Under the name Napoleon XIV, he recorded “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” and, to almost everyone’s surprise, it stormed the charts in 1966.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Lewis Spratlan, Who Took Winding Route to Music Pulitzer, Dies at 82
His opera sat unproduced for decades. Then a piece of it garnered one of the field’s top prizes. Then it sat some more.
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Bobby Caldwell, Silky-Voiced R&B Crooner, Dies at 71
His much-covered 1978 hit “What You Won’t Do for Love” launched him on a prolific career that spanned decades and genres.
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Richard Rosenberg, Who Rejuvenated Bank of America, Dies at 92
As chief executive and chairman in the 1990s, he helped turn the bank into the nation’s second-largest through a series of acquisitions.
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Joe Pepitone, Rambunctious Star When the Yankees Faded, Dies at 82
He had All-Star years, won three Gold Gloves, hit with power and was a fan favorite, but as the team’s fortunes dimmed, his renegade lifestyle had its costs.
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Dick Fosbury, 76, Whose ‘Flop’ Transformed the High Jump, Is Dead
His back-first, neck-down leaping style struck competitors and onlookers as a novelty act. After he won an Olympic gold in 1968, it came to dominate his sport.
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Masatoshi Ito, 98, the King of Convenience Stores in Japan, Dies
He introduced the American chain 7-Eleven to the country, covering the landscape with thousands of outlets and starting a retail revolution there.
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Pat McCormick, Olympic Diving Champion, Is Dead at 92
The first diver to sweep the gold medals in two Olympics, she won 26 national championships in a career that ended when she was still in her 20s.
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Jesus Alou, Youngest in Trio of Baseball-Playing Brothers, Dies at 80
He and his brothers, Felipe and Matty, were the only three brothers in major league history to play together in a single game.
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Bud Grant, Longtime Minnesota Vikings Coach, Dies at 95
He took his Vikings, with Fran Tarkenton at quarterback and the famed Purple People Eaters defensive line, to four Super Bowls — although he lost each time.
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Spot, Record Producer Who Captured the Fury of 1980s Punk, Dies at 71
A lifelong jazz aficionado, he changed course to produce bands like Black Flag and Hüsker Dü for the influential SST label.
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Otis Taylor, Star Receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dies at 80
An acrobatic player, he was the prototype for the big receivers who succeeded him. He caught a memorable touchdown in the Chiefs’ upset win in Super Bowl IV.