Category Archives: Celebrity/musician deaths

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Ray Bradbury 1920 – 2012

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Whether you’re a science fiction reader or not, I’m pretty sure you might have read a book by Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury have been a part of everyone’s lives. I’m sure you’ve read at least one book or two in English class out loud with your teacher. I’m sure you’ve seen some of his movies adapted from his books. Ray Bradbury is not just a science fiction writer. He also wrote: horror, fantasy, and mystery. He is most famous for, “Fahrenheit 451”, “The Martian Chronicles”, “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, and “The Illustrated Man”.

Bradbury was born in and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois. He was a reader and writer pretty much his whole life. His work over the years were inspired by his favorite authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was inspired to write science fiction by the Flash Gordon and Buck Rodgers characters, then he began writing short science fiction stories in 1938 for fanzines. Bradbury’s first published story was titled, “Pendulum”, which was published for “Super Science Stories” in November of 1941. Ray Bradbury only wrote 11 novels over the years, but he published plenty of short stories more than his novels. His work was a huge influence in Hollywood film, as there were plenty of movies adapted from his work. Bradbury’s work continues to inspire people to this day.

Ray Bradbury, died in Los Angeles, California, he was 91 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Robin Gibb 1949 – 2012

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I never bought the music of the Bee Gees, but I always respected the hell out of them, and loved them myself. Just like with Donna Summer, the Bee Gees continue to inspire everyone’s lives to this day. You would also hear their music in Hollywood movies (most notably, “Saturday Night Fever”), and TV commercials. You would hear the song, “Staying Alive” at all the nightclubs, bars, wedding receptions, and you would hear bands covering the song. Thanks to “Saturday Night Fever”, the song, “Staying Alive”, has became one of the most popular songs to dance to ever on the dance floor. They were an incredible group, and they inspired me greatly.

Robin was born and grew up on the, Isle of Man, which is a small island near the United Kingdom. Robin grew up with 4 of his other siblings. He has 3 brothers and one sister. His fraternal twin brother Maurice, and his other brothers that are not twins were Barry, and Andy. Robin has one older sister, Lesley. Barry, Robin, and Maurice began singing when they were little kids. They were inspired to start a music career after the three of them performed at the Gaumont cinema, lip syncing to a record, but when the record broke, they had to sing for real. In 1958, the Gibb brothers including their brother, Andy, began performing live where ever they could in Australia, so they could make money. They were originally called, the Rattlesnakes, later they changed their group name to Wee Johnny Hayes & the Bluecats. In 1963, that’s when they had to change their name again to the Bee Gees, after being signed to, Festival Records.

The Bee Gees, shot to national fame, after they released their first album, “Bee Gees 1st”, which peaked at No 7. on the Billboard Charts in the US. The Bee Gees, didn’t become mainstream and commercial superstars until they agreed to make music, for the film, “Saturday Night Fever”. The album became the best selling album of all time. It helped start the disco era in the 70’s. The album stayed on the top of the Billboard US charts for 24 straight weeks from January to July of 1978, and for 120 weeks until 1980. The Bee Gees kept making music and performing live up until their last album in 2001, “This Is Where I Came In”, the Bee Gees broke up after Maurice’s death.

Robin kept releasing solo albums and performing as a solo act. Robin died of cancer, he was 62 years old. He is survived by his brother, Barry, who is the only surviving member of the Bee Gees, which means that he is, “Staying Alive”.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Donna Summer 1948 – 2012

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Whether you liked disco music or not, you have to respect the music of Donna Summer. I sure did. I never liked dance or pop music too much, but I always liked her. Throughout the years of your life, I’m sure you would hear her hit song, “Hot Stuff”, pretty much every where you go. That song is everywhere, even to this day. You will still hear it on the radio. You would hear it in TV commercials, TV shows, and big screen movies. Donna Summer has been a huge inspiration for all of our lives, love her or dislike her. Even if you never bought her music and even you hate disco. Donna Summer will always be with you. It doesn’t matter what genre of music you mostly like to listen to, whether you mostly listen to rock n’ roll, metal, or country. Donna Summer will always be a part of you in some way. That is how powerful this artist really is. She influences everybody. In my eyes, she’s not just the Queen of Disco. She is the Queen of Music, all around.

Donna Summer, was born in and grew up in Boston, Mass. She has been singing ever since she was a little girl. Like most pop stars, she got her start performing in Church choirs. During high school, she performed in school musicals and she was considered popular. In high school, she was a bit of a trouble maker, though. She would go to parties instead of going home after school. Just before graduation, she left school, to be in a blues rock band called, Crow, in New York City. Then she moved to Munich, Germany to be part of musicals there for a while.

In the 1970’s, Donna Summer got her first record deal while singing back up vocals for the classic rock band, Three Dog Night. She released her first album, “Lady of the Night”, which was recorded in Germany. The album was not released in the U.S., but the song, “The Hostage”, got a strong following in Europe. The song was sent to Casablanca records, hoping for a U.S. release. The president of that label, Neil Bogart, said he would release the song if the song was a longer version so Summer recorded a 17 minute long version of the song, which the song titled was changed to, “Love to Love You Baby”. Donna Summer was then, signed to Casablanca Records. Her hit song, “Hot Stuff”, didn’t come out ’til late 1979, which the song is considered her anthem. The song was from her album, “Bad Girls”, which became her best selling album ever.

Over the years, Donna Summer continued to make music, release albums, and perform live. Donna Summer passed away of cancer, she was 63 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter makes appearance at Kentucky derby…

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Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter, Danielynn, is now 5 and she’s getting a little older. The older she gets, the more she looks just like her mother, Anna Nicole. Danielynn and her father, Larry Birkhead, enjoy the day at the Kentucky Derby.

See, the photo, here.

Nice!

How much do you want to bet that when Danielynn gets older, she’s going to be a Playboy playmate just like her, Mom? Wouldn’t surprise me. Usually when kids have a celebrity parent, they follow the same careers just like them. I think Danielynn will indeed become a big supermodel, like her Mom, when she turns 18.

I’ve always liked Anna Nicole and still do. Was a big fan of her Playboy years, didn’t like her reality show though.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Adam Yauch 1964 – 2012

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Like most fans in the music world, I am very heart broken hearing about the death of Adam Yauch (better known as MCA) of the Beastie Boys. I’ve listened to the Beastie Boys for years. I’ve been a huge fan of them from way back and still am a huge fan of them now. No matter what you think of the Beastie Boys, love ’em or hate ’em. They were geniuses. They wrote incredible songs, and they are very talented live performers. They were such an inspiration to me. I never saw the Beastie Boys live, but I’ve always bought their albums.

Adam’s earlier life, he was born in and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He taught himself how to play bass guitar during high school, and right away he formed the Beastie Boys, with members: John Berry, Kate Schellenbach, and Michael Diamond. The band started off playing hardcore punk music before changing their sound to hip hop. When Yauch turned 22, that’s when he changed the Beastie Boys genre to hip hop music, as a trio. The band released their first album, “License To Ill”, under Def Jam Records.

The band were very successful over the years. Selling millions of records, making lots of hit music videos (which most of them were directed by Yauch himself), they won a few awards, and now they were just inducted into the, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Adam Yauch was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Yauch passed away today at the age of 47. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Jonathan Frid 1924 – 2012

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Jonathan Frid, a Canadian born actor, served in the Royal Canadian Navy during WWII. He graduated from McMaster University in 1948 and was accepted at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. Frid was a stage & theater actor for most of his life, but he is most famous for playing the original, Barnabus Collins, on the TV show, “Dark Shadows”. Over the years, Frid continued to attend “Dark Shadows”, fan convention events.

Jonathan Frid, died of natural causes, he was 87 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Levon Helm 1940 – 2012

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Levon Helm, was born in Marvell, Arkansas. He grew up in Turkey Scratch, a hamlet West of Helena, Arkansas. His parents were cotton farmers, and they were also music lovers, which is how Levon got turned on to music. Levon began playing the guitar at the age of 8 and started to play the drums later on. When he saw, Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, that’s when he decided that he wanted to become a full time musician. Over the years, Helm was a big fan of blues, southern country music, and rockabilly. Helm began playing around bars and clubs in his hometown of Helena, at the age of 17.

After Helm graduated high school, he was asked to join Ronnie Hawkins band, the Hawks, which they would later tour as Bob Dylan’s backing band. The legendary classic rock band, The Band, formed later on as a few members were from the Hawks. They got their name, the Band, ’cause what Bob Dylan referred them to. Helm was going to name themselves either, The Honkies, or the Crackers but the label didn’t agree with those names.

The Band, is most famous for their anthem, “The Weight”, which you still hear on the radio and through Hollywood movies (most notably, “Easy Rider”) to this day. The Band, reformed in 1983 for a tour.

Over the years, Levon continued to perform live and make music as a solo act for the Midnight Ramble sessions. Which is a series of live performances in his studio in Woodstock, New York. These were fundraiser concerts to help raise money for his medical bills after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Levon Helm, passed away today, he was 71 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Dick Clark 1929 – 2012

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Dick Clark was born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York. His career in show business began in 1945, when he worked for the mail room for WRUN, a radio station owned by his uncle and managed by his father in Utica, New York. After graduating high school, Clark started off working in the office at WRUN, but then he was asked to fill in for the vacationing weatherman. Then he moved on to doing television and was a radio DJ for a radiostation shortly after.

Clark is most famous for hosting “American Bandstand”, hosting the New Year’s Eve special on ABC (which he has been doing since 1972), and was the longtime host for gameshow, “$100,000 Pyramid”.

Clark was also respected for his passion in music, as he was a big music lover like all of us. Dick Clark, died of a major heart attack today at the age of 82. For now, Dick Clark, so long. *military salute*

Kev