RIP...

Casey Kasem, the voice of pop radio for nearly four decades, died Sunday at St. Anthony’s Hospital near Seattle. He was 82. His death was confirmed by his daughter Kerri on line.

"Early this Father’s Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends," wrote Kerri. "Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. The world will miss Casey Kasem, an incredible talent and humanitarian; we will miss our Dad. With love, Kerri, Mike and Julie."

As host of American Top 40, Kasem was the nation's tastemaker, doling out hit singles and music factoids as he counted down each week's most popular songs for nearly 35 years. A talent that transcended his medium, Kasem became a household name thanks to his distinctly trademark voice, his aspiring catchphrases and his love and genuine enthusiasm of the music he was broadcasting nationwide every week.

After bouncing around the nation as a disc jockey from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, Kasem finally landed in Los Angeles in the late Sixties. He first enjoyed showbiz success as a voice actor, lending his versatile pipes to cartoon characters like Robin and, most famously, Shaggy in Scooby-Doo, a role Kasem would fill from 1969 to 2010. From there, Kasem used his disc jockey skills – which he honed as an announcer for Armed Forces Radio Korea when he was in the Army – to co-create and host American Top 40, a syndicated weekly music countdown show that would become pop radio's equivalent of Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

Kasem's run as host of American Top 40 began in 1970, giving him a national platform to showcase his unique personality and epic catchphrases like "The hits don't stop 'til we reach the top" and "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars." Kasem remained with the program until 1988, when a contract dispute led him to start his own syndicated countdown show called Casey's Top 40.

With Kasem no longer the voice of American Top 40 — radio host Shadoe Stevens took over the role — ratings for AT40 plummeted as stations instead picked up Casey's Top 40. American Top 40 was ultimately canceled in 1995; three years later, Kasem himself acquired the rights to the show and reinstated himself as host. Kasem was a mainstay on radios until January 4th, 2004, when he handed the AT40 reigns to American Idol emcee Ryan Seacrest.

In 2006, Sirius XM and syndication radio company Premiere Networks acquired the rights to broadcast episodes of AT40 from the 1970s and 1980s, ensuring Kasem would continue to have a presence on both terrestrial and satellite radio even if his disc jockey days were behind him. Along with infomercial work and television appearances (primarily appearing as himself), Kasem continued to host two smaller countdown programs following his departure from AT40, but he hung up his radio microphone for good in 2009. The following year, Kasem retired as the voice of the ever-hungry slacker Shaggy after 40 years.

Health issues and custody problems unfortunately marred Kasem's last years as his children from his first wife engaged in a legal battle over Casey's well being with Kasem's second wife, actress Jean Kasem. After Kasem was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, the situation often played itself out on tabloid sites, creating a sad final chapter for what was otherwise one of radio's greatest talents. Kasem had been in a hospital on life support when a judge Tuesday revoked an earlier decision mandating that Kasem be artificially fed and hydrated. The decision allowed daughter Kerri, who had been battling with Jean, to make the final decision on Kasem's treatment.

For his vast work in the entertainment industry, Kasem was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1981. Four years later, he was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters' Hall of Fame for his radio career. Kasem is also a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame.

In his famed sign off, he would tell viewers: “And don't forget: keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”

RIP...

'I know why the caged bird sings! Maya Angelou lives on forever! #iconic #artforfreedom'

'A truly inspirational poet, writer, artist, woman, activist, human being! Thank you for your words of wisdom and your big beautiful heart! #rebelheart #artforfreedom' - MADONNA

RIP Maya Angelou

RIP...

Nelson Mandela has passed away at the age of 95.

"No one fought harder for the right to be free! His whole life was a Revolution of Love! #artforfreedom" - Madonna

RIP...

Lou Reed has passed away at the age of 71.

The legendary singer, a founding member of The Velvet Underground, was one of the most influential rock musicians of the past 50 years. His solo hits included the classics "Perfect Day" and of course the timeless "Walk On The Wild Side".

More sad news, as the world heard today that actress Marcia Wallace had passed away on Friday at the age of 70.

Marcia rose to fame in the 1970s with her role on hit series The Bob Newhart Show, before joining Fox's animated comedy The Simpsons in 1990.

She is best known for the 20+ years she spent on the series voicing Bart Simpson's sardonic schoolteacher Edna Krabappel, a role which earned her an Emmy Award in 1992. Loved for her dry humour and barking laugh, Krabappel appeared in more than 150 episodes of The Simpsons up until Wallace's death.

The makers of the show have stated that they will retire the character of Edna instead of replacing Marcia with another actress. "I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace," added Simpsons executive producer Al Jean. "She was beloved by all at The Simpsons, and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character."

A good thing, since I don't think anyone could replace that voice.

RIP...

Legendary DJ/remixer/producer Peter Rauhofer has passed away. He was 48 years old.

He was famous for a variety of his remixes including Cher's, "Believe" (for which he won a Grammy) and a number of Madonna songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails, "Nobody Knows Me", "Get Together, "Impressive Instant, and "4 Minutes", as well as his collaboration with Britney Spears ("Me Against The Music") and various collaborations with Janet Jackson, ("Throb," "Just A Little While" to name a few). He also provided remixes for Pet Shop Boys, Tori Amos, Pink and many other artists, many under the moniker of Club 69.

Peter was diagnosed with a brain tumor last month and passed away yesterday. The dance world has lost an icon. RIP.

RIP...

Pioneering DJ and producer Mark Kamins, who was instrumental in facilitating the signing of Madonna to Sire Records in 1982, has died.

According to BlackBook, on Feb. 14, he suffered “a massive coronary” in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he has been teaching. A family source has confirmed Kamins’ death to Billboard.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Madonna writes…

I’m very sorry to hear about Marks death. I haven’t seen him for years but if it weren’t for him, I might not have had a singing career. He was the first DJ to play my demos before I had a record deal. He believed in me before anyone else did. I owe him a lot. May he Rest in Peace.

Kamins, noted for always living his life in the grandest of fashions, had apparently been struggling with heart problems for some months previous.

Legend has it that he took the budding superstar and clubland habitué Madonna Ciccone under his wing, passing her demo on to Sire Records honcho Seymour Stein, who quickly signed her — the rest, of course, is pop history. Kamins, who also produced her nascent single “Everybody”, would be the first in a line of high-profile Madonna beaus, to be eventually usurped by the likes of Jellybean Benitez and, of course, many others. A significant talent in his own right, he went on to work with radical performance artist Karen Finley, as well as 80’s musical giants such as David Byrne, the Beastie Boys and Sinead O’Connor.

The latest issue of UK magazine Record Collector features a five page article on the making of Madonna's debut single.

The story of Madonna's rise to fame has been told many, many times, but thanks to his exclusive interviews with virtually Everybody who was involved in making the single, the article reveals some cool new facts about Madonna - including the name of yet another unreleased demo from the early years. This feature is possibly one of the most in-depth articles about the making of Madonna's first single.

Included in the article are new and exclusive interviews with Mark Kamins (producer), Bob Blank (studio owner), Butch Jones (studio engineer), Fred Zarr (synths), Leslie Ming (drums), Ira Siegel (guitar), Rob Prinz (Madonna's first agent), Danny Tenaglia (legendary club DJ) and Charlene 'Chardonna' Martinez (the world's first Madonna wanna-be) - many of whom very kindly spoke exclusively and went on the record for the first time about working with Madonna in and out of the studio.

Here is an early performance at Uncle Sam's of the song that began the career of the biggest female artist the world has ever seen. What a shame that them man who played such a big part in the launch has left us. Rest in piece.

Mark Kamins (April 13, 1955 – February 14, 2013)

RIP...

LOS ANGELES — Dick Clark, the ever-youthful television host and tireless entrepreneur who helped bring rock 'n' roll into the mainstream on "American Bandstand" and later produced and hosted a vast range of programming from game shows to the year-end countdown from Times Square on "New Year's Rockin' Eve," has died. He was 82.

Spokesman Paul Shefrin said Clark had a heart attack Wednesday morning at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, where he had gone the day before for an outpatient procedure. Clark had continued performing even after he suffered a stroke in 2004 that affected his ability to speak and walk.

Long dubbed "the world's oldest teenager" because of his boyish appearance, Clark bridged the rebellious new music scene and traditional show business. He was equally comfortable whether chatting about music with Sam Cooke or bantering with Ed McMahon about TV bloopers. He thrived as the founder of Dick Clark Productions, supplying movies, game and music shows, beauty contests and more to TV. Among his credits: "The $25,000 Pyramid," ''TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes" and the American Music Awards.

For a time in the 1980s, he had shows on all three networks and was listed among the Forbes 400 of wealthiest Americans. Clark also was part of radio as a partner in the United Stations Radio Network, which provided programs — including Clark's — to thousands of stations.
"There's hardly any segment of the population that doesn't see what I do," Clark told The Associated Press in a 1985 interview. "It can be embarrassing. People come up to me and say, 'I love your show,' and I have no idea which one they're talking about."

The original "American Bandstand" was one of network TV's longest-running series as part of ABC's daytime lineup from 1957 to 1987. It later aired for a year in syndication and briefly on the USA Network. Through the years, it introduced stars ranging from Buddy Holly to Madonna. The show's status as an American cultural institution was solidified when Clark donated Bandstand's original podium and backdrop to the Smithsonian Institution.



Clark joined "Bandstand" in 1956 after Bob Horn, who'd been the host since its 1952 debut, was fired. Under Clark's guidance, it went from a local Philadelphia show to a national phenomenon.
"I played records, the kids danced, and America watched," was how Clark once described the series' simplicity. In his 1958 hit "Sweet Little Sixteen," Chuck Berry sang that "they'll be rocking on Bandstand, Philadelphia, P-A."



As a host, he had the smooth delivery of a seasoned radio announcer. As a producer, he had an ear for a hit record. He also knew how to make wary adults welcome this odd new breed of music in their homes.
Clark endured accusations that he was in with the squares, with critic Lester Bangs defining Bandstand as "a leggily acceptable euphemism of the teenage experience."
In a 1985 interview, Clark acknowledged the complaints. "But I knew at the time that if we didn't make the presentation to the older generation palatable, it could kill it.
"So along with Little Richard and Chuck Berry and the Platters and the Crows and the Jayhawks ... the boys wore coats and ties and the girls combed their hair and they all looked like sweet little kids into a high school dance," he said.



But Clark defended pop artists and artistic freedom, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said in an online biography of the 1993 inductee. He helped give black artists their due by playing original R&B recordings instead of cover versions by white performers, and he condemned censorship.
His stroke in December 2004 forced him to miss his annual appearance on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve." He returned the following year and, although his speech at times was difficult to understand, many praised his bravery, including other stroke victims.
Still speaking with difficulty, he continued taking part in his New Year's shows, though in a diminished role. Ryan Seacrest became the main host.
"I'm just thankful I'm still able to enjoy this once-a-year treat," he told The Associated Press by email in December 2008 as another New Year's Eve approached.
He was honored at the Emmy Awards in 2006, telling the crowd: "I have accomplished my childhood dream, to be in show business. Everybody should be so lucky to have their dreams come true. I've been truly blessed."



He was born Richard Wagstaff Clark in Mount Vernon, N.Y., in 1929. His father, Richard Augustus Clark, was a sales manager who worked in radio.
Clark idolized his athletic older brother, Bradley, who was killed in World War II. In his 1976 autobiography, "Rock, Roll & Remember," Clark recalled how radio helped ease his loneliness and turned him into a fan of Steve Allen, Arthur Godfrey and other popular hosts.
From Godfrey, he said, he learned that "a radio announcer does not talk to 'those of you out there in radio land'; a radio announcer talks to me as an individual."



Clark began his career in the mailroom of a Utica, N.Y., radio station in 1945. By age 26, he was a broadcasting veteran, with nine years' experience on radio and TV stations in Syracuse and Utica, N.Y., and Philadelphia. He held a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University. While in Philadelphia, Clark befriended McMahon, who later credited Clark for introducing him to his future "Tonight Show" boss, Johnny Carson.





In the 1960s, "American Bandstand" moved from black-and-white to color, from weekday broadcasts to once-a-week Saturday shows and from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. Although its influence started to ebb, it still featured some of the biggest stars of each decade, whether Janis Joplin, the Jackson 5, Talking Heads or Prince. But Clark never did book two of rock's iconic groups, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Elvis Presley also never performed, although Clark managed an on-air telephone interview while Presley was in the Army.



One of the most important TV apperances Madonna did at the start of her career was on American Bandstand, when she famously told him that she wantedt to "rule the world". Dick became a big fan of hers, and was in fact the one responsible for her apperance on the 1985 Live Aid concert.









Clark kept more than records spinning with his Dick Clark Productions. Its credits included the Academy of Country Music and Golden Globe awards; TV movies including the Emmy-winning "The Woman Who Willed a Miracle" (1984), the "$25,000 Pyramid" game show and the 1985 film "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins." Clark himself made a cameo on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and a dramatic appearance as a witness on the original "Perry Mason." He was an involuntary part of Michael Moore's Academy Award-winning "Bowling for Columbine," in which Clark is seen brushing off Moore as the filmmaker confronts him about working conditions at a restaurant owned by Clark.



In 1974, at ABC's request, Clark created the American Music Awards after the network lost the broadcast rights to the Grammy Awards.

He was also an author, with "Dick Clark's American Bandstand" and such self-help books as "Dick Clark's Program for Success in Your Business and Personal Life" and "Looking Great, Staying Young." His unchanging looks inspired a joke in "Peggy Sue Gets Married," the 1986 comedy starring Kathleen Turner as an unhappy wife and mother transported back to 1960. Watching Clark on a black and white TV set, she shakes her head in amazement, "Look at that man, he never ages."

Clark's clean-cut image survived a music industry scandal. In 1960, during a congressional investigation of "payola," or bribery in the record and radio industry, Clark was called on to testify.
He was cleared of any suspicions but was required by ABC to divest himself of record-company interests to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. The demand cost him $8 million, Clark once estimated. His holdings included partial ownership of Swan Records, which later released the first U.S. version of the Beatles' smash "She Loves You."
In 2004, Clark announced plans for a revamped version of "American Bandstand." The show, produced with "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller, was to feature a host other than Clark.
He was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1994 and served as spokesman for the American Association of Diabetes Educators.

Clark, twice divorced, had a son, Richard Augustus II, with first wife Barbara Mallery and two children, Duane and Cindy, with second wife Loretta Martin. He married Kari Wigton in 1977.

In a 1989 Times Union article, Clark spoke about “American Bandstand”:

“I can remember the day we went on the ABC network originally,” Clark said. “That was very exciting because we’d had a five- year history of (local) success in Philadelphia before then. There were a lot of people who were very skeptical about whether we’d succeed or not on a national level. We had said, ‘There is no doubt it will. It will, it will, it will.’ And we really believed it would. And it did.”

The show with Clark at the helm lasted for 37 years, and in that time Clark had a profound impact on popularizing pop music, and making Americans dance.

In the interview, he said, “I’m the luckiest human that ever walked the face of the Earth. I was blessed with good health and the ability to do what I only dreamed of as a child…. When the day comes for me to check out, or the Lord beckons me to go, they will say something about ‘He played the music and the kids danced.’ Or, ‘He was America’s Pied Piper.’ … One of the things I hope they will make note of is that we kept the music alive.”



"I was very sad to hear this news. We all felt Dick was always this handsome teenager, as we all got older, Dick remained a teenager. I will always appreciate what he did for me and for popular music. He presented Motown and The Supremes on tour with the Caravan of Stars and on American Bandstand where I got my start. Dick Clark was a pioneer, he was a music star maker, he was a legend and was my friend. He said that 'music is the soundtrack of your life.' Since I was 16, he was always a part of mine. My love and prayers go out to his family." — Diana Ross.

"Even though I told him in 1984 that I wanted to rule the world, it's Dick Clark who has ruled the world. He loved what he did and his energy and enthusiasm were boundless. A great man. I bow to his memory and everything he did with his life. Rest in peace. You will be missed." - Madonna




"Dick Clark changed the face of musical television. He was wonderful to many artists including our family. We will miss him. God bless." — Janet Jackson

"Not 2 many people actually deserve the term "legend", Dick Clark embodied it & never lost his humility or humanity. We will miss him!" — Gloria Estefan





Madonna & Dick

Twenty eight years later, it remains one of the most famous things she's ever said. Asked on "American Bandstand" by TV icon Dick Clark, who died on Wednesday at the age of 82, "What do you hope will happen, not only in 1984 but for the rest of your professional life? What are your dreams? What's left?" Madonna answered simply, famously and with characteristic directness.

"To rule the world," she said without hesitation. And that's what she went on to do ... well, the pop world anyway.

She was on "Bandstand," ostensibly, to perform "Holiday" and promote her self-titled debut, which was released a few months earlier in the summer of 1983, but in retrospect it feels like she was really there to prepare the world for what was coming. Like a Virgin dropped later that same year, and with its release Madonna went from being a well-liked and charismatic pop tart with a few radio hits to the most famous female singer on the planet.

The "Bandstand" crowd went wild for then-25-year-old Madonna's performance, and Clark had a hard time getting a word in. When everyone finally settled down, he asked Madonna about her burgeoning career, including her early years in New York and touring Paris with "Born to Be Alive" singer Patrick Hernandez. "He offered me a tour with him as a background singer and a dancer," Madonna told Clark. "So I jumped on that boat and got into the music industry that way and started writing songs, and here I am."

As news of Clark's passing began to surface, fans started posting the clip all over Twitter and soon enough, Madonna's herself chimed in, posting the video to her Facebook page with the message, "Even though I told him in 1984 that I wanted to rule the world, it's Dick Clark who has ruled the world."

While "Bandstand" wasn't her first TV appearance and Clark certainly didn't discover Madonna - she already had a top-five hit with "Lucky Star" by the time she appeared - her visit to the show feels like the first seminal event in what went on to be one of the most legendary careers in pop-culture history. It's where things really began, months before she took the stage in a wedding dress at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards.

It's also a real showcase for the Madonna many fans love most. Playful, natural, beautiful and - most importantly - brimming with confidence, it's no surprise the emerging pop star on display on "Bandstand" that night went on to score 38 top tens, more than any performer in music history, 12 #1 singles and eight #1 albums, the latest of which, MDNA, debuted in the top spot 28 years, two months and 20 days after her visit to "American Bandstand."

Today, many will be looking back on Dick Clark's many achievements and dissecting the almost immeasurable impact he had on music and television, and we'll remember for how genuinely excited he seemed to be talking to a little-known disco singer on January 14, 1984. His decision to invite her on that night quite literally changed the face of pop music forever, and for that we will always be thankful.

MTV

RIP...

Former porn star Andrea True, who had a second act in the mid-70s as a minor disco star has passed away the age of 68. A cause of death was not released.

True referenced her porn career in her first international smash, More, More, More, which included the lyrics "Get the cameras rolling, get the action going." That song, which peaked on Billboard's pop chart at #4 in 1976, had a second life 24 years later when its sample provided the basis of Len's 1999 hit Steal My Sunshine. The song was also a hit in Europe in the early 90s for Bananarama. It's currently being used as the jingle for a popular breakfast cereal.

Gay men may more fondly recall True's New York, You Got Me Dancing, especially because it name-checked two of Manhattan's popular clubs at the time, the Barefoot Boy and the seminal gay dance palace, 12 West. The last of True's hit records What´s Your Name, Whats Your Number, peaked at #56 in 1977.

RIP...

Rapper Dwight Arrington Myers (known as Heavy D) passed away yesterday.

Myers was born on May 24, 1967 in Mandeville, Jamaica. Heavy D & the Boyz were the first group signed to Uptown Records; their debut, Living Large, was released in 1987. The album was a commercial success, though Big Tyme was a breakthrough that included four hits.
Heavy D & the Boyz gained even more fame by singing the theme song for the television program In Living Color and also MADtv, and Heavy D performed the rap on Michael Jackson's hit single "Jam" as well as sister Janet Jackson's hit single "Alright".

Heavy D then began focusing on his acting, appearing in various television shows before returning the music charts with Nuttin' But Love. After appearing in the off-Broadway play Riff Raff at Circle Repertory Company, Heavy D returned to recording with the hit Waterbed Hev. In 1997, Heavy D collaborated with B.B. King on his duets album Deuces Wild rapping in the song "Keep It Coming."

Heavy D performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards in October 2011. It was his first live performance in 15 years. Myers died on November 8, 2011 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 44. He collapsed outside his Beverly Hills home and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. It has been reported that his death was due to respiratory issuesand that no foul play was involved.

Here is my favourite song of his - how I loved it some 20 years ago when it came out...

R.I.P...

The last of the great Hollywood movie stars has left us.

Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79.

The actress died of congestive heart failure in the early hours of this morning.

Taylor's publicist Sally Morrison said in a statement: "She was surrounded by her children - Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd and Maria Burton."

Her son Michael added: "My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humour and love.

"Though her loss is devastating to those of us who held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to our world."



He continued: "Her remarkable body of work in film, her ongoing success as a businesswoman, and her brave and relentless advocacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS, all make us all incredibly proud of what she accomplished.

"We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for mum having lived in it. Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts."

Taylor had been admittied to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles in January for her heart condition. Her health was reported to have been improving over the last month.



The screen icon won the Academy Award for 'Best Actress' in 1960 for BUtterfield 8 and again in 1966 for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.



She starred opposite Richard Burton in 1963 movie Cleopatra and the pair developed a relationship on set and married in 1964. She was married eight times in total, including a second time to Burton in 1975 after they divorced a year earlier.



She became best friends with Michael Jackson and continued to stand up for him publically throughout the rest of his life. When he died, she stated that her heart was completely broken and would never heal again.



Taylor was probably the first big celebrity in the world (along with Madonna) to start the fight against Aids, and she continued to do so throughout her life. The two women were said to have had much respect for each other and their work.

A statement from Madonna has just been released:

"I admired and respected her not only as an actress but for her amazing and inspiring work as an AIDS activist. She was one of a kind."


Taylor is survived by ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Kylie Minogue just put on her Twitter:

RIP Dame Elizabeth Taylor.....Like a pure white diamond you'll shine on and on and on.

Boy George posted:

R.I.P the amazing Liz Taylor, goddess, actress, aids activist and one of the worlds true beauties!

RuPaul:

Elizabeth Taylor has sashayed away, but will live in our memories forever...

Belinda Carlisle:

RIP Dame Elizabeth Taylor she really was one of the Beautiful greats love and light to her family And Friends x
Simon LeBon:

Goodbye to one of the great humanists of our time; the ever beautiful Elizabeth Taylor.

George Michael:

"Such a sad day, Elizabeth Taylor was the last of the Hollywood greats, and a fantastically charming woman. She also did a great deal in the last 25 years to help the world deal with the HIV epidemic. I am proud to have known her if only a little. She was also the only person I've ever met that had violet eyes. They were genuinely violet. So beautiful."

R.I.P...

Disco singer Loleatta Holloway has died at the age of 64 following a brief illness.

The news of death was announced by her manager Ron Richardson last night (March 21).

The singer was best known for her 1980 hit single 'Love Sensation', a track which was later sampled by UK dance group Black Box for their 1989 Number One single 'Ride On Time'. She did not receive credit or payment for that recording and did successfully sue the band in the early 90s.







Holloway recorded extensively between 1973 and 1980, producing six studio albums. Later in her career she did vocals for Marky Mark and Capella, and recorded a version of "Like A Prayer" for the Madonna tribute album Virgin Voices.

RIP...

The 1940s and '50s movie bombshell Jane Russel, whose name was synonymous with voluptuousness, died Monday morning at her home in Santa Maria, California, her family said. Jane was 89.

Daughter-in-law Etta Waterfield said that Russell was a "pillar of health" but caught a bad cold and died of respiratory difficulties.
Russell's children, Thomas K. Waterfield, Tracy Foundas and Robert "Buck" Waterfield," were at her side, Etta Waterfield said.



Eccentric philanthropist and movie producer Howard Hughes was the first to put Jane Russell on the silver screen, signing her to a seven-year contract in 1940 and promptly putting her in his production of "The Outlaw," a film about a torrid romance between Billy the Kid and woman named Rio (Russell).
The film got only limited release -- in 1943 -- because censors at the time were skittish about the attention given Russell's figure. Hughes wasn't satisfied. He pulled the film from release and kept it out of circulation for six more years while he did more reshoots and re-editing.
And, Hughes kept Russell off the screen -- her only other appearance during those seven years was in "The Young Widow" (1946), shot while she was on loan to United Artists.

Hughes' extensive publicity campaign for "The Outlaw," however -- she has said that he had her making appearances five days a week for five years -- made Russell popular during World War II as a pin-up, and when the movie was finally released in 1946, she was a star.
While Hughes fetishized Russell's body in other films after her initial contract ended and the two negotiated another, the actress quietly made a name for herself as a talented actress capable of high drama or light comedy. She appeared as Calamity Jane with Bob Hope in "The Paleface" (1948) -- another loan-out -- and a sequel, "Son of Paleface," in 1952 -- earning an Oscar nomination for the song "Am I in Love?"



Robert Mitchum was her co-star twice -- in 1951's "His Kind of Woman" and 1952's "Macao." She shared the screen with Frank Sinatra and Groucho Marx in 1951's "Double Dynamite," and with Victor Mature, Vincent Price and Hoagy Carmichael in "The Las Vegas Story" (1952).
But it was 1953's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" with Marilyn Monroe that shot Russell into the stratosphere. She was hailed for her singing and comedic acting, and just two years later made her last film for Hughes.



Russell had some success as a singer in the 1940s, appearing with the Kay Kayser Orchestra, and in 1954 she and Beryl Davis, Connie Haines and Della Russell (later replaced by Rhonda Fleming) began recording religious-themed music and touring as The Four Girls.
Russell and her first husband, high school sweetheart Bob Waterfield -- an All-American quarterback for UCLA and a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played for the Cleveland Rams and the Los Angeles Rams -- formed a production company in 1955, producing three films starring Russell. But after "The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown" flopped in 1957, Russell took a break from film and concentrated on her music career.

When she returned to movies, however, she could not regain her prominence, ending her screen career with a series of Westerns in the 1960s and the 1970 detective film "Darker than Amber."
While it may have been the attention to Russell's figure that kept her away from superstardom, that figure brought her Madison Avenue stardom in the 1970s when she was featured in television commercials for the Playtex Cross Your Heart Bra "for us full-figured gals."
Russell had a few stage appearances in the 1970s and wrote an autobiography, "Jane Russell: My Path and My Detours," in 1985, revealing that her marriage to Waterfield ended in 1968 because of bouts with infidelity and alcohol.



Born in Minnesota to an Army lieutenant and a former actress, Jane Russell was drawn to drama but initially planned to become a designer. She took music lessons and acted in high school stage productions, but when her father died early, Russell went to work as a doctor's receptionist -- and did some modeling on the side -- to help support the family.
At 19, Russell had a botched, back-alley abortion that resulted in her inability to conceive children. She and Waterfield, whom she married in 1943, adopted three, and she devoted much of the rest of her life campaigning for adoption and adopted children.
Russell was married twice more, to actor Roger Barrett in 1968 and to businessman John Calvin Peoples in 1974. Her marriage to Barrett lasted but three months before he died of a heart attack. She and Peoples were together until his death in 1999.

Throughout her career, Russell was a staunch conservative who considered Democrats in Hollywood "crazy."
"In my day Hollywood was Republican," she once said. "All the heads of the studios were Republicans, and we were fighting Communism. You had John Wayne and Charlton Heston and myself and Bob Mitchum, and President Ronald Reagan came right out of that same group."
She was a vocal supporter of the Iraq war from its start in 2003, a vocal opponent of abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, a tireless fighter to "get the Bible back in schools." She despised the Clinton administration and was a fan of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and conservative commentator Ann Coulter.

And in 2003, she described herself as "a teetotal, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot," variations of which she frequently used.


Hollywood star Jane Russell dead at 89
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