Obituary
R.I.P. Philip Baker Hall, Beloved Actor in Seinfeld and Paul Thomas Anderson Films Dead at 90
Philip Baker Hall, legendary character actor and frequent collaborator with Paul Thomas Anderson, is dead at the age of 90, his neighbor Sam Farmer confirmed. “My neighbor, friend, and one of the wisest, most talented and kindest people I’ve ever met, Philip Baker Hall, died peacefully last night,” Farmer wrote on Twitter. “He was surrounded by loved ones. The world has an empty space in it.” Hall had been suffering from emphysema for several years. Hall appeared in Anderson’s first three feature films, starring in Hard Eight and joining memorable ensembles in Boogie Nights and Magnolia. He also booked one of the most memorable guest parts in Seinfeld history as library cop Lt. Joe Bookman, and had scene-stealing roles as a doctor in Curb Your Enthus...
R.I.P. Jim Seals, Co-Founder of “Summer Breeze” Duo Seals and Crofts Dead at 80
Jim Seals, who as the primary vocalist of Seals and Crofts helped pioneer the summery soft rock sound that came to define easy listening in the 1970s, has died at the age of 80. As Variety reports, his passing was confirmed by multiple people including his cousin, musician Brady Seals. “I just learned that James ‘Jimmy’ Seals has passed,” he said. “My heart just breaks for his wife Ruby and their children. Please keep them in your prayers. What an incredible legacy he leaves behind.” No cause of death has been made public. Born in 1942 near his hometown of Iraan, Texas, Seals’ began his musical training around the age of six, when his father ordered him a fiddle from the Sears catalog. He began playing saxophone at 13 years old in 1955 joined a rock and roll band called Crew Cats...
R.I.P. Paul Vance, “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” Songwriter Dead at 92
Paul Vance, the songwriter behind “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” has died. He was 92 years old. Vance was born Joseph Paul Florio in Brooklyn, New York on November 4th, 1929. His career as a hit songwriter began in the famous Brill Building, where he partnered with Lee Pockriss to write more than 300 songs like Perry Como’s “Catch a Falling Star” in 1957 and Brian Hyland’s “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” in 1960 — both of which became No. 1 hits of the bubblegum pop era. (As he explained in a 2018 interview with the Palm Beach Post, Vance came up with the idea for the sing-song swimsuit-themed single after his nine-year-old daughter Paula was too shy to wear a bikini in public.) Over the course of their career, the songwriting duo also penned novelty...
Trouble, Atlanta Rapper, Shot and Killed at 34
Atlanta rapper Trouble was shot and killed outside of an apartment complex in Conyers, Georgia on Sunday, June 5th. He was 34 years old. The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office told WSB-TV Atlanta that Trouble (born Mariel Semonte Orr) was shot around 3:20 a.m. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have identified 33-year-old Jamichael Jones of Atlanta as a suspect, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Advertisement Related Video Trouble’s record label, Def Jam, paid tribute to the rapper in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the children, loved ones, and fans of Trouble. A true voice for his city and an inspiration to the community he proudly represented. RIP Scoob.” Over the last decade, Trouble released nine mixtapes and tw...
R.I.P. Alec John Such, Original Bon Jovi Bassist Dead at 70
Alec John Such, the original bassist of Bon Jovi, has died at the age of 70. “We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such,” the band posted in a statement to social media on Sunday, June 5th. “He was an original. As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. To be honest, we found our way to each other thru him — He was a childhood friend of Tico [Torres] and brought Richie [Sambora] to see us perform. Alec was always wild and full of life. Today these special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. We will miss him dearly.” A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Prior to the formation of Bon Jovi in 1983, John Such played in a band with Sambora and managed a club in Sayreville, New Jersey...
Trouble, Atlanta Rapper, Dies at 34
Trouble, the Atlanta rapper who collaborated with Drake and The Weeknd, has died. He was 34. News of the rapper’s passing was confirmed in a social media post by Def Jam on Sunday (June 5). “Our thoughts and prayers are with the children, loved ones, and fans of Trouble,” the label wrote on Instagram. “A true voice for his city and an inspiration to the community he proudly represented. RIP Scoob.” The cause of his Trouble’s death was not immediately known at press time. Billboard has reached out to his representatives for further information. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Following the rapper’s passing, tributes came pouring in from other members of the hip-hop community, including Mike Will Made-It, Gucci Mane, Rae Sremmurd, Meek Mi...
Alec John Such, Founding Member of Bon Jovi, Dies at 70
Alec John Such, bassist and an original member of Bon Jovi who was credited as bringing the band together, has died at 70, Bon Jovi announced on Sunday (June 5). “Alec, you will be missed,” Bon Jovi posted on social media. “We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such,” the group’s statement said. “He was an original. As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. To be honest, we found our way to each other thru him – He was a childhood friend of Tico and brought Richie to see us perform. Alec was always wild and full of life. Today those special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. We’ll miss him dearly.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Bon J...
KK, Indian Superstar, Dead After Suffering Heart Attack Post-Concert
Krishnakumar Kunnath, the Indian superstar popularly known as KK, died of a heart attack shortly after a concert on Tuesday, the Hindustan Times and The Times of India report. He was 53 years old. Following a performance at Nazrul Mancha auditorium in Kolkata, KK reportedly returned to his hotel and collapsed. He was rushed to Calcutta Medical Research Institute where he was pronounced dead. Shortly before the cardiac event, his Instagram account posted two photos of the concert. “Pulsating gig tonight at Nazrul Mancha,” he wrote. “Vivekananda College !! Love you all.” Advertisement Related Video Born August 23rd, 1968, KK’s success was due in no small part to his versatility. He was comfortable performing in many of the most spoken languages in India, including English...
Warren ‘Waz’ Costello, Mushroom Group Label Veteran, Dies After Battle With Illness
Warren “Waz” Costello, a kingpin of Australia’s independent label industry, died Sunday (May 29) after a battle with cancer. He was 64. Costello co-founded Liberation Records with the late Mushroom Group founder Michael Gudinski, and remained one of Gudinski’s closest and most trusted allies until his own passing in March 2021. The Mushroom family is “deeply saddened by the passing of Warren Costello after a long battle with illness,” reads a statement from the indie music company. Since joining the label division “he has been an essential fabric of life at Mushroom. He was a true music man, a beloved friend to our artists and integral to the success of our business over the past three decades,” the message continues. “Warren was renowned for his positive energy, integrity and family value...
Sidhu Moose Wala, Popular Punjabi Singer and Politican, Shot Dead
Sidhu Moose Wala, a well-known Punjabi rapper-turned-member of India’s Congress party, has been shot and killed. He was just 29 years old. According the Hindustan Times, Moose Wala was murdered by unknown assailants in Jawaharke Village in the Mansa District on Sunday. The gunmen fired at least thirty rounds into the Moose Wala’s vehicle, killing him and another person, and injuring at least one other man who was traveling with him at the time. Punjab’s chief of police blamed the shooting on a rivalry between Moose Wala’s manager and a Canadian organized crime group. The attack reportedly occurred just one day after the Punjab police force scaled down security protection for over a hundred public figures, including Moose Wala, in an effort to redirect resources elsewhere. As Rolling Stone ...
Ronnie Hawkins, Rockabilly Legend, Dies at 87
Ronnie Hawkins, the larger-than-life Arkansas-born rockabilly singer who called Canada home for more than 60 years, died Sunday morning (May 29) after a lengthy illness. He was 87. Hawkins, also known as The Hawk or Rompin’ Ronnie, had an ear for talent. His band The Hawks — which he originally formed during his days at the University of Arkansas — served as a farm team for many musicians, most notably Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson, who went on to back Bob Dylan before creating The Band. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Hawkins’ wife, Wanda, confirmed the news of the musician’s death to The Canadian Press. “He went peacefully and he looked as handsome as ever,” she said in a phone interview wit...
R.I.P. Andy Fletcher, Depeche Mode Founding Member Dead at 60
Depeche Mode founding member and keyboardist Andy Fletcher has died at the age of 60. “We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher,” Depeche Mode announced in a statement on Thursday, May 26th. “Fletch had a true heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh, or a cold pint,” the statement continued. Related Video “Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time.” No cause of death has been made public at this time. Advertisement The origins of Depeche Mode date back in the late 1970s, when Fletcher and schoolmate Vince Clarke began playing music together. Th...
