A sunny California poet, she provided the words to songs on “Tapestry” and other albums, including the enduring hit “It’s Too Late.”
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Jack Jennings, P.OW. Who Helped Build Burma Railway, Dies at 104
He was captured by the Japanese in Singapore and was one of thousands of prisoners whose hardships were the basis for the film “The Bridge on the River Kwai.”
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Melinda Wilson, Wife of Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Dies at 77
Ms. Wilson’s relationship with her husband, a co-founder of the Beach Boys, was portrayed in the 2014 film “Love & Mercy.”
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Marlena Shaw, Venerable Nightclub Chanteuse, Dies at 84
She sang jazz (with Count Basie, among others) and later funk and disco, frequently in intimate venues, where she regaled audiences with tales of old love affairs.
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Jesse Jane, Pornographic Film Star, Dies at 43
She starred in the highest-budget series in pornographic film history. She was also seen in some mainstream productions.
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David J. Skal, Scholar Who Took Horror Seriously, Dies at 71
In books like “The Monster Show” and “Screams of Reason,” he examined the cultural significance of movies meant to scare the bejesus out of people.
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Jon Franklin, Pioneering Apostle of Literary Journalism, Dies at 82
He won two Pulitzer Prizes by transforming accounts of doctors at work into in-depth, narrative articles that read like dramatic short stories.
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Jo-El Sonnier, Who Sparked a Revival of Cajun Music, Dies at 77
An accordion virtuoso and a gifted vocalist, he scored country hits in the 1980s by putting a Cajun spin on songs like Richard Thompson’s “Tear-Stained Letter.”
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Edward E. Crutchfield, 82, Banker Whose Deals Reshaped the Industry, Dies
He built a small Southern bank into a regional powerhouse, helping to turn Charlotte, N.C., into a national financial hub.
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Bill Hayes, Longtime Star of ‘Days of Our Lives,’ Dies at 98
He logged more than 2,000 episodes on the enduring soap opera. He also rode the Davy Crockett craze to a hit single in 1955.
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John Pilger, Crusading Journalist and Documentarian, Dies at 84
A prolific filmmaker and writer who took sides, he was best known for a documentary about the Khmer Rouge’s genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s.
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Melanie, Singer Who Made a Solo Splash at Woodstock, Dies at 76
Just 22 when she charmed the festival crowd, she went on to enjoy success with songs like “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” and “Brand New Key.”