Obituary News

Danny Davis Founder of the Nashville Brass Dies

Source: All About Jazz
June 14, 2008

Founder of the Nashville Brass Danny Davis, 83, a bandleader and record producer who founded the Nashville Brass, died Thursday at a Nashville hospital after suffering a heart attack.

A resident of Nashville, Davis began his music career as a trumpeter, playing in the brass sections of bands led by Les Brown, Gene Krupa and others in the 1940s. Davis became a record producer for MGM in New York City, where he produced a number of hit singles ...

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Breaking: Tim Russert 'Meet The Press' Dies

Source: All About Jazz
June 13, 2008

BREAKING NEWS: Washington Bureau Chief, 'Meet the Press' Moderator Collapsed on Job

WASHINGTON - Tim Russert, NBC News' Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press," died Friday after being stricken at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58. Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday's “Meet the Press" broadcast when he collapsed, the network said. He had recently returned from Italy, where his family was celebrating the graduation of Russert's son, Luke, from Boston College. No ...

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Bill Finegan Arranger for Dorsey, Miller Bands Dies

Source: All About Jazz
June 9, 2008

ORIGINAL, INVENTIVE: Bill Finegan wrote more than 300 arrangements for Glenn Miller, including “Little Brown Jug," “Sunrise Serenade" and “Song of the Volga." Nelson Riddle was his student.

Bill Finegan, an architect of the big band sounds of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller who later traded in commercial success to co-create the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, which produced music that still stands as some of the most experimental of the swing era, has died. He was 91. Finegan died Wednesday at a ...

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'Wonderful Life' Boy Actor Dies at 75

Source: All About Jazz
June 8, 2008

Bob Anderson, who played the young George Bailey in the Christmas classic “It's a Wonderful Life," has died. He was 75. Anderson died Friday of cancer at his home in Palm Springs. Robert J. Anderson grew up in a Hollywood family. His father, Gene, was an assistant director and later a production manager. His uncles were directors William Beaudine and James Flood, and his brothers and cousins were editors and production managers. Anderson was introduced to films when ...

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Bill Finegan, Arranger and Big-Band Leader, Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
June 7, 2008

Bill Finegan, who arranged hits for Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey and then formed a big band with Eddie Sauter, another legendary arranger, that was famed for skill, daring and very, very odd instruments, died on Wednesday in Bridgeport, Conn. He was 91.

The cause was pneumonia, said his son, James.

Arrangers, the largely behind-the-scenes masterminds of the big-band era, took compositions by bandleaders and others and refashioned them. Mr. Finegan heavily arranged Miller's first big hit, “Little Brown Jug," ...

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Wide World of Sports Jim McKay Career

Source: All About Jazz
June 7, 2008

'Wide World of Sports' Host Dead at 86 Jim McKay, Host of ABC's 'Wide World of Sports' and 12 Olympics Has Died in Maryland

Jim McKay longtime television sports journalist, has died of natural causes in Maryland, according to a statement from the McKay family. McKay is best known for hosting “ABC's Wide World of Sports" and 12 Olympic Games. McKay won numerous awards for journalism, including the George Polk Memorial Award and two Emmys -- one for ...

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Jim McKay Veteran and Eloquent Sportscaster Dies

Source: All About Jazz
June 7, 2008

Jim McKay, longtime ABC sportscaster, who broke the news of the 1972 Munich Olympics tragedy to American television viewers, died today. He was 86. Jim McKay, the veteran and eloquent sportscaster thrust into the role of telling Americans about the tragedy at the 1972 Munich Olympics, has died. He was 86. McKay died today, said ABC, the network with which he was long affiliated. The cause of death was not immediately given. McKay was host of ABC's “Wide World of ...

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Jerry Cole Guitarist/ Songwriter Space Age Surf Music

Source: Michael Ricci
June 6, 2008

Jerry Cole, a guitarist and songwriter who released several surf music albums in the 1960s and recorded with prominent bands such as the Beach Boys and the Byrds, died of a heart attack May 28 at his Corona home, said his wife, Gale. He was 68. With his own group, the Spacemen, Cole released four albums of “space-age surf music" in just over two years, beginning with “Outer Limits" in 1963, according to the Allmusic Internet database. Cole was a ...

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