Donna Summer art courtesy the great Alvaro Arts May 17 2012 - the death of one of the great voices of the past 5 decades was silenced by cancer and I was absolutely heartbroken. When she passed, it was a total shock because her illness wasn’t public knowledge. Donna Summer was one of my musical … Continue reading Legacy: Donna Summer – Last Dance
Category: Legacy
Legacy: RIP James Ingram
Buttered Soul Pop is how I once described his emotional, sweet, passionate baritone voice...and now it - one of my favorite vocalists - is silenced at 66. Rest peacefully, James Ingram. Here he is in 1981 on "Soul Train" singing one of his (many) signature songs (and one of my eternal favorites), "Just Once." Yes, … Continue reading Legacy: RIP James Ingram
Legacy: Jerry Orbach – We’ll Always Remember
Jerry Orbach photo courtesy Masterworks Broadway Of course we all loved him as Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order, a role he played for 12 years before succumbing to prostate cancer. But many of us, who are old enough, have loved Jerry Orbach for years prior, whether as a leading song-and-dance man on Broadway (he … Continue reading Legacy: Jerry Orbach – We’ll Always Remember
Legacy: George Michael – The Grave
Remembering him on the second anniversary of George Michael’s too-early death, here’s his haunting version of Don McLean’s “The Grave.” Originally released on McLean’s 1971 landmark album, American Pie, Michael recorded the song in February 2003, as a protest to the imminent invasion of Iraq. McLean wrote it as a Vietnam protest song. After hearing … Continue reading Legacy: George Michael – The Grave
Legacy: Adam West
As an adult, it’s easy to poke fun at the cheesiness of Adam West and the original “Batman” TV show - after all, I doubt the show took itself seriously; it reveled in its kitschiness. But for millions of adult men and women, West’s tongue-in-cheek portrayal (of a far-darker original source material) remains comfort food, … Continue reading Legacy: Adam West
Legacy: Joan Rivers, Exit Laughing
If there was a god, it's apparent that he/she has no sense of humor. Still recovering from the loss of comic god Robin Williams only three weeks ago, another comedy giant has left the building. Joan Rivers is gone. After a routine throat procedure, she stopped breathing and was taken to Mount Sinai hospital. After … Continue reading Legacy: Joan Rivers, Exit Laughing
Legacy: Elaine Stritch Everybody Rise!
How do you mourn a legend who’s lived more than you and me combined? At the ripe old age of 89, the great Elaine Stritch has taken her final bows. To see her in a show was to expect the expected AND unexpected, and to bear witness Broadway royalty non pareil. I'm thrilled, delighted, and … Continue reading Legacy: Elaine Stritch Everybody Rise!
