R. Dean Taylor was the Toronto-born Motown artist who had a hit in 1970 when his song “Indiana Wants Me” went to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
June 15, 2026
In Memoriam
Total 1768 Posts
Louie Anderson was the comedian and actor who won an Emmy for his performance as mom to twin adult sons in the TV series "Baskets." I remember him from Hollywood Squares.
Meat Loafs was the larger-than-life singer whose bombastic rock opera "Bat Out of Hell" is one of the best-selling albums of all time. I literally shared Paradise by the Dashboard Light in my post about Ellen Foley earlier this week. We referenced I’d Do Anything for Love (But I
André Leon Talley first joined Vogue in 1983 as the magazine's fashion news director. He quickly rose to creative director and editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's right-hand — a position he held from 1987 to 1995. He left Vogue in 1995 and moved to Paris, where he returned to W Magazine after working
Alexa McDonough was the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada when she became leader of the Nova Scotia NDP in 1980. She became leader of the federal New Democratic Party in 1995.
Ronnie Spector sang lead on the Ronettes' string of hits in the early-to-mid–1960s, including "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You", "The Best Part of Breakin' Up" and "Walking in the Rain."
Bob Saget was the raunchy comedian who became an unlikely wholesome dad on "Full House". I'll remember him best for his cameo in Half Baked and in Rollin' With Saget, a great Stu Stone and Jamie Kennedy joint.
Michael Lang was the co-creator and organizer of 1969’s Woodstock Music and Art Fair, and its follow-ups Woodstock ’94 and the ill-fated Woodstock ’99.
Eberhard Zeidler was an architect who designed such landmarks as the Eaton Centre, Ontario Place, the Toronto Centre for the Arts, Queen's Quay Terminal, as well as numerous sites across Canada and internationally.
Sidney Poitier was the actor, film director, activist, and ambassador who won the Academy Award for Best Actor, becoming the first African American and Bahamian actor to win the award.
Peter Bogdanovich was the Oscar-nominated director of movies like "The Last Picture Show" and "Paper Moon," whose off-screen life was as colourful as his films.
Betty White was introduced to my world via Golden Girls, a sitcom I watched throughout the 1980s. Betty played Rose Nylund, although she was originally supposed to portray Blanche Devereaux, a character that ended up being played by Rue McClanahan. The fun fact of that iconic cast was that Estelle
John Madden was a football coach and sportscaster. He won Super Bowl XI as head coach of the Oakland Raiders over the Minnesota Vikings, and after retiring from coaching became a well-known color commentator for NFL telecasts. He's now best known for Madden NFL.
Desmond Tutu was South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist for racial justice and LGBT rights and retired Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town.
Candy Palmater was the comedian who created The Candy Show and was often heard on CBC Radio One.
I've just received some terrible news. My friend Duane Lavold, better known as Custom, has passed away at the young age of 54. He died on December 18, 2021 from cardiac arrest. Custom is a fellow Canadian who had an alt-rock radio hit in 2002 with the song Hey Mister
Les Emmerson was the lead vocalist for The Five Man Electrical Band (formerly The Staccatos). He wrote Signs, released as a B-side single in 1970 from their "Good-byes and Butterflies" album and then re-released as an A-side single in 1971 where it reached #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100
Anne Rice was the gothic novelist widely known for her bestselling novel "Interview With the Vampire."
Mel Lastman served as the first mayor of the newly amalgamated Toronto from 1998 to 2003. Before that, he served as mayor of North York from 1973 until 1997. He was also the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain.
Michael Nesmith was the wool-cap-wearing member of the Monkees won the first Grammy Award for Video of the Year for his hour-long television show, Elephant Parts. And yes, his mother invented Liquid Paper.
Stephen Sondheim was one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater. His best-known works as composer and lyricist include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979)
Brad McNally was an on-air personality on CFNY 102.1, working for David Marsden during the Spirit of Radio era. He also co-wrote Working on the Radio with Jim Bird in 1979. This retro CFNY jam is credited to The 102.1 Band and features Nash the Slash on electric
Angelo Mosca played in a record nine Grey Cup games, tied with longtime Ticats teammate John Barrow for the most in Canadian Football League history. He won five Grey Cup championships, four with Hamilton and one with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Peter Scolari is the actor I first saw alongside Tom Hanks in the 1980-82 sitcom Bosom Buddies. He also appeared in Newhart and Girls.
General Colin L. Powell was the former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
