Celebrity death
Founding member of The Doors Dead at 74
Top left: Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison, John Densmore and Robby Krieger.
Photo: Electra Records
Ray Manzarek, co-founder of the rock group The Doors died Monday due to complications from cancer.
Publicist Heidi Robinson Fitzgerald announced Monday that Manzarek died of bile duct cancer in Rosenheim, Germany at the age of 74. He was surrounded by his family.
Manzarek was one of the founding members of The Doors and was the key ingredient to Jim Morrison’s moody vocals which helped propelled the venerable rock group to sell over 100 million records, even though the band was only together for a few years.
The Doors’ original lineup included Jim Morris (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards), John Densmore (drummer) and Robbie Krieger (guitarist).
The Doors only produced six albums, but after Morrison’s untimely death, fans became obsessed with the band and even to this day maintain a cult following.
Their hits included “The Crystal Ship,” “Roadhouse Blues,” “Riders On the Storm” and “Light My Fire.”
In a statement Densmore said, “There was no keyboard player on the planet more appropriate to support Jim Morrison’s words,” continuing he wrote, “Ray, I felt totally in sync with you musically. It was like we were of one mind, holding down the foundation for Robby and Jim to float on top of. I will miss my musical brother.”
In 1991 Oliver Stone directed “The Doors” starring Val Kilmer as Morrison and Kyle MacLachlan as Manzerek. Manzerek took exception to the films portrayal of Morrison as a drunk.
In later years Krieger and Manzarek formed a group called Doors of the 21st Century. Densmore objected forcing Krieger and Manzarek to perform under different names.
Manzarek played with X and Iggy Pop and others throughout the years. He also penned a memoir entitled, “Light My Fire,” as well as a novel, “The Poet In Exile.”
Manzerek was performing in the band Rick and the Ravens when he met Morrison in 1965 in Venice Beach, Calif. ultimately forming The Doors. Morrison told Manzarek that he had been writing songs, “I was taking notes at a fantastic rock’n'roll concert going on in my head,” which led to the song “Moonlight Drive.”
Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his son Pablo and two brothers, Rick and James. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Slayer guitarist’s cause of death released
Jeff Hanneman
Photo: ESP Guitars
Last week, guitarist and co-founding member of the group Slayer, died from liver failure at the age of 49. At the time it was believed to have been from necrotizing fasciitis, with many people speculating that he died from a spider bite, specifically the renowned brown recluse.
On Thursday the band announced on their website that Hanneman died from alcohol related cirrhosis and his death was not related to necrotizing fasciitis as first believed.
“We’ve just learned that the official cause of Jeff’s death was alcohol related cirrhosis,” the band posted on their site, “While he had his health struggles over the years, including the recent Necrotizing fasciitis infection that devastated his well-being, Jeff and those close to him were not aware of the true extent of his liver condition until the last days of his life,” continuing they explained, “Contrary to some reports, Jeff was not on a transplant list at the time of his passing, or at any time prior to that. In fact, by all accounts, it appeared that he had been improving – he was excited and looking forward to working on a new record.”
Slayer
Photo: Slayer/Amazon
Read: Slayer guitarist dead at 49
Hanneman and fellow guitarist Kerry King founded the band in the ‘80s at a time when ‘thrash metal’ bands were just getting started. During that time, they became known as the ‘Big Four’ in the genre, joining Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica.
In 2011 Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, which is a debilitating skin disorder and had to drop from touring with the band.
In 2012 it was announced that he had recovered from the disease, but King came out in February of this year and said Hanneman was still having health issues.
Slayer guitarist dead at 49
Jeff Hanneman
Photo: ESP Guitars
The thrash metal band Slayer posted on their website today that founding member, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Hanneman has died.
According to the band, Hanneman “passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure.” He was 49.
Hanneman and fellow guitarist Kerry King founded the band in the ‘80s at a time when ‘thrash metal’ bands were just getting started. During that time, they became known as the ‘Big Four’ in the genre, joining Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica.
It all began back in 1981 when Hanneman and King were trying out for a band. Afterwards they started playing Iron Maiden and Judas Priest songs together.
In an interview with KNAC radio Hanneman said he asked King, “Why don’t we start our own band?” King responded “…F##k yeah!”
Hanneman also had his own signature guitars with ESP Guitars.
In 2011 Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, which is a debilitating skin disorder and had to drop from touring with the band.
Slayer
Photo: Slayer/Amazon
In 2012 it was announced that he had recovered from the disease, but King came out in February of this year and said Hanneman was still having health issues.
It is unknown if the necrotizing fasciitis had anything to do with his liver failure.
According to Billboard his wife Kathy, his two brothers and sister were at his bedside when he died.
Some of the tributes being posted on Twitter:
Guitarist Slash tweeted, “Tragic & shocking news about Jeff Hanneman. He is going to missed by so many. What a sad day for Metal. RIP man.”
Megadeth guitarist Dave Mustaine wrote, “Tonight one less star will be shining and sadly, the stage got just a little bit darker. Jeff Hanneman 1964-2013.”
Slayer’s complete statement:
“Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.
“Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 – 2013)”
Chris Kelly of “Kris Kross” dead at 34
Chris Smith(L) and Chris Kelly
Photo: Amazon
CNN is reporting that rapper Chris Kelly, one half of the duo “Kris Kross” has died.
Kelly’s mother called for help yesterday from Kelly’s Atlanta home. Paramedics found Kelly unresponsive at the scene and transported him to a local hospital where he was declared dead.
According to a Fulton County Police report, cocaine and heroin may have played a part in Kelly’s death. Donna Kelly Pratt, Chris’ mother, told police that her son had taken what is known as speedballs the night before – a mixture of cocaine and heroin.
The police report went on to say that Kelly had felt nauseous all morning and then passed out. Both Kelly’s mother and uncle told police that Kelly had a drug problem.
According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office they are scheduled to perform an autopsy today.
“Kris Kross,” was a duo back in the ‘90s consisting of Chris ‘Mac Daddy’ Kelly and Chris ‘Daddy Mac’ Brown. In 1992 their hit single “Jump” shot to No. 1 and stayed there for eight straight weeks, according to Billboard Hot 100.
Numerous fans headed to Twitter to offer their condolences.
Vanilla Ice @vanillaice, “Today a hip-hop soldier has fallen, I will pay respect by wearing my clothes backwards. #kriskross”
Alyssa Milano @Alyssa_Milano, “Rest in peace. Chris Kelly Dead: Kris Kross Rapper Dies At Age 34”
LL Cool J @llcoolj, “R.I.P Chris Kelly. This song is now officially dedicated to you. May GOD embrace your soul & lift up your family. http://t.co/E7wHmBpqZK”
Country legend George Jones dead at 81
George Jones (1931 – 2013)
According to George Jones’ publicist, Kirt Webster, the legendary country music star died today (Friday) at the age of 81.
Jones was forced to postpone two shows after he was hospitalized with a fever and irregular blood pressure, this according to Webster. He died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
Friends and fans took to Twitter to offer their condolences.
Blake Shelton tweeted, “Really REALLY bad news. We’ve lost a country music legend. And I’ve lost a hero and a friend. Goodbye George Jones…”
The Oakridge Boys tweeted, “It’s sad day. George Jones will not be forgotten & we will never stop loving him. Prayers with the family. @gjpossum http://opry.com/georgejones”
Keith Urban tweeted, “If I’m blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!!!!! -KU”
1992 Country Music Hall of Famer led a wild and turbulent life which led to him not showing up to many of his concerts, earning him the nickname ‘No Show Jones.’
His hits included “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes,” “The Race is On,” “White Lightning” and “Still Doing Time.” He recorded a number of songs with his then wife Tammy Wynette and paired up with country legends Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.
Jones was married four times with his first three marriages ending in divorce. He had a Daughter with his first wife Dorothy Bonvillion in 1950, two sons with his second wife Shirley Ann Corley who he married in 1954, one daughter with his third wife Tammy Wynette who he married in 1969.
In 1983, Jones married Nancy Ford Sepulvado. Jones insisted that his marriage to Nancy brought about his rehabilitation from drugs and alcohol, prolonging his life.
Jones is survived by his loving wife of 30 years Nancy Jones, his sister Helen Scroggins, and by his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Famed announcer Pat Summerall dead at 82
Fox Sports is reporting that Pat Summeral has died. He was 82. No further details were available.
The ex-NFL player has been a staple in the world of football, broadcasting games for over 40 years. The iconic voice was heard in 16 Super Bowls, countless football games. He also has covered golf, tennis, and basketball.
He played in the NFL as a placekicker for the Detroit Lion’s in 1952, followed by the Chicago Cardinals, and then the New York Giants, ending his NFL career in 1961.
Summerall joined CBS in 1962 and throughout his career he has covered all areas of sports.
Summerall was also the spokesman for True Value for a number of years, competing with his fellow broadcaster, John Madden, who was the spokesperson for Ace Hardware. He was the longtime spokesman for Dux Beds and their Duxiana stores.
Lumpy from ‘Leave it to Beaver” dead at 71
Frank Bank (R) and Jerry Mathers
Photo: Facebook – Jerry Mathers
Frank Bank who played bully Clarence “Lumpy” Rutherford, in the hit television series “Leave It to Beaver,” has died at the age of 71.
On Saturday Jerry Mathers, who played Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, posted on his Facebook page, “I was so sad to hear today of the passing of my dear friend and business associate Frank Bank, who played Lumpy on Leave it to Beaver. He was a character and always kept us laughing. My deepest condolences to Frank’s family.”
The show originally aired from 1957 to 1963 with a total of 234 episodes. The show also starred Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver) and Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver) and Tony Dow (Wally Cleaver), Beavers brother.
The Cleavers exemplified the perfect suburban family of the mid-20th century.
Bank appeared on “Hollywood Squares” and “Family Feud.” He later became a bond broker.
Deftones original bassist dead at 42
Co-founder of the Deftones, bassist Chi Cheng, died after being rushed to the emergency room in the early morning hours Saturday. He died from complications of injuries he received five years ago in a car accident that left him in a coma.
In a statement posted on OneLoveForChi.com, the family said the 42-year-old bassist was taken to the emergency room at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday.
Mom J wrote in the statement that Cheng, “left this world with me singing songs he liked in his ear.”
The usually outspoken Lead singer and co-founder of the Deftone’s, Chino Moreno posted on his Facebook page, “Rest in peace Chi Cheng.”
Clearly Sacramento has lost a true friend and musician as sympathy came flooding in from around the world. One Facebook user wrote, “It feels like I’ve lost someone close to me and I haven’t even met him nor had the privilege of seeing him live. I pray for the rest of the band and Chi’s family just like I’ve prayed for his health.”
With the overwhelming response to his passing, the servers for OneLoveForChi.com, cohosted at Hostgator.com, crashed over the weekend. However, Hostgater.com upgraded the server, at no additional cost, to handle the increase in traffic.
Chino Morena via FB, “Rest in peace Chi Cheng.”
Photo: Randy Miramontez
Cheng was left in a coma after suffering major injuries in a car accident in Santa Clara, Calif. He was driving with his sister when their car collided with another car, causing the vehicle he was driving to rollover. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car. His sister, who was wearing a seatbelt, sustained minor injuries.
A Sacramento native, Cheng attended CSU Sacramento. He authored a collection of poetry, releasing it as a Spoken Word album titled “The Bamboo Parachute.” Cheng was a practicing Buddhist with an interest in Shamanism and Taoism.
Helping out his hometown of Sacramento, Cheng sponsored a community service group to aid the homeless in developing their musical talents.
OneLoveforChi.com was created to help raise funds to help pay for Cheng’s skyrocketing medical expenses. The initial target was to raise $20,000 then went on to raise over $500,000 in 2010.
Animal rights group PETA also jumped in to help out by providing 20% of the income from a “Happy Families, Not Happy Meals” T-shirt that was designed by Chi. Donating the proceeds to the One Love For Chi foundation.
Cheng was one of the co-founders of the Deftones, forming the group with Sacramento natives, Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham. He performed on the band’s first five albums, with the final album being “Adrenaline,” which was released in 1994.
Bassist Sergio Vega, originally from the band Quicksand, stepped in to help out. He continues to perform with the band.
A candlelight vigil is schedule for Sunday night at 6:30 at Cesar Chavez Park in downtown Sacramento.
The families statement is below:
Our dearest Family,
This is the hardest thing to write to you. Your love and heart and devotion to Chi was unconditional and amazing. I know that you will always remember him as a giant of a man on stage with a heart for every one of you. He was taken to the emergency room and at 3 am today his heart just suddenly stopped. He left this world with me singing songs he liked in his ear.
He fought the good fight. You stood by him sending love daily. He knew that he was very loved and never alone. I will write more later. I will be going through the oneloveforchi and any other information may not be reliable. If you have any stories or messages to share please send them to the onelove site. Please hold Mae and Ming and the siblings and especially Chi’s son, Gabriel in your prayers. It is so hard to let go.
With great love and “Much Respect!” Mom J (and Chi)
Jonathan Winters dead at 87
Fox News is reporting that legendary comedian and actor Jonathan Winters has died. He was 87.
Longtime family friend Joe Petro III said Winters died at his Montecito, Calif. home Thursday night.
Winters was known for his skillful improvisation and his misfit characters that he created in an instant. In 1964 Winters appeared on Jack Paar’s television show and was handed a stick, instantly changing into different characters including a fisherman, lion tamer, and eventually Bing Crosby’s golf club.
Winters eccentric characters coupled with his facial expressions made some of his characters world famous such as Maude Frickert and Elwood P. Suggins, who were actually based on people the comedian knew growing up.
In an interview Winters said, “As a kid, I always wanted to be lots of things, I was a Walter Mitty type. I wanted to be in the French Foreign Legion, a detective, a doctor, a test pilot with a scarf, a fisherman who hauled in a tremendous marlin after a 12-hour fight.”
In 1981 Winters appeared on the hit ABC show “Mork and Mindy,” introducing him to a new generation of fan. He played the son of Mork who was an offbeat alien and his wife in what was to be the final season.
Robin William’s said about Winters, “The best stuff was before the cameras were on, when he was open and free to create. … Jonathan would just blow the doors off.”
The award winning comedian won an Emmy for best-supporting actor for his work in the sitcom “Davis Rules.” He also won a Grammy for his album “The Little Prince” and another album “Crank Calls.”
His television show “The Jonathan Winters Show,” made history in 1956 when it became the first broadcast using videotape in color.
Mouseketeer Annette Funicello dead at 70
Annette Funicello
Photo: Disney
Disney has announced on their official Disney Fan Club Twitter that Legendary Disney Mouseketeer Annette Funicello died today at 70.
Extra has confirmed through the family that Funicello died due to complications of multiple sclerosis, a disease she had been fighting for the past 25 years.
Funicello became a star at the age of 12 after Walt Disney discovered the young girl and cast her in the original “Mickey Mouse Club.” A show that is responsible for churning out child stars such as Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.
Funicello was also an accomplished singer with several hits in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s including “First Name Initial,” “O Dio Mio” and “Train of Love.” They were released under the Buena Vista label.
As she grew up Funicello became a sex symbol attracting a large number of fans. She went on to star in the iconic “Beach Party” films co-starring Frankie Avalon.
