Obituary
R.I.P. Sean Connery, James Bond Actor Dead at 90
Sean Connery, the Academy Award-winning Scottish actor who portrayed James Bond in seven films, has died at the age of 90. According to BBC News, Connery passed away overnight in his sleep, while in the Bahamas. He was said to be ill for some time. Connery was the first actor to play the British super spy in film, starring in seven Bond pictures between 1962 and 1983. He led the franchise’s first five installments — Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967) — and later reprised the role for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever and 1983’s Never Say Never Again. To this day, Connery remains a beloved figure in the Bond franchise, and is considered the favorite Bond among fans and critics alike. In a recent poll conducted by...
R.I.P. Billy Joe Shaver, Pioneering Outlaw Country Songwriter Dead at 81
Outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver died Wednesday in Waco, Texas, after suffering a stroke. His friend Connie Nelson confirmed the news to Rolling Stone. He was 81 years old. Though not as well known for his own recordings, Shaver was a pioneer of the outlaw country movement thanks to his hard-lived songwriting. He penned 10 of the 11 songs on Honky Tonk Heroes, Waylon Jennings’ 1973 album seen as perhaps the seminal effort in the genre. Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Patty Loveless, and Bob Dylan all recorded his work, while Willie Nelson once dubbed him “the greatest living songwriter.” The Texas native had plenty of inspiration to draw on, from cutting off two of his fingers in a sawmill accident at the age of 21, to run-ins with the law, to years of personal t...
R.I.P. Jerry Jeff Walker, “Mr. Bojangles” Outlaw Country Singer Dead at 78
Jerry Jeff Walker, the outlaw country songwriter best known for penning “Mr. Bojangles”, has died following a long battle with throat cancer. He was 78 years old. Walker was born Ronald Clyde Crosby on March 16th, 1942 in Oneonta, New York. He played guitar in a few local bands before becoming a full-time traveling musician after graduating from high school. On his way south, Walker spent some time in New York City, where, inspired by Greenwich Village’s folk scene, he ended up recording two albums with a group dubbed Circus Maximus. His journey took him to places like the Florida Keys and New Orleans, and it was in the latter Louisiana city that he officially took up his stage name of Jerry Jeff Walker. It was also a chance encounter in the Big Easy’s drunk tank that would eventually insp...
R.I.P. Tony Lewis, Singer of The Outfield’s “Your Love”, Dies at 62
Tony Lewis, the lead singer and bassist of UK pop rock band The Outfield, has died at the age of 62. According to a statement from his publicist, Lewis died “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Monday (Oct. 19th) near London. A cause of death was not immediately made available. The Outfield’s origins date back to the early 1980s, when Lewis and guitarist John Spinks formed a prog rock band called Sirius B. The duo later recruited drummer Alan Jackman and reinvented themselves as a power-pop group under the moniker of The Outfield. The band experienced almost immediate success with the release of their debut, 1985’s Play Deep, which climbed to No. 9 on the album charts and was certified three-times platinum in the US. Much of the album’s success is owed to its massive single, “Your Love”, wh...
R.I.P. Spencer Davis, “Gimme Some Lovin” Rocker Dies at 81
Spencer Davis, founding member and namesake of the UK rock band The Spencer Davis Group, has died at the age of 81. His agent, Bob Birk, confirmed to the BBC that Davis passed away in a California hospital on October 19th after suffering heart failure while being treated for pneumonia. Davis formed The Spencer Davis Group — originally called The Rhythm & Blues Quartet — after he saw brothers Steve and Muff Winwood performing at a local pub. He asked them to join a band with him, and eventually brought in drummer Pete York to complete the lineup. Though bearing his name, Davis wasn’t the singer of the group, as might be expected. Instead, it was a teenaged Steve Winwood providing vocals on The Spencer Davis Group’s biggest hits, such as “I’m a Man”, “Gimme Some Lovin”, and “Keep on...
Tony Lewis, Lead Singer of The Outfield, Dies at 62
Tony Lewis, lead singer of the 1980s power pop band The Outfield, died on Monday (Oct. 19) at age 62. According to a statement from a spokesperson, Lewis died “suddenly and unexpectedly” near London. At press time, no cause of death had been announced. The Outfield, fronted by bassist/singer Lewis, guitarist/keyboardist John Spinks and drummer Alan Jackman, first formed in the late 1970s as Sirius B and The Baseball Boys, before landing on another baseball-inspired name, a conceit the British trio continued on the title of their hit 1985 debut album, Play Deep; the multiplatinum debut reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200, spending 66 weeks on the chart. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with g...
Spencer Davis, ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ Guitarist, Dies at 81
Spencer Davis, the guitarist best known for his hits ubiquitous late-’60’s hits “I’m a Man” and “Gimme Some Lovin’” with his band the Spencer Davis Group, died in California at the age of 81, the BBC reports. According to his agent Bob Birk, Davis died in the hospital on Oct. 19 while being treated for pneumonia “He was a very good friend,” Birk told the BBC. “He was a highly ethical, very talented, good-hearted, extremely intelligent, generous man. He will be missed.” Born in Swansea, Wales, Davis’ first group, the Saints, featured future Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. He also performed with Christine Perfect, who, using her married name of Christine McVie, went on to join Fleetwood Mac. The guitarist and multi-instrumentalist formed the Spencer Davis Group in Birmingham, U...
José Padilla, DJ Who Pioneered the Balearic Sound, Dies at 65
The celebrated Spanish DJ and producer traveled from his hometown Barcelona to Ibiza in 1975, where he would later settle in for his legendary Café Del Mar residency and forge a reputation as the godfather of chill-out music. Padilla’s sunset mixes spawned the popular Café del Mar compilation albums, which have sold more than six million copies around the globe, according to his reps. As a producer, Padilla cut remixes for Norah Jones, Chris Rea and others, he would take his tunes to clubs and parties around the globe, and he counted Madonna among his fans. His first artist album, 1998’s Souvenir, went on to earn a Latin Grammy nomination for best instrumental work. As his health deteriorated in recent months and the pandemic saw his income dry up, Padilla launched a GoFundMe. “My situatio...
Bob Biggs, Founder of Slash Records, Dies at 74
Originally distributed by Jem Records until it went bankrupt in 1981, Slash signed a distribution deal with Warner Bros. in 1982. The Blasters, Violent Femmes, Los Lobos, Faith No More, L7, The Del Fuegos, and Failure were among bands whose records were distributed by the label. In 1987, Biggs talked to the Los Angeles Times about releasing records that he felt were essential. “I wouldn’t describe myself as a music fan and specific styles of music don’t interest me,” he said. “But I wouldn’t put out a record I didn’t find some merit in. I put out records I think are necessary and the challenge of getting a mass audience to agree they’re necessary is what’s fun for me.” John Doe, singer/songwriter, guitarist, bassist and co-founder of punk rock quartet X, which forme...
Doreen Montalvo Dead: Broadway and Television Actress Dies at 56
Most recently, Montalvo performed in the Broadway production of ‘Mrs. Doubtfire.’ Doreen Montalvo, an actress who appeared on Broadway in In the Heights, died on Saturday after a sudden ailment, her manager Steve Maihack confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 56. He offered the following statement, “Doreen didn’t just light up the stage, she brightened the light in all of those around her. She was having quite the year with two films in the can and a new Broadway show…but she would be so happy to know she will live on through these projects and the outpouring of love from every corner of the business.” Montalvo’s additional Broadway credits include On Your Feet, while her off-Broadway and national tour credits include Giant...
R.I.P. Saint Dog, Founding Member of Kottonmouth Kings Dies at 44
Kottonmouth Kings founding member Steven Thompson, a.k.a. Saint Dog Kottonmouth Kings founding member Steven Thompson, a.k.a. Saint Dog, has died at the age of 44. TMZ reports that the Southern California rapper was found dead early Wednesday (October 14th) at a friend’s home in Victorville, California. Police found no obvious signs of foul play and are awaiting the results of an autopsy and toxicology report to determine his cause of death. A founding member of Kottonmouth Kings alongside D-Loc and Johnny Richter, Thompson appeared on the group’s first four releases, Stoners Reeking Havoc, Royal Highness, Stash Box, and Hidden Stash. He departed the Kings in 1999 to pursue a career with his brother. After guesting on 2012’s Mile High, Thompson rejoined Kottonmouth Kings in a full-tim...
R.I.P. Conchata Ferrell, Two and a Half Men Co-Star Dies at 77
Conchata Ferrell, the veteran actress best known for her Emmy Award-nominated roles in Two and a Half Men and L.A. Law, has died at the age of 77. According to Deadline, Ferrell passed away Monday (October 12th) due to complications from a cardiac arrest. Ferrell portrayed Berta the Housekeeper on Two and a Half Men, appearing in a total of 212 episodes between 2003 and 2015. She was twice nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Support Actress — Comedy category. Prior to that, Ferrell received recognition for her recurring role as Attorney Susan Bloom on the sixth season of L.A. Law, which earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama. Ferrell’s other notable television credits included Good Times, E/R, Grace and Frankie, and Buffy the Vampi...
