band, died of natural causes on Jan. 18 in Rome, Italy. He was 78.
Halligan grew up in Michigan and moved to New York for school, and as the story goes he first turned down his friend and jazz saxophonist Fred Lipsius when he asked him to join Blood, Sweat & Tears. But, Halligan changed his tune and joined the band when Lipsius told him they would be touring in California — a place he always wanted to see.
With Blood, Sweat & Tears, Halligan played the trombone, keyboard and flute. He also co-wrote several tracks, including “Redemption” and “Lisa Listen To Me.”
Halligan’s expertise in music stemmed from hours spent listening to the big band music of Stan Kenton, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller as a boy growing up in Glens Fall, New York. He went on to receive a master of arts degree in music theory and composition from the Manhattan School of Music and continued his studies in voice and piano.
Blood, Sweat & Tears’ second studio album, Blood, Sweat & Tears, was released in 1968, spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1969 and won a Grammy for album of the year in 1970. That same year, they also won a Grammy for best contemporary instrumental performance for the album’s opening track, “Variations On A Theme by Eric Satie.”
Halligan left the band in 1971 following the recording of the group’s fourth studio album, B, S & T 4. Of the four albums that Halligan created with the band, four were certified Gold by the RIAA and one was certified four-times Platinum.
Following his time with Blood, Sweat & Tears, Halligan went on to score over 20 film and TV projects, including The Owl and the Pussycat, the Chuck Norris movies A Force Of One and The Octagon, as well as ABC’s Holmes And Yoyo. He also composed for orchestras and, most recently, wrote, performed and toured with the one-man show Musical Being, which was based on his book of the same name detailing his unique musical journey.
Halligan is survived by his daughter and musician Shana, his son-in-law Eric Kaufman, his grandson Otis and his stepson Buddy.
Taylor Swift believes Nashville has a music scene that stands apart from anywhere else.
The 36 year old singer moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when she was young to chase her dream of becoming a country music star. After being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on Monday (26.10.26), Taylor took the opportunity to recognise the city and the talented writers who have helped shape its music scene.
In her acceptance speech, Taylor said: "I believe you really get to master a craft by doing it again and again. That's exactly what the incredible songwriters in this wonderful town do every day."
Taylor also spoke about what makes Nashville such a special place for musicians.
The award winning singer, who ranks among the best selling music artists of all time, said: "You won't find another music community quite like this one. Trust me, I've checked them all."
Taylor also shared how being part of Nashville's songwriting scene had taught her valuable lessons about life and working with others.
She joked: "I've learned to be flexible when your co writer turns up with a hangover, or when they need to spend ages talking about their divorce before we can even get started on a song."
Taylor previously spoke about how Faith Hill and Shania Twain inspired her decision to move to Nashville.
Speaking to Time magazine, the singer said: "I couldn't get enough of watching TV biographies about Faith Hill and Shania Twain, and I realised they had both moved to Nashville to get their careers started. After that, I kept asking, pleading and begging my parents to take me there.
"When I was 11, my mum took my brother and me to Nashville during spring break, and we spent the trip driving around Music Row. She stayed in the car while I rushed into record companies one after another, giving my demo CD to the receptionists. I found it fascinating that so many major record labels were gathered along a single street, often inside little buildings and old houses.
"What really stayed with me was how welcoming people were to newcomers and complete strangers like us. We started visiting Nashville more often, and when I was 13, I received an offer for a development deal from a major record label. That was when my parents finally agreed to leave Pennsylvania and move with me."
