As we move into a new year we remember those we lost. We hope they continue to influence and inspire us as we celebrate their legacy.
Robert Baldwin was a restauranteur who founded the iconic Hillsboro Village breakfast eatery, The Pancake Pantry. He graduated from the hospitality and restaurant program at Cornell University. He in the footsteps of his grandmother and his father working in the food industry in Tampa and Philadelphia, before moving to Nashville. 
Edie Bass was a charter board member of STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand) and served on the boards of Alive Hospice, The Cancer Society and Park Center. She was the founding co-chair of Once in a Blue Moon for the Land Trust of Tennessee and co- chaired The Symphony Ball and The MS Gala. 
Iris Buhl was the second president of the auxiliary board of the University School of Nashville and a member of the Board of Trustees . She volunteered at Nashville CARES, where she became development director and sat on the board twice. She was appointed to the Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission, was volunteer chair of The Brooks Fund History Project and sat on the board of Nashville Public Radio. 
Brownlee Currey was an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He co-founded Equitable Securities, owned the Nashville Banner, sat on the Board of Directors for Nelson Nelson, served as president of Currey Investments, served as Chairman of the Board of OCC, Inc. His generosity helped build Montgomery Bell Academy’s Currey Gymnasium, Vanderbilt University’s Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center and the Currey Ingram Academy. 
Tom Loventhal’s business ventures included founding of INSBANK, Noshville, Tin Angel, and Blue Moon. He served on the boards of the Special Olympics, the Nashville Zoo, Tennessee Hospitality Association, Montgomery Bell Academy Alumni, Nashville Originals, Leadership Nashville, and the Nashville Junior Chamber. 
Jonathan Pierce was a contemporary Christian singer and interior designer. Her performed with The Imperialists after an introduction from Naomi Judd. He later joined the Gaither Vocal Band. He was signed to Curb records where he released 4 albums. He was nominated five times for the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Award. He left music to pursue interior design. He opened the design firm, Pierce & Company and appeared on CMT’s Ultimate Country Home which lead to his on show, HGTV’s Interiors Inc. 
Charlie Rotier, known as “Big Charlie” was part of the second generation to operate the family business, the legendary diner, Rotier’s. He was on iconic figure in Nashville’s restaurant scene before the city became a destination for foodies. He made sure there was little change as time passed. The restaurant’s menu which includes the famous French bread burger has remained the same with Charlie responsible for teaching the recipes to cooks throughout the years. 
Charlie Warfield was an attorney and civil who was the last living member of the Metro Charter Commission that helped draft Nashville’s Metro Charter. He was the Warfield in Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, the Nashville firm which combined with Stites & Harbison. Other civic activities included being the President of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Nashville Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Peter Beard was a photographer, artist, diarist and writer who lived between New York City, Montauk and Kenya. His work and art often combined his photographs with aspects of his diaries. His photographs have appeared on the pages of Vogue and Elle magazines. 
Ronald “Khalis” Bell was a co-founding member of Kool & the Gang. The band recorded nine No. 1 R&B singles in the 1970s and 80s, including its No. 1 pop single “Celebration”. They had nine No. 1 R&B singles including “Cherish”, “Jungle Boogie”, “Summer Madness” and “Open Sesame”. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and were honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
Chadwick Boseman was an iconic actor – he brought Marvel’s Black Panther to life, gave us Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get on Up and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Marshall. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, his final film was released post-humorously to critical acclaim. 
Kobe Bryant was a basket ball player who was a shooting guard that spent his entire twenty year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He was regarded as one of the greatest players of all time helping the Lakers win 5 NBA Championships. He was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All Defense Team, a 2008 NBA Most Value Player (MVP) and a two time NBA Finals MVP. 
Pierre Cardin was an Italian born, French nationalized fashion designer. He preferred shapes that were geometric often ignores the human body’s natural form. His designs were avant-garde and considered futuristic. He used his name to create a prestigious fashion brand and was one of the first designers to successful license his name, extending the brand into other categories. 
Mary Higgins Clark was a prolific author of suspense novels having written 51 best sellers. These books include – Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry, You Don’t Own Me, Every Breath You Take, All Alone By Myself, The Sleeping Beauty Killer, AS Time Goes By, All Dressed In White and The Cradle Will Fall as well as several in the popular Alvirah and Willy series. 
Sean Connery, “Shaken not stirred” he was the first actor to portray British secret agent James Bond on film. He did so for 6 films. He received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone in The Untouchables. 
Charlie Daniels was a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who’s music crossed over several genres including southern rock, country and bluegrass. He was best known for his number one country hit “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” for which he won a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum and Country Music Hall of Fame. 
Mac Davis was a singer, songwriter and actor who enjoyed success as a crossover artist. He wrote “Memories” and “Don’t Cry Daddy” which were hits for Elvis. His solo career produced the hit, “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me”. In 1974 he was awarded Academy of country Music’s Entertainer of the Year Award. He made his film debut opposite Nick Nolte in North Dallas Forty. 
Olivia de Havilland was best known for portraying Melanie Hamilton in Gone with the Wind for which she received an Academy award nomination. She was nominated another four times, for Hold Back the Dawn and The Snake Pit, and winning for To Each His Own and The Heiress. 
Brian Dennehy was a prolific actor who had roles in over 180 films and in several television shows and plays. He is the recipient of two Tony Awards, an Olivier Award and received six Emmy nominations. He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Television Film for his role as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman (2000). Variety has said he was “perhaps the foremost living interpreter” of playwright Eugene O’Neill’s works on stage and screen. 
Joe Diffie was a country music singer-songwriter. On Epic Records he charted 35 singles on Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, five of them going to number one. He won a Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year in 1993. He won a Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 1998. 
Kirk Douglas was a legendary actor who received three Academy Award nominations (Champion, The Bad & The Beautiful, Lust For Life), an Academy Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He starred in Ulysses, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Spartacus, Saturn 3 and Tough Guys. 
Hugh Downs was a television broadcaster, announcer, host and news anchor with a long career that stretched into the late 90’s. He was the announcer and sidekick on Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957-1962), co-host of Today (1962-1971) and anchor of ABC’s long running television newsmagazine 20/20 (1978-1999). 
Ja’Net DuBois was an actress and singer-songwriter who was best known for portraying Willona Woods on the CBS sitcom Good Times. She co-wrote and sang The Jeffersons’ theme song “Movin’ On Up”. She appeared in films (I’m Gonna Get You Sucka and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle) and television shows (Moesha, A Different World and The Wayans Bros) until she retired in 2016. 
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Nominated by President Bill Clinton, she was the first Jewish woman and the second woman to serve on the court. She spent much of her legal career advocating for gender equality and women’s rights. 
Buck Henry was an Academy Award nominated screenwriter for The Graduate (1967) and an Academy Award director for Heaven can Wait (1978) as well as an occasional actor having guest starred on Murphy Brown, Hot Cleveland, Will & Grace and 30 Rock. 
Ian Holm was an English actor who received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his portrayal of Lenny in The Homecoming. He won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and was nominated for a Academy Award for Chariots of Fire. He appeared in Alien, The Fifth Element, Ratatouille, and The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series. 
Roy Horn was one half of Siegfried and Roy, a duo of illusionists and entertainers that were known for the use of white tigers and and white lions in their act. Their show, Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage Resort and Casino was said to be the most visited show in Las Vegas during it’s long run. 
Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. She was a lead character in the film, Hidden Figures. In 2019 she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. 
John le Carre was British former intelligence officer and author of espionage novels. After working for the Security Service (M15) and Secret Intelligence Service (M16) he wrote several best selling books including The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, The Looking Glass War, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Smiley’s People, The Little Drummer Girl, The Night Manager, The Tailor of Panama, The Constant Gardener, A Most Wanted Man and Our Kind of Traitor. 
John Lewis was a politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district. He was the chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, one of the groups that organize the 1963 March on Washington. He played an integral role in the civil rights movement and helped end legalized segregation. 
James Lipton was a writer, actor and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York. He is best known as the the host of Inside the Actors Studio which he also served as executive producer and writer – it ran on Bravo for 24 years. 
Little Richard was nicknamed “The Innovator, The Originator and The Architect of Rock and Roll” and as such was an influential figure in music and pop culture for decades. Hits songs include “Tutti Frutti”, “Long Tail Sally” and “Good Golly Miss Molly”. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993 and is an inductee in the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. 
Terrence McNally was a playwright and screenwriter who was described as “the bard of American theater” by The New York Times and “one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced” by Rex Reed. He won the Tony Award for Best Play for Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class. He won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. In 2019 he received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. 
K.T. Oslin was a groundbreaking singer-songwriter who was the first woman of middle age to achieve stardom in country music – she was 45 years when she recorded “80”s Ladies”. Also she was the first woman in Country Music Association’s history to win the award for Song of the Year. She is a three time Grammy Award winner and a four time Academy of Country Music Award winner. 
Regis Philbin was a television talk show and game show host who holds the Guinness World Record for the most hours on US television. He co-hosted the nationally syndicated talk show, Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1988 until 2011 (it was renamed Live! with Regis and Kelly in 2001). He hosted game shows, How Wants To be A Millionaire and Million Dollar Password. 
Kelly Preston was an actress that starred in Mischief, Space Camp, Twins, The Experts, Jerry Maguire, For the Love of the Game, The Cat in the Hat, What a Girl Wants, Sky High and Gotti. she was a spokesperson for Neutrogena. Her last film, Off the Rails, will be released posthumously later this year. 
Charley Pride was a singer that enjoyed 52 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, 30 of those going number one. He was a Grand Ole Opry member, an inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame and won the Entertainer of the Year award at the Country Music Association Awards in 1971. 
John Prine was a two-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter who was considered to be “among the English language’s premier phrase-turners with music relevant to any age.” He is often sited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation. Last year he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 
Helen Reddy was an Australian singer and songwriter who’s chart-topping signature hit “I Am Woman” become the feminist anthem in its second wave. For this she earn the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. At the height of her success she had fifteen singles on the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, three of those reaching number one. 
Carl Reiner was an actor, comedian, director, screenwriter an author that entertained us for seven decades. He was the creator, producer, writer and actor on The Dick Van Dyke Show. He co-wrote and directed some of Steve Martin’s most successful films. He was the recipient of 11 Emmy awards, 1 Grammy Award and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. 
Ann Reinking was an actress, dancer and choreographer worked primarily in musical theater. She became Bob Fosse’s protegee. She starred in Broadway productions of Over Here, Goodtime Charley and Sweet Charity. Not only did she win the Tony Award for Best Choreography for the 1996 revival of Chicago she did it while she reprised the role of Roxie Hart. 
Diana Rigg was an actress who made a name for herself as Emma Peel in The Avengers and as Countess Tracy di Vicenzo, the only woman to marry James Bond. She won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie for Rebecca. She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for Medea. 
Naya Rivera was an actress-singer who got her big break portraying sassy cheerleader Santana Lopez in Glee which garnered her a SAG and ALMA awards as well as two Grammy nominations. She also had a recurring role on Devious Maids and was a recurring guest host on The View. 
Kenny Rogers was a singer-songwriter, actor, musician, record producer and entrepreneur who charted more than 120 hit singles across multiple music genres. He sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Hit songs The Gambler and Coward of the County served as inspiration for hit made-for-TV movies. He was the co-founder of Kenny Rogers Roasters. 
Sergio Rossi was an Italian luxury women’s shoe designer. He first gained attention in 1960 when director Federico Fellini used his shoes for actress Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita. His shoes have been seen on the runways of Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaia and Dolce & Gabbana as well on the feet of many style-setters internationally. 
Joel Schumacher was a film director, screenwriter and producer. He gained recognition after he directed the hit film, St. Elmo’s Fire. This was followed by box office successes – The Lost Boys, Cousins, Flatliners, Dying Young, Falling Down, The Client, Batman Forever, A Time To Kill, Batman & Robin, The Phantom of the Opera and 8MM. 
B. Smith was an restauranteur, entrepreneur and television host. She opened several restaurants called B. Smith having opened the first in 1986 in Manhattan. She wrote three books about recipes and food presentation -B. Smith’s Entertaining and Cooking for Friends (1995), B. Smith’s Rituals and Celebrations (1999), and B. Smith Cooks Southern Style (2009). She hosted the weekly half-hour syndicated television program, B. Smith With Style. 
Jerry Stiller was a comedian who enjoyed a late-career resurgence when he portrayed Frank Constanza on Seinfeld which earned him an Emmy nomination. He followed that up with role of Arthur Spooner in The Kings of Queens. He also appeared in Zoolander, Heavyweights, Hot Pursuit and The Heartbreak Kid. 
Kenzo Takada was a Japanese fashion designer who resided in Paris. He founded Zenzo, a worldwide brand of clothes, fragrances and skincare. He also served as the honorary president of the Asian Couture Federation. He was known for bright graphics, jungle inspired prints and his eclectic use of color. He was the first designer to gain recognition on the Parisian fashion scene. 
Stella Tennant was born into an unconventional aristocratic family, she was a British supermodel. She worked with designers Karl Lagerfeld, Helmut Lang, Gianni Versace, Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen. She appeared on the cover of several international additions of Vogue magazine. She was the face of Chanel in 1996. She walked with other British supermodels during the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. 
Alex Trebek was an Emmy award winning game show host and television personality who hosted syndicated game show Jeopardy! for 37 seasons. He also hosted The Wizards of Odds, Double Dare, High Rollers, Battlestars, Classic Concentration and To Tell the Truth. He also made appearances in several television series, usually playing himself. 
Eddie Van Halen was the main songwriter and guitarist for the rock band Van Halen. He is regarded as one of the all time greatest guitar players. Interestingly as a musician he was an autodidact, he could play almost any instrument but he could not read music. He was a classically trained pianist who created some of the mot distinctive riffs in the history of rock music. 
Max von Sydow was a Swedish actor who’s career spanned 70 years. He appeared in more than 150 films in Europe and the United States. He was nominated for the Academy Award for his performances in Pelle the Conqueror and Extreme Loud & Incredibly Close. 
Dawn Wells was an actress best known for her role as Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan’s Island. She was the founder of the Idaho Film and television Institute. She was the recipient of the Trumpeter Award from The Elephant Sanctuary located in Hohenwald, TN. 
Fred Willard was an Emmy award winning actor and comedian who made his mark in This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, Mascots and the Anchorman films. He has a recurring role on Modern Family as Fred Dunphy. He had a role on the Netflix comedy, Space Force that was release posthumously.
