Farewell & R.I.P.

[Kieran]

Nancy Reagan bites the bullet today at the ripe old age of 94.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/06/politics/nancy-reagan-dies-obit/index.html

End of an era. I think Ronnie was the last great American president...

 

[kskate2]

And a few others were lost in the first 2 months of the year. Part I:

Craig Strickland - A country singer with Backroad Anthem died Jan 4 at age 29

Angus Scrimm, better known as the tall man from Phantasm died Jan 9 at age 89

Michael Galeota - A Disney child actor died Jan 10 at age 31

Monte Irvin - He nearly broke baseball's color lines before Jackie Robinson, died Jan 11 at 96. He served as MLB's first black executive as was elected into Cooperstown.

David Margulies - Actor known for his roles in Ghosbuster and Ace Ventura died Jan 12 at age 78

Brian Bedford - A British stage actor died Jan 13 at the age of 80

Dan Haggerty - Better known as Grizzly Adams died Jan 15 at age 74

Dale "Buffin" Griffin - The drummer for British band Mott the Hoople died Jan 17 at age 67

Clarence Reid - Better known as Funk singer Blowfly died Jan 17 at age 76. He wrote and produced tracks for artists like Sam & Dave and KC & the Sunshine Band.

Mic Gillette - Tower of Power founder and trumpet player died Jan 17 at age 64 of a heart attack.

Jimmy Bain - Member of bands Rainbow and Dio, he was a bassist that died Jan 22 at age 68. Bain got his start with Rainbow and performed with bands like Thin Lizzy before finding success with Ronnie James Dio.

Abe Vigoda - Godfather and Barney Miller actor died Jan 26 at age 94

Paul Kantner - Founder of Jefferson Airplane died Jan 28 at the age of 74

Signe Toly Anderson - The original singer of Jefferson Airplane who was later replaced by Grace Slick died Jan 28 at age 74

Frank Finlay - British actor cast w/ Laurence Olivier in Othello died Feb 1 at age 89

Jon Bunch - Lead singer of Sense Field and Further Seems Forever died Feb 2 at age 46

Bob Elliott - Half of the enduring television and radio comedy team Bob and Ray died at age 92

 

[kskate2]

Part II

Maurice White - Founding member of my favorite band the Elements (Earth, Wind & Fire) died on Feb 3 at age 74.

Joe Alaskey - A voice actor originally from Troy, N.Y., died from cancer on Feb 4 at age 63. He was the principal voice of multiple Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird, after Mel Blanc's death in 1989 and voiced Yosemite Sam in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Dave Mirra - A BMX biker legend died of an apparent suicide on Feb 4 at age 41.

Dan Hicks - Frontman for the band the Hot Licks died on Feb 8 at age 74.

Daniel Gerson - Co-wrote several Disney movies like Monsters Inc. died Feb 8 at age 49.

Denise Katrina Matthews - Better known as Vanity from Vanity 6 died Feb 15 at age 57.

George Gaynes - From Punky Brewster and Police Academy fame died Feb 15 at age 98.

Angela Raiola - Better known as Big Ang from Mob Wives died on Feb 18 at age 55.

Harper Lee - Author who wrote "To Kill A Mockingbird" died on Feb 19 at age 89.

Douglas Slocombe - Oscar-nominated cinematographer for three "Indiana Jones" movies, died Feb. 22 at age 103.

Sonny James - Country singer died Feb 24 at age 87.

Lennie Baker - From the group Sha Na Na died Feb 24 at age 69.

Tony Burton - Better known as Apollo Creed's trainer from the Rocky movies died Feb 26 at age 78.

George Kennedy - From Cool Hand Luke and the Airport movies died Feb 28 at age 91.

Gil Hill - Actor who played Inspector Todd in the Beverly Hills Cop movies died March 1 at age 84.

Lee Reherman - "Hawk" from American Gladiators died March 1 at age 49.

Tony Warren - British writer who created Coronation Street died March 2 at age 79.

Joey Feek - Country singer died March 4 at age 40.

Pat Conroy - Famous author of "The Prince Of Tides" died March 4 at the age of 70.

Sir George Martin - Better known as the 5th Beatle died March 8 at the age of 90.

 

[the AntiPusher]

ML Baseball player Tony Phillips.. A extremely skillful contact hitter he was in the 80's and 90's.

Best Tony Phillips story , once while playing with the Chicago White Sox, Tony was being heckled by a fan using and yelled racial epithets. Tony made a quick out in the 7th inning, went inside the clubhouse, quickly changed into street clothes and went to the stands to confront the fan. Tony punched the fan in the face a few times and demanded an apology which he got. :snicker

 

[Kieran]

Johan Cruyff.

Difficult to believe. Maybe the greatest ever European footballer, died aged 68 from cancer...

 

[Kieran]

And Gary Shandling, aged only 66. I loved the Larry Sanders Show, and he was a great actor too. Only saw him the other day in Captain America...

 

[kskate2]

I was never a huge fan of Gary Shandling, but respected his work. This is another big loss at a relatively early age.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I was never a huge fan of Gary Shandling, but respected his work. This is another big loss at a relatively early age.

Gary was not one of those vulgar swearing comedian but his has his on type of humor..He will be missed

 

[Kieran]

Reports coming in that the singer Prince has passed away. This is really bad news, and a terrible year already...

 

[kskate2]

Reports coming in that the singer Prince has passed away. This is really bad news, and a terrible year already...

It's been confirmed. He's gone. Apparently he hadn't been feeling well and canceled some shows. He said he was battling the flu, but obviously it was something else.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/entertainment/prince-estate-death/index.html

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Unbelievable...just 57. So sad. The word "genius" is thrown around lightly these days...this guy was a true one. Devastating loss for the music world.

 

[Kieran]

It's the most shocking one of all the famous people who died this year, for me. Prince was always so full of energy and enthusiasm and life, it's just so strange. He was rushed to hospital the other day, but released and felt better from whatever it was. This is so sad...

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y[/video]

 

[the AntiPusher]

I am still in shock, totally speechless .IMO, Prince was modern day Mozart .I f you really want to see his best work listen to his first 4 albums For You, Prince , Controversy and my all-time favorite, DIRTY Mind. DIRTY Mind talks about anvery young adult who recognizes his sexuali and its adventures., I said it years before, absolutely Brilliant

 

[the AntiPusher]

Reports coming in that the singer Prince has passed away. This is really bad news, and a terrible year already...

It's been confirmed. He's gone. Apparently he hadn't been feeling well and canceled some shows. He said he was battling the flu, but obviously it was something else.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/entertainment/prince-estate-death/index.html

SO Sad, Gone to Soon. I see his death as he was called Home by the Lord , What took him out of this world doesn't matters to me cause nothing is gonna bring Prince back to Us

 

[kskate2]

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing him live 3 times in my life. All 3 shows were at different stages of his career. The first one was in St. Louis for the 1984 Purple Rain tour. I was still a teenager. The 2nd one was 20 years later when he released Musicology in 2004 and then a 3rd time a few years ago. Out of all the people I've seen live (and I've seen alot of people over the years), he puts on the best show, hands down.

I'll never forget him. :cry I learned how to play drums back in 79-80 to many of his 4/4 beats.

 

[Kieran]

I regret never seeing him perform live. What was his music like over the last two decades, or so. quality-wise? I always thought he went off the boil after the 90's, but I'm not overly familiar with his music after then...

 

[kskate2]

AP is right. His first 4 albums were off the chain. I especially like Controversy and Dirty Mind. In the mid 80's he went more pop w/ Purple Rain, Parade and Sign of the Times. All good music, but different from his original stuff. In the 90s he reformed his band and called them the New Power Generation. He loved musicians of all flavor. He believed in promoting women in all his bands. Employing female drummers, keyboard and guitar players.

He wrote some of the most sensual ballads you'll ever hear. If you just stop and listen to the words in Adore, Diamonds & Pearls, International Lover (just to name a few), they are magnificent.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing him live 3 times in my life. All 3 shows were at different stages of his career. The first one was in St. Louis for the 1984 Purple Rain tour. I was still a teenager. The 2nd one was 20 years later when he released Musicology in 2004 and then a 3rd time a few years ago. Out of all the people I've seen live (and I've seen alot of people over the years), he puts on the best show, hands down.

I'll never forget him. :cry I learned how to play drums back in 79-80 to many of his 4/4 beats.

You saw him during PR tour, wow you were Blessed( well, every day we All are but you know what I mean). I think you are saying you saw him a few years ago at the United Center with little hot mama Janelle Monae:basiate..I was there.. what a show..

 

[the AntiPusher]

AP is right. His first 4 albums were off the chain. I especially like Controversy and Dirty Mind. In the mid 80's he went more pop w/ Purple Rain, Parade and Sign of the Times. All good music, but different from his original stuff. In the 90s he reformed his band and called them the New Power Generation. He loved musicians of all flavor. He believed in promoting women in all his bands. Employing female drummers, keyboard and guitar players.

He wrote some of the most sensual ballads you'll ever hear. If you just stop and listen to the words in Adore, Diamonds & Pearls, International Lover (just to name a few), they are magnificent.

OMG.. what about Lady Cab Driver, The Ballad of Dorothy Parker .. Erotic City..

Did folks know Prince put together the Time with Morris Day..he wrote most of their songs and produced under the name Jamie Starr and Christopher.. one of my all time favorite songs was by a group Prince name the Family.. Screams of Passion.. I know that song was all Prince .. THis guy was the Greatest Musical Genius of our time, BAR NONE..

the Family

Much like The Time, the band's material was composed nearly entirely by Prince, with the exception of "River Run Dry," which was written by Revolution drummer Bobby Z. Prince wrote and performed all the other tracks and simply overdubbed Peterson's and Melvoin's vocals and added saxophone and flute by Leeds. On several tracks Prince's vocals can be clearly heard. Some of the original demos have surfaced as bootlegs and circulate among fans with Prince's original lead vocals, as well as two outtakes: the instrumental "Feline" and the pop song "Miss Understood". As on other associates' albums, Prince falsely gave credit to the various band members for writing credits, though he kept his name on "Nothing Compares 2 U". The tracks were all recorded in a few weeks' span at the end of the year 1984 after Prince had finished sessions for Around the World in a Day, and just before he started to record music for Sheila E.'s album Romance 1600 and his own album Parade.

 

[Kieran]

All this stuff is old stuff, AP, anything from the last 15-20 years? I've been asking around for this, I'd like to hear some later Prince that stacks up against his early work...