Saturday, December 21, 2024

Michelle Botes obit

Michelle Botes dies at the age of 62 after a battle with cancer

Botes' ability to depict complicated characters—especially villains—was highly regarded, and it had a big impact on South African television.

 

She was not on the list.


JOHANNESBURG - Michelle Botes, a well-known actress who played Cherel De Villiers in the SABC soap opera "Isidingo," lost her fight with cancer at the age of 62.

Botes' ability to depict complicated characters—especially villains—was highly regarded, and it had a big impact on South African television.

Fans, coworkers, and political leaders throughout have expressed their sorrow and paid respect to her since her passing.

She contributed to shows like "Binnelanders" and "The Legacy" in addition to "Isidingo."

Botes was born on 12 October 1962 in Cape Town, South Africa. She completed high school in Cape Town, then graduated with a Bachelor's degree in speech and drama (bilingual) from the University of Stellenbosch. After graduation, she completed a diploma in education at the University of Cape Town.

Botes died from cancer on 21 December 2024, at the age of 62.

In 1998, she joined the cast of SABC3 soap opera Isidingo and played the role "Cherel de Villiers Haines" for nine consecutive years until 2007, but rejoined in 2009. In 2002, she was included for the Top 10 Celebrities in Television by the magazine Star. In 2006, she won two awards: Best Actress and Best Onscreen Villain at the nineteenth annual Avanti Awards. Meanwhile, she also received the award for the Best TV Couple in Isidingo along with Barker Haines and Robert Whitehead at the Crystal Awards. She was nominated for Best Actress in TV Soap category at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) for three years: 2006, 2007 and 2012.

In 2019, she rejoined with Binnelanders In 2020, she joined the telenovela Legacy and played the role of Angelique Price. For her role, she won the SAFTA Golden Horn Award for Best Supporting Actress in the Telenovela category.

Filmography

Year     Film            Role            Genre            Ref.

1976    Snake Dancer             Film     

1985            Seeduiker                   TV series   

1986    Die Swart Kat            Rienie Veldt    TV series   

1986    Liewe Hemel, Genis!            Santie            Film     

1987    Guillam Woudberg            Suzette Davel   Film     

1987            American Ninja 2: The Confrontation            Alicia Sanborn            Film     

1987            Wolwedans in die Skemer            Ronel Greyvenstein            TV series   

1988    Beelde              Film     

1989    Arende (TV series) (aka. Cape Rebel)            Princess Gobbler            TV series   

1992    Arende II: MoordenaarsKaroo            Princess Gobbler            TV series   

1992            Konings           Santie Naudé  TV series   

1992    No Hero    Tracy Lee      Film     

1994    Triptiek            Bibi Brinkman            TV series   

1994    Arende (film)            Princess Gobbler            Film     

1996            Vierspel           Magdel van Wijk            TV series   

1997    Triptiek II          Bibi Brinkman            TV series   

1997    Tarzan: The Epic Adventures            Duare            TV series   

1997    Onder Draai die Duiwel Rond            Kietie Bosman            TV series   

1998    Isidingo            Cherel de Villiers Haines  TV series   

2001    Onder Draai die Duiwel Rond 2            Kietie Bosman            TV series   

2009            Binnelanders                TV series   

2010    Bakgat! II          Tannie Alet      Film     

2020    Legacy            Angelique Price            TV series   

2021    Jewel            Tyra            Film


Casey Chaos obit

AMEN's CASEY CHAOS Dead At 59

 

He was not on the list.


AMEN frontman Casey Chaos has died at the age of 59.

Earlier today (Saturday, December 21),the following message was posted on the official AMEN Facebook page: "It is with great sadness, grief and sorrow that we confirm the passing of Casey Chaos after seeing the news currently being reported.

"As you can imagine, everyone in the band, past and present, are absolutely devastated.

"There was a lot going on with AMEN in the past 5-6 years that we didn’t announce. Casey loved and appreciated your support, and always wanted to wait until things were complete, rather than sharing unfinished work-in-progress material.

"The rest of us are going to reflect on the ways we can honour Casey in the way he deserves; to have his genius, talent and heart celebrated and experienced by the world and the people who appreciated it.

"Please share any positive memories you have about Casey on this post…

"For our part, we will share more in time.

"REFUSE AMEN, LONG LIVE CHAOS.

"Goodbye, brother."

Cleopatra Records founder and CEO Brian Perera shared a statement in which he said: "I had the privilege of working with Casey during his unforgettable live performance with CHRISTIAN DEATH at the American Legion Hall back in 1993. Walking into the hall with my good friend Matt Green and my wife, Yvonne, was an experience I'll never forget — especially seeing Nicolas Cage sitting front-row center, completely captivated.

"Touring with SLIPKNOT, COAL CHAMBER and others, AMEN were a key figure on the late 1990s metal scene, winning acclaim for the albums 'Amen', 'We Have Come For Your Parents' and 'Death Before Musick'; subsequent projects include HEADBAND, SCARS ON BROADWAY and SCUM, while a fourth AMEN album was seldom far from Chaos's mind.

"Casey wasn’t just an extraordinary musician," Perera continued. "He truly lived and breathed the lifestyle.

"May he rest in peace alongside Rozz Williams and the many tortured souls we admire and respect."

AMEN bassist John Fahnestock also confirmed Chaos's death, writing in a social media post: "With a heavy heart and a tear in my eye I must announce that we lost another legend today.

"I've lost two legendary frontmen in my career and Casey has now also passed on.

"It was an absolute honor to have been in AMEN and witnessed without a doubt the genius that was Casey Chaos. He was a force unlike no other before him, a true artist, an uncompromising soul and a true punk rock icon!

"This is hard for me. I sit here going over all the memories just speechless …. #caseychaos #amen #legend #legendary #legendsneverdie #icon #punkrock #punkrocklegends".

Dean Karr, a Los Angeles-based photographer and video director, who celebrated Casey's birthday in October with the singer, took to his Facebook page to share a photo of him and Chaos and wrote simply: "LOVE YOU BROTHER!"

Born in Trenton, New York, but growing up in Melbourne, Florida, Chaos — real name Karim Chmielnski — took his musical lead from teenaged encounters with hardcore legends BLACK FLAG. He formed his first band, CASEY & THE SKATEPUNX, soon after, and quickly developed his own unique performing style as the band — now named DISORDERLY CONDUCT — launched onto the Florida punk scene.

Chaos relocated to Los Angeles in 1990, where he formed AMEN. A friendship with former CHRISTIAN DEATH guitarist Rikk Agnew also saw him perform and cowrite several songs on that band's "Iconologia" album, and, in 1993, appear alongside Agnew and original CHRISTIAN DEATH vocalist at the band's reunion show. A video recording of the show was subsequently released by Cleopatra Records.

Back in June 2019, TMZ reported that Casey was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman at his Los Angeles home. In 2012, he was arrested after allegedly driving his car into about 15 parked cars in Studio City. In the latter case, Casey's blood alcohol lever was reportedly just above 0.08, which is the legal limit in California.

AMEN's last collection of new studio recordings, "Death Before Musick", was released in 2004 through EatUrMusic — a Columbia Records imprint owned by SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian.

AMEN had been virtually inactive since it reunited for an October 2014 performance at Knotfest in Devore, California. Sitting in on drums at the show was former SOULFLY and current STONE SOUR and Jerry Cantrell sticksman Roy Mayorga.

As for 2015, AMEN was said to be putting the finishing touches on a new album with producer Ross Robinson (KORN, LIMP BIZKIT, SEPULTURA),but that effort has yet to see the light of day. Joining Chaos, bassist John Fahnestock and guitarists Duke Decter and John King in the studio was former SLAYER and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Dave Lombardo.

Friday, December 20, 2024

Thierry Jacob obit

Former Boxing World Title Holder Thierry Jacob Dies Aged 59

 He was not on the list.


French former boxing world title holder Thierry Jacob has died at the age of 59, the mayor of his home city Calais announced on Friday.

Jacob took the WBC super bantamweight title in 1992, defeating Mexico's Daniel Zaragoza in front of his local fans in Calais.

"We begin this day with sad news. Thierry Jacob died overnight, so young," Natacha Bouchart, mayor of the northern port city, announced on Facebook.

Jacob turned professional in 1984, retiring a decade later with a 39-6 record, losing his WBC title at his first defence against American Tracy Harris Patterson in New York.

One of his sons, Romain Jacob, followed him into the ring, claiming the European super featherweight belt in 2014.

Sugar Pie DeSanto obit

Sugar Pie DeSanto, Larger-Than-Life R&B Performer, Dies at 89

 

She was not on the list.


Sugar Pie DeSanto, the San Francisco R&B singer known for her larger-than-life voice and personality, died on Friday, Dec. 20. She was 89 years old.

“My sister was one of a kind and you will never see anyone like her again,” wrote Domingo Balinton, her brother, in a post on Facebook. “She was full of energy and commanded respect when she walked on stage as well as in life. I am truly going to miss her.”

Balinton noted that DeSanto died in her sleep. No cause of death was given.

DeSanto, who performed well into her 80s, scored her first hit in 1959 with “I Want to Know,” a piano-driven, danceable kiss-off to a former lover that showed off her powerful, raspy voice. Following that initial success, James Brown invited her to open for him on tour, where she rivaled the Godfather of Soul in stage presence and theatrics, earning her the nickname “the Lady James Brown.”

Born Umpeylia Balinton in Brooklyn, New York to a Black mother and Filipino father in 1935, DeSanto moved to San Francisco’s Fillmore District as a child. She was the oldest girl of 10 siblings, and was childhood friends with Etta James, who became a lifelong friend and collaborator.

After World War II, the Fillmore’s vibrant Black businesses and nightclubs earned the neighborhood the nickname the “Harlem of the West.” In the 1950s, DeSanto began sneaking out to perform as a young teenager. Johnny Otis, a producer known as “the godfather of rhythm and blues,” discovered her when she performed at a talent show at 19 years old.

“As she said, ‘I like to leave the stage smokin’.’ And she did,” her late manager, James Moore, told KQED in 2023.

DeSanto was exacting about her craft. Often the only woman in the studio, and standing at just four feet, eleven inches tall, she developed a reputation for her tough personality and mischievous humor.

“I took over the studio, honey,” she told KQED in 2023. “And a couple of times I put the drums over their head, you know, hittin’ ’em across their head ’cause they pissed me off. I’ve always been very technical about my music.”

After touring with James Brown in 1960 and 1961, DeSanto made her way to Chicago to work with Chess Records. Her bluesy, seductive single “Slip-In Mules” hit No. 10 on Billboard in 1964; that same year, she traveled to London to perform at American Folk Blues Festival. The performance earned her a following overseas: In 1966, the Thanet Times and East Kent Pictorial, a British newspaper, called her “America’s top female blues singer.”

In the ’60s, DeSanto became a staff songwriter at Chess — unusual for a woman at the time — and with her creative partner Shena DeMell, she penned lyrics for musical greats like Minnie Riperton, Fontella Bass and The Whispers.

“That is one of the reasons I think that she has lasted,” said filmmaker Cheryl Fabio, who featured DeSanto in her documentary Evolutionary Blues. “She was a writer and a poet and a lyricist. So that when she’s performing, she’s telling you something that’s on her heart and on her mind.”

Through Chess, DeSanto and Etta James put out two duets: 1965’s “Do I Make Myself Clear,” a rock ‘n’ roll song that sent a warning shot to a cheating man, and the 1966 house-party anthem “In the Basement.”

Yet despite her international renown, DeSanto was part of a generation of influential Black artists who were not fairly compensated for their work. “Those people made the music business. The record labels made hundreds of millions of dollars, and those people would make anything, comparatively speaking,” said Moore, her manager, in 2023, noting that labels often didn’t share earnings statements for royalties. “And of course, music is America’s greatest export to the rest of the world.”

By the ’70s, DeSanto moved to Oakland, and kept up a rigorous performance schedule that lasted for five decades. Her fierceness never extinguished, even in the face of immense challenges. In 2006, she lost her husband Jesse Earl Davis in a house fire that destroyed her belongings. They were together off and on for 27 years, and married twice.

In 2012, she lost her childhood friend Etta James, who was 73 years old when she passed away from leukemia and other health complications. “That was my girl,” DeSanto says. “That really hurt me deeply that she passed.”

DeSanto continued to perform throughout the 2010s until the COVID-19 pandemic. Her onstage antics — backflips, straddling male audience members and singing upside down — earned her ovations at events like the Redwood City Blues Festival.

Liam O’Donoghue, host of the podcast East Bay Yesterday, befriended her after he interviewed her in 2017. She showed up to the interview in head-to-toe leopard print, big jewelry and a statement hat; afterwards, she asked him to take her to the grocery store, where she relished attention from fans as she shopped.

“She is one of the people who I will never, ever forget,” O’Donoghue says. “She just blew me away with just everything about her, her presence, her energy, her stories, her language. She was just vivacious.”

DeSanto’s most recent album, Sugar’s Suite, came out in 2018, and in 2020 she received the Arhoolie Award for extraordinary individuals who preserve traditional music. In 2023, she received a mayoral proclamation in Chicago for her contributions to the blues.

Rickey Henderson obit

Rickey Henderson, Baseball's Career Steals Leader, Dies at 65

The Hall of Famer is widely considered to be one of the best baserunners in the history of the game.

 He was not on the list.


Hall of Famer and Major League Baseball's career steals leader Rickey Henderson has died at the age of 65, according to multiple reports, and confirmed by the New York Post.

Henderson, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest leadoff hitters and base stealers in the history of the sport, played for nine different teams in his 25-year career, compiling 3,055 hits, 297 home runs and 1,115 RBI. His 2,295 career runs and 1,406 stolen bases remain Major League records.

Henderson was a 10-time All-Star, and won the league MVP in 1990 with the Oakland Athletics, when he hit .325 with 28 home runs, 61 RBI and 65 stolen bases. He also boasted a 1.016 OPS (on-base plus slugging) that season and a .439 OBP. He won two World Series titles in his Hall of Fame career, one with the Athletics in 1989 and another with the Toronto Blue Jays in '93.

He was inducted into Cooperstown as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2009.

He played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. He is widely regarded as baseball's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. He holds MLB records for career stolen bases, runs, unintentional walks, and leadoff home runs. At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time American League (AL) All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in walks.

Henderson holds the single-season record for stolen bases (130 in 1982) and is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season, having done so three times (in 1980, 1982, and 1983). His 1,406 career steals is 50% higher than the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock. Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland Athletics and previously held the New York Yankees' franchise record from 1988 to 2011. He was among the league's top ten base stealers in 21 different seasons.

Henderson was named the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1990, and he was twice the lead-off hitter for World Series champions: the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. A 12-time stolen base champion, Henderson led the league in runs five times. His 25-season career elevated him to the top ten in several other categories, including career at-bats, games, and outfield putouts and total chances. His high on-base percentage, power hitting, and stolen base and run totals made him one of the most dominant and innovative players of all time. He was further known for his unquenchable passion for playing baseball and a buoyant, eccentric, and quotable personality that both perplexed and entertained fans. Once asked if he thought Henderson was a future Hall of Famer, statistician Bill James replied, "If you could split him in two, you'd have two Hall of Famers."

Henderson was born on December 25, 1958, in Chicago in the back seat of an Oldsmobile on the way to the hospital. Henderson later joked, "I was already fast. I couldn't wait." He was named Rickey Nelson Henley, after singer-actor Ricky Nelson, and is the son of John L. Henley and Bobbie Henley. When he was two years old, his father moved to Oakland, California. Rickey lived with his grandmother in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, from when he was two until he was seven, when he migrated to Oakland with his family. His father died in an automobile accident 10 years after leaving home. His mother married Paul Henderson in Rickey Henley's junior year of high school and the family adopted the Henderson surname. As a child learning to play baseball in Oakland, Rickey Henderson developed the ability to bat right-handed although he was a naturally left-handed thrower—a rare combination for baseball players, especially non-pitchers. In the entire history of Major League Baseball through the 2008 season, only 57 position players are known to have batted right and thrown left, and Henderson is easily the most successful player to do so. Henderson later said, "All my friends were right-handed and swung from the right side, so I thought that's the way it was supposed to be done."

In 1976, Henderson graduated from Oakland Technical High School in Oakland, California, where he played baseball, basketball and football, and was an All-American running back with two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He also ran track, but did not stay with the team as the schedule conflicted with baseball. Henderson received over a dozen scholarship offers to play football. Despite a childhood dream to play for the Oakland Raiders, he turned down the scholarships on the advice of his mother, who argued that football players had shorter careers.

Henderson was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft. For the first season of his minor league career he was with the Boise A's of the Northwest League. In 46 games, Henderson batted .336 and hit three home runs and two triples. Henderson spent the following season with the Modesto A's. He batted .345 in 134 games during his record-setting season with Modesto. Henderson, along with Darrell Woodard, nearly broke the league record for team stolen bases. The Modesto A's finished the season with 357 stolen bases, just shy of the league record of 370. While Woodard tied the single-season player record with 90 stolen bases, Henderson beat the record by stealing 95 bases, and was awarded the Sundial Trophy, given to the Modesto A's Most Valuable Player.

Henderson spent the 1978 season with the Jersey City A's of the Eastern League. After the minor league season ended, he played the 1978–1979 winter season for the Navojoa Mayos of the Mexican Pacific League. He played in six games for the team, which won its first championship. In 1979, Henderson started the season with the Ogden A's of the Pacific Coast League. In 71 games for Ogden, he had a batting average of .309 and stole 44 bases.

Henderson made his major league debut with Oakland on June 24, 1979, getting two hits in four at-bats, along with a stolen base. He batted .274 with 33 stolen bases in 89 games. In 1980, Henderson became the third modern-era player to steal 100 bases in a season (Maury Wills 104 in 1962 and Lou Brock's 118 in 1974 had preceded him). His 100 steals broke Eddie Collins' franchise record of 81 in 1910 with what were then the Philadelphia Athletics and set a new American League (AL) record, surpassing Ty Cobb's 96 set in 1915. He also batted .303, had 179 hits (tied for ninth in AL), scored 111 runs (fourth in AL), drew 117 walks (second in AL), had a .420 on-base percentage (third in AL) and led the AL by reaching base 301 times.

That winter, Henderson played in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League; his 42 stolen bases broke that league's record as well.

Henderson was an MVP candidate a year later, in a season shortened by a players' strike. He hit .319, fourth in the AL, and led the league in hits (135), runs (89) and in steals (56). Henderson was also third in on-base percentage (.408), tied for second in triples (7), fourth in walks (64), eighth in total bases (185) and second in times reaching base (201). In so doing, he became the emblematic figure of Oakland manager Billy Martin's aggressive "Billy Ball" philosophy, which received much media attention. Finishing second to the Milwaukee Brewers' Rollie Fingers in the MVP voting, Henderson's fielding that season also earned him his only Gold Glove Award. He later became known for his showboat "snatch catches", in which he would flick his glove out at incoming fly balls, then whip his arm behind his back after making the catch.

Inspired by Dodgers leadoff hitter Rudy Law, Henderson adopted an exaggerated crouch as his batting stance, which reduced his strike zone without sacrificing much power. Sportswriter Jim Murray described Henderson's strike zone as being "smaller than Hitler's heart". In 1982, he described his approach to Sports Illustrated:

I found that if I squatted down real low at the plate... I could see the ball better. I also knew it threw the pitcher off. I found that I could put my weight on my back foot and still turn my hips on the swing. I'm down so low I don't have much of a strike zone. Sometimes, walking so much even gets me mad. Last year Ed Ott of the Angels got so frustrated because the umpire was calling balls that would've been strikes on anybody else that he stood up and shouted at me, "Stand up and hit like a man." I guess I do that to people.

As the baseball world began to mourn Henderson, an outpouring of tributes and heartfelt messages came in from former teammates and players, and others in baseball. On social media, fellow Hall of Famer Dave Winfield wrote, "I still cannot believe I've lost one of my favorite teammates and great friend Rickey Henderson. Rest in peace."

Wade Boggs, who competed against Henderson throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and stood alongside him at Hall of Fame induction weekend many times over the years, called Rickey one of the greatest to ever play the game. Hall of Famer Mike Piazza shared a similar sentiment.

Don Mattingly, a teammate of Henderson's with the Yankees, called him the "best player" he ever played with.

"Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with. He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways. It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend," Mattingly said in a statement.

Willie Randolph, another teammate of Henderson with the Yankees, said the same.

"People always ask me who was the best player I've played with. I played with so many tremendous players through the years that I hate picking just one. But pound for pound, Rickey Henderson was the greatest player I ever played with," Randolph said. "He possessed so many talents that could positively impact the outcome of a game. I'm going to treasure the memories Rickey and I shared together. He was a special man."

Longtime MLB manager Buck Showalter said Henderson was "one of a kind."

"I played against Rickey when he was with Jersey City in the Eastern League in 1978. He batted .310 but didn't hit a home run in 133 games. People don't realize how dedicated he was to being the best he could be. He took great care of his body and was ahead of his time in nutrition and conditioning. In my opinion, he was the best leadoff hitter of all time," Showalter said.

"He was in my first big league camp, and my first time throwing to big league hitters was to his batting group. He had a strike zone the size of a thimble, and I had never seen anyone run the way he did, with powerful strides that were fluid and violent at the same time. As a young coach working with the outfielders, Rickey laughed easily and made me feel comfortable. I can't believe he's gone. He was one of a kind."

Others such as Dave Stewart, Jose Canseco, Dennis Eckersley, Jim Palmer, Frank Thomas, Alex Rodriguez, Bob Kendrick and booby Valentine also paid their respects.

On May 9, 2005, Henderson signed with the San Diego Surf Dawgs of the Golden Baseball League, an independent league. This was the Surf Dawgs' and the Golden Baseball League's inaugural season, and Henderson helped the team to the league championship. In 73 games he had a .456 OBP, with 73 walks while striking out 43 times, and 16 steals while being caught only twice. It would be his final professional season.

 

Teams

As player

Oakland Athletics (1979–1984)

New York Yankees (1985–1989)

Oakland Athletics (1989–1993)

Toronto Blue Jays (1993)

Oakland Athletics (1994–1995)

San Diego Padres (1996–1997)

Anaheim Angels (1997)

Oakland Athletics (1998)

New York Mets (1999–2000)

Seattle Mariners (2000)

San Diego Padres (2001)

Boston Red Sox (2002)

Los Angeles Dodgers (2003)

As coach

 

New York Mets (2007)

Career highlights and awards

10× All-Star (1980, 1982–1988, 1990, 1991)

2× World Series champion (1989, 1993)

AL MVP (1990)

ALCS MVP (1989)

Gold Glove Award (1981)

3× Silver Slugger Award (1981, 1985, 1990)

12× AL stolen base leader (1980–1986, 1988–1991, 1998)

Athletics No. 24 retired

Athletics Hall of Fame

MLB records

 

1,406 career stolen bases

2,295 career runs

130 stolen bases, single season

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Martha Keys obit

Former Kansas Congresswoman Martha Keys dies at 94

 She was not on the list.


TOPEKA (KSNT) – Former Kansas Congresswoman Martha Keys has passed away. She was 94 years old.

Grayson Moore, Special Projects Manager for the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC), told 27 News that Keys passed away Thursday. Moore said she was an active association member before her health declined recently.

Keys served as a Democratic representative for Kansas’ second Congressional district from 1975 to 1979. She then served as a special adviser to the secretary of the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare from February 1979 to May 1980 and as an assistant secretary of education from June 1980 to January 1981. She was the consultant and director for the Center for a New Democracy from 1985 to 1986.

Born in Hutchinson, Kansas, Keys graduated from Paseo High School in Kansas City, Missouri in 1945. She attended Olivet College from 1946 to 1947 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Missouri–Kansas City in 1951.

Keys was a Democratic campaigner in 1964 and 1968. She ran the McGovern presidential campaign in Kansas in 1972. When Bill Roy retired from the U.S. Congress, her brother-in-law Senator Gary Hart, a Colorado Democrat, persuaded her to run for the seat.

She was elected a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from Manhattan, Kansas in 1974 and served two terms before being defeated for reelection in 1978. While serving in the House of Representatives, Keys and her husband divorced, and she was remarried to fellow Congressman Andrew Jacobs Jr. They separated in 1981 and eventually divorced.

She then served as a special adviser to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare from February 1979 to May 1980 and as an assistant secretary of education from June 1980 to January 1981. In 1982, Keys was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board. Afterwards, she worked as a consultant and as director of the Center for a New Democracy from 1985 to 1986.

She married Sam Keys, a university professor and, later, dean of the College of Education at Kansas State University. Keys's sister, Lee, was married to former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart until her death in 2021.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Steve Lewinson obit

Simply Red member dies at 60

 

He was not on the list.


Eurythmics bass guitarist and band member Steve Lewinson has passed away at the age of 60. Steve played on the Peace album and was musical director for the Peacetour. Read our tribute to Steve.

The world of music mourns the loss of Steve Lewinson, a gifted bassist and musical visionary whose artistry touched countless lives. Steve passed away at the age of 60, leaving behind a legacy rich in rhythm, harmony, and soul.

Born in 1963, Steve’s journey into music was destined from the start. With a natural ear for melody and an instinctive understanding of rhythm, he began to develop his craft from a young age. Over the years, Steve would go on to become celebrated not just for his technical prowess, but for the warmth and creativity he brought to every note he played.

Although most widely known for his time as a band member of Simply Red, Steve’s also collaborated with Eurythmics on the band’s “Peace” album and captured the essence of their sound, providing a soulful backbone to a collection of songs that spoke to the heart. As part of the Peacetour band, Steve shone not only as a bassist but also as the tour’s musical director, guiding performances that resonated with audiences around the globe.

Steve’s talent extended beyond the bass guitar. His collaboration with  Annie Lennox on her poignant track “Hush, Hush, Hush,” alongside the iconic Herbie Hancock, further cemented his status as a musician of rare depth and sensitivity. This track showcased Steve’s ability to blend seamlessly with artists of varying styles, always enhancing the music and elevating the message.

Before these remarkable achievements, Steve was a key figure in the early days of the Spice Girls band. His intuitive playing and grounding presence contributed to the group’s initial sonic identity, helping to shape a phenomenon that would take the world by storm.

Throughout his illustrious career, Steve Lewinson was more than just a bassist; he was a storyteller, a creator of moods, and an architect of soundscapes and often shared the stage with his brother Pete Lewinson a renowned drummer and got to work with the cream de la creme of the music industry including Massive Attack, Amy Winehouse, Ricky Martin, George Michael, Sade, Kylie Minogue and Anita Baker. He also contributed to many award winning records, as well as to film soundtracks and theatre and opera productions. Lewinson was part of the ‘golden generation’ of British Jazz musicians that emerged in the 80s and included Courtney Pine, Julian Joseph and Steve Williamson, going on to carve out a successful career in pop music, but never losing his appreciation for Jazz.

We send our condolences to Pete and to Steve’s family. We leave with you with a vide of Eurythmics performing Peace Is Just A Word at The Church, with both Steve and his brother Pete behind Annie and Dave. on drums and bass guitar, just see his infectious smile as he plays.

Fred Lorenzen obit

Fred Lorenzen, NASCAR Hall of Famer and Daytona 500 winner, passes away

The 1965 Daytona 500 winner and 'Golden Boy' of the sport was 89 years old.

 

He was not on the list.


'Fast Freddie' Lorenzen was just a couple weeks shy of his 90th birthday when he passed away on Wednesday. The Elmhurst, Illinois native was an early star of the sport of NASCAR, competing from 1956 to 1972. He had many nicknames including 'Golden Boy,' 'Fearless Freddie,' the 'Elmhurst Express' and was beloved by fans. Lorenzen was a two-time recipient of the sport's Most Popular Driver award. His family broke the news of his passing on Facebook, praising him for his humility and authenticity.

“Fred Lorenzen was one of NASCAR’s first true superstars," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France in a statement from the sanctioning body. "A fan favorite, he helped NASCAR expand from its original roots. Fred was the picture-perfect NASCAR star, helping to bring the sport to the silver screen – which further grew NASCAR’s popularity during its early years. For many years, NASCAR’s “Golden Boy” was also its gold standard, a fact that eventually led him to the sport’s pinnacle, a rightful place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I want to offer our condolences to the friends and family of Fred Lorenzen."

In his racing career, Lorenzen was quick to find success behind the wheel, winning back-to-back USAC stock car championships in 1958 and 1959. He went on to win 26 NASCAR Cup races, which ties him with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 33rd on the all-time wins list. Among those victories were some crown jewel events, winning the 1965 Daytona 500 in a Holman-Moody Ford and the World 600 (now Coke 600) in 1963 and 1965. The year he won the 500, Lorenzen also won every single superspeedway race on the schedule.

He never ran the full schedule, focusing more on big money events than points totals, but he still placed as high as third in the championship standings in 1963. But 1964 was perhaps his most impressive season, winning half of the races he entered (8 of 16) including five straight starts without a loss.

Lorenzen's stunning career earned him a place as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers in 1998, and he was later inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the Class of 2015.

Slim Dunlap obit

Minnesota native Slim Dunlap of The Replacements dies at age 73

 He was not on the list.


The Replacements guitarist Bob “Slim” Dunlap has died at age 73.

Dunlap joined the band in 1987, replacing its original lead guitarist Bob Stinson and earning him the moniker "the replacement Replacement." Dunlap would go on to record two critically acclaimed albums with the band.

He played on The Replacements’ 1989 album “Don't Tell A Soul” and their 1990 album “All Shook Down.”

Bob Mehr, the author of Trouble Boys: The True Story of The Replacements, said Dunlap joined the band at a fragile moment.

“Slim came in and sustained the group for the next four or five years in way no one else could have,” he said. “He was almost a decade older than the other guys in the band. He played a more rootsy style. [He] was not quite the hellion wild man the other guys were and yet he was the perfect guy for their situation.”

Chris Osgood of the punk band The Suicide Commandos played with Dunlap over the years.

“I never think of Bob as a Replacement, even though he added some really great critical parts to those songs and was a great Replacement,” Osgood said. “I think of him more as being a great Telecaster player. I love the way that he played with the thumb pick. And he had a particular style.”

After The Replacements’ breakup in 1991, Dunlap went on to pursue a solo career. He recorded two solo albums in the ‘90s: “The Old New Me” (1993) and “Times Like This” (1996).

In a 2014 interview with NPR, Bruce Springsteen praised Dunlap: “Check out the two Slim Dunlap records because they’re just so beautiful, they’re just beautiful rock ‘n’ roll records. I found them to be deeply touching and emotional.”

In 2012, Dunlap suffered a serious stroke.

“He hung on though his own sheer will and his desire to live,” Mehr said. “He was such a beloved, truly beloved human being. These last 12 years we had with him is a testament to what a survivor, what a fighter he was.”

Family referenced the stroke when confirming his death. They say he died at home Wednesday.

Dunlap was from Plainview.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

David Mallett obit

Legendary Maine singer-songwriter 

David Mallett has died

 He was not on the 


David Mallett, a Maine singer-songwriter whose thoughtful, melodic songs were recorded by countless folk and Americana artists, has died at age 73.

His son, Luke Mallett, who with his brother Will formed the Mallett Brothers Band in 2009, confirmed his father’s passing on Dec. 17.

Though Mallett has released 17 albums spanning the decades from his 1978 self-titled debut to 2016’s “Celebration,” he is best known for his classic “The Garden Song,” with its unforgettable refrain “Inch by inch / row by row / gonna make this garden grow.” It was recorded by Peter, Paul & Mary, John Denver, Pete Seeger and The Muppets.

Mallett is a native of Piscataquis County, and other than a time spent living in Nashville, he has lived most of his life in the town of Sebec, Maine.

Alfa Anderson obit

Notable singer, R&B group Chic member Alfa Anderson has died

 

She was not on the list.


(December 18, 2024) She was an unsung musical icon whose voice helped define a decade of popular music. Today we say a sad goodbye to singer Alfa Anderson, who has died at age 77. Best known for her role as a founding member of the iconic disco group Chic, Anderson’s powerhouse voice not only propelled that supergroup’s work but also much of the music of that era that followed. Nile Rodgers broke the news to fans on Instagram.

Born in the Bronx, New York, Anderson’s early exposure to music set the stage for a career rooted in the vibrant sounds of soul, jazz, and R&B. Her big break came when she was invited by Luther Vandross to a vocal session for the new group Chic. She performed backing vocals on the hits “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Everybody Dance,” before being promoted to co-lead vocalist in 1978. Anderson’s standout performance on songs like “Le Freak” and “Good Times” cemented her as a key member of the ensemble. Her vocal prowess can also be heard on the band’s acclaimed albums C’est Chic (1978) and Risqué (1979), both of which became milestones in the disco era.

After Chic split in the early 80s, Anderson continued to work as a session vocalist and spent a half decade in Vandross’s touring group. She also established a successful solo career. In 1986, she released Alpha’s Beta which featured the dance hit “Love and Understanding.” She also formed the spiritual group Voices of Shalom with her husband, Tinkr Barfield. While her solo career didn’t reach the same commercial heights as her work with Chic, Alfa Anderson remained a respected and beloved figure in the music world, known for her versatility and powerful stage presence.

Anderson reunited with Chic vocalists Luci Martin and Norma Jean Wright in 2010 on “My Lover’s Arms.” The trio was also joined by Lisa Fischer, who’d previously sung with Alfa in Vandross’ band and Voices of Shalom. Produced by Tinkr Barfield, “My Lover’s Arms” appeared on Tinkr B. & Lu-Fuki’s It Is What It Is (2011). The album included Alfa’s lead vocals and songwriting contributions on “Money, Power” and “The Song That Captures Your Heart,” laying the groundwork for her first solo single, “Former Lady of Chic” (2013), written and produced by Eluriel (Tinkr) Barfield, Eluriah Barfield, and Taurie Barfield.

“Former Lady of Chic” sparked a surge of interest in Alfa’s career. Author James Arena devoted an entire chapter to Alfa in his best-selling book First Legends of Disco (2014), which led to Alfa’s acclaimed appearance with Norma Jean Wright and Luci Martin at the “First Ladies of Disco” concert in Palm Springs. That same year, Alfa performed at Central Park SummerStage (NYC), the Grand Opera House (Wilmington, DE), The Cutting Room (NYC), Joe’s Pub (NYC), and the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza, where she was a surprise guest during the venue’s inaugural concert by Nile Rodgers.

In addition to her work with Chic, Alfa collaborated with artists like Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, and David Bowie, contributing her unmistakable voice to numerous projects. Her legacy in disco, soul, and pop music is undeniable, and her influence continues to resonate with both fans and artists alike. May she rest in peace.

Michael Brewer obit

Michael Brewer of Brewer and Shipley Dead at 80

 He was not on the list.


Michael Brewer of Brewer & Shipley passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80.

The news was confirmed in a press release, noting that Brewer had been battling multiple illnesses for the last three years.

Brewer & Shipley were best known for their Top 10 hit, "One Toke Over the Line," released as their debut single in 1971.

"Who would have guessed they [the duo's record label] would release it as a single, it would go shooting up the charts, and the Nixon administration would try to ban it?" Brewer said to UCR in 2016. "We made Nixon's 'hate list,' which we held as a badge of honor and still do to this day, and the Vice President, Spiro Agnew, named us personally on national TV one night as 'subversives to America's youth.' I mean, you can't buy that kind of publicity."

They also enjoyed chart success with "Tarkio Road" and "Shake Off the Demon." Over the years, their songs were covered by the likes of the Byrds, John Denver, Stephen Stills, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, David Lee Roth and more. "One Toke Over the Line" was also mentioned in the first chapter of Hunter S. Thompson's famous gonzo journalism novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The duo, which first formed in 1968, continued performing live up until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Brewer also contributed harmony vocals to Dan Fogelberg's 1981 release The Innocent Age. Two years later, Fogelberg produced Brewer’s solo album Beauty Lies and released it on his own record label.

Tom Shipley's Reaction

"Michael Brewer, my friend of 65 years and music partner for over 60, had to go," Tom Shipley said in a statement. "I saw him on Saturday and he told me he wanted to go home. I will raise a glass to Michael and drink to all those years, all those miles, all those songs, and all the heavenly audiences we played for. Go with God my friend. I'll see you on the other side.”

Brewer formed a duo in Los Angeles during early 1966 named Mastin & Brewer with singer/songwriter Tom Mastin. The group recruited drummer Billy Mundi and bass guitar player Jim Fielder for live performances, opening for The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield during spring 1966. When Mastin ended his employment abruptly during sessions for an album, Brewer enlisted his brother Keith and the pair recorded a lone single 45 for Columbia Records company, "Need You", backed by "Rainbow" (written by Tom Mastin and Brewer before the former's departure). Mundi became employed with The Lamp of Childhood and then The Mothers of Invention while Fielder had also joined The Mothers of Invention (and later Buffalo Springfield and Blood, Sweat & Tears). After recording the single, Brewer met his old friend Tom Shipley and they initiated a duo together.

Their third album, 1970's Tarkio, included the song "One Toke Over the Line," which became an unlikely pop hit in 1971, reaching #10 on the Hot 100.

"One Toke Over The Line" was performed on The Lawrence Welk Show, a television program known for its conservative, family-oriented format, by Gail Farrell and Dick Dale. At the conclusion of the performance of the song, Welk remarked, without any hint of irony, "There you've heard a modern spiritual by Gail and Dale." This caused Brewer to comment:

The Vice President of the United States, Spiro Agnew, named us personally as a subversive to American youth, but at exactly the same time Lawrence Welk performed the crazy thing and introduced it as a gospel song. That shows how absurd it really is. Of course, we got more publicity than we could have paid for.