Musician Country Joe McDonald, one of the featured acts in the original Woodstock festival, has died. He was 84 years old.
He died yesterday at his home in Berkeley, California. He had been battling Parkinson's disease.
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Born in 1942, in Washington, D.C., he grew up in El Monte, Calif., outside Los Angeles, according to a biography on his website. As a young man he served in the U.S. Navy before turning to writing and music during the early 1960s, eventually becoming involved in the political and cultural ferment of the Bay Area.
In 1965 he helped form the band Country Joe and the Fish in Berkeley. The group became part of the emerging San Francisco psychedelic music scene, blending folk traditions with electric rock and pointed political commentary.
The band's best-known song, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag," captured the growing anti-war sentiment of the Vietnam era. With its ragtime-influenced rhythm and sharply satirical lyrics about war and political leadership, the song quickly became associated with protests against the conflict.
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Actor Eric Dane, 53, lost his battle with ALS. He was an advocate for research into the disease.
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"He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," said a statement that requested privacy for his family. "Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he's received."
Dane developed a devoted fanbase when his big break arrived in the mid-2000s: He was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, on the ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," a role he would play from 2006 until 2012 and reprise in 2021.
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I missed the February death of James Van Der Beck, who was only 48 when he passed from corlorectal cancer.
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In early November 2024, Van Der Beek announced he had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” Van Der Beek said in a Nov. 3, 2024, post on Instagram. “Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support.”
He chronicled his experience living with cancer on Instagram, where he frequently paid tribute to his wife and children for their support.
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Actor and acting coach Corey Parker, 60, died Thursday in Memphis, Tennessee, following a cancer diagnosis.
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Born July 8, 1965 in New York City, son of actress Rochelle ‘Rocky’ Parker and husband John David Haas, Corey Parker began acting in TV commercials at age 4 before attending New York’s High School of Performing Arts.
Making his onscreen debut in a 1983 episode of As the World Turn, Parker became a familiar face on TV, appearing in The New Leave It to Beaver, Thirtysomething, Flying Blind, Touched by an Angel, Love Boat: The Next Wave, Nashville and Will & Grace, in which he had a recurring role as Grace’s boyfriend Josh.
