Obituary News

Porn's Pied Piper Deep Throat Director Dies

Source: All About Jazz
October 27, 2008

This is kinda strange country, isn't it? Judges can see Deep Throat but they can't listen to those [Nixon] tapes. Johnny Carson- at the time when the movie was challenging Watergate as the topic du jour.

I went to see Deep Throat cause I'm fond of animal pictures. I thought it was about giraffes. Bob Hope- When Hope makes a joke about your porno movie, you've arrived.

The movie had no-name stars in fact, fake-name stars: ...

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Star Keyboardist Merl Saunders Dies

Source: All About Jazz
October 25, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO -- Keyboardist Merl Saunders, the gentle lion of the San Francisco music scene best known as co-captain of guitarist Jerry Garcia's solo excursions outside the Grateful Dead, died Friday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center after fighting infections. The 74-year-old musician suffered a debilitating stroke 6 1/2 years ago and, although he lost the ability to speak, he made numerous sentimental guest appearances at shows over those years playing with one hand. “I never met anybody so happy who ...

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Merl Saunders: 2/14/34-10/24/08

Source: JamBase
October 25, 2008

Merl Saunders Washington :: 02/14/34 - 10/24/08

Merl Saunders by Bob Minkin Merl Saunders was born Merl Saunders Washington (he dropped the “Washington" for show biz purposes) in San Mateo, California on February 14, 1934; he passed away early this morning (October 24, 2008) at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco.

Saunders grew up in San Francisco and was a proficient piano player by age 10. He attended Polytechnic High School, Served in the Air Force and Attended University of Mainz ...

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Peter Levinson, 1934-2008

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
October 24, 2008

Peter Levinson, the publicist with a parallel career as a biographer of music and show business figures, died yesterday in a fall in his house in Malibu, California. He was seventy-four. Levinson had been suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, which robbed him of his voice but did not leave him incommunicado. Through the use of a computer capable of converting his typing to speech, he was able to keep working. He had finished a biography of Fred Astaire, which is ...

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Peter J. Levinson Publicist and Biographer of Big-Band Legends Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
October 22, 2008

Peter J. Levinson, a veteran music industry publicist who worked with some of the leading names of the big band era and later wrote biographies of three of them, has died. He was 74. Levinson died Tuesday at his Malibu home of injuries sustained in a fall, according to publicist Dale Olson. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) nearly two years ago and the progression of the ailment also known as Lou Gehrig's disease had left him unable ...

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Dave McKenna RIP

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
October 19, 2008

That grim parade that Bill Crow mentioned a couple of postings ago shows no sign of running out of marchers. The latest major jazz artist to go is Dave McKenna. The pianist died this morning at the age of 78. His family posted the announcement on his web site, which includes a good biography. YouTube has a slew of videos of McKenna playing. This medley of two of his favorite tunes, “Nobody Else But Me" and “I'm Old Fashioned," is a good ...

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Dave McKenna: Master Jazz Pianist Dies

Source: All About Jazz
October 19, 2008

Dave McKenna was widely regarded as one of the all-time legends of the jazz piano, but often shunned the spotlight to live and work on the Cape. McKenna, who was 78 when he died yesterday in Pennsylvania from lung cancer, is widely regarded among jazz musicians as one of the best jazz pianists ever to play. Born in Woonsocket, R.I., McKenna moved to the Cape in 1966 to raise his sons Stephen and Douglas. Jack Bradley, a friend of McKenna's ...

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Dave McKenna: May 30, 1930 - October 18, 2008

Source: All About Jazz
October 18, 2008

From Dave McKenna's website: It is with great sadness that we let all of Dave's many fans know that he passed away on the morning of October 18. Dave's health had been deteriorating for some time and his death was peaceful, which brings great comfort to all of us who knew and loved him. In time we will be adding a tribute page to this site. Anyone who would like to offer a tribute can send it to Dave McKenna ...

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