obituary
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Renowned Hollywood Hairstylist Charles Gregory Ross Dies of COVID-19
Hollywood heavyweights and the Atlanta beauty community alike are mourning the death of Emmy-nominated hairstylist Charles Gregory Ross, who succumbed to complications from COVID-19 weeks after announcing his diagnosis on March 25, when he warned others to take the pandemic seriously. Ross, a veteran hair and makeup expert who, in addition to owning the popular…
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Ain't No Sunshine: Bill Withers Dead at 81
This one hurts. Bill Withers, whose soul-stirring catalog provided the soundtrack to generations of black households, has died from heart complications. He was 81. In a heartfelt statement, his family expressed their grief at his loss. “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart-driven…
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Legendary Jazz Pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. Dead at 85
Ellis Marsalis Jr., legendary jazz musician, educator and patriarch of the Marsalis family, has died at the age of 85. After being admitted to the hospital over the weekend with symptoms of pneumonia, the New York Times reports that the cause of death was from complications associated with the coronavirus. On her Twitter account, New…
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Actress Josie Harris, Mother of Floyd Mayweather's Children, Dead at 40 Years Old
Josie Harris, who shares three children with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, was found dead Monday night at her Valencia, Calif., home. She was 40 years old. TMZ reports that Harris was found unresponsive in her car after authorities were called to her home at approximately 9:30 p.m. While the circumstances sound suspicious, authorities do not…
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Jessye Norman, Heralded Soprano of the Opera World, Dies at 74
Jessye Norman, the internationally celebrated soprano, died surrounded by loved ones Monday, of complications suffered as the result of a 2015 spinal cord injury, her family announced. She was 74. “We are so proud of Jessye’s musical achievements and the inspiration that she provided to audiences around the world that will continue to be a…
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Robert Mugabe, Former President of Zimbabwe, Dead at 95
Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the former Zimbabwean president whose promising emergence eventually steered his country into economic collapse, has died at the age of 95. The Washington Post reports that Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s current president, announced Mugabe’s passing on Twitter: “It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father…
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The Music Industry Reacts to the Passing of Grammy Award-Winning Songwriter LaShawn Daniels: ‘We Needed Him’
You might not immediately recognize his name, but LaShawn Daniels, the Grammy Award-winning songwriter who penned the soundtrack to many of our lives, has reportedly passed away at the age of 41. The Independent reports that the cause of death has yet to be determined, but friends and collaborators have taken to social media to…
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Praisesong for the Writer: The Literary World Mourns the Death of Author Paule Marshall
“Heartbreaking news…Another beloved elder has crossed over,” tweeted two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage on Thursday afternoon. On the heels of Toni Morrison’s death on Aug. 5, the beloved elder Nottage was referring to was author Paule Marshall, who died on Monday at age 90 in Richmond, Va., after a yearslong struggle with dementia, the…