Deaths in August 2022-- Part 9: Scully, Newton-John, Dozier, Heche and Gorbachev

AUGUST

VIN SCULLY, 94

**  A Hall of Fame broadcaster who called thousands of games involving the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers during his 67 years in the booth.  Died August 2.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN, 73

**  Grammy-winning superstar who reigned on pop, country, adult contemporary and dance charts with such hits as "Physical" and "You're the One That I Want" and won countless hearts as everyone's favorite Sandy in the blockbuster film version of "Grease."  Died August 8.

Next to Linda Ronstadt, my second female singer heart throb.

LAMONT DOZIER, 81

**  He was the middle name of the celebrated Holland-Dozier-Holland team that wrote or produced "You Can't Hurry Love,"  "Heat Wave" and dozens of other hits, making Motown an essential record company of the 1960s and beyond.  Died August 8.

I'm a huge Motown fan.

ANNE HECHE, 53

**  Emmy-winning film and television actor whose dramatic Hollywood rise in the 1990s and accomplished career contrasted with chapters of personal turmoil.  Died August14.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV, 91 

**  As the last leader of the Soviet Union, he set out to revitalize it but ended up unleashing forces that led to the collapse of communism, the breakup of the state and the end of the Cold War,  Died August 30.

I wish he was the Russian leader now and not the current person.

Let's Dance-- Part 10: Give Me Good Old Frat/Soul Dancing Anytime

My idea of fun dancing is what you saw on "Animal House" at the Delta Tau Delta toga party.  That and any type of soul dancing.

We used to do a lot of dancing at our Delta Sigma Phi parties at NIU.  We generally played just four albums (yes, albums as that is what we had back 1969-1973).  They were:  Green River by CCR (our fraternity song was "The Buffalo Song" to the tune of "Lodi"), Sly & the Family Stone's Greatest Hits, Four Tops Greatest Hits and Temptations Greatest Hits.

Play one side of all four, flip them over and do the other side.  Repeat as needed.

I dance where the music takes me.

Give Me a Beat That Can't Be Beat.  --CootFrat

Let's Dance-- Part 8: They Made Us Feel Like Dancing

5.  MADONNA--  Before she sang, she sought a dance career.  And, she sure did some dancin' while she was singin'.

6.  PAULA ABDUL--  The '80s MTV star was also a top choreographer.  And she could sing too.

7.  JANET JACKSON--  As good as her brother?  Absolutely, say dance experts and her many fans.  And, you never know when she will have problem with her clothes.

8.  MICHAEL JACKSON--  The King of Pop changed modern dance.  Can you say "Moonwalk"?  Hurt myself bad trying that.  Won't do it again.

9.  MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV--  He made ballet fresh, exciting and even sexy for millions of Americans.  Well, not me.

Of course, I sure loved Toni Basil in her "Mickey" video.  I guess you'd call that cheerleader dancing.  Plus, the moves the Motown groups had just blew me away.

Then, there was Tina Turner and her Ikettes.  How those short dresses stayed on during those moves was beyond me.

Moving Soul.  --Cooter

Dead Page: Funk-- Deep-- Queen

While looking through the Yahoo! obituaries, I came across the names of two people I'd never heard of before, but whose music I greatly enjoyed.  Also, there was a woman who was called the Queen of Country Music that I had heard of, but for only one song, but, what a song that was.

What they had in common was that all died July 16th.


BOB BABBITT, 74

Was a studio musician for Motown and a member of the Funk Brothers who backed up so many of those great Motown singers and groups.  Some of the 200 Top 40 songs he played on were the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion," Marvin Gaye's "Mercy, Mercy Me (Ecology Song)," Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered,"  Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown" and Edwin Starr's "War."

If there is a bigger Motown fan than me, I'd like to know.


JON LORD, 71

British keyboardist and member of Deep Purple and later, Whitesnake.  Co-wrote one of my favorite songs ever, "Smoke on the Water."

I am still a big Deep Purple fan and liked some of Whitesnake's songs.


KITTY WELLS, 92

Called the Queen of Country Music after she became the first female to have a #1 song on the Country charts, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."  Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976.  Her most success was in the 1950s.

This was the only song of hers I am familiar with, but what a song!!

Gone, But Not Forgotten.

Dead Page: "Please Mr. Postman"

GLADYS HORTON, 66

Co-founder and Lead Singer of the Marvelettes

Died Jan. 26, 2011. Ms. Horton was a teenager in the Detroit suburb of Inkster when she and friends former a group called the Casingyets, short for "Can't Sing Yet."

They changed their name to Marvelettes and at age 15, Gladys and her friends evidently had learned how to sing and had a #1 song across the US with "Please Mr. Postman" for Motown when she was just 15.

Horton also sand lead on the Marvelette songs "Playboy," "Beechwood 4-5789," and "Too Many Fish in the Sea."

All of these are some of my all-time favorite songs.

She was replaced as lead singer in 1965 and left the group two years later.

From AP.