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Post by the Scribe on Dec 31, 2017 20:22:18 GMT -5
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Post by erik on Dec 31, 2017 21:30:29 GMT -5
If it's anything like 2017 was, then we are in for a lot of grief (IMHO).
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Post by erik on Jan 2, 2018 20:30:46 GMT -5
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Post by erik on Jan 6, 2018 18:27:07 GMT -5
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 6, 2018 23:09:57 GMT -5
TMZ reported Jerry and his wife were involved in a car accident two years ago and that his health had deteriorated since that accident. It's possible the cause of death can be traced back to the accident. When comedian Steve Allen passed away many years ago, his cause of death was traced back to a car accident he had been in. I always thought Jerry was a little younger than 86, thought there was at least a 10 year age difference at least between him and Dick. And so it sadly goes, 2018 is getting off to a lousy start on the celebrity and notable deaths. Music producer Rick Hall, and an associate of Garry Marshall's, Frank Buxton, who was an actor, producer, director and writer, passed away January 2nd. Buxton wrote episodes of "Happy Days," "One Day at a Time," "The Odd Couple," including a fan favorite episode "Password;" he also directed episodes of "Happy Days" and "The Odd Couple." Last year was particularly heavy on the losses. I don't expect this year to be any different and I expect there will be some deaths we won't see coming and don't want to see, especially as many rock performers keep moving into the senior citizen range.
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 7, 2018 20:52:35 GMT -5
Ray Thomas of British rockers The Moody Blues dies at 76Associated Press Associated Press 8 hours ago .
FILE PHOTO: Legendary British rock group "The Moody Blues," L-R, Ray Thomas, Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge, performs during the first of four shows at Le Theatre des Arts at the Paris Las Vegas hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on April 5, 2001. REUTERS/Ethan Miller/File Photo
LONDON (AP) — Ray Thomas, a founding member of British rock group The Moody Blues, has died at 76, months before the band is due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
His music label, Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records, said Thomas died suddenly Thursday at his home in Surrey, south of London.
"We are deeply shocked by his passing and will miss his warmth, humor and kindness," the label said Sunday. "It was a privilege to have known and worked with him and our thoughts are with his family and his wife Lee at this sad time."
No cause of death was given, but Thomas disclosed in 2014 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Born in 1941, Thomas performed in rock and blues bands in the English Midlands city of Birmingham before founding The Moody Blues in 1964 with fellow musicians including Mike Pinder and Denny Laine.
The band's roots lay in blues and R&B, but its 1964 hit "Go Now" was a foretaste of the lush, orchestral sound that came to be called progressive rock.
The Moody Blues' 1967 album "Days of Future Passed" is a prog-rock landmark, and Thomas's flute solo on the single "Nights in White Satin" one of its defining moments.
Thomas wrote several songs for the band, including the trippy "Legend of a Mind" and "Veteran Cosmic Rocker."
Thomas released two solo albums after the band broke up in 1974. The Moody Blues later reformed, and Thomas remained a member before leaving around the turn of the millennium due to poor health.
The band is due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio in April. One thing I don't understand is when I went to find a youtube about Ray Thomas I found several from the past few years that say Ray Thomas RIP. Only thing is they were posted years ago in some cases. Not sure what is going on but my brain needs a rest. Anyway they were always one of my favorite groups and a part of my life for a long time.
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 11, 2018 16:21:56 GMT -5
Not a celebrity to anyone other than me but my young cat "Coach" died a day after Coach star Jerry Van Dyke died. My Coach was FIV positive and no one else would take him as he was rescued from the ASU campus, covered in mange. He was found at the ASU football "on campus" practice dome hence that is how he got his name. All black kitten with a great temperament. Tested positive for FIV and lived a short but mostly happy two year life. He had gotten ill and thin in the past month and I took the death of Van Dyke as a "sign" I would be losing my little boy Coach shortly. And so it happened.
You know, if anyone reading this thread has their own personal celebrity or notable (to them) death feel free to post it here. Most of our real heroes go unknown to most of the world and die quietly. I for one would like to hear about those who touched your lives and why.
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 15, 2018 14:13:57 GMT -5
Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan dead at 46
JILL LAWLESS JILL LAWLESS 1 hour 54 minutes ago .
LONDON (AP) — Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of Irish rock band The Cranberries, died suddenly on Monday. She was 46.
O'Riordan died in London, where she was recording, publicist Lindsey Holmes said.
"No further details are available at this time," Holmes said, adding that the singer's family was "devastated" by the news.
Formed in Limerick, Ireland at the end of the 1980s, The Cranberries became international stars in the 90s with hits including "Zombie" and "Linger" that fused the alternative rock edge with Celtic-infused pop tunefulness.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins said O'Riordan and the band "had an immense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally."
"To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts, her death will be a big loss," he said in a statement.
O'Riordan was The Cranberries' chief lyricist and co-songwriter, and her powerful, sometimes wailing, voice was key to the band's distinctive sound.
The group's 1993 debut album "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" sold millions of copies and produced the hit single "Linger."
The follow-up, "No Need to Argue," sold in even greater numbers and contained "Zombie," a howl against Northern Ireland's violent Troubles that topped singles charts in several countries.
The band released three more studio albums before splitting up in 2003. O'Riordan released a solo album, "Are You Listening," in 2007, and another, "No Baggage," in 2009.
The members of The Cranberries reunited that year, releasing the album "Roses" in 2012.
The Cranberries released the acoustic album "Something Else" in 2017 and had been due to tour Europe and North America. The tour was cut short because O'Riordan was suffering from back problems.
In 2014, O'Riordan was accused of assaulting three police officers and a flight attendant during a flight from New York to Ireland. She pleaded guilty and was fined 6,000 euros ($6,600).
Medical records given to the court indicated she was mentally ill at the time of the altercation. After her court hearing O'Riordan urged other people suffering mental illness to seek help.
O'Riordan is survived by her ex-husband, the former Duran Duran tour manager Don Burton, and their three children.
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Post by Dianna on Jan 16, 2018 1:33:20 GMT -5
Delores O'Riordan RIP big shock for me. Way too young.
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 16, 2018 13:25:12 GMT -5
Passings: Edwin Hawkins, Leader of the Edwin Hawkins Singers (1943 - 2018)
4:12 PM -Passings-, Edwin Hawkins, Passings by VVN Music
Edwin Hawkins, the gospel great who brought the genre to the masses with the 1969 hit "Oh Happy Day", has died at the age of 74. According to reports, he had been ill for some time.
On January 11, his management team posted that Hawkins was experiencing "several health challenges". "We appreciate your prayers and well wishes during this difficult time."
Fred Hammond wrote "My family @bebewinans just in formed me Of the passing of a true gospel music legend, and father of contemporary gospel music Edwin Hawkins."
Hawkins was already playing keyboards for his family's gospel choir at the age of seven and later co-founded the Northern California State Youth Choir which, in 1968, recorded the album Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord.
One of the songs on the album, "Oh Happy Day", sung by Dorothy Morrison, was picked up in the San Francisco Bay area on underground radio stations and it eventually branched out to both the R&B and pop formats. Buddah Records picked up the song for their new Pavilion label and released it worldwide where it went to number 4 in the U.S., number 2 in the U.K. and number 1 in France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Hawkins won the first of his four Grammy awards for "Oh Happy Day" in the category of Best Soul Gospel Performance. He would win that category two more times, in 1971 for "Every Man Wants to Be Free" and 1978 for "Wonderful". He also won Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album in 1993 for Edwin Hawkins Music & Arts Seminar Mass Choir: Recorded Live in Los Angeles. The latter was recorded at Hawkins' annual seminar and workshops on the gospel music industry.
In 1971, the Edwin Hawkins Singers were once again on the pop charts in support of Melanie on the single "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" which went to number 6.
Over his lifetime, Hawkins and his singers would release over three dozen albums with Edwin being recognized as one of the greats of contemporary gospel music. He was selected for the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Post by Dianna on Jan 16, 2018 13:25:18 GMT -5
Pretty Irish Girl...
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Post by erik on Jan 16, 2018 13:28:42 GMT -5
I'm afraid this year is quickly turning into last year's obituary notices on steroids. This is five we have lost, and we're only halfway through January!
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 16, 2018 23:45:26 GMT -5
I was shocked and saddened by the news of Ray Thomas' passing, but I knew he had not been in good health for quite some time. His retirement from the Moody Blues happened because he was rumored to be diabetic. And in recent years, he had issues with prostate cancer. In the Moody Blues, Ray's songs were never chosen as the singles even though he wrote several songs that should've been singles. Songs like "Veteran Cosmic Rocker," "For My Lady" and "Legend of a Mind" received quite a lot of radio airplay and both songs could've been huge hits had they been the A-side of the Moody Blues' singles. Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge also wrote songs which Ray had the lead vocals on, like "Going Nowhere."
For some reason, Ray's songs were not chosen for inclusion on two of the 80s albums, "The Other Side of Life" and "Sur La Mer," the last album of which was a deliberate attempt to be commercial with all songs written by Justin Hayward and/or John Lodge. For those who were fans of Ray's, it was a slight at his songs not being included. Even Patrick Moraz, who was hired to play keyboards for the group and who thought he was a regular member, was critical of the decision not to include any songs by Ray. Ray returned as a songwriter on the follow up to "Sur La Mer," "The Keys to the Kingdom." Ray's contribution was the elegiac "Celtic Sonant," which wouldn't surprise if it was played at his funeral. Ray also co-wrote "Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain" with Justin Hayward, who provided the lead vocal, although Ray could be heard on backing vocals. His last contribution to the Moody Blues was on the album "Strange Times," the all too short "My Little Lovely." Ray retired from the group shortly after a few appearances. Ray made a guest appearance on Moody Blues member John Lodge's 2015 solo album, "10,000 Light Years Ago," contributing a flute to one of John's songs.
And it goes without saying that once again, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame waited too damned long to induct the Moody Blues into the hall. The group had their supporters who wanted to see them inducted and the fans started petitions but broke off after the hall apparently threatened to never induct the group if the fans didn't lay off the petitions, because it wouldn't do any good anyway.
Ray's song, "Celtic Sonant," deeply spiritual in nature and a fine song:
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 17, 2018 17:59:57 GMT -5
A giant in the world and a savior to many has left our planet.
Mathilde Krim Dies: The amfAR Founding Chairman And AIDS Activist Was 91
by Dino-Ray Ramos January 16, 2018 6:51pm
AIDS research pioneer, activist, and amfAR Founding Chairman Mathilde Krim died Monday at her home in Kings Point, New York. She was 91.
Keith Jackson Dies: College Football Voice Known For "Whoa, Nellie" Was 89
As a trailblazing pioneer in AIDS research and activism, Dr. Krim’s philanthropy was present in Hollywood. AmFar hosted a yearly benefit at the Cannes International Film Festival, which was the most successful and coveted events during the fest. She was also married to Arthur B. Krim, a president and chairman of United Artists, founding chairman of Orion Pictures. The two were very active in the American civil rights movement as well as the gay rights movement and numerous other human rights movements. He died in 1994.
“Dr. Krim had such a profound impact on the lives of so many,” said amfAR Chief Executive Officer Kevin Robert Frost in a statement on the organization’s website. “While we all feel a penetrating sadness at the loss of someone we loved so deeply, it is important to remember how much she gave us and the millions for whom she dedicated her life. There is joy to be found in knowing that so many people alive today literally owe their lives to this great woman.”
Dr. Krim was born in Como, Italy on July 9, 1926. She received her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Geneva, Switzerland in 1953. From 1953 to 1959, she pursued research in cytogenetics and cancer-causing viruses at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where she was a member of the team that first developed a method for the prenatal determination of sex.
She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor in the United States — by President Bill Clinton in August 2000 and went on to receive the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged.
Dr. Krim was the founding chairman and chairman of the board of amfAR from 1990 to 2004. She served as the heart and soul of the organization and was dedicated until to the cause until her health caused her to have a less active role.
She is survived by her daughter Daphna, grandchildren Robert and Amanda and sister Maria. Donations can be sent in lieu of flowers to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 23, 2018 5:51:37 GMT -5
Legendary musician Hugh Masekela has died
Hugh Masekela dead: 'Father of South African jazz' and apartheid activist dies aged 78 Trumpeter, singer and composer affectionately known as 'Bra Hugh' worked with Harry Belafonte and Paul Simon and campaigned for Nelson Mandela's release from prison Krista Mahr | Tuesday 23 January 2018 10:18 GMT|
Legendary South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela has died at the age of 78 after a decade-long fight with cancer, according to a statement from his family on Tuesday.
Often called the “Father of South African jazz,” Masekela died in Johannesburg after what his family said was a “protracted and courageous battle with prostate cancer.”
Trumpeter, singer and composer Masekela, affectionately known locally as “Bra Hugh,” started playing the horn at 14 and quickly became an integral part of the 1950s jazz scene in Johannesburg as a member of the Jazz Epistles.
In the 1960s he went into exile in the United Kingdom and the United States, where he collaborated with American jazz legend Harry Belafonte and used his music to spread awareness about the oppressive system of white-minority rule in South Africa. He also scored an international number one hit in 1968 with “Grazing In The Grass.”
He collaborated with many musicians including Paul Simon and Herb Alpert. He was married to South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba for two years.
Many of his compositions were about the struggle for majority rule and full democratic rights in South Africa. Masekela's catchy composition “Bring Him Back Home” calling for Nelson Mandela to be released from prison became an international anthem for the anti-apartheid movement.
“Hugh's global and activist contribution to and participation in the areas of music, theatre, and the arts in general is contained in the minds and memory of millions across six continents,” the family statement read.
In October last year, Masekela issued a statement that he had been fighting prostate cancer since 2008 and would have to cancel his professional commitments to focus on his health. He said he started treatment after doctors found a “small 'speck'” on his bladder, and had surgery in March 2016 after the cancer spread.
Masekela also said he felt an “imbalance” and had an eye problem after a fall in April in Morocco in which he sprained his shoulder. He said another tumour was then discovered and he had surgery.
“I'm in a good space, as I battle this stealthy disease, and I urge all men to have regular tests to check your own condition,” his statement said, asking the media for privacy.
Condolences from fans poured out Tuesday on social media paying tribute to the influential musician's career.
“A baobob tree has fallen,” Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's minister for arts and culture, wrote on Twitter. “The nation has lost a one of a kind musician . We can safely say Bra Hugh was one of the great architects of Afro-Jazz and he uplifted the soul of our nation through his timeless music.”
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 23, 2018 17:30:01 GMT -5
Country singer-songwriter Lari White has died at the age of 52, after battling cancer: www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2018/01/23/country-singer-lari-white-dies-at-52/23341562/Too young to die from such a horrendous disease. Before her own career got going, Lari worked as a background singer. One of the artists she backed was Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees on his 1984 solo album, "Secret Agent," which included the Top 40 song "Boys Do Fall in Love," which included Lari on backing vocals. Below are two of her own songs:
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 23, 2018 21:24:11 GMT -5
Very sad. Just starting the third week in 2018 and already on the second page of the thread.
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Post by erik on Jan 23, 2018 22:04:26 GMT -5
Yes, it's quite terrible to see it happen, especially to someone as young as Lari.
It should also be said that Lari, among other things, was one of, oh I don't know, dozens of female country artists working in Nashville during the 1990s who counted themselves as FOLs (Fans Of Linda's). In the 1993 CBS-TV special Women Of Country, Lari had said of Linda's voice: "You feel like you've been through a drama in a three-minute song"
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 23, 2018 22:10:30 GMT -5
and now another artist:
Julius Lester ● RIP ● January 2018 ● In Memorian VIDEO ● Celebrity ● Beyond Death
Julius Lester, "The Folk Singer"
Julius Lester, a nationally known author, musician, activist and photographer, died last week at the age of 78.
For more than three decades, Lester— who graduated from Fisk University in 1960 — taught at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he developed a national following.
In the 1960s, he worked as a photographer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) after spending some time as a musician, and in 1971 he became a professor of Afro-American studies at UMass. After he publicly accused author James Baldwin of anti-Semitism, he was pushed out of the department and later joined the Judaic and Near Eastern Studies Department and taught courses there and in the English and History departments until his retirement in 2004.
Julius Lester
A prolific writer, Lester published more than 40 books.
Controversial at times, Lester himself was once accused of anti-Semitism for his decision to allow Leslie Campbell — a Black New York City teacher— to appear on his talk show on WBAI in New York in 1968 and read a poem that many felt was anti-Semitic.
This occurred during the contentious showdown in the Ocean Hill-Brownsville section of Brooklyn, where there was a battle over local control of public schools at a time when most teachers in the predominantly Black neighborhood were Jewish.
“UMass is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Professor Julius Lester, who enriched our university community and the world as a teacher, scholar and writer,” the university said in a statement. “We cherish his many enduring contributions to our lives and extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family.”
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Post by erik on Feb 3, 2018 0:42:26 GMT -5
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Post by the Scribe on Feb 5, 2018 21:00:52 GMT -5
'Frasier' dad John Mahoney dies at 77 Kirsten Chuba Kirsten Chuba 2 hours 47 minutes ago
John Mahoney, best known for playing Martin Crane on 11 seasons of “Frasier,” died in Chicago on Sunday while in hospice care, his manager, Paul Martino, confirmed. He was 77.
Mahoney played the father of Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce’s characters during the show’s run on NBC from 1993 to 2004. He won a SAG Award and received two Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal. He was also a mainstay of Chicago’s theater community.
From 2011 to 2014, he had a recurring role on “Hot in Cleveland” as Roy, the love interest of Betty White’s character, Elka. He was much praised for his performance as an anguished CEO in psychological counseling on Season 2 of HBO’s “In Treatment” in 2009.
Mahoney worked in film for more than 35 years, appearing in classics like “The American President” and “Say Anything,” along with voicing animated characters in the “Antz” and “Atlantis” films. He also had guest spots in a number of popular TV shows including “Cheers” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.”
Born Blackpool, England, the actor started his career in theater and continued to return to the stage, appearing in “Prelude to a Kiss” on Broadway and “The Outgoing Tide” and “The Birthday Party” in Chicago after “Frasier” ended.
He came to the U.S. at age 19 and taught English at Western Illinois University before entering into the entertainment industry in 1977.
Mahoney never married and didn’t have any children.
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Post by Dianna on Feb 6, 2018 22:48:30 GMT -5
Very sad. John Mahoney best known for his role on Frasier as Martin Crane, Frasier Crane's dad.. I didn't watch Frasier when it first aired in the 90's but I currently watch the re runs before I go to sleep on the hallmark channel. Very funny man.. RIP John Mahoney. www.cnn.com/2018/02/05/entertainment/john-mahoney-obit/index.html a veteran character actor best known for playing the curmudgeonly dog-loving father of the title character in TV's "Frasier," has died, his publicist said Monday. He was 77 years old. Mahoney, who played Martin Crane, father of Frasier Crane and Niles Crane, on the long-running sitcom, died Sunday in Chicago after a short illness, according to Wendy Morris. Peri Gilpin, who played the character Roz Doyle in "Frasier," recalled that Mahoney sang at her wedding, and she recalled some of his best-known performances: "Watch Moonstruck, Say Anything and/or Frasier or anything you can with him in it and raise a glass to John. Remember him well," Gilpin wrote.
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Post by the Scribe on Feb 13, 2018 3:37:20 GMT -5
MARTY ALLENMarty Allen Dies: Comedian Best Known For “Hello Dere” Was 95
Bug-eyed comedian Marty Allen, who as part of the Allen & Rossi comedy team was a television staple during the 1960s and 1970s, has died in Las Vegas. He was 95 and passed from complications of pneumonia, according to his wife, Karon Kate Blackwell.
Allen’s bushy black hair, somewhat wild persona, and catchphrase “Hello dere” became part of American comedy lore in the days when the Rat Pack ruled Las Vegas. Allen was part of the comedy duo of Allen & Rossi, and they shared a stage with a Who’s Who of show biz of that generation, including Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne and Elvis Presley.
Allen & Rossi appeared 44 times on The Ed Sullivan Show, including on the episodes where the Beatles performed. Partner Steve Rossi died in 2014.
“Everyone remembers those shows with the Beatles, and they were great, but we appeared on all the shows,” Allen said in 2014. “There wasn’t a talk show on TV that didn’t want Allen & Rossi.”
Beyond Sullivan, the duo were regulars on The Tonight Show and The Merv Griffin Show, and were staples on the casino and nightclub circuit.
The duo had an amicable breakup in 1968, but Allen was just getting started. He was a Hollywood Squares regular, and later did some drama roles in daytime television and in made-for-TV movies. He also maintained a solo career that stretched into his ’90s, as a new generation grew to love his old-school humor.
Allen was born in Pittsburgh and earned a Soldier’s Medal for valor in World War II. He was married to Lorraine “Frenchy” Allen from 1960 until her death in 1976.
In 1984 he married Blackwell, who became his show business partner for the last 30 years. She was a singer-songwriter and took over the Steve Rossi role of straight to Allen’s wacky observations. They performed together up until his mid-90s.
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Post by the Scribe on Feb 16, 2018 23:11:23 GMT -5
Having been born to and raised by a disabled mother I have a special place in my heart for the physically handicapped especially those who have overcome their adversity to be able to follow their dreams in so lovely a manner. May Wesla rest in peace, love and joy.
Wesla Whitfield is a remarkable singer, with a deep love for that rich storehouse of musical treasures often identified as The Great American Popular Songbook.
Wesla has been developing her skills and learning her demanding craft for a number of years - by her own estimate, it's been ever since she "knew at age two-and-a-half that I would grow up to be a singer."
A picture of Wesla at a Piano Her sound and approach would seem to place her somewhere in the intriguing area that borders on both jazz and that aspect of pop music which draws its material largely from the great standards and neglected gems of such as Cole Porter and Irving Berlin and Rodgers and Hart.
Wesla Whitfield was born in Santa Maria, California. The youngest of three girls, she experienced routine childhood music training (piano lessons at age 7, sang in church, studied voice - "classical, of course" - at about age 14). She did discover her mother's extensive sheet music collection at an early age, "and used it to sight-read." Serious radio and record listening provided some important influences including Rosemary Clooney, the Hi-Los, Peggy Lee, Frankie Laine and Dean Martin.
Among her earliest professional experiences was a mid-70s stint with the San Francisco Opera as a salaried chorister.
Wesla, with her husband/pianist/arranger, Mike Greensill performs annually throughout the country in concert halls and fine show rooms. Together Mike and Wesla have opened at Michigan's Meadowbrook, New Jersey's Garden State Art Center and Flint Center in Cupertino for such notables as George Burns, Michael Feinstein and Frankie Laine.
Solo symphonic appearances include two concerts with the San Francisco Symphony as well as San Jose, Sacramento, Omaha, Stockton, Napa, Auburn, Concord Pavilion, Santa Rosa, Peninsula and California Symphonies.
Wesla has appeared twice on Garrison Keillor's national show, "Prairie Home Companion", singing with the legendary trumpeter, the late Joe Wilder, on 'Weekend Edition' with Susan Stamberg, 'On Fresh Air' with Terry Gross, on All Things Considered' with Robert Siegel, and the highly revered Marian McPartland PBS 'Piano Jazz' series.
In TV venues, the pair have been featured numerous times on the Charles Grodin show, performed on the Regis and Kelly show, and were the subject of a feature story on America's favorite TV show, 'CBS Sunday Morning' with Charles Osgood. In summer of '95 Wesla and Michael appeared as part of the JVC Jazz Festival at Avery Fisher Hall in New York and also made their Carnegie Hall debut that same summer. Since, they've been invited to return to both venues on numerous occasions. In June of '96 they were invited by Hillary Clinton to perform at the White House.
Their twenty-two recordings, have received rave reviews from Jazz Times and many other national publications. The October 2005 issue of Oprah Magazine hailed Wesla as "a phenomenal woman" in a detailed three page article. Their latest CD, recorded in May of 2011 during their annual run at the 'Feinstein's' in San Francisco, is titled "Best Thing For You - Live from the Rrazz Room" and was released in November 2011. As invited members of the repertory company and the ongoing salute to American Popular Song at Lincoln Center, Whitfield and Greensill perform often in New York as well as prominent Boston, Philadelphia and St. Louis venues. Most recently Wesla was seen as Martha Watson in the St. Louis MUNY's production of 'White Christmas'.
Together Whitfield and Greensill conduct scheduled Master Classes at Notre Dame De Namur in Belmont and Napa Colleges in Napa Valley and throughout the country as well as teaching privately. In the Bay Area, their ongoing vocal workshop series provides vocalists from all over the country with invaluable instruction in the interpretive skills so necessary and integral a part of the Great American Popular songbook.
Extract from People Magazine, June 1997 Extract from 'O' Magazine, October 2005
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Post by erik on Feb 16, 2018 23:39:54 GMT -5
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Post by erik on Feb 21, 2018 9:26:57 GMT -5
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Post by Richard W on Feb 21, 2018 9:58:27 GMT -5
When I was about 10, my grandfather took me and my two boy cousins to a Graham revival meeting in Des Moines, IA, where, at the end, the three of us were coerced to go down and have Graham place his hand on our heads and "save" us. Billy Graham touched me!
Needless to say, it didn't take.
Personally, glad to see the asshole go. Good riddence.
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Post by erik on Feb 21, 2018 10:20:16 GMT -5
Quote by Richard W:
Well, it's never easy to feel a whole lot of empathy for somebody who, rightly or wrongly, is credited with having spearheaded an evangelical movement that demonized those who weren't "Godly enough". I'm not completely sure that I ever did myself.
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Post by the Scribe on Feb 24, 2018 3:44:43 GMT -5
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Post by the Scribe on Mar 1, 2018 22:34:50 GMT -5
Barry Crimmins, Comedian and Activist, Dead at 64Beloved Boston stand-up was subject of Bobcat Goldthwait's 2015 documentary, 'Call Me Lucky'
Barry Crimmins, the beloved cult comic and advocate for victims of childhood sexual abuse, died Wednesday of cancer at the age of 64.
The Story Behind Heartwrenching Stand-Up Doc 'Call Me Lucky' Comedian's portrait of activist/comic Barry Crimmins rescues a legend from obscurity
Crimmins' wife, Helen, confirmed her husband's death on Twitter early Thursday morning, writing, "Barry passed peacefully yesterday with Bobcat [Goldthwait] and I. He would want everyone to know that he cared deeply about mankind and wants you to carry on the good fight. Peace."
Goldthwait, who chronicled Crimmins' career and activism in his 2015 documentary, Call Me Lucky, paid tribute with a photo of his longtime friend on Instagram.
Others in the comedy world expressed their condolences and admiration, including Tom Arnold, John Hodgman and Judd Apatow. "Barry Crimmins was a compassionate, hilarious man who touched so many lives," Apatow wrote. "He gave so much of himself to help other people. I hope his life inspires others to follow his example. And he was hilarious."
Crimmins was a stalwart in the Boston stand-up scene during the Eighties and became known for his powerful monologues and scathing political satire. Along with performing, he founded two clubs, the Ding Ho and Stitches, where he produced an array of shows that featured burgeoning comics like Goldthwait, Steven Wright, Kevin Meaney and Paula Poundstone.
In the Nineties, Crimmins emerged as an activist against child pornography after discovering chat rooms for pedophiles on the nascent internet. A child-abuse survivor himself, Crimmins even testified in front of Congress about the issue in 1995.
In an interview with Rolling Stone tied to the release of Call Me Lucky, Crimmins recalled his testimony, especially squaring off with an attorney for AOL. "You can see the weariness on his face because I didn't give him a fucking inch all day. It was like 'No way, motherfucker. This is for these kids. Fuck you, Jack. Fuck you and your fucking wind-tunnel haircut.' I bet he never got his ass kicked in the courtroom like he did that day. That's a real education in the system because here I am, and the bastards . . . He gets my testimony and I don't get his testimony? Fuck you. Fuck every one of you."
Crimmins wrote regularly for the now-defunct Boston alt-weekly, The Phoenix, and served as a writer and correspondent for the left-leaning talk radio station Air America. He released two CDs of comedy, Strange Bedfellows (which also features Randy Credico, Will Durst and Jimmy Tingle), and solo record, Kill the Messenger. In 2016, he released a new stand-up special, Whatever Threatens You.
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