celebrity obits

Sharon Jones of the Dap-Kings may have found fame late in life but for her fans, it was right on time. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE. Jones was born May 4, 1956 in Augusta, Ga., the youngest of six children. Her mother was a childhood friend of the late Godfather of […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jerry Lawson, who for four decades was the lead singer of the eclectic cult-favorite a cappella group the Persuasions, has died. Lawson died Wednesday at a Phoenix hospice after a long illness, longtime friend and sometime Persuasions producer Rip Rense said. Lawson’s smooth baritone led the group of five and later […]

John Singleton made history twice as not only the first Black director to be nominated for a Best Director Academy Award, but also the youngest. Singleton passed away Monday after suffering a stroke.  John Daniel Singleton was born January 6, 1968 and raised in South Central Los Angeles. While studying screenwriting at the University of […]

The R&B and Funk world is gathered in remembrance of singer and songwriter, Frankie Smith. Best known for his funky hit, “Double Dutch Bus,” the native Philadelphian was also a significant behind the scenes player as well. Smith was born in 1953 in Philadelphia, attending college in Tennessee in pursuit of a teaching degree with […]

As the world mourns the loss of veteran stage and screen actress Carol Channing, several facts about her life are coming to the surface. Chief among those facts is that Channing’s father was half-Black, something that the late star was quite proud of. Channing was born January 31, 1921 in Seattle to a white mother […]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Queen of Soul will get a royal tribute from Alicia Keys, Patti LaBelle, Kelly Clarkson and more next month. The Recording Academy and music mogul Clive Davis will put on the special concert — “Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul” — on Jan. 13 at the Shrine […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans will begin saying goodbye to former President George H.W. Bush on Monday when his body arrives in Washington for public viewing in the Capitol Rotunda — a rare honor that will be bestowed on a man who earned the respect and admiration of many with his leadership, bravery and grace. The […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stan Lee, the creative dynamo who revolutionized the comic book and helped make billions for Hollywood by introducing human frailties in Marvel superheroes such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk, died Monday. He was 95. Lee was declared dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to […]

Roy Hargrove may not have been a mainstream name but in the world of jazz and music period, the virtuosic trumpeter was rightfully regarded as a major talent. Hargrove passed away last weekend, reportedly from cardiac arrest. Born on October 16, 1969, he raised primarily in the Dallas, Texas area. As a student at Booker […]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed “Stretch” for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, died Wednesday. He was 80. The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey’s death, saying the fearsome hitter passed “peacefully” on Wednesday afternoon “after losing his battle with ongoing health issues.” A first baseman and left […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Playwright, poet and author Ntozake Shange, whose most acclaimed theater piece is the 1975 Tony Award-nominated play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf,” died Saturday, according to her daughter. She was 70. Shange’s “For Colored Girls” describes the racism, sexism, violence and rape experienced by seven […]

On Thursday (Aug. 18), the world lost the revered “Queen Of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, leaving behind a body of work that will be studied, admired, and admired for the rest of time. And with a career that spanned well over five decades, fans and new listeners alike have an opportunity to learn more about Franklin’s […]