/ Stars that died in 2023

Friday, May 3, 2013

Roger Williams, American pianist (Autumn Leaves), died from pancreatic cancer he was 87.

Roger Williams , born Louis Jacob Weertz, was an American popular music pianist. As of 2004, he had released 116 albums.[1]

(October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011)

Biography

He was born to a Lutheran minister, the Rev. Frederick J. Weertz (1891–1980) and a music teacher, Dorothea Bang Weertz (1895–1985), in Omaha, Nebraska. The family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, before his first birthday. He first played the piano at age three.[2] In high school he became interested in boxing, mainly at his father's insistence, and only returned to music after breaking his nose several times and sustaining several other injuries.
He majored in piano at Drake University in Des Moines, but claimed he was expelled for playing "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in the practice room.[3] Weertz entered the United States Navy and served in World War II. While still in the Navy, he earned a bachelor's degree from Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) in 1950. Afterwards, Weertz re-enrolled at Drake, where he earned his master's degree. He then moved to New York City to attend Juilliard,[2] where he studied jazz piano under Lennie Tristano and Teddy Wilson.
Williams won a talent contest on Dennis James' television program, Chance of a Lifetime. He was heard by David Kapp, founder of Kapp Records. Kapp was so impressed that he signed the pianist, changing his name to "Roger Williams" after the founder of Rhode Island.[4]
In 1955 Williams recorded "Autumn Leaves", the only piano instrumental to reach #1 on Billboard's popular music chart.[1] It sold over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It was the fourth #1 song of the "rock era," which unofficially began with the ascension of "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets into the top spot.[5] In 1966 he had another Top Ten hit with the song "Born Free" from the motion picture soundtrack. His other hits include "Near You", "Till", "The Impossible Dream", "Yellow Bird", "Maria", and "The Theme from Somewhere in Time". Billboard magazine ranks him as the top selling piano recording artist in history with 18 gold and platinum albums to his credit. Williams was known as the "Pianist to the Presidents" having played for nine administrations beginning with Harry S. Truman.[2] His last White House performance was in November 2008 for a luncheon hosted by First Lady Laura Bush.
His interest in the public stems from a boyhood experience in Des Moines, Iowa. After a piano concert by the Polish genius Ignacy Jan Paderewski, young Roger waited for 45 minutes outside in the freezing cold to meet his idol. When the pianist finally appeared it was to rush to a waiting automobile. "I didn't even get near enough to touch him or get an autograph," says Williams. "It was then and there I resolved that if ever I became famous I would never disappoint anyone who wanted to talk to me."[6]
On his 75th birthday, Williams performed his first 12-hour piano marathon. He performed the marathon at Steinway Hall in New York City and the Nixon, Carter and Reagan Presidential Libraries. His Steinway & Sons "Gold Steinway"[7] grand piano was on tour for public display and entertainment during 2007–2008.
In 2010 Roger Williams was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. At that time, "Autumn Leaves" was the best-selling piano solo record of all time and the only one ever to top the Billboard charts[8].

Illness and death

In March 2011 Williams posted on his website that he had pancreatic cancer and that his doctors had told him they could not remove the tumor until chemotherapy shrunk it to an operable size. Williams said that he did not plan on canceling any upcoming concerts. He wrote: "What does it all mean? It means I'm in just one more fight — the fight for my life.. And this much I know, this old Navy boxing champion is going for broke. Just watch me!"[9]
Williams died on October 8, 2011, one week after his 87th birthday.[10][11]

Discography

  • "Near You" (Kapp Kl-1112 1958)
  • Plays Christmas Songs (Kapp KL1042, 1956)
  • Roger Williams (Kapp KL1012, 1956)
  • Songs of the Fabulous Fifties (Kapp KXL5000, 1957)
  • Songs of the Fabulous Century (Kapp KXL5005, 1958)
  • More Songs of the Fabulous Fifties (Kapp KL1130, 1959)
  • Songs of the Fabulous Fifties- Part 1 (Kapp KL1209, 1960)
  • Yellow Bird (Kapp KL1244, 1961)
  • Greatest Hits (Kapp KS3260, 1962)
  • Mr. Piano (Kapp KS3290, 1962)
  • Country Style (Kapp KL1305, 1963)
  • By Special Request (Kapp KL3, 1964)
  • The Solid Gold Steinway (Kapp KL1354, 1964)
  • Autumn Leaves-1965 (Kapp KL1452, 1965)
  • Plays the Hits (Kapp KL1414, 1965)
  • Summer Wind (Kapp KS3434, 1965)
  • Born Free (Kapp KS3501, 1966)
  • By Special Request-Vol.2 (Kapp KS4, 1967)
  • Golden Hits (Kapp KS3530, 1967)
  • Roger! (Kapp KL1512, 1967)
  • Amor (Kapp KS3549, 1968)
  • The Piano Magic of Roger Williams (Columbia Record Club P3S5314, 1969)
  • Summer of '42 (Kapp KS3650, 1971)
  • Twilight Themes (Longines LS206C, 1971)
  • Love Theme from "The Godfather" (Kapp KS3665, 1972)
  • The Way We Were (MCA-403, 1974)
  • Autumn Leaves-The Best of Roger Williams (Reader's Digest/MCA, 1978)
  • Golden Christmas (Holiday HDY-1927, 1981)
  • 1970's (MCA2-4180, 1983)
  • Golden Christmas (Special Music Company SCD-4607, 1993)

References



To see more of who died in 2011 click here

Mikey Welsh, American artist and musician (Weezer), died he was 40.



Michael Edward "Mikey" Welsh was an American artist and musician, best known as the former bassist of Weezer. He played with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo during Cuomo's time in Boston during the hiatus in the band Homie. Following original bassist Matt Sharp's decision to leave Weezer to focus on his group, The Rentals, Welsh was chosen to take over for him. Welsh played with Weezer from the time that they regrouped in 2000 until August 2001, when he suffered a mental breakdown. Shortly afterwards, he retired from music to focus on his art career.[2] Welsh died on October 8, 2011.[30]

(April 20, 1971 – October 8, 2011) 


Early musical career and joining Weezer

Welsh was born April 20, 1971 in Syracuse, New York. He began his career as a Boston-area musician, playing in bands such as Heretix, Chevy Heston, Jocobono, Left Nut, and Slower.[4][5][6][7] He was a touring bassist for Juliana Hatfield.[8] In 1997 he joined the first incarnation of The Rivers Cuomo Band, the side-project of Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.[7][8]
He joined Weezer following the departure of Matt Sharp in 1998.[4][9] During Weezer's hiatus he played with Verbena and the first incarnation of Patrick Wilson's band The Special Goodness. He wrote a large number of bass lines in this period, recorded them and sent them to Rivers Cuomo for writing inspiration.,[10] although Cuomo never used any of them.
Instead, he contributed four of these to Juliana Hatfield's 2000 album Juliana's Pony: Total System Failure.[11] Welsh was given a co-writing credit for four songs.[12]
He toured with the band from their resurgence in the summer of 2000 and most of the way through tours supporting The Green Album, the only Weezer album he would ever appear on. He would also appear on their limited edition Christmas EP (re-released in 2005 as Winter Weezerland) and on a number of b-sides and unreleased songs. He also played on the road and in the studio with Patrick Wilson's band The Special Goodness.[13]

Mental breakdown and exit from Weezer

Mikey Welsh left Weezer in 2001 for reasons that were left unclear to the public for several years after it happened. It was eventually revealed that he did in fact have a nervous breakdown due to drug use, undiagnosed mental conditions, and the constant wear of touring. The combination of these factors ultimately led Welsh to attempt suicide via drug overdose.[3] He was checked in to a psychiatric hospital sometime during August 2001.[14] He later spoke about the ordeal in an interview with the website Rock Salt Plum:
Basically, a lifetime of doing drugs and being undiagnosed as having bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder finally caught up with me when I was 30 years old. At the beginning of a 3-month European tour with Weezer, I started slowly falling apart. Without getting too graphic, by the time the tour was winding up, my weight had gone down to about 140lbs (I'm 6'2") [63,5 kg - 1,88 m] and mentally completely wiped out. When I returned to the States, my family had made plans for me to see a psychiatrist in Boston. First though, we had to play a few dates around the U.S., and perform on The Tonite (sic) Show (which ended up being my last performance with Weezer). By the time I got to Boston, I was having a complete nervous breakdown. It ended with a severe suicide attempt (an overdose). I was found and rushed to the hospital where I had come to within minutes of my heart completely stopping. I was in a coma for a few days, and woke up in a lockdown psychiatric ward.
—Mikey Welsh, Feb. 2007 Rock Salt Plum Interview[3]
Weezer shot a new version of the video for their song, "Island in the Sun" to exclude Welsh.[15][16] In the fall of 2001, the band hired Scott Shriner to fill Welsh's place in the band.[17]

Retirement from music

In late 2001/2002, Welsh returned to the Boston music scene by temporarily joining Nate Albert's (guitarist for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones) band, The Kickovers.[2] In an interview, he expressed his distaste for the corporate music process, stating that, "It’s actually fun to just be playing in the studio without some major-label idiot standing over your shoulder."[18]
Soon after, he retired from music to become a full-time artist.[2] He, his wife and their two sons lived in Vermont.[9][19]
Welsh attended a Weezer show on July 12, 2005 in Lewiston, Maine. Cuomo dedicated "Hash Pipe" to him, the very mention of his name drawing forth cheers from the crowd. Welsh also got to meet current Weezer bassist Scott Shriner.[20]
On September 2, 2010, he played bass on the song "Hash Pipe" with Weezer at a show in Essex Junction, Vermont.
On July 29, 2011, Welsh played guitar on the song "Undone" with Weezer and Flaming Lips at a show in New York.

Art career

Welsh became an artist. As of August 2008, he had 13 exhibitions of his artwork.[21] He was a member of Outsider Art.[22]
A quote from Welsh's official website explains his methods of creating his art:
Welsh attacks his canvases with pure spontaneity and aggression, almost never using a brush and preferring to work only with his hands and fingers. This technique gives him the opportunity to get as close and "inside" to his paintings as he needs to be. For him, this is a necessity. Welsh also works in sculpture, working with found objects. Constructing creatures out of broken and dismantled chairs and furniture, to vacuum hoses, tupperware, wire, and rope. All painted with his usual explosion of color.[21]
His artwork is featured on a Burton snowboard, in a line of snowboards titled "The Farm".[23] He recently designed and painted the album cover for Twin Berlin's debut album.[24]

Death

On October 8, 2011, Welsh's Facebook page announced that he had "passed away unexpectedly", with a memorial image attached. It was later announced that Welsh had been found dead in a hotel room in Chicago, from a suspected drug overdose leading to a heart attack.[25][26] [27] He had posted on Twitter on September 26, 2011, "dreamt i died in chicago next weekend (heart attack in my sleep). need to write my will today"[28] followed by "correction - the weekend after next"[29]. There has been discussion of whether his prediction was a self-fulfilling prophecy[30].

Discography

With Weezer

With Jocobono

  • 1995 – Jocobono

With Juliana Hatfield

With The Kickovers

With Heretix

  • 1993 – The Adventures of Superdevil

With Left Nut

  • 1990 - Bad Attitude No Apologies


To see more of who died in 2011 click here

Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, Sri Lankan politician, Member of Parliament (1994–2000), died from a shot he was 55.

Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra  was a Sri Lankan politician a former member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and Adviser (Trade Unions) to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.[1][2]

(26 January 1956 – 8 October 2011) 

Political career

Premachandra received his education at Ananda College. Due to his father's influence he became closely associated with leftist politics and became a Member of Kolonnawa Urban Council. Later he joined the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party and became its organizer for Kolonnawa. Representing the party in the first Provincial Council election in Sri Lanka, he became a PC member in the United Socialist Alliance. He was first elected to Parliament contesting the 1994 General Election as a Member of the Mahajana Party from the Colombo district. In 2000 election too he represented Parliament as an Opposition member representing the People's Alliance.


To see more of who died in 2011 click here

Gregory Possehl, American archaeologist, died he was 70.


Gregory Louis Possehl was a Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania and curator of the Asian Collections at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.[1] 
(July 21, 1941 – October 8, 2011)
He has been involved in excavations of the Indus Valley Civilization in India and Pakistan since 1964, and is an author of many books and articles on the Indus Civilization and related topics. He received his BA in Anthropology from the University of Washington in 1964, his MA in Anthropology from the University of Washington in 1967, and his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Chicago in 1974. He has conducted major excavations in Gujarat (Rojdi, Babar Kot and Oriyo Timbo), Rajasthan (Gilund), and in January 2007, began an excavation at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bat in the Sultanate of Oman.[2]
He is an exponent of the view that the culture of the Vedic period is a direct successor of the Indus Valley Civilization. In his book Ancient Cities of the Indus he writes that "the first point to be emphasized is that the problem seems not to be best stated as the "end" of a civilization, at least in the sense of a tradition, since there are abundant signs of cultural continuity in Sindh, Gujarat, the Punjab and adjacent areas of the North India."

Articles

His works include:
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1967. The Mohenjo-daro floods: A reply. American Anthropologist 69: 32-40.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1974. Variation and change in the Indus Civilization: A study of prehistoric Gujarat with special reference to the post-urban Harappan. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Chicago. x, 302 pp., ill. Revised version published in 1980 as "Indus Civilization in Saurashtra".
  • Dhavalikar, M. K., and Gregory L. Possehl, 1974. Subsistence pattern of an early farming community of western India. Puratattva (Bulletin of the Indian Archaeological Society) 7: 39-46.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1975. The chronology of gabarbands and palas in western South Asia. Expedition 17 (2): 33-37.
  • Kennedy, Kenneth A.R., and Gregory L. Possehl (eds.), 1976. Ecological backgrounds of South Asian prehistory. Symposium convened at the seventy-second annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association, December 2, 1973, New Orleans. (South Asia Occasional Papers and Theses, 4.) Ithaca NY: South Asia Program, Cornell University. 28 cm, vi, 236 pp., ill., maps. Pb
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1976. Lothal: A gateway settlement of the Harappan Civilization. pp. 198–131 in: Kennedy, Kenneth A. R., and Gregory L. Possehl (eds.), Ecological backgrounds of South Asian prehistory. (South Asia Occasional Papers and Theses, 4.) Ithaca: South Asia Program, Cornell University. Reprinted, pp. 212–218 in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.) 1979. Ancient cities of the Indus. New Delhi.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1977. The end of a state and continuity of a tradition: A discussion of the Late Harappan. pp. 234–254 in: Fox, Richard G. (ed.), Realm and region in traditional India. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
  • Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.) 1979. ANCIENT CITIES OF THE INDUS. Durham NC: Carolina Academic Press & New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. 27 cm, xv, 422 pp., 8 pl., ill. Hb ISBN 0-89089-093-5 & 0-7069-0781-7.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1979. Introduction. Pp. vii-xv in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.), Ancient cities of the Indus.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1979. Radiocarbon dates for the Indus Civilization and related sites. pp. 358–360 in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.), Ancient cities of the Indus.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1979. An extensive bibliography of the Indus Civilization including references cited in the text. pp. 361–422 in: Possehl, Gregory L., 1979. (Ed.) Ancient cities of the Indus.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1979. Pastoral nomadism in the Indus Civilization: An hypothesis. pp. 537–551 in: Taddei, Maurizio (ed.), South Asian Archaeology 1977, vol. I. (Istituto Universitario Orientale, Seminario di Studi Asiatici, Series minor, 6: I.) Naples: Istituto Universitario Orientale, Seminario di Studi Asiatici.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., and Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, 1979. Hunter-gatherer/agriculturalist exchange in prehistory: An Indian example. Current Anthropology 20 (3): 592-593.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1980. INDUS CIVILIZATION IN SAURASHTRA. New Delhi: Published on behalf of Indian Archaeological Society by B.R. Publishing Corporation. 29 cm, xvi, 264 pp., ill., maps. Hb [Revised version of the author's Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Chicago, 1974.]
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1981. Cambay bead-making: An ancient craft in modern India. Expedition 23 (4): 39-46.
  • Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.) 1982. HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION: A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. and American Institute of Indian Studies; Warminster: Aris & Phillips in cooperation with American Institute of Indian Studies. 28 cm xiii, 440 pp., 93 pl., maps. Hb
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1982. The Harappan Civilization: A contemporary perspective. pp. 15–28 in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.), Harappan Civilization: A contemporary perspective.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1982. Discovering ancient India's earliest cities: The first phase of research. pp. 405–413 in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.), Harappan Civilization: A contemporary perspective.
  • Possehl. Gregory L., 1984. Archaeological terminology and the Harappan Civilization. pp. 27–36 in: Lal, B.B., and S.P. Gupta (eds.), Frontiers of the Indus Civilization: Sir Mortimer Wheeler Commemoration Volume. New Delhi:
Indian Archaeological Society.
  • Kennedy, Kenneth A. R., and Gregory L. Possehl (eds.) 1984. STUDIES IN THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND PALAEOANTHROPOLOGY OF SOUTH ASIA. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. and American Institute of Indian Studies. 25 cm, viii, 144 pp., ill., maps.
  • Lyons, Elizabeth, and Heather Peters, 1985. Buddhism: History and diversity of a great tradition. With contributions by Chang Ch'eng-mei & Gregory L. Possehl. Philadelphia: University Museum, University of Pennsylvania. 28 cm, 64 pp., ill., map. ISBN 0-934718-76-8.
  • Possehl, Gregory L., 1986. KULLI: AN EXPLORATION OF AN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION IN SOUTH ASIA. (Centers of Civilization, 1.) Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press. 29 cm, viii, 168 pp., ill. Hb ISBN 0-89089-173-7.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1986. African millets in South Asian prehistory. pp. 237–256 in: Jerome Jacobson (ed.), Studies in the archaeology of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. and American Institute of Indian Studies.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1987-1988. Indian Archaeology, A Review: Guide to excavated sites 1953-54 through 1983-84. Puratattva (Bulletin of the Indian Archaeological Society) 18: 113-172.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1989. RADIOCARBON DATES FOR SOUTH ASIAN ARCHAEOLOGY. (Occasional publication of the Asian Section.) Philadelphia: University Museum, University of Pennsylvania. 28 cm. 60 pp.
Possehl, Gregory L., and M. H. Raval, 1989. HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION AND ROJDI. With contributions from Y. M. Chitalwala et al. Leiden and New York: E. J. Brill; New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. and American Institute of Indian Studies. 29 cm, xv, 197 pp., 46 pl., 80 ill., 5 maps. ISBN 90-04-09157-2 & 81-204-0404-1.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1990. Revolution in the urban revolution: The emergence of Indus urbanization. Annual Review of Anthropology 19: 261-282.
Possehl. Gregory L., 1990. An archaeological adventurer in Afghanistan: Charles Masson. South Asian Studies 6: 111-124.
Possehl, Gregory L., and Charles Frank Herman, 1990. The Sorath Harappan: A new regional manifestation of the Indus urban phase. pp. 295–319 in: Taddei, Maurizio, with P. Callieri (ed.), South Asian Archaeology 1987, vol. I. (Serie Orientale Roma 66: I.) Roma: Istituto per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente.
Rissman, Paul C., and Y. M. Chitalwala, 1990. Harappan Civilization and Oriyo Timbo. With contributions from Gregory L. Possehl et al. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. and American Institute of Indian Studies. 25 cm, xi, 155 pp., ill. ISBN 81-204-0484-X.
Possehl, Gregory L., and Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, 1990. Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia (1908–1989). American Anthropologist 92: 1006-1010.
Possehl, Gregory L., and M.H. Raval, 1991. A report on the excavations at Babar Kot: 1990-91. S.l. 16 p. Submitted to the ASI.
Possehl, Gregory L., and Paul C. Rissman, 1992. The chronology of prehistoric India: From earliest times to the Iron Age. pp. 465–490 in vol. I and pp. 447–474 (Fig. 1-13, tables 1-14 and References) in vol. II of: Ehrich, Robert W. (ed.), Chronologies in Old World archaeology, 3rd ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1992. The Harappan cultural mosaic: Ecology revisited. pp. 237–244 in vol. I of: Jarrige, Catherine (ed.), South Asian Archaeology 1989. (Monographs in World Archaeology, 14.) Madison WI: Prehistory Press.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1992. The Harappan Civilization in Gujarat: The Sorath and Sindhi Harappans. The Eastern Anthropologist 45 (1-2): 117-154.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1992. A short history of archaeological discovery at Harappa. In: Meadow 1992a: 5-11.
Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.) 1992. SOUTH ASIAN ARCHAEOLOGY STUDIES. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. and American Institute of Indian Studies; New York: International Science Publisher (1993). 24 cm, x, 266 pp., ill., map. Hb ISBN 81-204-0734-2 & 1881570177.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1992. Walter Ashlin Fairservis, Jr. pp. 1–12 in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.), South Asian archaeology studies.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1992. Toymakers and trade: A notice of early twentieth century commerce between Philadelphia and India. pp. 261–266 in: Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.), South Asian archaeology studies.
Possehl, Gregory L. (ed.) 1993. HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION: A RECENT PERSPECTIVE. 2nd revised ed. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. an American Institute of Indian Studies. 28 cm, xv, 595 pp., 120 pl., maps, index. Hb ISBN 81-204-0779-2.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1993. The date of Indus urbanization: A proposed chronology for the Pre-Urban and Urban Harappan phases. pp. 231–249 in: Gail, Adalbert J., and G. R. Mevissen (eds.), South Asian Archaeology 1991. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
Possehl, Gregory L., and Maurizio Tosi (eds.) 1993. HARAPPAN STUDIES, Vol. 1. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. 71 pp. Pb INR 395. ISBN 81-204-0819-5.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1994. The Indus Civilisation. Man and Environment 19 (1-2): 103-113.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1994. Of men. pp. 179–186 in: Kenoyer, Jonathan Mark (ed.), From Sumer to Meluhha: Contributions to the archaeology of South and West Asia in memory of George F. Dales, Jr. (Wisconsin Archaeological Reports, 3.) Madison, WI: Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1994. RADIOMETRIC DATES FOR SOUTH ASIAN ARCHAEOLOGY. (An occasional publication of the Asia Section.) Philadelphia: The University of Pennsylvania Museum. 122 pp.
Possehl, Gregory L., and Dinker P. Mehta, 1994. Excavations at Rojdi, 1992-93. pp. 603–614 in: Parpola, Asko, and Petteri Koskikallio (eds.), South Asian Archaeology 1993, vol. II. (Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae B 271: II.) Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1996. Meluhha. pp. 133–208 in: Reade, Julian (ed.), The Indian Ocean in antiquity. London: Kegan Paul International in association with the British Museum.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1996. Climate and the eclipse of the ancient cities of the Indus. pp. 193–244 in: Dalfes, H. NĆ¼zhet, George Kukla and Harvey Weiss (eds.), Third millennium BC climate change and Old World collapse. (NATO ASI, Series 1: Global Environment Change, vol. 49.) Berlin & New York: Springer.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1996. INDUS AGE: THE WRITING SYSTEM. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press; New Delhi: Oxford IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. 29 cm, xiv, 244 pp., 16 pl. Hb ISBN 0-8122-3345-X & 81-204-1083-1.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1997. The transformation of the Indus Civilization. Journal of World Prehistory 11 (4): 425-472. Reprinted in Man and Environment 24 (2), 1999: 1-33.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1997. The date of the Surkotada cemetery: A reassessment in light of recent archaeological work in Gujarat. pp. 81–87 in: Joshi, Jagat Pati (ed.), Facets of Indian Civilization: Recent perspectives. Essays in honour of Professor B. B. Lal. New Delhi: Aryan Books International.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1997. Seafaring merchants of Meluhha. pp. 87–100 in: Allchin, Bridget (ed.), South Asian Archaeology 1995. Cambridge: Ancient India and Iran Trust; New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1997-1998. An Harappan outpost on the Amu Darya: Shortughai, Why was it there? Indologica Taurinensia 23-24: 57-70, 1 fig.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1998. Sociocultural complexity without the state: The Indus Civilization. pp. 261–291 in: Feinman, Gary M., and Joyce Marcus (eds.), The archaic states. Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1998. Did the Sarasvati ever flow to the sea? pp. 339–354 in: Philips, C. S., D. T. Potts and S. Searight (eds.), Arabia and its neighbours: Essays on prehistorical and historical developments presented in honour of Beatric de Cardi. Brussels: Brepols.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1998. Introduction of African millets to the Indian subcontinent. pp. 107–121 in: Pendergast, H. D. V., N. L., Etkin, D. R. Harris and P. J. Houghton (eds.), Plants for food and medicine. Kew: The Royal Botanic Gardens.
Possehl, Gregory L., 1999. INDUS AGE: THE BEGINNINGS. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press; New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. 29 cm, xxxvi, 1063 pp., 580 b/w ill. Hb ISBN 0-8122-3417-0. Reviewed: Asko Parpola, The Times Higher Education Supplement, 3 Dec 1999, p. 24.
Possehl, Gregory L., and Praveena Gullapalli, 1999. The Early Iron Age in South Asia. pp. 153–175 in: Pigott, Vincent C. (ed.), The archaeometallurgy of the Asian Old World. (MASCA Research Papers in Science and Archaeology, University Museum Monograph, volume 16.) Philadelphia: The University Museum, University of Pennsylvania.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2000. Harappan beginnings. pp. 99–112 in: Lamberg-Karlovsky, Martha (ed.), The breakout: The origins of civilization. (Peabody Museum Monographs, 9.) Cambridge, MA: Peabody Museum, Harvard University.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2000-2001. The Early Harapopan phase. Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute 60-61: 227-241, 10 figs.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2000-2001. The Mature Harapopan phase. Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute 60-61: 243-251, 2 figs.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2002. THE INDUS CIVILIZATION: A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. 29 cm, xi, 276 pp., ill., maps. Pb ISBN 0-7591-0172-8. Hb ISBN 0-7591-0171-X.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2002. Fifty years of Harappan archaeology: The study of the Indus Civilization since Indian independence. pp. 1–46 in: Settar, S., and Ravi Korisettar (eds.), Protohistory: Archaeology of the Harappan Civilization. (Indian archaeology in retrospect, vol. II.) New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research & Manohar.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2002. Archaeology of the Harappan Civilization: An annotated list of excavations and surveys. pp. 421–482 in: Settar, S., and Ravi Korisettar (eds.) Protohistory: Archaeology of the Harappan Civilization. (Indian archaeology in retrospect, vol. II.) New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research & Manohar.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2002. Indus-Mesopotamian trade: The record in the Indus. Iranica Antiqua 37: 322-340.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2003. The Indus Civilization: An introduction to environment, subsistence, and cultural history. pp. 1–20 in: Weber, Steven A., and William R. Belcher (eds.), Indus ethnobiology: New perspectives from the field. Lanham MD: Lexington Books.
Shinde, V., G. L. Possehl and M. Ameri, 2005. Excavations at Gilund 2001-2003: The seal impressions and other finds. pp. 159–169 in: Franke-Vogt, Ute, & Hans-Joachim Weisshaar (eds.), South Asian Archaeology 2003. (Forschungen zur ArchƤologie aussereuropƤischer Kulturen, 1.) Aachen: Linden Soft Verlag e. K.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2007. The Indus Civilization. Chapter 9 in: Hinnells, John R. (ed.), Handbook of ancient religions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Joshi, Jagat Pati, 2008. Harappan architecture and civil engineering. Foreword by Gregory L. Possehl. (Infinity Foundation series.) New Delhi: Rupa & Co., in association with Infinity Foundation. ISBN 978-81-291-1183-8.
Possehl, Gregory L., 2010. Review of: Parpola, Asko, B. M. Pande and Petteri Koskikallio (eds.), 2010. Corpus of Indus Seals and Inscriptions, Volume 3: New material, untraced objects, and collections outside India and Pakistan. Part 1: Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, in collaboration with Richard H. Meadow and J. Mark Kenoyer. (Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae, Humaniora 359; Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India, No. 96.) Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia. Journal of the American Oriental Society 130 (2).
Possehl, G. and M. Witzel. Vedic. In: P.N. Peregrine and M. Ember, eds., Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Volume 8: South and Southwest Asia. Published in conjunction with the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York New York 2003: 391-396

Books

  • 2002 The Indus Civilization: A contemporary perspective. Walnut Creek: Altamira Press.
  • 1999 Indus Age: The beginnings. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
  • 1996 Indus Age: The writing system. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
  • 1993 Harappan Civilization: A recent perspective. 2nd revised edition. Delhi: Oxford & IBH and the American Institute of Indian Studies: edited
  • 1989 Harappan Civilization and Rojdi. Delhi: Oxford & IBH and the American Institute of Indian Studies: with M. H. Raval.
  • 1986 Kulli: An exploration of ancient civilization in South Asia. Durham: Carolina Academic Press.


To see more of who died in 2011 click here

Arthur F. Holmes, American professor of Philosophy, died he was 87.


Arthur F. Holmes  was Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College, Illinois (1951–1994). Before his retirement in 1994, he served as Chairman of Wheaton's Department of Philosophy. Thereafter he held the title of Professor Emeritus. After his retirement, he returned and taught half of the year long history of philosophy sequence, particularly the medieval (Augustine to Ockham) and the modern (Descartes to Quine) quarters in 2000-2001.

(March 15, 1924 – October 8, 2011)

He is known for his body of work on topics related to philosophy, including ethics, philosophy applied to Christian higher education, and historical interactions between Christianity and philosophy. Holmes also has served as a guest lecturer at many colleges, universities, and conferences on these topics.
Holmes is a graduate of Wheaton College. He received a Ph.D from Northwestern University.
Holmes died on October 8, 2011 at age 87.[1]

Works

  • His (1969)
  • Faith Seeks Understanding (1971)
  • The Idea of a Christian College (first edition, 1975)
  • All Truth is God's Truth (1977)
  • Contours of a World View (1983)
  • Building the Christian Academy (2001)
To see more of who died in 2011 click here

David Hess, American actor (The Last House on the Left), singer and songwriter, died from a heart attack he was 75.


David Alexander Hess [3] was an American actor, singer, and songwriter.

(September 19, 1936 – October 8, 2011)

Early life

Hess was born in New York City.

Music career

In 1956, Hess recorded the original version of the Otis Blackwell composition "All Shook Up" under the stage name David Hill.[1] The next year the song became a #1 hit single for Elvis Presley.
He began his professional career as a songwriter for Shalimar Music, in 1957. He composed "Start Movin'" for Sal Mineo and "Rockin' Shoes" for the Ames Brothers. In 1959 he recorded a cover version of Cliff Richard's "Living Doll" for Kapp Records and it became a mild placed charter for him on the US Billboard charts. He continued to write songs for Elvis Presley throughout the 1950s and 1960s, which include "Come Along," and "Sand Castles". "Your Hand, Your Heart, Your Love" became a 1960s hit when it was performed by Andy Williams. In 1962, Hess wrote and recorded "Speedy Gonzales," (as David Dante)[1] which became a #6 single for Pat Boone in the US and a #2 in the UK, selling more than eight million copies worldwide. Hess then recorded two solo albums for Kapp Records, again topping the charts, this time with a Top Ten folk hit called "Two Brothers."
In 1969, he became head of A&R at Mercury Records in New York. There he linked up with Western classical composer John Corigliano, and together they wrote the Grammy award-winning rock opera, The Naked Carmen, which became a big hit of the Berlin Ballet Week in 1970. His work with Mercury also included And the Children Toll the Passing of the Day, a 1969 album he wrote for Irish actor Malachy McCourt.

Acting career

In 1972, his career split off into several new directions with his starring role in the Wes Craven horror classic The Last House on the Left (1972), for which he also composed the soundtrack.[1] He went on to score Buck at the Edge of the Heaven, a children's film based on a collection of Jack London stories. The film won the top prize for film and direction at the Giffoni Film Festival. He also had roles in Hitchhike and The House on the Edge of the Park.
A subsequent job offer from PolyGram' German affiliate gave Hess the opportunity to move to Munich, Germany, and a multilingual career in film dubbing from 1972 to 1976 which in turn led him to writing the English language shooting scripts for such German directors as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Reinhard Hauff, and his present collaborator, Peter Schamoni.
In 1980, he directed his first American feature film, To All a Good Night, for Media Home Entertainment in 1980. He also appeared in two horror films directed by Ruggero Deodato, La Casa sperduta nel parco (1980) and Camping del terrore (1987). He appeared as a villain in Wes Craven's Swamp Thing in 1982.
In 1991, he played the part of the American in Peter Schamoni's Max Ernst—My Wanderings, My Unrest (1991). From 1993 to 1995 he produced Niki de Saint Phalle: Wer ist das Monster - du oder ich? (1996).
In later years, he released two albums, Caught Up In The Moment and Live & Unplugged in Hollywood, 2002. He lived in Northern California, just outside of San Francisco, with his wife, with whom he had three children. He worked on several tracks for the horror film Cabin Fever (2003), directed by Eli Roth. His final appearance was on the television series Royal Pains in 2010.

Death

Hess died from a heart attack on October 8, 2011 in Tiburon, California. He was 75.[3]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1970 Cold Sweat Michel Constantin Voice; uncredited
1972 The Last House on the Left Krug Stillo
1976 Potato Fritz Sleeve
1976 The Swiss Conspiracy Sando
1977 Yung chun ta hsiung
Voice
1977 Autostop rosso sangue Adam Konitz
1979 Avalanche Express Geiger
1980 The House on the Edge of the Park Alex
1982 Swamp Thing Ferret
1983 White Star Frank
1986 Armed and Dangerous Gunman #4
1986 Let's Get Harry Mercenary
1987 Camping del Terrore Robert Ritchie also known as Body Count
1989 Sindrome veneziana

1991 Omicidio a luci blu Sergeant Flanagan
1991 Buck ai confini del cielo Dan
1995 Jonathan degli orsi Maddock
2001 Nutcracker John Gard/Clyde Fairfax
2004 Zombie Nation Aaron Singer III
2005 Zodiac Killer Mel Navokov
2006 The Absence of Light Whiplash
2006 Fallen Angels Kajal
2007 Go Together Aldo Modisco
2007 Used Aldo Modisco
2009 Smash Cut Able Whitman
2011 The Beautiful Outsiders Mancini In-production
2012 The House That Wept Blood Detective Marsh
2012 The House on the Edge of the Park Part II Alex Pre-production
2012 Manson Rising Alvin Karpis Pre-production
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1976 21 Hours in Munich Berger Television film
1977 Baretta Bosco Episode: "All That Shatters"
1981 Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls Robaire Television film
1983 Knight Rider Donny Episode: "Short Notice"
1983 Manimal William Episode: "Illusion"
1985 Sadat Israeli Soldier Television film
1985 The Fall Guy
Episode: "Reel Trouble"
1986 The A-Team
Episode: "Dishpan Man"
1989 Oceano Kruger Television mini-series
1991 Die Kaltenbach-Papiere
Television mini-series
1997 Noi siamo angeli Manuel Delgado Episodes: "Due facce da galera", "La fortuna piove dal cielo"
2010 Royal Pains Bob Ambrose Episode: "In Vino Veritas"
Crew
Year Title Notes
1980 To All a Good Night Director
1996 Niki de Saint Phalle: Wer ist das Monster - du oder ich? Producer; documentary
1999 The Green Monster Producer; television documentary
2004 Zombie Nation Production executive
2010 Steel Drums, No Guns Director, producer; short documentary
2011 Sketchy House Executive Producer
Soundtrack/Music
Year Title Notes
1964 The Ed Sullivan Show Soundtrack writer: "Speedy Gonzalez"; episode: season 17, episode 21; uncredited
1966 Frankie and Johnny Soundtrack writer: "Come Along"; uncredited
1966 Paradise, Hawaiian Style Soundtrack writer: "Sand Castles"
1972 The Last House on the Left Soundtrack writer, performer, lyrics, music composer
1989 Cold Justice Composer
1989 Roger & Me Composer
1993 Lo Kolel Sherut Soundtrack writer; episode: season 3, episode 8
2002 Cabin Fever Soundtrack writer, performer: various
2003 Celluloid Crime of the Century video documentary short
2008 Manhunt Soundtrack writer, performer
2009 Melancholie der Engel
2011 Sketchy House Composer, performer


To see more of who died in 2011 click here

Dorothy Heathcote, British drama teacher and academic, died she was 85.

Dorothy Heathcote MBEwas a drama teacher and academic who used the method of "teacher in role" as an approach to teaching across the curriculum in schools and later in other settings. She was a highly accomplished teacher of theatre and drama for learning and amongst her many achievements she defined and developed "mantle of the expert" as an approach to teaching. The key book she wrote with Gavin Bolton, that explains her Mantle of the Expert approach to Education, is called Drama for Learning (1994). The most significant previous book that explains her Drama approach was written by Betty Jane Wagner and was entitled Drama as a Creative Teaching and Learning Medium.

(29 August 1926 – 8 October 2011) 

Birth and early life

She was born in Steeton, West Yorkshire in 1926. After failing her 11+ exam she studied at the local elementary school, leaving in July 1940, a month before her 14th birthday, to work alongside her mother as a weaver in a woollen mill.
Heathcote worked there for five years and expected to stay there for the rest of her working life, but at the behest of her fellow workers, the mill boss, Charlie Fletcher, sponsored her to go and study drama at the Northern Theatre School in Bradford under the guidance of Esme Church. Famously Fletcher told her, as she left, that if it didn't work out there would always be three looms waiting for her at his mill.

Drama training

At theatre school, Heathcote set her heart on becoming an actress. But at the end of her second year Esme Church told her she had no future on the stage, "My dear, you're very talented – quite fearfully so at times, but you are not the right size for your age, for the roles you can play… I think we have to face it."[1] She then suggested teaching.
While on teaching practice Heathcote travelled around Yorkshire visiting schools and working with random sets of pupils. Using her training she invented drama from whatever opportunities presented themselves to her. She also started teaching evening classes at the Bradford Civic and directing amateur productions in local village halls.

Academic work

In 1951, Heathcote was appointed, completely out of the blue, as a staff tutor at the Durham Institute by Brian Stanley. Stanley took a huge risk employing such an inexperienced teacher. She had no formal education, no national teacher qualification and virtually no experience of teaching children.
Over the next 10 years Heathcote's reputation grew as more and more people saw her teach using her remarkable approach.
From the beginning her work was considered unorthodox. In his biography, Dorothy Heathcote's Story,[2] Gavin Bolton describes the reaction at the time, "it was anathema to drama specialists, both the traditionalists who saw her work as rejecting real theatre and the progressives who thought she broke all the rules on which Child Drama was founded."[3]
In 1964 Heathcote started teaching a full-time Advanced Diploma course at Newcastle University. In 1979 this alternated yearly with a full-time M.Ed course. In the twenty-two years, until Heathcote's retirement from Newcastle in 1986, these courses became among the most influential university courses in the country.
In 1966 her work first appeared on film in Death of a President, a BBC documentary of a drama production she made with boys from a local approved school; in acting out the play the young offenders are made aware of how the consequences of one individual's actions can impact upon the community.[4][5] She very quickly became known to a much wider audience and began extensively travelling abroad to teach and lecture in other countries. In 1972 Heathcote was featured on Omnibus in a documentary film celebrating her work called (rather fittingly), Three Looms Waiting.
Gavin Bolton has suggested that towards the end of the 1960s Heathcote's work experienced, what he calls, a sea change as she "moved away from her dramatically and educationally successful use of making up a play, to being a creator of pictures in which she became a fellow reader along with the class."[6] This new way of working required her and her students to spend a great deal of time working in hospitals for the severely handicapped and criminal institutions for young men.
A further sea change occurred in the early 1980s, which brought Heathcote back into schools. The drama approach she had called, Mantle of the Expert, she designed specifically for teachers who had little experience of drama, "I introduced mantle of the expert work when I was trying to help teachers who didn't understand creating tension by being playwrights and to cut out the need for children having to act, or express feelings and behave like other people".[7]

After retirement

After retiring from Newcastle University in 1986 Dorothy Heathcote moved to Derby to live with her daughter. She continued teaching and writing and in May 2005 the University invested her as an honorary Doctor of Letters.[5][8] She was able to work until her death on 8 October 2011.[9] She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to drama as education.[10]


To see more of who died in 2011 click here

Dickey Betts died he was 80

Early Career Forrest Richard Betts was also known as Dickey Betts Betts collaborated with  Duane Allman , introducing melodic twin guitar ha...