Gary Duncan, guitarist and vocalist of the influential San Francisco psychedelic rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service, has died at the age of 72. Quicksilver Messenger Service bassist David Freiberg confirmed Duncan’s death to Rolling Stone. Duncan’s ex-wife, Shelley Duncan Haslouer, said that Duncan had a “severe fall and hit his …
Read More »Dr. John, Hall of Fame Singer Who Brought New Orleans to the World, Dead at 77
Mac Rebennack, the New Orleans pianist, singer-songwriter and producer better known as Dr. John, died Thursday at the age of 77. The cause of death was a heart attack, according to his family. “Towards the break of day on June 6, 2019, iconic music legend Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr., professionally …
Read More »Peter Mayhew: A Lost Interview With the Original Chewbacca
Related: 50 Best Star Wars Characters of All Time Trapped in a giant, furry suit, Peter Mayhew had only his emotive blue eyes and his seven-foot-three body to help him bring Chewbacca to life — and he did it, making Han Solo’s fuzzball co-pilot as real as any of the …
Read More »Nipsey Hussle, Grammy-Nominated Rapper, Shot Dead in L.A.
Nipsey Hussle, the Los Angeles rapper who earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album earlier this year, was shot and killed in L.A. on Sunday, according to NBC, citing multiple law enforcement sources. He was 33. Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Asghedom, was one of three people shot …
Read More »Mac Miller Dead at 26
Mac Miller, the 26-year-old rapper known for his canny wordplay and artistic reinvention, died Friday at his Los Angeles home. The apparent cause of death was a drug overdose. “Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, has tragically passed away at the age of 26,” his family …
Read More »Stewart Lupton, Singer of Influential Indie Rock Band Jonathan Fire*Eater, Dead at 43
Stewart Lupton, the frontman of the short-lived but widely influential indie rock band Jonathan Fire*Eater, died Monday. He was 43. Lupton’s cousin, Sarah Lupton, confirmed the singer’s death to Rolling Stone. While a specific cause of death is unknown, Lupton tells Rolling Stone that his family has stated the cause …
Read More »Cecil Taylor: Remembering the Ultimate Piano Radical
A classic Cecil Taylor moment occurred at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1978. That summer, the iconoclastic pianist – who died Thursday at the age of 89 – performed for Jimmy Carter at the White House Jazz Festival. The commander-in-chief was so taken with what he heard that he chased Taylor …
Read More »Ray Thomas, Moody Blues Flautist and Founding Member, Dead at 76
Ray Thomas, flautist, vocalist and founding member of the Moody Blues, died Thursday at the age of 76. Thomas’ label Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records confirmed the multi-instrumentalist’s death on Facebook, adding that Thomas died suddenly at his home in Surrey, England. No cause of death was announced. “We are deeply …
Read More »Len Wein, Comic Book Writer and Wolverine Co-Creator, Dead at 69
Len Wein, the comic book legend who co-created characters like Swamp Thing and X-Men’s Wolverine, died Sunday at the age of 69. No cause of death was provided, but Wein’s wife Christine Valada tweeted two days earlier that Wein underwent an unspecified surgery. “Len Wein will be remembered for the …
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