African American Singer

Jul 19 2012

Former jazz singer died of cancer

A private funeral service for Maria Cole, the widow of singer Nat King Cole and mother of singer Natalie Cole, was held this week at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif. Cole died in a nursing home in Boca Raton, Fla., after a short battle with cancer at the age of 89 on July 10.

Stanley O. Williford  |   OW Editor
Jan 26 2012

Viewing will be held Friday

Mourners, fans and curiosity-seekers will get a final opportunity to say farewell to Jamesetta Hawkins, aka Etta James, on Friday during a public viewing at Inglewood Cemetery Mortuary, 3801 W. Manchester Blvd., from 5 to 10 p.m.

A private funeral service will be held Saturday at Greater Bethany Community Church, City of Refuge in Gardena.

Gail Choice  |   OW Contributor
Sep 22 2011

Hollywood by Choice

I loved James Brown, when he passed away Dec. 25, 2006, my heart sank because I truly appreciated and enjoyed his body of work. We lost a great man, and I don’t think we truly understand how important his contribution is to the American consciousness, especially for those who dared to live out their dreams regardless of their backgrounds.

Jun 20 2011

$1 million in commissions

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—R&B singer-songwriter R. Kelly was sued today by a former manager, who alleges the entertainer owes him more than $1 million commissions for helping him revive his career amid child pornography allegations.

Jeff Kwatinetz, through his company, Prospect Park, filed the case in Los Angeles Superior Court.

He is alleging breach of contract and fraud and also is asking for unspecified punitive damages from Kelly and his business manager, Derrel McDavid.

Jun 15 2011

Possession of cocaine base

VAN NUYS, Calif.—Singer Sly Stone pleaded not guilty today to a drug charge stemming from his April 1 arrest in Los Angeles.

The 67-year-old entertainer is charged with one count of possession of cocaine base.

Stone, whose real name is Sylvester Stewart, was arrested about 4:10 a.m. April 1 by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Topanga divsion. He was released later that day on $10,000 bail.

A July 19 pretrial hearing has been set in Van Nuys Superior Court.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.