Frank Beard, Vincent Pastore, Ben Jones, and Plaz Johnson Die

Four more losses to reflect on here, summer of 2026…

These guys were the long time drummer for the rock band ZZ Top; an actor, often cast as a mafioso, best known for his role in The Sopranos; an actor/politician best known as Cooter in the Dukes of Hazzard; and a soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, known as the tenor saxophone soloist on Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther Theme”.

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Bobby Troup

He served as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, where he wrote and performed music for morale-boosting shows.

Bobby Troup, born Robert Wesley Troup Jr., October 18, 1918, was an American jazz pianist, singer, songwriter, actor, and composer best known for writing the iconic song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” as well as “Daddy,” which became a hit for Sammy Kaye, and “The Girl Can’t Help It,” made famous by Little Richard; he was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,

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Lyrical: “Shangri-La” (Part One)

Songs that contains “Shangri-La” in the Lyrics.

“Shangri-La” is a fictional utopian paradise described in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. It is depicted as a secluded and harmonious valley in the Himalayas, where inhabitants experience prolonged life and inner peace. The term has since become synonymous with an idealized, peaceful retreat. Hilton’s concept drew inspiration from Tibetan myths and Western fascination with Eastern mysticism.

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