Ricky Wilson and the Rock Lobster

Ricky Wilson and the B-52's burst onto the scene in a big way with their self-titled debut album in 1979...

Thomas Mikal Ford (1962–2016), costar on Martin

Thomas Mikal Ford, a star of TV's "Martin" and "New York Undercover," died Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016 after suffering an aneurysm in his abdomen, according to multiple news sources. He was 54.

Dylan Rieder (1988–2016), professional skateboarder

Dylan Rieder wasaprofessional skateboarder and model.

George Chambers (1931–2019), Chambers Brothers bassist

George Chambers  was the bass player for the pioneering psychedelic soul rock band, the Chambers Brothers. George and his brothers Lester, Joe, and Willie started singing in church together as children in Mississippi and formed the band in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s. They started out as a gospel group but later became known in the LA folk music community and were invited by to play at the Newport Folk Festival. The band went electric, adding drummer Brian Keenan, making them one of the first interracial bands. They embraced psychedelic soul music and had a huge hit in 1968 with “Time Has Come Today.” They continued to perform and record as the Chambers Brothers until the mid-1970s. George would go back to gospel music and he would occasionally get back together with his brothers and perform.

Roberta McCain (1912–2020), mother of Senator John McCain

Roberta McCain, the mother of Senator John McCain, has died at the age of 108.

Conchata Ferrell (1943–2020), Berta on 'Two and a Half Men'

Conchata Ferrell starred as the wisecracking housekeeper Berta for all 12 seasons of the hit sitcom 'Two and a Half Men.'

Brian Goldner (1963–2021), Hasbro CEO

Brian Goldner was the longtime CEO of the toys and games giant Hasbro, as well as a film producer.

Ricarlo Flanagan (2021), “Last Comic Standing” comedian

Ricarlo Flanagan was a comedian and actor who competed in “Last Comic Standing” in 2015, making it to the semifinals.

Lucious Jackson (1941–2022), former Philadelphia 76ers star 

Lucious Jackson was a former NBA all-star with the Philadelphia 76ers who helped them win the 1967 NBA championship.

Lara Parker (1938–2023), Dark Shadows star 

Lara Parker was an actress best known for her starring role on the gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” as the witch Angelique.

Lilly Ledbetter (1938–2024), activist who fought for equal pay

Lilly Ledbetter was a Goodyear area manager turnedactivist whose Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. lawsuit resulted in landmark equal pay legislation, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

Alex Salmond (1954–2024), former first minister of Scotland

Alex Salmond was the first minister of Scotland from 2007 through 2014, leading the country as it prepared to vote on a referendum on independence from the United Kingdom.

Ka (1972–2024), Brooklyn rapper and NYC firefighter 

Ka was a prolific Brooklyn-based rapper whose lyrically-rich albums earned him accolades, and who was also known for his two-decade career as an FDNY firefighter, where he rose to captain.

Lillian Schwartz (1927–2024), pioneer of computer-generated art

Lillian Schwartz was a groundbreaking digital artist whose computer-assisted work in the 1960s and ‘70s pre-dated personal home computers and mainstream digital art by many years.