Tag Archives: obituary

Phil Spector, the monumentally influential music producer whose “Wall of Sound” style revolutionized the way rock music was recorded in the early 1960s, died Saturday at the age of 81. Spector’s life was tumultuous and ultimately tragic; as groundbreaking as his studio accomplishments were, those achievements were all but overshadowed …

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Supreme Court justice and trailblazing feminist icon who had fought off colon, lung and liver cancer, died Friday of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer, the Supreme Court announced. She was 87. “Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in …

Frederick “Toots” Hibbert, frontman of the pioneering reggae outfit Toots and the Maytals and one of the greatest voices in popular music, died Friday evening at the age of 77. “It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel ‘Toots’ Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by …

Little Richard, a founding father of rock & roll whose fervent shrieks, flamboyant garb, and joyful, gender-bending persona embodied the spirit and sound of that new art form, died Saturday. He was 87. The musician’s son, Danny Jones Penniman, confirmed the pioneer’s death to Rolling Stone. The cause of death …

John Prine, who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 73. The cause was complications related to COVID-19, his family confirmed …

Bluegrass musician Eric Weissberg, whose cover of the Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith instrumental “Dueling Banjos” became an unlikely pop hit when it appeared on the soundtrack to the 1972 film Deliverance, died Sunday at the age of 80 after a five-year struggle with dementia. His son, Will Weissberg, confirmed the …

UPDATE (1/27): L.A. authorities have confirmed that among the victims of the crash were Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56, his wife, Keri, and daughter Alyssa. *** Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers legend, five-time NBA champion and one of the most prolific scorers in basketball history, is dead …

Jim Lehrer, the longtime anchor of PBS NewsHour who moderated a dozen presidential debates, has died at the age of 85. PBS reported that Lehrer died “peacefully in his sleep at home” Thursday. “On behalf of all of us at PBS, we are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Lehrer’s …

Johnny Clegg — the British-born, South African musician who stood against apartheid in his adopted home and whose work crossed racial divides — died on Tuesday at his home in Johannesburg, Associated Press reports. He was 66. The singer, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015, was born in …

Star Wars actor Peter Mayhew, who originated the role of the beloved Chewbacca, died on Tuesday, his family said. He was 74. He died at his North Texas home surrounded by family, according to the statement. His cause of death was not announced. The actor starred in the original trilogy …