Elvin Shepherd

popular name: Lil Hardin Armstrong

date_of_death: August 27, 1971

age: 73

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Lil Hardin Armstrong was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, singer, and bandleader. She was the second wife of Louis Armstrong, with whom she collaborated on many recordings in the 1920s with the Louis Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven ensembles. On February 4, 1924, Armstrong married Lil Hardin Armstrong, King Oliver's pianist. Armstrong's second wife helped him develop his career, urging Armstrong to seek more prominent billing and develop his style apart from the influence of Oliver. At her suggestion, Armstrong began to play classical music in church concerts to broaden his skills; and Armstrong began to dress more in more stylish attire to offset his girth. Her influence eventually undermined Armstrong's relationship with his mentor, especially concerning his salary and additional money that Joe "King" Oliver held back from Armstrong and other band members. Shortly after Armstrong, with Lil Hardin, formed the famous Louis Armstrong Hot Five and later the Hot Seven jazz bands that launched Armstrong's career to new heights. After her divorce from Armstrong when he had a liaison with Alpha Smith, sometimes billing herself as "Mrs. Louis Armstrong", Hardin led an "All Girl Orchestra", a mixed-sex big band which broadcast nationally over the NBC radio network. In the same decade she recorded for Decca as a swing vocalist and performed as piano accompanist for other singers. Hardin returned to Chicago and the house on East 41st Street. She made a trip to Europe and had a brief love affair in France, but mostly she worked around Chicago, often with fellow Chicagoans. Collaborators included Red Saunders, Joe Williams, Oscar Brown Jr., and Little Brother Montgomery. After living a full and complete life, Miss Lil was at the piano at a Louis Armstrong memorial concert shortly after his death when she slumped over and died while playing The St. Louis Blues at the age of 73. She was laid to rest at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Illinois.

popular name: Nancy Wilson

date_of_death: December 13, 2018

age: 81

cause_of_death: Long-term respiratory illness

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Nancy Wilson was an American singer whose career spanned over five decades, from the mid-1950s until her retirement in the early 2010s. She was especially notable for her single "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" and her version of the standard "Guess Who I Saw Today". When Wilson traveled to New York City, her distinctive voice enchanted a representative from Capitol Records and she was signed in 1959. In the years that followed, Wilson recorded 37 original albums for the label. Her first hit, "Guess Who I Saw Today," came in 1961. One year later, a collaborative album with Adderley solidified her standing in the jazz community and provided the foundation for her growing fame and career. During her performing career, Wilson was labeled a singer of blues, jazz, R&B, pop, and soul; a consummate actress and the complete entertainer. Wilson also has worked in television, where in 1968 she won an Emmy Award for her NBC series, The Nancy Wilson Show. She has performed on The Andy Williams Show and The Carol Burnett Show and has appeared in series such as Hawaii Five-O, The Cosby Show, Moesha, and The Parkers. Although she often has crossed over to pop and rhythm-and- blues recordings, she still is best known for her jazz performances. In the 1980s, she returned to jazz with a series of performances with such jazz greats as Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and Hank Jones. And to start the new century, Wilson teamed with pianist Ramsey Lewis for a pair of highly regarded recordings. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including two Grammy Awards and honorary degrees from Berklee School of Music and Central State University in Ohio.

popular name: Gilbert Bécaud

date_of_death: December 18, 2001

age: 74

cause_of_death: Lung cancer

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Gilbert Bécaud was a French singer, composer, pianist and actor known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances. His best-known hits are "Nathalie" and "Et maintenant", a 1961 release that became an English language hit as "What Now My Love". He remained a popular artist for nearly fifty years, identifiable in his dark blue suits, with a white shirt and "lucky tie"; blue with white polka dots. His favourite venue was the Paris Olympia under the management of Bruno Coquatrix. He debuted there in 1954 and headlined in 1955, attracting 6,000 on his first night, three times the capacity. Bécaud composed over 450 songs and sold millions of records over the years, and seemed almost never to spend an evening away from a stage - in one year he gave 249 concerts. He sang in six languages, a fact that helped his overseas tours, but was always happiest at the Olympia in Paris, where he topped the bill more than 30 times. Upon his death in 2001, he was laid to rest in Cimetière du Père Lachaise, Paris France.