Four Tops Singer Dead At 72

'Exquisite vocalist' had been battling lung cancer

(NEWSER) - Reggae superstar Gregory Isaacs died at his London home today at age 59 after a battle with lung cancer, the Washington Post reports. Isaacs was known for popularizing “lover’s rock,” a reggae style that dealt with romance and relationships rather than the political themes embraced by the likes of Bob Marley and Burning Spear. Called “the most exquisite vocalist in reggae” by the New York Times, Jamaican-born Isaacs had a hit with “Night Nurse” in 1982. More»

(NEWSER) - Michael Jackson died today after suffering cardiac arrest at home and arriving at the hospital in a deep coma, report TMZ and the Los Angeles Times. The King of Pop, 50, was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital this afternoon after collapsing. A police rep said he was not breathing when paramedics arrived; they performed CPR and took him to the UCLA Medical Center. More»

Abdul "Duke" Fakir: Studio A is hallowed ground

(NEWSER) - Musical legends gathered today at Hitsville, USA—Motown Records' original headquarters—to celebrate the Detroit label's 50th anniversary, Billboard reports. The Four Tops' Abdul "Duke" Fakir was joined by musicians from bands such as the Miracles and Martha & the Vandellas to pay tribute to Barry Gordy, who started the label on an $800 loan. More»

(NEWSER) - Jerry Wexler, a music industry giant who coined the term "rhythm and blues" and worked to bring black popular music into the mainstream, died today at age 91, the New York Times reports. Wexler, a producer at Atlantic Records in its heyday, worked with new artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Wilson Pickett. Unusual for the time, he gave the artists great control in the studio, allowing them to forge singular sounds. More»

'Shaft' composer found unresponsive at home

(NEWSER) - Legendary singer/songwriter Isaac Hayes, whose "Theme from Shaft" claimed Academy Awards and Grammys alike, died early today at the age of 65, reports WMC-TV in Memphis. Hayes' wife found him lying unresponsive next to a still-running treadmill at their Memphis home; attempts to revive him failed and he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Foul play is not suspected. More»