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Singer Gary Wright, best known for his 1975 soft rock hits “Dream Weaver” and “Love is Alive,” has died at age 80. Wright’s son, Justin, confirmed to Rolling Stone that his father died on Monday at his Palos Verdes Estates home after battling Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.
Justin Wright said he dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s six or seven years ago before also receiving a dementia diagnosis. “He managed it fairly well for a while. But a few years ago, he needed professional help and home-care nurses and eventually 24-hour care,” Justin told RS.
Wright was born on April 26, 1943 in Cresskill, N.J. and began his career as a child actor in shows included Captain Video and His Video Rangers before joining the Broadway cast of Fanny in 1954. After briefly considering medical school, Wright moved to England in the late 1960s, where he co-founded the blues-rock band Spooky Tooth with four English musicians. After three albums with the band, Wright struck out on his own and releasing two solo albums on A&M Records, Extraction (1970) and Footprint (1971) before signing to Warner Bros. Records for what would be his breakthrough third solo effort.
The Dream Weaver, released in the summer of 1975, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album charts in April 1976, with the yacht rock classic title track peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. At the time, Wright, who played the Hammond Organ, clavinet, Moog synthesizers, Fender Rhodes and several other keyboards on the album — in addition to arranging and producing the collection — boasted that it was one of the first all-keyboard albums; it also featured drums from session veterans Jim Keltner and Sly and the Family Stone’s Andy Newmark as well as guitar on “Power of Love” from Montrose’s Ronnie Montrose.
The ethereal “Dream Weaver” became one of Wright’s most beloved songs and a frequent go-to Hollywood soundtrack cut in films including Wayne’s World (for which Wright re-recorded the song), Toy Story 3, Ice Age: Collision Course and The People vs. Larry Flynt, as well as the TV series Glee and Superstore. Wright also dipped his toe into film soundtrack composition for the movies Endangered Species (1982) and Fire and Ice (1986).
Following the chart success of The Dream Weaver Wright released a string of solo albums throughout the 1970s and early 1980s to diminishing sales, including 1977’s The Light of Smiles (No. 172 on BB 200) and Touch and Gone (No. 117), 1979’s Headin’ Home (No. 147) and 1981’s The Right Place (No. 79). In addition to “Dream Weaver” and that album’s other silky pop hit, “Love Is Alive” (No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100), Wright’s other singles chart successes included 1976’s “Made to Love You” (No. 79), “Phantom Writer” (1977, No. 43), “Touch and Gone” (1978, No. 73) and 1981’s “Really Wanna Know You” (No. 16).
Wright also played keyboards on late Beatle George Harrison’s 1970 solo triple-disc album All Things Must Pass — cementing a friendship that lasted until Harrison’s death in 2001 — and sat in on sessions for album by everyone from B.B. King to Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson and Jerry Lee Lewis. He also performed with a reunited Spooky Tooth in the early 2000s, as well as with Starr’s All-Starr Band and continued to release new music as recently as his final solo album, 2010’s Connected.
Over the years, Wright’s compositions also found their way into a number of hip-hop songs, including samples of “Love Is Alive” on songs by Raekwon and 3rd Bass, Spooky Tooth’s “The Mirror” on songs by Fivio Foreign and Atmosphere, “More Than a Heartache” (Nas) and “Heartbeat” (Jay-Z).
Listen to “Dreamweaver” and “Love Is Alive” below.
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Former Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell has died, a representative for the band confirms to Billboard.
Harwell, who performed as lead vocalist for the California pop-rock act until announcing his retirement from the group in 2021, passed away Monday (Sept. 4) at his home in Boise, Idaho, after being in hospice care. He was 56.
“Steve Harwell passed away this morning September 4, 2023 at his home in Boise Idaho. He was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably,” reads a statement provided by Smash Mouth manager Robert Hayes.
“Steve Harwell was a true American original. A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom. And the fact that he achieved this near-impossible goal with very limited musical experience makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable,” the statement continues.
“And the fact that he achieved this near-impossible goal with very limited musical experience makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable. His only tools were his irrepressible charm and charisma, his fearlessly reckless ambition, and his king-size cajones. Steve lived a 100% full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out. Good night Heevo Veev. Rest in peace knowing you aimed for the stars, and magically hit your target.”
Leading up to his death, Harwell had been placed in resting at home and was being cared for by his fiancé and hospice care. TMZ first wrote of the musician’s current health status earlier on Sunday (Sept. 3), reporting that he’s reached the final stage of liver failure.
Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that can makes it hard for the heart to deliver blood to the body, several years ago. Following his initial diagnosis, he suffered from “nonstop serious medical setbacks including heart failure as well as acute Wernicke Encephalopathy,” a condition that greatly impacted his motor functions, including speech and impaired memory, a statement said in 2021.
Harwell shared the news that he was retiring from the “All Star” group due to his ongoing health issues in October 2021.
Harwell’s comment about retiring from Smash Mouth read: “Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a rock star performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. To my bandmates, it’s been an honor performing with you all these years and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with.”
Smash Mouth formed in 1994 in San Jose, Calif., consisting of members Harwell, guitarist Greg Camp, bassist Paul De Lisle and drummer Kevin Coleman. The band’s first single was 1997’s “Walkin’ on the Sun,” and they landed a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the earworm “All Star,” which peaked at No. 4 on the chart in 1999.
Astro Lounge, Smash Mouth’s sophomore album that included “All Star,” reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart that year. “All Star” was nominated for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals at the Grammy Awards in 2000, an award that ultimately went to Santana for “Maria Maria.” The song enjoyed new popularity after being featured in the Academy Award-winning animated film Shrek from 2001.
Smash Mouth’s most recent album is 2012’s Magic, though they released an acoustic version of debut set Fush Yu Mang in 2018, following the 20th anniversary of the original recording’s release.
Smash Mouth continues to tour with vocalist Zach Goode, who joined the band in 2022.
Mexican rapper Juan Carlos Sauceda, better known as Lefty SM, was shot dead in Zapopan, Jalisco in Mexico. He was 31 years old.
His record label, Alzada Records, confirmed his death on Sunday morning (Sept. 3).
“Dear Alzada friends and family, with profound sadness we’re informing you about the death of our brother, Lefty SM, Juan Carlos Sauceda,” wrote the label in a brief post on its Instagram account. “Our love and prayers are with his wife María Isabel and their two daughters.”
According to reports, the artist was attacked near his home in the neighborhood of La Cima in Zapopan, very close to Gaudalajara.
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Carlos Félix, PR rep for Alzada Records, confirmed to Billboard Español that Lefty SM was shot twice and declared dead at a local hospital. No additional information was provided.
A formal report from the government of Jalisco is expected during the day.
Just this past Friday, Lefty MS performed at Teatro Metropólitan in Mexico City as a guest of his friend and colleague MC Davo, who was one of the first to publicly comment on his death.
“How is this possible? I can’t believe it, really, I can’t believe it man,” said Davo in tears in a video posted Sunday morning on his Instagram Stories. Later, he posted a photo of both of them together at the beach: “Just a few hours ago we were enjoying life. May God have you in his glory.”
Lefty SM started in music in 1992 in the world of rap and hip-hop in his native San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. His career took off in 2017 when he launched his YouTube channel and began to gain a reputation in the Mexican urban scene. He collaborated with stars like Santa Fe Klan, with whom he recorded the tracks “Si me caigo”, “Con los ojos rojos” and “Por mi México,” one of his greatest hits. In fact, on Aug. 25, Lefty MS released a remix of “Por mi México” with Mexican rap stars Santa Fe Klan, Dharius, C-Kan, MC Davo and Neto Peña.
“It’s not possible carnal,” wrote Santa Fe Klan wrote on his Instagram, next to a photo of both of them. “Tell me it’s a lieeeeeeeeeee.”
Musicians are mourning the loss of legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who has died following an undisclosed illness.
Superstar artists like Kenny Chesney, Elton John, Alan Jackson and many others took to social media to honor the “Margaritaville” singer, who passed Friday night (Sept. 1), according to a post on his website. He was 76.
“Jimmy passed away on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” the statement reads. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
Sitting on a beach in Key West, Fla., Chesney paid tribute to Buffett by singing the first verse and chorus of Buffett’s 1974 track “A Pirate Looks at Forty.” He also shared a video of himself performing “Margaritaville” — which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977 — alongside the late singer-songwriter.
“So goodbye Jimmy. Thanks for your friendship and the songs I will carry in my heart forever. Sail On Sailor,” the country star captioned the post on Instagram.
Chesney and Buffett teamed up for a remake of Buffett’s “Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season,” which was featured on Chesney’s 2018 album, Songs for the Saints. Chesney also appeared with Buffett on the star-studded track “Hey Good Lookin’,” alongside Jackson, Keith, Clint Black and George Strait. The Hank Williams cover was part of Buffett’s 2004 album, License to Chill.
Jackson took to X (formerly Twitter) to honor Buffett, quoting lyrics from “Boats to Build,” another song he sang with Buffett for License to Chill. The post also featured a snapshot of the pair at the 2003 CMA Awards, where they took home vocal event of the year for “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”
Keith added on Instagram, “The pirate has passed. RIP Jimmy Buffett. Tremendous influence on so many of us.”
Renowned for his wildly enthusiastic audiences, known as “Parrotheads,” Buffett — a former correspondent for Billboard magazine — charted 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. After tallying five top 40 entries in the 1970s, reaching No. 8 with his signature anthem “Margaritaville,” he tallied other hits thanks to turns on Jackson’s “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (No. 17 in 2003) and Zac Brown Band’s “Knee Deep” (No. 18 in 2011). Buffett also scored 40 entries on the Billboard 200 albums chart during his lengthy career.
In addition to music, Buffett also built a billion-dollar personal fortune with a series of Margaritaville and LandShark Bar & Grill restaurants across the U.S., as well as licensing agreements for Margaritaville tequila, shoes, cruises, pre-packaged food items and an Atlantic City casino.
Below, find more tributes to Buffett:
Elton John via Instagram Story: “Jimmy Buffett was a unique and treasured entertainer. His fans adored him and he never let them down,” he said in an Instagram story. “This is the saddest of news. A lovely man gone way too soon. Condolences to (his wife) Jane and the family from (my husband) David (Furnish) and me.”
Oak Ridge Boys via X: “Rest Easy Jimmy … Thanks for the fun …”
Hillary Clinton via X: “Fair winds and following seas, dear Jimmy.”
Heart broken this morning hearing of Jimmy Buffett’s passing. What an incredible talent and man. His songs will live on forever. I’ll bet most of y’all don’t know that he wrote the theme song for @BarmageddonUSA for me about 2 years ago. Raising a glass today to the Son of a son…— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) September 2, 2023
Sad to hear the world lost Jimmy Buffet last night, but what a great life he lived as he brought so much happiness to the world. I think “Come Monday” is my favorite song of his. He was at his best solo on an acoustic in my opinion:) Love this video👇https://t.co/FEMbKKXjH5— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) September 2, 2023
Rest in power @jimmybuffett I’m glad we had time to vibe. You were and always will be a Truly inspiring human. 🙏🏾❤️🕊️— LLCOOLJ (@llcoolj) September 2, 2023
Jimmy Buffett’s music brought happiness to millions of people. I’ll always be grateful for his kindness, generosity, and great performances through the years, including at the White House in 2000. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and legion of devoted fans.— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) September 2, 2023
Jimmy Buffett, the easygoing “Margaritaville” singer/songwriter who transformed his no-worries, beachy lifestyle into a five-decade endless road trip as a performer and entrepreneur, has died at age 76. The news, announced on his website and social media accounts, follows Buffett’s May cancelation of a show in South Carolina to get treatment for an undisclosed illness.
“Jimmy passed away on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” the early Saturday morning (Sept. 2) post reads. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
Renowned for his wildly enthusiastic audiences — known as “Parrotheads” — Buffett parlayed his cheeky, rum-soaked songs about pirates (“A Pirate Looks at Forty”), boozy beach bums (“It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere”), captains and sand-caked rogues (“The Captain and the Kid”) into a permanent vacation journey where every port of call was loaded with fruity drinks, colorful summer-themed outfits and precisely no cares in the world.
With a laconic songwriting style that leaned into his guy-you-wanna-have-six-beers-with persona (and vice versa), Buffett penned such memorable lines as “I took off for a weekend last month just to try and recall the whole year,” from 1977’s “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitude” single. The primary thrust of his career could be summed up by the title of his 1992 box set: Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads.
In addition to his 13 Billboard Hot 100 charting singles — including seven top 40 hits and one top 10 — as well as 40 entries on the Billboard 200 album chart, Buffett’s no-worries mien belied a killer business instinct that parlayed the popularity of his island-spiked bar band folk rock anthems into a billion-dollar personal fortune. His sprawling ancillary business org chart included a series of Margaritaville and LandShark Bar & Grill restaurants across the U.S., as well as licensing agreements for Margaritaville tequila, shoes, cruises, pre-packaged food items and an Atlantic City casino.
There were also his personal Margaritaville and Mailboard Records imprints, a trio of charitable organizations that funded personal growth through music and manatee rescue, as well as a pair of musicals (1997’s Don’t Stop the Carnival and 2017’s Escape to Margaritaville), his signature LandShark lager beer and three Latitude Margaritaville retirement communities in Daytona Beach, Hilton Head and Watersound, FL.
Born James William Buffett on Christmas Day 1946 in Pascagoula, MS, and raised in Mobile, Alabama, the singer was one of three children born to James Delaney Buffett Jr. and Mary Loraine (Peets), who both worked for the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding company. He grew up listening to his grandfather steamship captain J.D. Buffett’s tales of high seas adventure, to whom he paid homage in “Son of a Son of a Sailor.” The latter features the memorable, salt-caked lines, “I’m just a son of a son, son of a son/ Son of a son of a sailor/ The sea’s in my veins, my tradition remains/ I’m just glad I don’t live in a trailer.”
Inspired by the attention a college fraternity brother earned from women for playing guitar, Buffett began his first band and quickly graduated from street busking to playing six nights a week at Bourbon Street clubs in New Orleans and then working as a correspondent for Billboard magazine in Nashville from 1969-1970; he was the reporter who broke the news that legendary bluegrass duo Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs were breaking up in 1969.
He released his debut album, the country-leaning folk collection Down to Earth, in 1970, followed by 1973’s A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean, which featured the fan-favorite novelty song “Why Don’t We Get Drunk (and Screw),” as well as “He Went to Paris” and “Grapefruit Juicy Fruit.” The singer finally hit the top 40 with the No. 30 Hot 100 swaying single “Come Monday” from his third album, Living and Dying in 3/4 Time which contained another live staple, “Pencil Thin Mustache.”
The release of his sixth album, Havana Daydreamin’, in 1976, marked Buffett’s highest Billboard 200 album chart placement to date — at No. 65 — but it was the next year’s Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes that proved to be his best-selling breakthrough album thanks to the “Margaritaville” single. The song features a kind of shorthand for the Buffett way of life (and the origins of his fans’ nickname) courtesy of the sand-packed first verse, “Nibblin’ on sponge cake/ Watchin’ the sun bake/ All of you Parrotheads covered with oil,” which flip-flops into the iconic chorus: “Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville/ Searchin’ for my long lost shaker of salt.” That song, which spent 22 weeks on the singles chart, topped out at No. 8 on the Hot 100 in July 1977, marking Buffett’s highest charting career single.
His hot streak continued on 1978’s Son of a Son of a Sailor, which featured another iconic laid-back hit, “Cheeseburger in Paradise” (No. 32 on the Hot 100), as well as “Livingston Saturday Night” (No. 52) and “Mañana” (No. 84). In all, Buffett released 29 studio albums and 14 live albums over his career, including his final studio collection, 2020’s fan-curated B-sides, Songs You Don’t Know By Heart; at press time Buffett had been teased his 30th studio album, Equal Strain on All Parts, though a release date had not yet been set.
Buffett’s career peak on the Billboard 200 album chart came in 2004 when License to Chill hit No. 1, besting his previous career high on the album tally, 1996’s Banana Wind (No. 4); his 2020 collection, Life on the Flip Side topped out at No. 2. The singer also crossed over onto the country charts with 20 songs, including 2003’s ACM-winning No. 1 Alan Jackson duet “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” as well as 2011’s No. 1 hit “Knee Deep” with the Zac Brown Band and 2004’s “Hey Good Lookin’,” a Hank Williams cover that hit No. 8 with some help from Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait. In addition, Buffett landed 15 entries on the Adult Contemporary charts — including a No. 1 with Margaritaville in 1977 and 17 entires on the top country albums chart, with eight top 10s and a No. 1 with License to Chill.
While Buffett’s album and single sales later waned, he remained a huge live draw, playing an endless series of tours with his beloved Coral Reefer Band to his legion of colorfully dressed fans, whose devotion rivaled that of the Grateful Dead’s indefatigable “Deadhead” followers. He also launched the Radio Margaritaville channel on SiriusXM and spun off a series of best-selling books, including the short story collection Tales From Margaritaville (1989), his first fiction novel, Where Is Joe Merchant? (1992), the 1998 memoir A Pirate Looks at Fifty and the novels A Salty Piece of Land (2004) and Swine Not? A Novel Pig Tale.
According to the New York Times, he was one of only six writers — along with Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck and William Styron — to top both the Times’ fiction and nonfiction best-seller lists. Buffett also dipped his toes into two children’s books written with his daughter, Savannah Jane, The Jolly Mon (1988) and Trouble Dolls (1991).
Over the years, Buffett also contributed original songs to a number of movies, including Summer Rental, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Urban Cowboy, Jurassic World and FernGully, as well as filming cameos for Repo Man, Hook, Congo and Rancho Deluxe.
Harold Childs, who broke through industry barriers in the ‘70s as a Black man overseeing pop music promotion at A&M Records, died of leukemia in Los Angeles on Sunday, Aug. 27. He was 80 years old. Childs’ death follows that of A&M co-founder Jerry Moss, who died Aug. 16.
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Known for his innate business savvy, vibrant personality and dapper style, Childs spent more than 50 years in a music career that included tenures with RCA Victor, Qwest Records and Warner Bros. Records.
“He was a consummate ‘Record Man,’” Direct Management co-founder Martin Kirkup tells Billboard of Childs, a longtime friend and fellow A&M alumnus. “I was vp of artist development from 1975-85 and worked with Harold for most of that decade. He was passionate about the wide range of music that A&M embraced, with great instincts for the tactics and strategy of breaking records. But what really made him special was his personal warmth, good humor and his endless interest in other people. That’s why people were so devoted to him.”
Ray Harris, founder and chairman emeritus of the Living Legends Foundation, worked with Childs at Warner Bros. where the former served as the label’s senior vp of Black music promotion. Sharing his memories of Childs with Billboard, Harris says, “They say your name and reputation will reach a stranger’s door before you do. It was such with Harold Childs. When I entered the music business in the ‘70s, Harold was one of the people I would constantly hear about. He worked at one of the hottest independent labels [A&M] as vp of promotion in charge of the pop department as well as other genres of music.
“That was unique,” adds Harris, “because Harold was an African American male navigating through a pop world normally carved out for our white counterparts. There was very few African Americans moving in that world during that period. Childs not only moved in it, he was a dominant part of that company’s success. I got to know Harold and found him to be classy, fashion-forward, professional and a nice guy. Sleep well my friend, you’ve made your mark.”
Born May 8, 1943 in Philadelphia, Childs was a student at the city’s Dobbins High School when he began working in the stock room at Marnel Record Distributors. He later segued to RCA Victor as regional promotion manager where he worked with artists such as Peter Nero and Henry Mancini. Then in 1969 he joined A&M as national sales and promotion director for its CTI (Creed Taylor International) imprint, based in New York.
Relocating to Los Angeles in 1971, Childs retained his same role for A&M solely after CTI became independent. During his subsequent appointments as vp of promotion in 1974 and senior vp of promotion and sales in 1978, Childs played an integral role in A&M’s evolution as one of the industry’s leading independent labels in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He and his team broke projects from the Carpenters, Cat Stevens, Captain & Tennille, Peter Frampton, Supertramp, the Brothers Johnson, Styx, Joe Jackson, the Police, the Human League and George Harrison’s A&M-distributed Dark Horse label.
Leaving A&M in 1984, Childs joined PolyGram as senior vp and then served as president of Quincy Jones’ Qwest Records at the latter’s request. During a later stint at Warner Bros. Records, Childs headed the label’s jazz promotion department, working with a roster that included Al Jarreau, David Sanborn and George Benson, who began his career at CTI.
Ed Eckstein, former president of Mercury Records, described being mentored by Childs as “a godsend and a blessing to say the least. I got to see firsthand — during my years working with Quincy Jones — [Childs’] unique field general, fearless-leader style of leadership; the level of respect he received from his troops and associates, coupled with the results he accrued, was awe inspiring. Harold was smart, incisive, sharp, demanding, funny, fair and the Essence of Sartorial Splendor at all times.”
Childs’ resumé includes serving as senior consultant for Soundboard Marketing. The Los Angeles-based company has collaborated with brands such as Paul Mitchell Salons as well as Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles, Ray Parker Jr. and producer Patrick Leonard. Childs was also a consultant for Japanese-based Alpha Records, working as its U.S. liaison in a sales and promotion capacity. The Living Legends Foundation presented Childs with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Donations in memory of Harold Childs may be made to The United Negro College Fund.
Bernie Marsden, the original guitarist for Whitesnake and co-writer behind some of the band’s biggest hits, died on Thursday (Aug. 24). He was 72 years old. Marsden’s family shared the news via a statement posted to the rocker’s Instagram page, along with a photo of Marsden smiling at the camera. “On behalf of his family, […]
Bob Feldman, the influential songwriter and producer behind some of the biggest hits of the 1960s, has died. He was 83 years old. A cause of death has yet to be revealed.
The news was announced in a statement from his close friend, musical collaborator and business partner Richard Gottehrer.
“It’s with great sadness that I announce the passing of Bob Feldman, my friend and legendary songwriting partner, in Grand Canyon Music and FGG Productions – Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Myself,” Gottehrer wrote in a statement sent to Billboard. “As a team we go back to the 1960’s and the Brill Building days where we wrote and/or produced classics like ‘My Boyfriend’s Back,’ ‘I Want Candy,’ ‘Hang on Sloopy’ and ‘Sorrow,’ which was eventually recorded and became an everlasting hit by David Bowie. We were even an ‘Australian’ band that called ourselves The Strangeloves.
“We were young and inexperienced but learned how to produce by making demos of our songs; this led each of us to ongoing active careers in music after we went our separate ways,” his statement continued. “We remained friends and to this day 60 years later are still partners in those same companies we started back then.”
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Feldman and his neighbor Jerry Goldstein would frequently write songs together before meeting Gottehrer in 1962. The trio formed FGG Productions and wrote several hits together, including The Angels’ No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit “My Boyfriend’s Back” and The McCoys’ “Sorrow,” which was later popularized by The Merseys and Bowie. The group also produced The McCoys’ Hot 100 No. 1 “Hang on Sloopy” — which endures as an unofficial theme song at Ohio State University sports events — all while making it big in their own group, The Strangeloves. As a band, they scored Hot 100 top 40 hits with “I Want Candy” (No. 11), “Cara-Lin” (No. 39) and “Night Time” (No. 30). Bow Wow Wow famously covered “Candy” in 1982, taking it back to the Hot 100 (it reached No. 62 that July).
Feldman was also a published author, releasing his own book of verse, lyrics and memoirs in 2019 titled Simply Put! Thoughts and Feelings from the Heart.
Gottehrer concluded his statement by writing, “The memories of the times we shared; the songs we wrote and the adventures that filled our lives remain. Sooner or later we’ll all pass but the music will live on. Rest in peace Bob….we’ll meet again.”
Feldman is survived by his two daughters, Kyle and Mahri. He is also the biological father of actor Corey Feldman, who emancipated himself from Bob and his mom Sheila as a teenager.
Ray Hildebrand, the “Paul” in ‘60s pop duo Paul & Paula, died Friday (Aug. 18) in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 82.
Hildebrand passed away “peacefully,” and was surrounded by his family, according to a statement from his publicist.
Born December 21, 1940, in Joshua, Texas, Hildebrand met his singing partner Jill Jackson (Paula) while attending Howard Payne College (now called Howard Payne University) in Brownwood the Lone Star State.
Though never romantically involved, Paul & Paula landed a string of songs on Billboard’s charts, including “Young Lovers,” “First Quarrel,” “First Day Back at School,” and “Something Old, Something New,” and their best-known hit, the multi-million-seller from 1963 “Hey Paula,” which Hildebrand penned. The single logged three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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Mercury Records chief Shelby Singleton signed the pair, and reissued “Hey Paula” on its Phillips subsidiary. It was also Singleton who renamed the pair as Paul & Paula, apparently concerned that an act named Ray and Jill singing about “hey, hey Paula” and “hey, hey Paul” was a bridge too far.
Paul & Paula released two albums and a Christmas-themed set, before disbanding in 1965, Hildebrand keen to complete his college education and pursue a different musical direction.
The pair would remain friends, and occasionally reunited for special gigs.
A devout Christian, Hildebrand’s post- Paul & Paula solo recordings were largely a reflection of his faith. “Say I Do” is said to be a trailblazing record of the contemporary Christian genre. Later, he would team up with Paul Land, performing Christian music under the name of Land & Hildebrand.
Hildebrand traveled the country sharing his music and faith, and worked with The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, reps say.
The late singer and songwriter is preceded in death by his wife, Judy Hendricks, and survived by his daughter, Heidi Sterling, and son Mike Hildebrand, both of Kansas City.
Broadway actor/singer Chris Peluso, star of beloved musicals such as Mamma Mia! and Elton John’s Lestat has died at 40. Playbill reported that Peluso’s family confirmed that he died on Tuesday (Aug. 15), a year after he took a break from theater work to seek treatment for schizoaffective disorder; Billboard was unable to independently confirm Peluso’s death at press time.
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The actor’s alma mater, the University of Michigan, posted a tribute on the school’s musical theater department Instagram that read, “The Michigan Musical Theatre family is heartbroken as we announce the passing of our dear family member/alum, the loving, charismatic, and divinely gifted Chris Peluso… Our hearts go out to his family.”
Peluso first gained attention on Broadway as an understudy in the 2004 Tony-winning revival of Assassins and as understudy for the roles of Louis and Nicolas in Lestat. He went on to join the ensemble for the original touring company of Wicked in 2005 and take on the role of Fiyero in a 2009 national tour, as well as Sky in Mamma Mia!, Marius in Les Miserables and Tony in West Side Story.
The versatile actor also also appeared in a number of musicals in London’s West End, including playing Gaylord Ravenal in a revival of Show Boat in 2016 and Sir Percival Glyde in The Woman in White in 2017, as well as appearing in Miss Saigon and Death Takes a Holiday.
The versatile actor/singer also took on three lead parts in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in 2014, understudying for the roles of Gerry Goffin, Don Kirshner and Barry Mann.
Peluso is survived by his wife, Jessica Gomes — who he married in 2018 — and two young children. A GoFundMe was started in Sept. on Peluso’s behalf, seeking contributions to help the actor pursue treatment for the serious mental health disorder, which reportedly caused him to experience “debilitating paranoia” that kept him from performing in recent years.
The Mayo Clinic defines schizoaffective disorder as a mental health “marked by a combination of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania.”
The funding page noted that Peluso lacked health insurance in the U.S. and had left his wife and children to seek treatment at an inpatient mental health rehab center in Tennessee.
A Nov. update to the funding drive, which raised more than $25,000, contained a note from Peluso, who said he had completed treatment and was “stable and doing well.” At the time, he wrote, “The new medication I’m on works well to keep my symptoms in check and has minimal side effects. I’m able to hold down a job again and even began taping some auditions. It’s going to be a life long process of going to therapy and working with doctors but I’m so much better than I was before treatment. It really means the world to me to have such incredible support from you all. None of this progress would have been possible without you.”
Check out rehearsal footage of Peluso in Show Boat and see the UM tribute below.
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If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.