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Minnie Bruce Pratt, Poet And Activist, Dead At 76

Pratt, originally from Alabama, "moved between the worlds of literature, scholarship and activism over nearly five decades as the LGBTQ+ community achieved gains such as legalization of same-sex marriage and greater recognition of trans and nonbinary identities. But Ms. Pratt rarely adopted a celebratory tone." - Washington Post

A Trial May Determine Which Of Aretha Franklin’s Handwritten Wills Is Valid

Shall it be the will in the cupboard, or the will from the sofa cushions? "I think they all wish this had been settled a week after she passed away. ... But they’re not blaming anyone — it is what it is." - The New York Times

Wolf Biermann Is A Singer Whose Music And Moral Stances Once United East And West Germany

"Biermann was born under Nazism, in 1936, and raised in West Germany. As a teenager, he defected to the East and made a career as a singer of witty, folk-inspired songs — until an anti-authoritarian streak in his music began to trouble the Communist authorities." - The New York Times

Pianist, Crossover Artist, And Pops Conductor Peter Nero Has Died At 89

"Nero was a national treasure. He appeared with Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and other headliners; released 72 albums; conducted the Philly Pops for 34 years, often with one hand while the other played a piano." - The New York Times

Graydon Carter Takes To The Air

Over the decades, Carter had formed a “repertory company of writers, editors, designers, illustrators, and photographers,” as David Kamp, a member of the troupe, put it, and they were soon called upon to join his new venture. - Columbia Journalism Review

Mario Vargas Llosa Is In The Hospital With COVID (Again)

The 87-year-old Nobel-winning novelist was hospitalized on July 1 in Madrid. This is his second bout of the respiratory illness. - CNN

Wayne Sleep At 75: How The Little Firecracker Of British Ballet Became A Major Celebrity

He was a virtuoso, able to match any jump by Nureyev or Baryshnikov (and he worked with both). But, at 5'2", he'd never dance romantic leads. That gave him time to do theatre and movies and TV, party with Elton John and Freddie Mercury, and become a household name. - The Guardian

Architect David Adjaye Accused Of Sexual Misconduct, Steps Away From Major Projects

In a report in the Financial Times, three women employed in the Accra, Ghana office of Adjaye's firm accused him of sexual harassment, a toxic work culture, and even sexual assault. Adjaye admits to inappropriate personal involvement with employees but denies other charges. - ARTnews

Beloved DC Theatre Leader Dies

In its nearly half-century as a fixture on the region’s vibrant theater scene — GALA (short for Grupo de Artistas Latinoamericanos) orbited around Hugo’s Medrano's vision. His spirit accommodated a wide range of plays in Spanish and English on GALA’s stage. - Washington Post

Robert Sherman, A Fixture At Classical Radio Station WQXR For 68 Years, Is Dead At 90

"For nearly 70 years, Bob Sherman worked his radio magic at WQXR, wearing almost every imaginable hat along the way. … In addition to his work at WQXR, Bob was a music critic and columnist for The New York Times for over 40 years." - WQXR (New York City)

Actor Alan Arkin, 89

"(His) background in improvisation and knack for comic drama were cornerstones of his genre-hopping career that yielded enduring characters from the 1960s comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming to Little Miss Sunshine and Argo" — for each of which he landed an Oscar nomination. - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)

Life Lessons From A Musician Turned Cognitive Scientist

We can learn to anchor our identities not to what we do – but to why we do it. Thinking of our identities in this way can make us more resilient in the face of change. - Washington Post

David Richards, Former Theater Critic For The Washington Post And New York Times, Is Dead At 82

"He covered cultural news stories and profiled stage luminaries such as director Jose Quintero, playwright Edward Albee and actors Julie Harris and Carol Channing. Some of them may not have relished his revealing dive into their off-the-clock personalities." - MSN (The Washington Post)

Actor Julian Sands Confirmed Dead At 65

Best known for roles in The Killing Fields, A Room with a View and Leaving Las Vegas, he worked steadily in films and television for four decades. His remains were found in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, where he disappeared while hiking in January. - MSN (The Washington Post)

Cormac McCarthy Was A Literary Star. He Couldn’t Happen Today

This improbable trajectory — writer toils for decades in obscurity before finding international renown — is the stuff of legend. But it did not occur by accident or happenstance. Mr. McCarthy’s career was made possible by a tectonic shift that was happening in the publishing industry. - The New York Times

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