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  • Alex Williams

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Rick Levine, Who Gave Commercials Cinematic Flair, Dies at 94

An award-winning director, he created ads for brands like Diet Pepsi (starring Michael J. Fox) and Wells Fargo by bringing a Hollywood sensibility to the...

Tracy Schwarz, Mainstay of the New Lost City Ramblers, Dies at 86

He was the last surviving member of a retro-minded string trio whose celebration of prewar songs of the rural South put them at the heart...

John Thornton, Venture Capitalist Who Founded The Texas Tribune, Dies at 59

An idealist, he founded The Texas Tribune, a model for nonprofit grass-roots news organizations nationwide, and the American Journalism Project, which supports them.

Brian James, Pioneer of Punk Rock, Is Dead at 70

As the guitarist and main songwriter for the Damned, he helped spark an explosion on the British music scene in the 1970s.

J.B. Moore, Producer of Seminal Hip-Hop Records, Dies at 81

He was a magazine ad salesman when he and a colleague, Robert Ford, teamed with Kurtis Blow and helped break rap music into the mainstream.

Mark Grossich, Who Opened Campbell Apartment and More Lux NYC Bars, Dies at 74

His upscale cocktail lounges in landmark Manhattan settings like Grand Central Terminal and the Empire State Building conjured the elegance of a bygone era.

Joey Molland of the Power-Pop Band Badfinger Dies at 77

He was the last remaining core member of a group that was both propelled and pigeonholed in the 1970s by its close association with the...

Uri Shulevitz, 89, Acclaimed Children’s Book Author and Illustrator, Dies

A Caldecott Medal winner, he turned childhood memories of fleeing the Nazis in Poland into magical stories.

Chris Jasper, Who Helped Revitalize the Isley Brothers, Dies at 73

A classically trained pianist turned songwriter, he was a cornerstone of the soul group’s sound during its fertile second act in the 1970s.

Ken Wydro, Who Helped Create an Off Broadway Phenomenon, Dies at 81

He and his wife, Vy Higginsen, poured all they had into “Mama, I Want to Sing,” a long-shot musical that became an enduring staple of...