… of Bea Arthur. Maude is 84.
… of Harvey Keitel. He’s 67. Keitel was nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in Bugsy.
… of Stevland Morris. He’s 56.
Only 12 when he began to record for Motown, Steveland Morris grew up on vinyl in the public eye.
His first hit, “Fingertips – Pt. 2,” under the name of Little Stevie Wonder, rose to No. 1 as an R&B shouter in the mold of Ray Charles.. He then steered toward ballads with “I Was Made to Love Her” (1967) and “For Once in My Life” (1968).
After turning 21, Wonder wrested artistic control over his career from the Motown hit-making factory; the results were such No. 1 hits as “Superstition” (1972), “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” (1973), “I Wish” (1976) and “Sir Duke” (1977).
Many of his ‘70s songs dealt with politics and ghetto life, but by the ‘80s he had returned to more predictable material, such as “I Just Called to Say I Love You” (1984) and “Part-Time Lover” (1985).
… of Joe Louis, born on May 13, 1914. (He died in 1981.)
When some called Louis “a credit to his race,” sportswriter Jimmy Cannon responded, “Yes, Louis is a credit to his race — the human race.”
He also was a credit to boxing, which often contributes to the worst in the human race. His championship reign, from 1937 until he retired in 1949, is the longest of any heavyweight. With his powerful left jab, his destructive two-fisted attack that he released with accuracy at short range, and his capacity for finishing a wounded opponent, the 6-foot-1½ fighter defeated all 25 of his challengers, another record.
Louis also was a winner with women. Though married four times, including twice to his first wife, he discreetly enjoyed the company of both African-American and white women, including Lena Horne, Sonja Henie and Lana Turner. (ESPN.com)
… of Richard Steven Valenzuela, born on May 13, 1941.
In the course of his short life, Ritchie Valens left a lasting impact on rock and roll with the classic rocker “La Bamba.” A high-energy reworking of an old Mexican wedding song, its driving simplicity foreshadowed garage-rock, frat-rock and punk-rock. Ironically, “La Bamba” was the B-side of “Donna,” a paean to Valens’ girlfriend that rose to #2 on Billboard’s singles chart. “La Bamba” also charted, peaking at #22. This double-sided smash is one of the greatest rock and roll singles of the Fifties. (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
Valens was killed in 1959 in the plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. He was 17.