Willie Anthony Waters obit

The first African-American to lead a US opera company has died

 

He was not on the list.

Friends are reporting the death of Willie Anthony Waters, general and artistic director of Connecticut Opera (1999–2009) and music director of Florida Grand Opera (1986–1995). Willie was 74.

He was incapacitated by a stroke in 2019 and was further debilitated by Covid.

Among the companies he conducted were Opera Australia, Deutsche Oper Berlin, New York City Opera, Fort Worth and San Diego Opera. In 1995 he gave the South African premiere of Porgy and Bess in Cape Town.

Waters made his professional conducting debut in 1979, with the Utah Symphony.

He served as general and artistic director of the Connecticut Opera (1999–2009),was music director and principal conductor of the Florida Grand Opera (1986–1995), during those two tenures he conducted Salome, Manon Lescaut, Die Walküre, Macbeth, Aida, Of Mice and Men, Falstaff, Bianca e Falliero, Cristoforo Colombo, La Gioconda, Turandot, Tosca, Carmen, and Lucia di Lammermoor.[7] and was the opera conductor and artistic director at the Houston Ebony Opera Guild in 1995. He was also the music director of the San Antonio Festival from 1983 until 1985.

Waters was guest conductor at opera companies including the Australian Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, New York City Opera, Cape Town Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and San Diego Opera, also the Brucknerhaus Orchestra (Linz, Austria), Detroit Symphony, Essen Philharmonic (Germany), Florida Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Spoleto Festival, Southwest German Radio Orchestra, and Tallahassee Symphony. In 1995 he conducted the premiere of Porgy and Bess in Cape Town, South Africa.

In 2005, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hartford.

Waters was the musical director of the Martina Arroyo Foundation and the Prelude to Performance Summer Opera Training Institute.

He recorded for Philips the recital Ol' Man River conducting bass Simon Estes with the Munich Radio Orchestra and a recital with the mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett.

He conducted the Cleveland Orchestra in 2016 in a concert dedicated to Martin Luther King at the Severance Hall.

Waters suffered a stroke around 2019 that keeps him away from professional activity and was admitted for⟨⟩ COVID in 2020 in his hometown, where at the time of his death in 2026 he resided in a care center.

Tommy DeCarlo obit

Boston Singer Tommy DeCarlo

Dead at 60 

He was not on the list.

Tommy DeCarlo -- lead vocalist for the rock band Boston -- has died.

The singer's family confirmed the news in a Facebook post, writing that he died Monday after a battle with brain cancer.

"He fought with incredible strength and courage right up until the very end," they wrote.

DeCarlo joined Boston after the original lead singer, Brad Delp, died in 2007.

In 2021, he released the audiobook, "Unlikely Rockstar -- The Tommy DeCarlo Story," detailing his life up until his first performance with Boston.

He was 60.

DeCarlo discovered and became a fan of Boston at age 12. Years later, he began writing his own music and in the 1990s began recording covers of himself singing his favorite Boston songs.

In March 2007, original Boston lead singer Brad Delp committed suicide at the age of 55. To honor Delp, DeCarlo wrote and recorded an original song about his favorite vocalist as well as recorded a couple of Boston covers. His daughter suggested he post the songs on a MySpace page that she helped him set up. He then decided to send his MySpace page link to Boston management. Not long after, he was contacted by Boston founding member Tom Scholz. At the time, DeCarlo was working at a Charlotte, North Carolina-area Home Depot as a credit manager. From 2007 until his death in 2026 , he was the lead vocalist (or co-lead vocalist) for every subsequent touring lineup of Boston.

In November 2021, DeCarlo recorded and released the audiobook, Unlikely Rockstar – The Tommy DeCarlo Story, in which he narrates his life events from birth through his first performance with the band Boston in 2007. The recording of the book occurred throughout 2020 and 2021. The audiobook is currently available on Audible.

Zeph Ellis obit

Reports: Dot Rotten Has Died

Wiley, Logan Sama, Brvtherhood pay their respects... 

He was not on the list.

Multiple reports are suggesting that grime pioneer Dot Rotten has died.

The South London born figure – real name Joseph Ellis-Stevenson – burst on to the scene as a true all-rounder, a magnetic MC and a deeply influential producer. With an incredible appetite for flipping samples, Dot Rotten also had a melodic side, one that sat alongside his skills as a battle MC.

Initially known as Young Dot, his debut mixtape came back in 2007, with Dot Rotten subsequently inking a major label deal with Mercury – indeed, he was nominated on the BBC Sound Of poll for 2012.

Capable of linking with top tier figures – Ed Sheeran was a fan, and the two collaborated – Dot Rotten always kept it fresh, influencing generations of artists. His ‘XCXD BXMB’ riddim was utilised by both Kano and AJ Tracey, a sign of Dot’s impact on UK underground music.

Wiley was amongst the first to report Dot Rotten’s passing, posting a tribute on his Instagram page.

The comments include tributes from several pivotal grime figures associated with Dot Rotten, including Slimzee, and other non-scene artists including Jelani Blackman, who called Dot Rotten an “icon”.

Birmingham artist Rynsa Man was close to Dot Rotten, and he shared an emotional tribute to the UK artist –

A post shared by ł₮’ֆ ᏒɎИֆΛ MΛИ 🎶 🔴⚪️⚫️ (Rʏɴsᴀ Mᴀɴ) (@itsrynsaman)

UK duo BRVTHERHOOD are closely associated with Dot Rotten, with the group’s Blaze writing:

DJ and broadcaster Logan Sama posted a tribute, and when CLASH asked if the news had been confirmed he responded that he trusted communications from BRVTHERHOOD “implicitly”.

Logan Sama wrote –

Dot Rotten was reportedly in Africa when he passed. No official statement has been shared online.

Joseph Ellis-Stevenson (19 October 1988 – March 2026), better known by his stage names Zeph Ellis and Dot Rotten, was a British MC, rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer from Lambeth, South London.

Having released a series of mixtapes independently under the names Young Dot and later Dot Rotten, Ellis signed to Mercury Records, releasing his debut studio album Voices in My Head in 2013. After leaving the major label, he later released several independent EP's and projects, as well as later changing his name to Zeph Ellis and focusing on producing

He is known for having introduced various sampling techniques to grime production, and creating the style of singing hooks on grime tracks. These styles can be heard throughout his discography from the early Young Dot era to his present projects under the Zeph Ellis moniker.

Alexander Butterfield obit

Alexander Butterfield, White House aide who exposed Nixon's taping system, dead at 99

 He was not on the list.

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide who disclosed Richard Nixon's secret audio taping system, providing the "smoking gun" of the Watergate scandal that brought down the president, has died at age 99.

The death of Butterfield, whose revelation about the listening devices and recording system set off a ​roaring legal battle over the president's right of executive privilege, was confirmed by his wife Kim to The Washington Post and the New York Times.

Both newspapers said he died a ‌month shy of his 100th birthday at his home in the seaside La Jolla area of San Diego, but no cause of death was cited.

Butterfield once told journalist Alicia Shepard he disliked being known as the man who exposed the existence of the tapes because it made it seem as if he had "eagerly and breathlessly" told the Watergate congressional committee about them.

A native of Pensacola, Florida, who grew up in California, Butterfield attended UCLA before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1948 and went on ​to serve as a combat pilot during the Vietnam War, commanding a squadron of tactical reconnaissance aircraft. He later served as a military assistant to a high-ranking Pentagon aide, gaining White House exposure ​in that job.

Butterfield finally left the Air Force to join the White House staff as a deputy to Nixon's chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, an old friend ⁠from UCLA. Among Butterfield's White House duties was keeping a historical record of the presidency, which included overseeing installation of the voice-activated taping system.

Butterfield had left the White House for the top job at the Federal Aviation ​Administration by the time the investigation into the June 17, 1972, break-in at Democratic headquarters in the Watergate building was heating up.

He was one of the few in the White House who knew about the recording system, ​and upon learning that he would be questioned by the Senate Watergate Committee, known officially as the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, Butterfield resolved neither to lie nor volunteer information.

A Republican staff attorney for the committee was questioning him in a private preliminary session when he asked if the White House had a recording system. Butterfield reluctantly acknowledged there was.

On July 16, 1973, three days after his initial closed-door disclosure, Butterfield appeared before the Senate committee at a televised meeting, and Fred ​Thompson, then counsel for the Republicans on the committee and a future actor and senator, asked the same question.

After a long pause, Butterfield said, "I was aware of listening devices, yes, sir."

It was stunning news for the nation ​because it meant there was an actual record of what Nixon said, when he said it and to whom he said it.

Butterfield said the recording system had been secretly taping conversations and meetings in the Oval Office, Nixon's office in ‌the Executive Office ⁠Building and the Cabinet room, as well as four White House telephones. The purpose of the recordings, he said, was historical.

In a 1975 interview with People magazine, Butterfield said Nixon often forgot about the recorders and had disregarded advice to destroy the tapes because he never thought the Watergate affair would reach a point where he would have to surrender them.

"I'm sure that he hates me as much as anyone can," Butterfield said of his former boss, who died in 1994.

He said he thought Nixon should have resigned earlier.

"I don't feel awful about the president's resignation," he said. "Not at all."

NIXON'S ROLE REVEALED

A recording made six days after the Watergate break-in proved to ​be Nixon's undoing - the "smoking gun" that showed he knew ​of the cover-up. He was heard agreeing to ⁠a plan to have the break-in investigation halted for national security reasons.

The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately rejected White House claims of executive privilege and ordered Nixon to turn over the subpoenaed tapes as his public and political support withered. Rather than face impeachment and a Senate trial, he resigned on August 9, 1974.

Since he was not ​involved with the break-in or cover-up, Butterfield was never indicted, but his old friend Haldeman would be among several Nixon insiders who went to prison in ​the scandal.

Butterfield was the focus ⁠of the 2015 book "The Last of the President's Men" by Bob Woodward, the Washington Post reporter who helped break the Watergate story, and he provided Woodward with thousands of documents he had secretly removed from Nixon administration offices.

The documents and interviews with Butterfield portrayed what the former White House aide described as a "cesspool" within the administration and characterized Nixon as odd, isolated and resentful.

Butterfield said he frequently was the target of hostility from Nixon loyalists and told Time ⁠magazine that long-time ​Nixon secretary Rose Mary Woods, who said she accidentally erased 18 1/2 minutes of those White House tapes, had disparaged him as ​a "son of a bitch" who had "destroyed the greatest leader this country ever had."

Butterfield worked as an adviser to Oliver Stone on his 1995 film "Nixon" and had a cameo role in it as a White House staffer.

Butterfield's first marriage, to Charlotte Maguire, ended in divorce in 1985. ​He also had previously dated Audrey Geisel, widow of the children's author-illustrator Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

David Brigati obit

Singer David Brigati Dies at 85 – Entertainment News

 He was not on the list.

David Brigati, who was sometimes referred to as the fifth Rascal, died on 7 March. He was 85.

He started his music career with the group Hi-Fives and later fronted Joey Dee and the Starliters.

When Brigati left the Starliters, he was replaced by his brother Eddie who formed The Young Rascals with other members of The Starliters. David was involved as a background singer with the Rascals.

When the Rascals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, Brigati performed with the four original members of the group.

Ringside Report sends their condolences to The Brigati Family in their time of grief.

Troy Murray obit

Blackhawks Mourn Passing of Beloved Broadcaster and Alumni Troy Murray

Murray leaves behind a lasting impact as a Selke Trophy winner, broadcaster and leader in the Blackhawks community

He was not on the list. 

It is with the deepest sorrow and heaviest of hearts that the Chicago Blackhawks announce that Troy Murray passed away on Saturday at the age of 63. The Blackhawks organization shares in the heartbreak felt by the entire Blackhawks community today as we mourn the loss of our beloved “Muzz.” 

Born in Calgary, Alberta, on July 31, 1962, Murray rose to prominence as a standout two-way center during his collegiate career at the University of North Dakota, earning WCHA Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman before helping the team win the NCAA championship during his sophomore campaign.

Selected in the third round (57th overall) of the 1980 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, Murray quickly established himself as a key contributor in Chicago who became known for his leadership, defensive responsibility and steady offensive production. 

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Murray became a fan-favorite in Chicago for his work ethic and consistency on the ice. It was those same traits that earned him the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward for the 1985-86 season, becoming the first player in Blackhawks history to win the award. Over parts of 12 seasons in Chicago, Murray amassed 488 points (197G, 291A) in 688 regular-season games and cemented his legacy as one of the franchise’s most respected leaders.

In addition to his time in Chicago, Murray served as captain of the Winnipeg Jets for his two seasons with the club, while also playing for the Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. A 1996 Stanley Cup champion with Colorado, he finished his NHL career with 584 points (230G, 354A) in 915 regular-season games over 15 seasons.

After retiring as a player, Murray remained deeply connected to the Blackhawks organization. He transitioned seamlessly into broadcasting, serving as the team’s radio color analyst for more than two decades. His insightful commentary, deep understanding of the game, and unmistakable voice made him a trusted presence for generations of Chicago hockey fans and earned him top honors from the Illinois Broadcasters Association as the best sports play-by-play team alongside WGN Radio booth partner John Wiedeman.  

He remained committed to the bonds he built in the locker room long after his playing career ended, taking on an active and integral leadership role as President of the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Association. Through his work with the CBAA, Murray helped to care for his fellow alumni in their post-career endeavors and give back to the local community through his involvement in their yearly scholarship program for high school hockey players in Illinois. 

In 2021, Murray publicly shared his cancer diagnosis, approaching his battle with the same resilience and candor that defined his playing days. He continued working and engaging with the Blackhawks community, inspiring many with his strength and positivity.

Troy Murray is remembered not only for his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism, humility, and dedication to the city of Chicago. He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.

Statement from Blackhawks Chairman & CEO Danny Wirtz

“The Chicago Blackhawks are deeply heartbroken today as we mourn the loss of Troy Murray, our beloved “Muzz,” and our love and support go out to his family. 

Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk, so far beyond his incredible playing career with a presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years. He was admired by his teammates and our players, and was so proud to connect generations of Blackhawks through his work with the Blackhawks Alumni Association. He jumped at every call to support our local community with our Foundation. He never missed a chance to say ‘hello’ in our press box and always knew the perfect time for a joke just when someone around the office needed it most. And he absolutely loved bringing Blackhawks hockey to you, our fans, night after night with a dedication to his craft that never wavered to the very end. 

During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him. While our front office simply won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Muzz.”

After retirement Murray joined the Blackhawks TV crew as the studio analyst, a position he held from the start of the 1998–99 season until November 13, 2003. Troy was then named TV color commentator teaming up with Pat Foley for two seasons in which their play by play was simulcast on the then radio flagship WSCR.

Before the start of the 2006–07 season Foley was let go and the radio and television broadcasts were separated. At this time Murray was paired with former New York Islanders voice John Wiedeman. Since pairing with Wiedeman, the duo has gone on to call three Stanley Cup Championships.

In June 2015, Murray and broadcast partners John Wiedeman and Judd Sirott received top honors in the Chicago Market "Best Radio Play-By-Play" category at the Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Awards. They had previously won the award in 2011 and 2014. He and Wiedeman also received top honors in the "Best Sports Story" category at the 2012 IBA Silver Dome Awards.

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season                        Playoffs

Season Team   League GP       G         A         Pts       PIM     GP       G         A         Pts       PIM

1978–79          St. Albert Saints          AJHL  60        33        47        80        91        —        —        —        —            —

1979–80          St. Albert Saints          AJHL  60        53        47        100      101      —        —        —        —            —

1979–80          Lethbridge Broncos    WHL   2          1          1          2          2          —        —        —        —            —

1980–81          University of North Dakota    WCHA            38        33        45        78        28        —        —            —        —        —

1981–82          University of North Dakota    WCHA            42        22        29        51        62        —        —            —        —        —

1981–82          Chicago Black Hawks NHL    1          0          0          0          0          7          1          0          1            5

1982–83          Chicago Black Hawks NHL    54        8          8          16        27        2          0          0          0            0

1983–84          Chicago Black Hawks NHL    61        15        15        30        45        5          1          0          1            7

1984–85          Chicago Black Hawks NHL    80        26        40        66        82        15        5          14        19            24

1985–86          Chicago Black Hawks NHL    80        45        54        99        94        2          0          0          0            2

1986–87          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    77        28        43        71        59        4          0          0          0            5

1987–88          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    79        22        36        58        96        5          1          0          1            8

1988–89          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    79        21        30        51        113      16        3          6          9            25

1989–90          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    68        17        38        55        86        20        4          4          8            22

1990–91          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    75        14        23        37        74        6          0          1          1            12

1991–92          Winnipeg Jets  NHL    74        17        30        47        69        7          0          0          0          2

1992–93          Winnipeg Jets  NHL    29        3          4          7          34        —        —        —        —        —

1992–93          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    22        1          3          4          25        4          0          0          0            2

1993–94          Indianapolis Ice           IHL     8          3          3          6          12        —        —        —        —            —

1993–94          Chicago Blackhawks  NHL    12        0          1          1          6          —        —        —        —            —

1993–94          Ottawa Senators          NHL    15        2          3          5          4          —        —        —        —            —

1994–95          Ottawa Senators          NHL    33        4          10        14        16        —        —        —        —            —

1994–95          Pittsburgh Penguins    NHL    13        0          2          2          23        12        2          1          3            12

1995–96          Colorado Avalanche    NHL    63        7          14        21        22        8          0          0          0            19

1996–97          Chicago Wolves          IHL     81        21        29        50        63        4          0          2          2            2

NHL totals       914      230      354      584      875      113      17        26        43        145

Augie Meyers obit

Augie Meyers, Founding Member of the Sir Douglas Quintet and Texas Tornados, Dies

 He was not on the list.

Augie Meyers, a founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet who provided the distinctive organ riff on their first hit single, 1965’s #13 “She’s About a Mover,” and later re-teamed with that band’s leader Doug Sahm to form the Tejano supergroup Texas Tornados in the late ’80s, died Saturday, March 7, 2026. The news of his passing, at age 85 with his wife Sara at his side, was announced on his Facebook page on March 9.

After the British Invasion hit America, producer Huey Meaux tried to cash in on the latest rage by giving Sahm’s group with Meyers the English-sounding name Sir Douglas Quintet when, in fact, they were from Texas. The other founding members were Jack Barber, Frank Morin, and Johnny Perez, though many other musicians were involved at various stages.

The Tex-Mex flavored influential musical partnership, with Sahm on guitar and vocals and Meyers on his Vox Continental organ, delivered a pair of other hits, most notably, “Mendocino,” which reached #27 in 1969.

Two decades later, the pair formed the Texas Tornados with Flaco Jiménez and Freddy Fender, taking their name from Sahm’s song, “Texas Tornado.” Meyers was the last surviving member of the group. He and Sahm, his longtime bandmate, continued to work together until the latter died in 1999.

Meyers performed on a pair of Bob Dylan albums, 1997’s Time Out of Mind and 2001’s Love and Theft. Meyers’ website includes a quote attributed to Dylan. “Augie’s my man. He’s like an intellectual who goes fishing using bookworms. Seriously though, he’s the shining example of a musician, Vox player or otherwise, who can break the code. His playing speaks volumes. Speaks in tongue actually. He can bring a song, certainly any one of mine, into the real world.

“I’ve loved his playing going all the way back to the Sir Doug days when he was featured and dominant. What makes him so great is that internally speaking, he’s the master of syncopation and timing. And this is something that cannot be taught. If you need someone to get you through the shipping lanes and there’s no detours, Augie will get you right straight through….Augie’s your man.”

Meyers was born May 31, 1940, in San Antonio, Tex. He released more than a dozen solo albums.

‘Country Joe’ McDonald obit

‘Country Joe’ McDonald, Who Urged the Crowd at the ’69 Woodstock Festival to ‘Gimme an F,’ Dies

 

He was not on the list.

“Country Joe” McDonald, the lead singer, songwriter and co-founder of Country Joe and the Fish, a ’60s-era psychedelic rock group that was a fixture of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene, died yesterday (March 7, 2026). His passing, at age 84 of Parkinson’s, in Berkeley, Calif., was shared with Best Classic Bands by a source close to his wife, Kathy. The musician and his band came to national prominence following his solo performance at the 1969 Woodstock festival of his anti-Vietnam War protest song, “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die-Rag,” which was coupled with a modified version of his “The Fish Cheer” that included an audience call-and-response to “Gimme an F” to spell out the “F word.” The song led off side two of 1970’s official three-LP set from the landmark festival and the performance was featured prominently in Michael Wadleigh’s 1970 documentary film of the event.

Country Joe and the Fish were founded in 1965 by McDonald and Barry “The Fish” Melton, the group’s lead guitarist. Many of the Berkeley-based group’s songs focused on political and social issues of the day, and were first released on two EPs, Talking Issue #1: Songs of Opposition (Rag Baby, 1965) and Country Joe and the Fish (Rag Baby, 1966). With the addition of keyboardist/guitarist David Cohen, drummer Gary “Chicken” Hirsh and Bruce Barthol on bass, the group gained popularity on the local circuit, performing at San Francisco venues such as the Fillmore Auditorium and the Avalon Ballroom, as well as outside of the Bay Area.

In 1969, prior to the famous Woodstock appearance, Barthol, Hirsh and Cohen left the band and were replaced by Mark Kapner on keyboards, Doug Metzner on bass and Greg Dewey on drums. The band dissolved in 1970 and McDOnald began focusing on his solo career.

In a Nov. 2024 feature story for Best Classic Bands—“Country Joe is More Than Woodstock—About 40 Albums More”—writer Rip Rense noted that McDonald wrote and recorded somewhere around 40 albums in all, not including the landmark ’60s psychedelic masterworks by Country Joe and the Fish, played and toured constantly, and lent his voice to cause after cause, from opposing war to advocating for military veterans, nurses, animals and the ecosystem.

“He [was] a master of the piquant ballad, a scion of the sardonic sung commentary, a pioneer of the psychedelic, a wit-meister of the comic ditty, an avatar of music-as-activism, and a poet,” Rense wrote.

“Yet the bulk of his work is not widely known. Even the singular, revolutionary music McDonald made on the four albums by Country Joe and the Fish (not counting a fifth with a different line-up, and an uneven 1977 reunion album)—long hailed as classic San Francisco ’60s fare—has always been upstaged by the more high-profile bands of the time, notably Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead.” Nonetheless, Country Joe and the Fish’s first two albums, Electric Music for the Mind and Body, and I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die, both released in 1967, are still considered landmarks of psychedelic rock by many.

Even with that significant recorded output, it was McDonald’s solo performance at the ’69 Woodstock festival that remained his signature moment. The lyrics of “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die-Rag” includes the chorus:

 

And it’s one, two, three,

What are we fighting for?

Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam;

And it’s five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well, there ain’t no time to wonder why,

Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.

Joseph Allen McDonald was born on Jan. 1, 1942, in Washington, D.C., and grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of El Monte, where he was active in his high school’s marching band. While still a teenager, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Japan for three years. Upon his return, his goal was to become a professional musician. In the ensuing years, he met the future members of what became his namesake band—the nickname “Country Joe” was originally given to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin—ultimately leading to a recording contract with the Vanguard label.

Of his signature song, he told the New York Times in 2017 that he “was inspired to write a song about how soldiers have no choice in the matter, but to follow orders, but with the irreverence of rock ‘n’ roll. It was essentially punk rock before punk existed.”

Colleen Hanabusa obit

Former Hawaii congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa dies at 74

Hanabusa served in the state Senate, U.S. House, and as HART board chair during a decades-long career in Hawaii politics.

 She was not on the list.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa has died after a private battle with cancer. She was 74.

Her family said in a statement:

“Colleen Hanabusa, a veteran lawmaker and attorney from Waianae who fought for local people for three decades as a Congresswoman and state Senate President, passed away early Friday.

“Hanabusa, the first Asian American woman elected as president of a state legislative body, was hospitalized for five months fighting cancer.

“The veteran member of the U.S. House of Representatives, state Senate, and HART board is survived by her husband, John Souza, and their beloved puppies Frannie and Pupper.”

Hanabusa was born in 1951 and raised in Waianae. She was elected to the Hawaii State Senate in 1998 and became the state’s first female Senate president in 2007.

A career defined by political battles

Within months of her 1998 state Senate election, Hanabusa demanded a recount of the gubernatorial race that Ben Cayetano narrowly won over Linda Lingle.

She later organized the Senate’s ouster of Cayetano’s Attorney General Margery Bronster after Bronster forced out the politically connected trustees of the Bishop Estate.

She was elected to Congress in 2010.

In 2012, as U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye was dying, he asked Gov. Neil Abercrombie to appoint Hanabusa to his seat. Abercrombie instead chose his lieutenant governor, Brian Schatz.

“I think it was one of the more momentous moments in Hawaii politics,” said Colin Moore, a political science professor and HNN political analyst. “It really was in some ways a rejection of the Inouye era.”

Hanabusa lost her 2014 bid to take the Senate seat from Schatz.

She returned to Congress in 2016 following the death of U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, where she championed the Honolulu rail system.

From Congress to the campaign trail

Moore said Hanabusa’s political strength was more internal than public-facing.

“Her power was often more as an inside strategist than a public communicator,” Moore said.

With labor union support, Hanabusa gave up her congressional seat in 2018 to challenge Gov. David Ige in the Democratic primary.

“At the highest level of state government today, there is a deeply troubling lack of leadership and vision,” Hanabusa said when she announced her gubernatorial campaign.

Former Gov. Cayetano, despite prior differences with Hanabusa, endorsed her. Despite early leads in the polls, she lost in the primary.

Rail, mayor’s race, and HART

Hanabusa later became chair of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and was critical of rail management.

In 2020, she ran for Honolulu mayor, finishing third in the primary. She endorsed eventual winner Rick Blangiardi, who returned her to the HART board.

As chair, Hanabusa helped salvage the federal funding agreement for the rail project. In 2023, she rode the rail system she had long fought for.

“We’re able to put our differences aside for one specific purpose, and that is rail, the completion of rail,” Hanabusa said.

Hanabusa left the HART board for health reasons last September.

Jennifer Runyon obit

Jennifer Runyon, ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Charles in Charge’ Actress, Dies at 65

 She was not on the list.

Jennifer Runyon, an actress known for her roles in “Ghostbusters” and the CBS sitcom “Charles in Charge,” died March 6. She was 65.

Runyon’s close friend, Erin Murphy, confirmed her death in a Facebook post, writing, “So sad to share that my friend Jennifer Runyon Corman has passed away after a brief battle with cancer. Some people you just know you’ll be friends with before you even meet. She was a special lady. I’ll miss you Jenn. My thoughts are with your family and beautiful children.”

Runyon made her feature film debut in the 1980 slasher film “To All a Good Night” and went on to have supporting roles in the comedies “Up the Creek” and “Ghostbusters,” both released in 1984.

The actress also had a lead role as Gwendolyn Pierce in the 1984 sitcom “Charles in Charge” during the show’s first season. In 1988, she portrayed Cindy Brady in the television film “A Very Brady Christmas.” Also in 1988, Runyon played the lead in “The In Crowd” and was in the pilot of “Quantum Leap.” She also starred in the comedy “18 Again!,” and made guest appearances on “Murder, She Wrote,” “A Man Called Sarge,” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

Runyon was born on April 1, 1960, in Chicago, Ill. to radio announcer and disc jockey Jim Runyon and actress Jane Roberts.

In 1991, Runyon married Todd Corman, a collegiate basketball coach who also worked in film and television production between sports seasons. The couple have two children: a son named Wyatt and a daughter named Bayley.

In 2014, Runyon stated she was semi-retired from acting and was instead working as a teacher.

“She will always be remembered for her love of life and her devotion to her family and friends,” read her Facebook tribute post. “I know from above she’s looking down on all of us with her beautiful smile. Rest in peace, our Jenn.”

 

Filmography

Film

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1980    To All a Goodnight     Nancy 

1984    Up the Creek   Heather Merriweather

1984    Ghostbusters    Female Student          

1985    The Falcon and the Snowman Carole 

1986    Flight of the Spruce Goose     Terry   

1986    Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story          Angel Fisher    Television film

1986    Blue de Ville   J.C. Smith        Television film

1986    Pros & Cons    Christy Television film

1988    The In Crowd  Vicky  

1988    18 Again!        Robin Morrison          

1988    A Very Brady Christmas         Cindy Brady    Television film

1990    A Man Called Sarge    Fifi LaRue      

1991    Killing Streets Sandra Ross   

1991    Tagteam           Rita Valentine  Television film

1992    Till Death Us Do Part Judy Davis      Television film

1993    Carnosaur        Ann 'Thrush'  

2015    Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: Revival           Carol Brickman          

2016    Terror Tales     Melanie           Segment: "Epidemic"

2017    Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping Death    Nurse Zarkov 

2019    Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters   Herself Documentary film

Television

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1981–82          Another World Sally Frame     Main cast

1983    The Fall Guy   Kate     Episode: "Hollywood Shorties"

1983    Boone  Connie Sue      Episode: "Second Fiddle"

1984    The Master      Alicia Clayton Episode: "Hostages"

1984–85, 1987            Charles in Charge       Gwendolyn Pierce       Main cast (Season 1); guest appearance (Season 2)

1985    Space   Marcia Grant   Miniseries

1987    Magnum, P.I.   Christine Maxfield Bentley     Episode: "Murder by Night"

1987    The Highwayman       Amanda Merrick         Episode: "The Highwayman"

1987    Who's the Boss?          Doreen Episode: "Hell on Wheels"

1988    Dear John        Karen  Episode: "The Younger Girl"

1988    Valerie Gwen  Episode: "Foiled Again"

1989    Quantum Leap Peggy Stratton Episode: "Genesis: Part 1 and 2 - September 13, 1956"

1989–91          Murder, She Wrote      Rebecca Beiler / Kelly Barrett            2 episodes

1990    Booker Linda Fowler   Episode: "The Red Dot"

1991    Beverly Hills, 90210   Christine          Episode: "Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills"

1992    Vinnie & Bobby          Hillary Bomgarden     Episode: "Spring is in the Air"

Sandy Wernick obit

Sandy Wernick Dies: Adam Sandler’s Manager Who Inspired ‘Sandy Wexler’ Movie Was 86

 He was on the list.

Sanford ‘Sandy’ Wernick, the talent manager and partner/senior executive VP at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, has died. He was 86.

A family representative tells Deadline that Wernick died on Thursday in Rancho Mirage, California, surrounded by family and loved ones, following a brief illness. Private services will be held in Palm Desert, followed by a memorial celebration in Los Angeles at a later date.

Beginning his career as a manager in the 1970s, his clients included Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihy, Lorne Michaels, Jeff Ross, Colin Quinn, Rob Schneider and many more. A co-creator and executive producer of Def Comedy Jam, Wernick also helped package and produce shows like Saturday Night Live, The Muppet Show, The Sopranos, Just Shoot Me, Alf and The Goldbergs.

As Sandler’s manager, Wernick was an EP on his movies Billy Madison (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), Bulletproof (1996) and The Wedding Singer (1998).

In 2017, Sandler played a character inspired by Wernick in the Netflix film Sandy Wexler, about a talent manager hustling in 1994 Los Angeles, as he attempts to turn talented young singer Courtney (Jennifer Hudson) into a star. Wernick had a cameo in the movie.

Born March 22, 1939 in the Bronx, Wernick graduated from NYU and served in the Army from 1960 to 1962. He worked as an adjunct professor at USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Peter Stark Producing Program, and he volunteered in the Cedars Sinai emergency room.

Wernick is survived by wife of 64 years, Barbara, daughter Michele, son Barry and daughter-in-law Jillian, as well as grandson Sammy, sister Joyce, brother-in-law Jules and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Additional Crew

Bill Bellamy, Jamie Foxx, Cedric The Entertainer, Mike Epps, Adele Givens, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Carlos Mencia, Craig Robinson, Aries Spears, Sheryl Underwood, Michael Winslow, Deon Cole, and J.B. Smoove in Phunny Business: A Black Comedy (2011)

Phunny Business: A Black Comedy

6.8

executive consultant

2011

 

Paul Fusco and Mihaly 'Michu' Meszaros in ALF (1986)

ALF

7.4

TV Series

executive consultant

1986–2004

49 episodes

 

Garry Shandling in The Larry Sanders Show (1992)

The Larry Sanders Show

8.5

TV Series

executive consultant

1992–1998

89 episodes

 

Dana Carvey in Dana Carvey: Critics' Choice (1995)

Dana Carvey: Critics' Choice

8.2

TV Special

executive consultant

1995

 

Men, Movies & Carol (1994)

Men, Movies & Carol

7.4

TV Movie

executive consultant

1994

 

Kate Capshaw in Black Tie Affair (1993)

Black Tie Affair

7.4

TV Series

executive consultant

1993

2 episodes

 

Live from Washington D.C.: They Shoot HBO Specials, Don't They? (1993)

Live from Washington D.C.: They Shoot HBO Specials, Don't They?

6.7

TV Special

executive consultant

1993

 

The 15th Annual Young Comedians Special

7.4

TV Special

executive consultant

1992

 

Deborah Richter and Ami Rothschild in Lookwell (1991)

Lookwell

8.2

TV Movie

executive consultant

1991

 

Garry Shandling: Stand-Up

8.0

TV Special

executive consultant

1991

 

Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal in Good Sports (1991)

Good Sports

4.8

TV Series

executive consultant

1991

10 episodes

 

Blair Brown in The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (1987)

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd

8.2

TV Series

executive consultant

1987–1991

9 episodes

 

A Very Retail Christmas

5.2

TV Movie

executive consultant

1990

 

Don't Try This at Home! (1990)

Don't Try This at Home!

7.1

TV Movie

executive consultant

1990

 

Sunday Night with Larry King (1990)

Sunday Night with Larry King

TV Special

executive consultant

1990

 

The Dave Thomas Comedy Show (1990)

The Dave Thomas Comedy Show

6.2

TV Series

executive consultant

1990

5 episodes

 

The 13th Annual Young Comedians Special (1989)

The 13th Annual Young Comedians Special

6.3

TV Special

executive consultant

1989

 

The Wickedest Witch (1989)

The Wickedest Witch

6.8

TV Movie

executive consultant

1989

 

Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson in The Kids in the Hall (1988)

The Kids in the Hall

8.4

TV Series

executive consultant

1988

1 episode

 

Mr. Miller Goes to Washington Starring Dennis Miller (1988)

Mr. Miller Goes to Washington Starring Dennis Miller

6.4

TV Special

executive consultant

1988

 

Christine Baranski and Keith Szarabajka in Big Shots in America (1985)

Big Shots in America

TV Movie

executive consultant

1985

 

Buffalo Bill (1983)

Buffalo Bill

7.4

TV Series

executive consultant

1983–1984

25 episodes

 

George Dzundza, Susan Tyrrell, and Sam Whipple in Open All Night (1981)

Open All Night

7.2

TV Series

executive consultant

1981–1982

13 episodes

 

Production Department

New

The Jackie Bison Show (1990)

The Jackie Bison Show

TV Special

production consultant

1990

 

Producer

Cameron Dallas in Chasing Cameron (2016)

Chasing Cameron

3.7

TV Series

executive producer

2016

1 episode

 

Martin Short and Maya Rudolph in Maya & Marty (2016)

Maya & Marty

6.6

TV Series

producer

2016

 

Adam Goldberg, Michael Ian Black, Jim Gaffigan, Ashley Williams, and Tongayi Chirisa in The Jim Gaffigan Show (2015)

The Jim Gaffigan Show

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

2015

1 episode

 

Colin Quinn: Long Story Short (2011)

Colin Quinn: Long Story Short

7.9

TV Special

executive producer

2011

 

Def Comedy Jam (1992)

Def Comedy Jam

8.0

TV Series

executive producer

1992–2008

2 episodes

 

Movie Club with John Ridley

TV Series

executive producer

2004

 

Comedy Inc. (2002)

Comedy Inc.

2.9

TV Series

executive producer (2003-2004)

2002–2007

 

Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer (1998)

The Wedding Singer

6.9

executive producer

1998

 

Adam Sandler and Damon Wayans in Bulletproof (1996)

Bulletproof

5.8

executive producer

1996

 

Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore (1996)

Happy Gilmore

7.0

executive producer

1996

 

Bob Saget: In the Dream State

7.1

TV Special

executive consultant

1990

 

Father Guido Sarducci's Vatican Inquirer: The Pope's Tour

TV Special

executive producer

1987

 

CBS Summer Playhouse (1987)

CBS Summer Playhouse

6.4

TV Series

consulting producer

1987

1 episode

 

Caesar's 20th Birthday Celebration

TV Special

executive producer

1987

 

Jasper Carrott in Cinemax Comedy Experiment (1985)

Cinemax Comedy Experiment

4.1

TV Series

executive producer

1986

1 episode

 

The Second City 25th Anniversary Special (1985)

The Second City 25th Anniversary Special

5.9

TV Special

executive producer

1985

 

Actor

Adam Sandler in Sandy Wexler (2017)

Sandy Wexler

5.3

Peter Marvelle

2017

 

Adam Sandler and Kevin James in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

5.9

Jail Guard

2007

 

Jerry Stiller, Kevin James, and Leah Remini in The King of Queens (1998)

The King of Queens

7.4

TV Series

Principal Nagel (as Sanford Wernick)

2007

1 episode

 

Thanks

Garry Shandling in The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special (1986)

The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special

7.8

TV Special

special thanks

1986

 

Self

Finding Sandler

Self (Sandler's Manager)

Completed