Reporting on some major passings here early in 2026
These individuals have been a lead vocalist for the the group Three Dog Night; acted in movies and TV such as Home Alone, Beetlejuice, and SCTV; was the original bassist for the band Funkadelic; and acted in movies and television such as Sanford and Son, Baby… I’m Back!, and The New Odd Couple.
The King of Pop is one of my 2024 inductees.
Michael Jackson’s solo career is one of the most influential and celebrated in the history of music. Before launching his solo career, Jackson was the lead singer of The Jackson 5, a group formed in 1964 with his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. Managed by their father, Joe Jackson, The Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records in 1968.
Cynthia Weil wrote the lyrics and her husband Barry Mann the music.
Cynthia Weil was an American songwriter and lyricist known for her contributions to numerous hit songs from the 1960s and beyond. Born on October 18, 1940, in New York City, Cynthia Weil grew up on the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side of Manhattan in a Conservative Jewish family.
