Taking over for his father in 1961, he transformed a former vaudeville house in Harlem into a pre-eminent R&B showcase.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Lisa Lyon, Bodybuilding Pioneer and Mapplethorpe Muse, Dies at 70
She won the first Women’s World Pro Bodybuilding Championship. But she saw herself as an artist and posed for Robert Mapplethorpe and other photographers.
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Larry Chance, Who Helped Keep Doo-Wop Alive for Decades, Dies at 82
His career began in 1957, when he and some friends from the Bronx formed the vocal group that would become the Earls. He recorded his last song 65 years later.
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Len Chandler, an Early Fixture of the Folk Revival, Dies at 88
A singer who performed alongside Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger, he was known for his topical songs, some of which he wrote in minutes.
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Curtis Fowlkes, Avant-Jazz Pioneer of the 1980s, Dies at 73
A founder of the acclaimed Jazz Passengers, he was also a sought-after sideman who played trombone for both jazz and rock heavyweights.
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Richard Davis, Gifted Bassist Who Crossed Genres, Dies at 93
He was best known for his jazz work. But he was also heard on Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” and with orchestras conducted by Igor Stravinsky and Leonard Bernstein.
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Max Gomez, Longtime TV Medical Reporter, Dies at 72
Known as Dr. Max (he was not a medical doctor. but had a Ph.D. in neuroscience), he reported on health and science with an easygoing gravitas.
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Marc Bohan, Head Designer for Dior for Three Decades, Dies at 97
As the creative force for Christian Dior longer than its founder, he maintained a reputation for playful elegance throughout fashion’s endless cycles.
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Gary Wright, Who Had a ’70s Hit With ‘Dream Weaver,’ Dies at 80
He was a pioneer in using synthesizers, and his friendship with George Harrison led to a spiritual awakening that also influenced another hit, “Love Is Alive.”
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Gloria Coates, Composer Who Defied Conventions, Dies at 89
A Wisconsin native, she was among the most prolific female composers of symphonies, 17 in all, finding particular prominence in Europe, where she lived.
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Steve Harwell, Former Smash Mouth Lead Singer, Dies at 56
Harwell was a founding member of the band, which broke out with hit songs like “Walkin’ on the Sun” and “All Star.”
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Jimmy Buffett Dead at 76
With songs like “Margaritaville” and “Fins,” he became a folk hero to fans known as Parrot Heads. He also became a millionaire hundreds of times over.