Pro wrestler Umanosuke Ueda http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2011/12/21/19152096.html
Former WABC host Lynn Samuels dies Christmas Eve at 69 Activist took
on conservatives and President Obama alike BY DAVID HINCKLEY NEW YORK
DAILY NEWS Sunday, December 25 2011, 12:52 PM Years ago, when she was a left wing host on WABC, Lynn Samuels used to do a change-of-pace Christmas Eve show in which, among other things, she invited listeners to sing Christmas carols. This year on Christmas Eve, Samuels died. She was 69. No cause of death was immediately announced. Her body was discovered after she failed to report for her 10 a.m. Saturday show at Sirius XM radio and the company asked police to go to
her Woodside, Queens, home. On the radio, Samuels was exactly what much of the country thinks New York sounds like. She had a city accent she never tried to hide or soften, even when her bosses suggested it would prevent her from ever getting a radio job outside the city. “This is who I am,” she said. “She was unique beyond
words,” said John Mainelli, her WABC program director and longtime friend.
“I'm so glad I knew her.” Samuels was a self-described progressive who often threw curveballs. She was a long-standing critic of President Obama, saying she didn’t believe he ever really had progressive credentials. Her periodic unpredictability didn’t serve her well in today’s party- line talk radio, but helped give her a long run in the earlier, looser talk era. Her criticism of conservatives often extended to her fellow radio hosts, but she would add that she liked a number of them personally. She became close friends with conservative host and writer Matt Drudge, serving for a time as his call screener. Mainelli said
he exchanged messages with her on Friday, at which time she said she would
be doing both her Saturday and Sunday shows live this weekend.
“I am stunned,” Jay Diamond, her one-time WABC colleague, wrote on
the New York Radio Message Board. “She sometimes got mad at me, but I
loved her, and we were friends to the end. The world of radio, and the
world in general, will miss this great talent, and great human being.”
Aside from politics, Samuels would devote long segments to cultural
matters like books, music, a movie she saw or the merits and demerits of
wearing foundation garments. Her Christmas Eve show, which she said
was not her favorite program, began as an attempt simply to do something fun
and different on a night when most people weren’t discussing budget
legislation. Her own politics ran back to the activist movements of
the 1960s, about which she often talked. Her radio career began around 1979
with a late-night show at WBAI (99.5 FM). She moved to WABC in
the late 1980s and remained there on different shifts for about 15 years.
She was fired three times and rehired twice. After WABC she
struggled at times to stay in the city, taking a job in a laundromat while
keeping her hand in radio at Sirius XM. A very private person off
the air, Samuels left no immediate survivors. But the local
radio world was saddened. To the end, said Mainelli, she was “the
same as she had always been - lively, full of curiosity, and happy, all
existential things considered.”
Original Mother Jim “Motorhead” Sherwood dies– DECEMBER 26, 2011POSTED
IN: OBITUARIESAmerican musician Euclid James “Motorhead” Sherwood, notable for playing soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, tambourine, vocals and vocal sound effects in Frank Zappa’s original Mothers of Invention, died on December 25th.Motorhead Sherwood appeared on all the albums of the original Mothers line-up and the posthumous releases “Burnt Weeny Sandwich” and “Weasels Ripped My Flesh”, as well as a number of subsequent Zappa albums. He also appeared in the films “200 Motels”, “Video from Hell” and “Uncle Meat”.Sherwood and Zappa met in high school in 1956. Sherwood was in a class with Zappa’s brother Bobby, who introduced the two after learning that Sherwood was a collector of blues records. Sherwood sat in with Zappa’s first band, R&B group The Black-Outs. In 1964 Sherwood and Zappa lived in Zappa’s Studio Z in Cucamonga for some time.Sherwood first joined The Mothers of Invention as a roadie and equipment manager, also contributing sound effects (using both his voice and saxophone) to their first album, 1966′s “Freak Out”. He became a full member around the time of the group’s experimental residence at the Garrick Theater in 1967.The nickname “Motorhead” was coined by fellow Mothers member Ray Collins, who observed that Sherwood always seemed to be working on repairing cars, trucks or motorcycles, and joked that “it sounds like you’ve got a little motor in your head”. In later years, Sherwood contributed to various projects
alongside fellow Mothers alumni, including records by The Grandmothers,Mothers keyboardist Don Preston, Ant-Bee and Sandro Oliva.Jim “Motorhead” Sherwood was 69 years old.http://www.weirdomusic.com/2011/12/26/original-mother-jim-motorhead-sherwood-dies/More
info"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sherwood
Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. (April 6, 1940 - December 26, 2011) was a Mexican
actor.Life and careerArmendáriz Jr. was born in Mexico
City, the son of actors Carmelita (née Pardo) and Pedro Armendáriz. He has been
married to actress Ofelia Medina.Armendáriz has appeared in over 100
movies. Among them are The Magnificent Seven Ride, El Crimen del Padre Amaro,
Matando Cabos and La ley de Herodes, and played Don Pedro in The Mask of Zorro
and The Legend of Zorro. He also had small roles in Earthquake (film) (1974),
Tombstone and Amistad.Both Armendáriz and his father appeared in James
Bond movies. The elder Armendáriz appeared in From Russia with Love in 1963,
while Pedro Jr. appeared in 1989's Licence to Kill. Also both actors portrayed
Pancho Villa, the senior Armendáriz on several movies and Pedro Armendáriz Jr in Old Gringo (Spanish: Gringo Viejo) opposite Gregory Peck and Jimmy Smits.
Interestingly, Pedro Armendáriz Jr also portrayed Pancho Villa's enemy Luis
Terrazas in the film And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself opposite Antonio
Banderas.He died in 2011 of cancer at age 71 in New York
City.Obit (in Spanish)- http://www.elporvenir.com.mx/notas.asp?nota_id=550708
Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. (April 6, 1940 - December 26, 2011) was a Mexican
actor.Life and careerArmendáriz Jr. was born in Mexico City, the son of actors Carmelita (née Pardo) and Pedro Armendáriz. He has been married to actress Ofelia Medina.Armendáriz has appeared in over 100 movies. Among them are The Magnificent Seven Ride, El Crimen del Padre Amaro, Matando Cabos and La ley de Herodes, and played Don Pedro in The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro. He also had small roles in Earthquake (film) (1974), Tombstone and Amistad.Both Armendáriz and his father appeared in James Bond movies. The elder Armendáriz appeared in From Russia with Love in 1963, while Pedro Jr. appeared in 1989's Licence to Kill. Also both actors portrayed Pancho Villa, the senior Armendáriz on several movies and Pedro Armendáriz Jr in Old Gringo (Spanish: Gringo Viejo) opposite Gregory Peck and Jimmy Smits.
Interestingly, Pedro Armendáriz Jr also portrayed Pancho Villa's enemy Luis
Terrazas in the film And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself opposite Antonio
Banderas.He died in 2011 of cancer at age 71 in New York
City.Obit (in Spanish)- http://www.elporvenir.com.mx/notas.asp?nota_id=550708
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
12/19/2011 6:23:44 PM - It’s with great sadness that we share the news that Bob Brookmeyer passed away last night, just three days shy of his 82nd birthday. Bob was an integral force in music, making some of the greatest groups in jazz history what we know and admire today. Whether as a composer, arranger or trombonist, his voice is immediately discernible from the very first note, always bringing a smile and one word: "Brookmeyer."
For many of us, Bob has always been a tremendous inspiration and an overflowing wealth of knowledge. You'd be hard to find a large ensemble composer that doesn't have Bob's name on the top of their list of favorites. For those lucky enough to have the opportunity to study with him, we were given more than just an education in the art of being a great composer, we were given a level of both love and support that expanded far beyond the classroom. He had a wonderful ability to cultivate our inner strengths, yet pull us out of our comfort zones and stretch us farther than we could have ever imagined possible.
Bob's newest album, STANDARDS, which was officially released a few weeks ago, was a record Bob was incredibly proud of. It is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word, with each arrangement encompassing everything that is "Bob Brookmeyer."
Bob, you were an amazing force and a fearless leader to all jazz composers. Thank you for your years of inspiration, support, and for leaving a legacy of music to continually inspire us for years to come.
T.J. Bass (1932-2011)
— posted Wednesday 14 December 2011 @ 2:40 pm PST
Thomas J. Bassler, 79 who wrote SF as T.J. Bass, died December 13, 2011. He began publishing as Bass with “Star Itch” in If (1968), and in addition to several stories, he wrote two novels nominated for Nebula Awards: fix-up Half Past Human (1970) and The Godwhale (1974). He ceased writing SF in the ’70s, though he did co-author a non-fiction book on exercise and nutrition in 1979. A medical doctor, Bassler was an early proponent of running to improve health.
Bassler was born July 7, 1932 in Clinton IA, and attended St. Ambrose College and the University of Iowa, earning his medical degree in 1959. He worked as a deputy medical examiner in Los Angeles from 1961-64, and went into private practice as a pathologist in 1964. (Locus)
Animator Dan Mills dies at 80
Worked on 'Family Guy,' 'He-Man'
By Variety Staff
Animator and layout artist Dan Mills, whose credits included TV series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" and "Family Guy," died Dec. 5. He was 80.
Over the course of a career that lasted from 1956 until his retirement in 2002, Mills worked for Disney, Snowball, Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Hyperion, Universal and Fox Animation.
Mills was a layout supervisor for "He-Man" and "She-Ra: Princess of Power" in 1985, the 1989 series "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and the 1990 feature toon "Happily Ever After."
As a layout artist he earned credits on films including "The Secret of the Sword," "Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night," "Freddie as F.R.O.7.," "Asterix Conquers America," "The Page Master" and "Cats Don't Dance" and TV series "Pandamonium" and "Family Guys."
Animator credits include "Linus! The Lion Hearted" in 1964, the "ABC Afterschool Special" episode "Cyrano" and TV series "These Are the Days," "Partridge Family 2200 AD," "Jabberjaw" and "Godzilla."
Mills was story director on three series in 1973, "Goober and the Ghost Chasers," "Inch High, Private Eye" and "Speed Buggy," art director for the 1965 series "Captain Fathom" and a model artist on "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids."
In his final credit, he was a storyboard artist for the 2002 made-for-video pic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame II."
It's been a bad month for comic book people.
Eduardo Barreto, who was best known for his work on various Superman
and Teen Titans titles, died on 15 December at the age of 57 in a
hospital in Montevideo, Uruguay. He's believed to have died from
complications of the meningitis he contracted last year. That illness
forced Barreto to stop drawing the daily newspaper strip Judge Parker,
which he'd been handling for four years.
Among Barreto's best work in comics were the graphic novels Under a
Yellow Sun, which featured various Superman characters in a non-super
spy-novel setting, and Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography, a
Superman book that, unusually, had no Superman in it, although Clark
Kent was featured prominently. It's a sign of our times that a comic
book artist best known for his work in American comics and newspapers
could easily work out of his home studio in Uruguay, thanks to the
Internet and fast air freight.
Barreto is survived by his son Diego, also an artist, and his daughter
Andrea, a colorist.
For many of us, Bob has always been a tremendous inspiration and an overflowing wealth of knowledge. You'd be hard to find a large ensemble composer that doesn't have Bob's name on the top of their list of favorites. For those lucky enough to have the opportunity to study with him, we were given more than just an education in the art of being a great composer, we were given a level of both love and support that expanded far beyond the classroom. He had a wonderful ability to cultivate our inner strengths, yet pull us out of our comfort zones and stretch us farther than we could have ever imagined possible.
Bob's newest album, STANDARDS, which was officially released a few weeks ago, was a record Bob was incredibly proud of. It is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word, with each arrangement encompassing everything that is "Bob Brookmeyer."
Bob, you were an amazing force and a fearless leader to all jazz composers. Thank you for your years of inspiration, support, and for leaving a legacy of music to continually inspire us for years to come.
T.J. Bass (1932-2011)
— posted Wednesday 14 December 2011 @ 2:40 pm PST
Thomas J. Bassler, 79 who wrote SF as T.J. Bass, died December 13, 2011. He began publishing as Bass with “Star Itch” in If (1968), and in addition to several stories, he wrote two novels nominated for Nebula Awards: fix-up Half Past Human (1970) and The Godwhale (1974). He ceased writing SF in the ’70s, though he did co-author a non-fiction book on exercise and nutrition in 1979. A medical doctor, Bassler was an early proponent of running to improve health.
Bassler was born July 7, 1932 in Clinton IA, and attended St. Ambrose College and the University of Iowa, earning his medical degree in 1959. He worked as a deputy medical examiner in Los Angeles from 1961-64, and went into private practice as a pathologist in 1964. (Locus)
Animator Dan Mills dies at 80
Worked on 'Family Guy,' 'He-Man'
By Variety Staff
Animator and layout artist Dan Mills, whose credits included TV series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" and "Family Guy," died Dec. 5. He was 80.
Over the course of a career that lasted from 1956 until his retirement in 2002, Mills worked for Disney, Snowball, Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Hyperion, Universal and Fox Animation.
Mills was a layout supervisor for "He-Man" and "She-Ra: Princess of Power" in 1985, the 1989 series "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and the 1990 feature toon "Happily Ever After."
As a layout artist he earned credits on films including "The Secret of the Sword," "Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night," "Freddie as F.R.O.7.," "Asterix Conquers America," "The Page Master" and "Cats Don't Dance" and TV series "Pandamonium" and "Family Guys."
Animator credits include "Linus! The Lion Hearted" in 1964, the "ABC Afterschool Special" episode "Cyrano" and TV series "These Are the Days," "Partridge Family 2200 AD," "Jabberjaw" and "Godzilla."
Mills was story director on three series in 1973, "Goober and the Ghost Chasers," "Inch High, Private Eye" and "Speed Buggy," art director for the 1965 series "Captain Fathom" and a model artist on "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids."
In his final credit, he was a storyboard artist for the 2002 made-for-video pic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame II."
It's been a bad month for comic book people.
Eduardo Barreto, who was best known for his work on various Superman
and Teen Titans titles, died on 15 December at the age of 57 in a
hospital in Montevideo, Uruguay. He's believed to have died from
complications of the meningitis he contracted last year. That illness
forced Barreto to stop drawing the daily newspaper strip Judge Parker,
which he'd been handling for four years.
Among Barreto's best work in comics were the graphic novels Under a
Yellow Sun, which featured various Superman characters in a non-super
spy-novel setting, and Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography, a
Superman book that, unusually, had no Superman in it, although Clark
Kent was featured prominently. It's a sign of our times that a comic
book artist best known for his work in American comics and newspapers
could easily work out of his home studio in Uruguay, thanks to the
Internet and fast air freight.
Barreto is survived by his son Diego, also an artist, and his daughter
Andrea, a colorist.
Ralph MacDonald, the Grammy-winning writer, producer and percussionist who worked with everyone from Luther Vandross to Amy Winehouse and composed the classics, “Where Is the Love” and “Just the Two of Us,” died Sunday morning in Stamford, Conn., after a long illness. He was 67.
He had suffered from a stroke and lung cancer in recent years.
Stamford, where he lived for the past 35 years, honored him with a Ralph MacDonald Day in July. He performed a couple of songs, including “Just the Two of Us,” with long-time colleague Dennis Collins, at the event.
Born in Harlem on March 15, 1944, MacDonald was a working musician as well as a writer and producer. Until health problems sidelined him a year and a half ago, he continued to tour regularly as a member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band.
The son of legendary Trinidadian calypso performer MacBeth the Great, MacDonald began performing as a small boy when his father would have him dance on the drums.
At 17, he landed a job in Harry Belafonte’s steel band, where he remained for the next decade. After telling Belafonte that the singer needed more authentic calypso music, he wrote an album of songs that Belafonte recorded as “Calypso Carnival” in 1966.
Soon afterwards, MacDonald launched his own publishing company, Antisia Music, with his friends Bill Salter and William Eaton.
They gave the company two years to establish itself, and MacDonald later recalled that the time had almost expired when he started working with Roberta Flack. He pitched her a song he had written with Salter, “Where Is The Love,” and her recording with Donny Hathaway became a multi-million-seller.
Through Antisia and as an acclaimed percussionist, MacDonald worked with a who’s who of artists, including Amy Winehouse, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Bette Midler, Diana Ross and Grover Washington Jr., for whom he wrote the hit “Mr. Magic.”
MacDonald won Grammy awards as a performer and producer for “Calypso Breakdown,” which appeared on the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.
“Just the Two Of Us” was first released on Washington’s 1980 album “Winelight,” which MacDonald wrote and produced.
He also released several albums of his own over the years.
MacDonald is survived by his wife, Grace, and a daughter, Nefra-Ann.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/ralph-macdonald-dies-67-grammy-winning-artist-wrote-love-article-1.993313#ixzz1guoeCzet
Veteran film and television actor Dan Frazer, best known for his role as Captain Frank McNeil on the 1970s television series "Kojak," has died in New York. He was 90.
Frazer's daughter, Susanna Frazer, said Sunday her father died of cardiac arrest Dec. 16 at his home in Manhattan. She described him as a "very truthful, naturalistic actor."
Frazer started playing character roles in various television series and films in the 1950s. His films include "Cleopatra Jones," "Take the Money and Run" "Gideon's Trumpet" and "Deconstructing Harry." Besides "Kojak," Frazer's television appearances include "Car 54, Where Are You," "Route 66," "Barney Miller" and "Law & Order."
He was a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and an adviser to The Workshop Theatre Co.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/18/4131558/actor-frazer-capt-mcneil-on-kojak.html
According to various online sources, Tasmanian-born director Don Sharp has died. He was 89.
A former small-time actor (The Planter's Wife, The Cruel Sea), Sharp (born April 19, 1922, in Hobart) is best remembered for several low-budget thrillers he directed in the 1960s, such as Hammer's The Kiss of the Vampire (1963), the sci-fier Curse of the Fly (1965), and the The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966), starring Christopher Lee as the East Asian fiend.
Sharp's other notable efforts include The Death Wheelers / Psychomania (1973), about a youth gang terrorizing a small town; the IRA drama Hennessy (1975), with A-listers Rod Steiger and Lee Remick; The Thirty Nine Steps, an underrated remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 classic starring Robert Powell in Robert Donat's old man-on-the-run role; and the slow-moving adventure drama Bear Island, featuring Vanessa Redgrave and Donald Sutherland.
Sharp also worked on British television, directing several episodes from The Avengers. Other notable television efforts were a made-for-TV remake of The Four Feathers (1978) starring Beau Bridges and Jane Seymour, and the miniseries A Woman of Substance (1984) and its sequel, Hold the Dream (1986). Adapted from novels by Barbara Taylor Bradford, the latter two are made watchable by the presence of Deborah Kerr, who, as the rags-to-riches businesswoman, elevates the cheesy proceedings to the realm of compelling melodrama whenever she is on screen. Jenny Seagrove plays the young Kerr in both films; the extensive supporting cast features old and new talent, among them John Mills, Liam Neeson, Miranda Richardson, Barry Bostwick, Diane Baker, George Baker, Peter Chelsom, Gayle Hunnicutt, and Christopher Gable.
Sharp's last credits were several episodes of the television series Act of Will (1989), another adaptation of a Barbara Taylor Bradford novel.
http://www.altfg.com/blog/movie/don-sharp-director-death-kiss-of-the-vampire-psychomania/
Keyboard player Dick Sims, a driving force in Eric Clapton’s band for more than 10 years, has passed away.
Dick played on Bob Seger’s landmark album ‘Back in ‘72’ before joining the Eric Clapton band in 1974. He played the keyboards for Clapton’s comeback classic ‘461 Ocean Boulevard’ on songs like ‘I Shot The Sherriff’ and ‘Willie and the Hand Jive’ and continued with Clapton on the tracks ‘Lay Down Sally’, ‘Wonderful Tonight’ and ‘Cocaine’.
During his career he also recorded with J.J. Cale, Peter Tosh, Joan Armatrading, Yvonne Elliman and Vince Gill.
Sims took a 10-year break before returning with his solo album ‘Within Arms Reach’ in 2008.
Noise11.com will publish more details of the death of Dick Sims as they become known.
Dick Sims official bio:
Arguably one of the best rock keyboard players in the world, Dick Sim’s work on the Hammond B-3 Organ is unparalleled. The “Tulsa Sound” musician is most widely recognized for his distinctive keyboard work on such Eric Clapton hits as “I Shot The Sheriff”, “Wonderful Tonight”, “Cocaine” and “Lay Down Sally” just to name a few. He joined Eric Clapton and His Band in 1974 and was instrumental in the making of Eric’s “comeback” album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. It was the beginning of a long-standing period of musical magic involving fellow Tulsa musicians Jamie Oldaker and the late Carl Radle (Derek & The Dominos). There has been much talk among rock fans about the Tulsa influences in Clapton’s music during that time period, with much of that talk centered on Dick’s work on the Hammond B-3 Organ.
It was at the age of five that music first took a hold of Dick and there was never any question of what he was going to do with his life. He grew up in musically rich Tulsa, Oklahoma and was earning money, playing in clubs by the age of 12.
From 1968 through 1972, Dick toured with Phil Driscol and Yurmama, playing both Hammond B-3 Organ and foot bass simultaneously – - – appearing with Yurmama on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1971. He then returned to Tulsa and formed the Tulsa County Band, along with fellow Tulsa musician, (and fellow member of “Yurmama”) famed drummer, Jamie Oldaker.
Prior to that time, and through their friendship with fellow “Tulsa Sound” musicians, Teegarden and Van Winkle, Dick and Jamie were hired by Bob Seger, who, at the time, was forming a new band to record the album Back in ‘72 which contained the original Seger classic “Turn the Page.”
In 1978 Dick recorded To The Limit with Joan Armatrading and accompanied her on a world tour in 1980.
Dick has recorded with legendary producers Tom Dowd, Phil Ramone and Glyn Johns. He has also performed and/or recorded with artists such as J.J. Cale, Peter Tosh, Yvonne Elliman, Marci Levy, Victoria Williams, Delaney Bramlett, Bernie Leaden, Stephen Stills, Freddie King, B.B. King, Albert King, Etta James, Carlos Santana, Victoria Williams, Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), Richie Hayward (Little Feat), jazz bassist John Heard (Count Basie), Pat Senatore (ex-Tijuana Brass), Lester Chambers (The Chambers Brothers), Vince Gill and Pure Prairie League.
After taking a sabbatical from the music world for nearly ten years, Dick returned to Los Angeles in 1998 and began composing songs that would make up his first solo album, Within Arms Reach. Dick is involved in a number of projects, including performing and promoting his latest CD, State of Mind. As of 2005, Dick makes his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
http://www.noise11.com/news/longtime-eric-clapton-keyboard-player-dick-sims-dies-20111209
He had suffered from a stroke and lung cancer in recent years.
Stamford, where he lived for the past 35 years, honored him with a Ralph MacDonald Day in July. He performed a couple of songs, including “Just the Two of Us,” with long-time colleague Dennis Collins, at the event.
Born in Harlem on March 15, 1944, MacDonald was a working musician as well as a writer and producer. Until health problems sidelined him a year and a half ago, he continued to tour regularly as a member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band.
The son of legendary Trinidadian calypso performer MacBeth the Great, MacDonald began performing as a small boy when his father would have him dance on the drums.
At 17, he landed a job in Harry Belafonte’s steel band, where he remained for the next decade. After telling Belafonte that the singer needed more authentic calypso music, he wrote an album of songs that Belafonte recorded as “Calypso Carnival” in 1966.
Soon afterwards, MacDonald launched his own publishing company, Antisia Music, with his friends Bill Salter and William Eaton.
They gave the company two years to establish itself, and MacDonald later recalled that the time had almost expired when he started working with Roberta Flack. He pitched her a song he had written with Salter, “Where Is The Love,” and her recording with Donny Hathaway became a multi-million-seller.
Through Antisia and as an acclaimed percussionist, MacDonald worked with a who’s who of artists, including Amy Winehouse, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Bette Midler, Diana Ross and Grover Washington Jr., for whom he wrote the hit “Mr. Magic.”
MacDonald won Grammy awards as a performer and producer for “Calypso Breakdown,” which appeared on the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.
“Just the Two Of Us” was first released on Washington’s 1980 album “Winelight,” which MacDonald wrote and produced.
He also released several albums of his own over the years.
MacDonald is survived by his wife, Grace, and a daughter, Nefra-Ann.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/ralph-macdonald-dies-67-grammy-winning-artist-wrote-love-article-1.993313#ixzz1guoeCzet
Veteran film and television actor Dan Frazer, best known for his role as Captain Frank McNeil on the 1970s television series "Kojak," has died in New York. He was 90.
Frazer's daughter, Susanna Frazer, said Sunday her father died of cardiac arrest Dec. 16 at his home in Manhattan. She described him as a "very truthful, naturalistic actor."
Frazer started playing character roles in various television series and films in the 1950s. His films include "Cleopatra Jones," "Take the Money and Run" "Gideon's Trumpet" and "Deconstructing Harry." Besides "Kojak," Frazer's television appearances include "Car 54, Where Are You," "Route 66," "Barney Miller" and "Law & Order."
He was a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and an adviser to The Workshop Theatre Co.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/18/4131558/actor-frazer-capt-mcneil-on-kojak.html
According to various online sources, Tasmanian-born director Don Sharp has died. He was 89.
A former small-time actor (The Planter's Wife, The Cruel Sea), Sharp (born April 19, 1922, in Hobart) is best remembered for several low-budget thrillers he directed in the 1960s, such as Hammer's The Kiss of the Vampire (1963), the sci-fier Curse of the Fly (1965), and the The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966), starring Christopher Lee as the East Asian fiend.
Sharp's other notable efforts include The Death Wheelers / Psychomania (1973), about a youth gang terrorizing a small town; the IRA drama Hennessy (1975), with A-listers Rod Steiger and Lee Remick; The Thirty Nine Steps, an underrated remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 classic starring Robert Powell in Robert Donat's old man-on-the-run role; and the slow-moving adventure drama Bear Island, featuring Vanessa Redgrave and Donald Sutherland.
Sharp also worked on British television, directing several episodes from The Avengers. Other notable television efforts were a made-for-TV remake of The Four Feathers (1978) starring Beau Bridges and Jane Seymour, and the miniseries A Woman of Substance (1984) and its sequel, Hold the Dream (1986). Adapted from novels by Barbara Taylor Bradford, the latter two are made watchable by the presence of Deborah Kerr, who, as the rags-to-riches businesswoman, elevates the cheesy proceedings to the realm of compelling melodrama whenever she is on screen. Jenny Seagrove plays the young Kerr in both films; the extensive supporting cast features old and new talent, among them John Mills, Liam Neeson, Miranda Richardson, Barry Bostwick, Diane Baker, George Baker, Peter Chelsom, Gayle Hunnicutt, and Christopher Gable.
Sharp's last credits were several episodes of the television series Act of Will (1989), another adaptation of a Barbara Taylor Bradford novel.
http://www.altfg.com/blog/movie/don-sharp-director-death-kiss-of-the-vampire-psychomania/
Keyboard player Dick Sims, a driving force in Eric Clapton’s band for more than 10 years, has passed away.
Dick played on Bob Seger’s landmark album ‘Back in ‘72’ before joining the Eric Clapton band in 1974. He played the keyboards for Clapton’s comeback classic ‘461 Ocean Boulevard’ on songs like ‘I Shot The Sherriff’ and ‘Willie and the Hand Jive’ and continued with Clapton on the tracks ‘Lay Down Sally’, ‘Wonderful Tonight’ and ‘Cocaine’.
During his career he also recorded with J.J. Cale, Peter Tosh, Joan Armatrading, Yvonne Elliman and Vince Gill.
Sims took a 10-year break before returning with his solo album ‘Within Arms Reach’ in 2008.
Noise11.com will publish more details of the death of Dick Sims as they become known.
Dick Sims official bio:
Arguably one of the best rock keyboard players in the world, Dick Sim’s work on the Hammond B-3 Organ is unparalleled. The “Tulsa Sound” musician is most widely recognized for his distinctive keyboard work on such Eric Clapton hits as “I Shot The Sheriff”, “Wonderful Tonight”, “Cocaine” and “Lay Down Sally” just to name a few. He joined Eric Clapton and His Band in 1974 and was instrumental in the making of Eric’s “comeback” album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. It was the beginning of a long-standing period of musical magic involving fellow Tulsa musicians Jamie Oldaker and the late Carl Radle (Derek & The Dominos). There has been much talk among rock fans about the Tulsa influences in Clapton’s music during that time period, with much of that talk centered on Dick’s work on the Hammond B-3 Organ.
It was at the age of five that music first took a hold of Dick and there was never any question of what he was going to do with his life. He grew up in musically rich Tulsa, Oklahoma and was earning money, playing in clubs by the age of 12.
From 1968 through 1972, Dick toured with Phil Driscol and Yurmama, playing both Hammond B-3 Organ and foot bass simultaneously – - – appearing with Yurmama on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1971. He then returned to Tulsa and formed the Tulsa County Band, along with fellow Tulsa musician, (and fellow member of “Yurmama”) famed drummer, Jamie Oldaker.
Prior to that time, and through their friendship with fellow “Tulsa Sound” musicians, Teegarden and Van Winkle, Dick and Jamie were hired by Bob Seger, who, at the time, was forming a new band to record the album Back in ‘72 which contained the original Seger classic “Turn the Page.”
In 1978 Dick recorded To The Limit with Joan Armatrading and accompanied her on a world tour in 1980.
Dick has recorded with legendary producers Tom Dowd, Phil Ramone and Glyn Johns. He has also performed and/or recorded with artists such as J.J. Cale, Peter Tosh, Yvonne Elliman, Marci Levy, Victoria Williams, Delaney Bramlett, Bernie Leaden, Stephen Stills, Freddie King, B.B. King, Albert King, Etta James, Carlos Santana, Victoria Williams, Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), Richie Hayward (Little Feat), jazz bassist John Heard (Count Basie), Pat Senatore (ex-Tijuana Brass), Lester Chambers (The Chambers Brothers), Vince Gill and Pure Prairie League.
After taking a sabbatical from the music world for nearly ten years, Dick returned to Los Angeles in 1998 and began composing songs that would make up his first solo album, Within Arms Reach. Dick is involved in a number of projects, including performing and promoting his latest CD, State of Mind. As of 2005, Dick makes his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
http://www.noise11.com/news/longtime-eric-clapton-keyboard-player-dick-sims-dies-20111209
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