Saturday, June 28, 2014

Bobby Womack aka The Preacher

Soul music legend -- via the New York Times. Started off as a gospel singer with his brothers (he was the son of a preacher); he was a a strong guitarist as well. Sang backup for Sam Cooke, played guitar for Aretha. The first big hit he wrote, "Looking for a Love," was an adaptation of the the gospel song "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray". He then wrote the classic "It's All Over Now," a cover of which was the Rolling Stones' first big hit. He wrote "Breezin'" and "Trust Me" and "That's the Way I Feel About Cha"; he worked on "There's a Riot Goin' On," and recorded the iconic "Across 110th Street." In later life, guested on many recordings. His greatest achievement may be the 1981 album "The Poet."

One of the links between gospel and soul, his influence spread across all genres. His contribution to American music is pervasive and incalculable.


























Friday, June 27, 2014

Teddy Rakel

Pianist and entertainer --via cincinnati.com.

http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/videonetwork31618071501971/1878632335001/Teddy-Rakel-at-the-piano

Felix Dennis

Poet, editor, and publisher -- via the New York Times.








Charles Kakuk

Managing director of Next Act Theatre -- via the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Eddie Zondi

Radio host -- via The Independent.

Sara Widen

Soprano -- via findagrave.com.

Salwa Bugaighis

Human rights activist -- via the Guardian.



Mary Rodgers Guettel

Jennifer Wynne Reeves

Artist -- via Art in America.





German Andres Aguilar

Kerry Lou Ketchum King

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Bob Abrahamian

Soul music collector, historian, and radio host -- via the Chicago Sun-Times. His invaluable work can be found here; unfortunately, he did not think his work was significant enough and he committed suicide at the age of 35.

Mickey Deems

Jimmy C. Newman aka The Alligator Man

Musician of the Grand Ole Opry -- via People magazine.



Anthony Goldschmidt

Josephine Pullein-Thompson

Julius Rudel

Conductor and music director; leading light of the late, lamented New York City Opera -- via the New York Times. One of the most significant figures in American opera in the 20th century, this marvelous leader delivered a diverse array of innovative and affordable opera for the East Coast. He nurtured talents such as Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, and most importantly, Beverly Sills.

I had the extreme privilege of enjoying his direction of "The Magic Flute" years ago; after a delightful performance, I got to meet and thank him. An unassuming, gracious, and approachable maestro!









John McClure

Music producer and recording engineer -- via the New York Times. Until reading this obituary, I did not realize that this gentleman was responsible for the classical recordings that really turned me on to the genre. These include: the Bruno Walter Beethoven and Brahms, Stravinsky conducting Stravinsky, and all the Bernstein renderings of Mahler and much more. Even some Firesign Theatre! The clarity, balance, and depth of these albums set my soul on fire, and still do.







Gloryette Clark

Jim Nelson aka James M. Falkinburg

Brilliant sound editor, post-production master, and co-creator of Industrial Light & Magic -- via the Hollywood Reporter. One of those unsung heroes of the film industry that I would have loved to have interviewed.

Dan Jacobson

Novelist, writer, and critic -- via the Guardian.

Khagen Mahanta aka The King of Bihu

Folk singer and musician -- via the Indian Express.





Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Grayce Kaneda Uyehara

Claude Horan

Artist -- via the University of Hawai'i.


Jonny Morelli

Drummer with Draugr -- via Rock Revolt magazine.

Khin Maung Yin

Artist -- via ArtAsiaPacific.


Pierre Patry

Eli Wallach

One of the great American actors of the 20th century -- via the New York Times. Brilliant both on stage and on screen, Wallach won Tonys, Emmys, and an honorary Oscar. He was an original member of the Actors Studio, studying alongside, Brando, Clift, Berghof, and Lumet. He originated the role of Mangicavallo in "The Rose Tattoo." He did "Camino Real," "Rhinoceros,"  and "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour." He did tons of live TV in the early days.

And the films. Best known as a villain, he will always be remembered for films such as: "The Magnificent Seven," "The Misfits," "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "Cinderella Liberty," "Movie Movie," "Winter Kills," and "Godfather III."




















Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Jesus "Chuco" Perales

Stephanie Kwolek

Chemist; inventor of Kevlar -- via the New York Times.



Johnny Mann

Stuart Vaughan aka John Walker Vaughan

Murali Nagavally

Film director -- via mathrubhumi.com.

OBIT READER: Our weekly roundup of stories on death & dying


Miriam Burbank, posed in death as she loved to be in life. [Photo by Percy McRay, via Reuters]
The New York Times reports that "out of the box" funerals, with corpses posed in unique ways, is the flavor of the month -- written by Campbell Robertson and Frances Robles.

When will the dead outnumber the living on Facebook? As early as 2065. Via Mashable, Sylvan Lane gives us a thorough, comprehensive, and user-friendly guide to what happens to you digitally after your death. 

DEATH

In Psychology Today, Sheila Kohler wonders about our denial of death

From Parenthood magazine, a list of books that my help children come to terms with death

In Hong Kong, fear of death decreases and taboos fall as discussion and information increase, according to Jasmine Siu in The Standard

Demystifying death: USA Today's Dan Reimold talks to Erika Hayasaki, author of the new book "Death Class: A True Story about Life"

From Foreign Policy magazine, Anna Nemtsova meditates on the death of two fellow journalists in the war zone of Ukraine

Mortician Jennifer Mairo Akporehe makes a mission statement

In Australia, a terminally ill man campaigns for the right for people to choose how and when they die -- from Michael Short of The Age

The Canadian Medical Association hears from both sides on the right-to-die issue, via the CBC

Andy Campbell, HuffPo Crime Editor, discusses how police departments can get reporters out of their faces during deadly shootings. The short answer: information and transparency.

Mike D., the A-Unicornist, gives an eloquent atheist perspective on the consciousness of impending death

In Oregon, hospices attempt to negotiate a relationship with that state's Death with Dignity laws -- from Christen McCurdy of the Lund Report


FUNERAL HOMES

Chris Radomile and T. Addams get brutally honest about "5 Horrifying Truths about Funeral Homes (from an Undertaker)" in Cracked

In Venezuela, too many bodies, not enough coffins --via Girish Gupta of Reuters

From Crystal Chow in Sensa Nostra, a mortician's confession

Can you become a Certified Funeral Celebrant? From the Isanti County News

Undertaker Ken McKenzie has a new, "morbidly humorous" new book out concerning his profession -- interview by Ashley Fowler of the Long Beach Signal Tribune

In South Africa, an undertaker is charged with mutilation after sawing off a corpse's legs to make it fit into its casket -- via IOL News.

Philadelphia-area funeral director finds community opposition to the construction of a crematorium, despite a vastly increased demand for the procedure in recent years -- by Ben Finley of the Philadelphia Inquirer

In West Virginia, the indigent will continue to be buried, despite the state running out of funds to pay for it -- story by Greg Jordan of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Tim Wynkoop of Lehigh Valley Live reports on a funeral home's commission of a chopper-driven hearse

From the Daily Mail: Sarah Dean and Louise Cheer report on a funeral home director forced to keep a corpse in her car overnight with the air conditioning on

MOURNING

Fredrica Duke plans her own funeral in HuffPo -- it's a doozy

Larry Mayer's moving memorial to his father in the Jewish Daily Forward

Funerary and mourning traditions in Kuwait from Expat and the City

In Swaziland, a movement to reduce the traditional three-year mourning period for widows; by Sandile Nkambule in the Swazi Observer

In Brain Pickings, Maria Popova reviews Meghan O'Rourke's memoir of grieving her mother's death, "The Long Goodbye"

MISC

In the midst of life: The Wooster Group's Liz LeCompte runs into death on her way back to a party

"Saving lives in death" -- Annie Sciacca of the Petaluma Argus-Courier reports on postmortem organ donation

From the Times of India: Youth beaten to death by mob for posting obituary posters on marriage hall

Terry Richards

Pauline Wagner

Actress; doubled for Fay Wray in the climactic scene of the original "King Kong" -- via the Hollywood Reporter. In first clip, Pauline is seen in far shots on ledge of Empie State Building as Kong fights the planes.





Pauline (Polly) Wagner McCourtney's 100th Birthday Party Part 1 of 2 from Ron M on Vimeo.

Charles Barsotti

Cartoonist -- via the New York Times.


Pierre D'Archambeau

Violinist -- via The Strad.

Barry Moss

Casting director -- via Theatermania.