In our look at Passages 2024, we remember the lives of renowned actor James Earl Jones, beloved Soul singer Frankie Beverly, and the 9/11 victims on the 23rd anniversary of the horrific terrorist attack.
JAMES EARL JONES
In our lead-off of Passages 2024, we remember the life of legendary actor James Earl Jones, who passed away on Monday.
Although Jones was widely known as the voice of Darth Vader in the STAR WARS movie series, as well as the voice of the title character in Disney’s THE LION KING, his body of work went far beyond those successes.
In 1968, Jones won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a boxer in The Great White Hope on Broadway. In 1987, he won his 2nd Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a working-class father in August Wilson’s Fences. He also starred in such classics as The Emperor Jones and Othello.
Jones made his film debut in 1964 in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove and received a Golden Globe Award nomination in 1974 for Claudine opposite Diahann Carroll.
Other notable films include Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Hunt for Red October (1990), and the films Coming to America and Coming to America II, starring Eddie Murphy. His many television credits include Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Heat Wave (1990), Picket Fences (1994), and Alex Haley’s 1977 miniseries Roots.
“I wasn’t going to be as big as him [but] I wanted to sound like him. He was everything to me as a budding actor. He was who I wanted to be,” actor Denzel Washington said in a statement.
James Earl Jones was 93.
FRANKIE BEVERLY
Singer Frankie Beverly, who headlined the soul band MAZE featuring Frankie Beverly, passed away on Tuesday.
The Philadelphia native had a string of musical hits over a decades-long career, including such songs as “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl.” However, his greatest hit was the high-energy dance tune “Before I Let Go,” which was remade by Beyonce in 2019.
Beverly retired from singing and touring in July of 2024, seemingly suffering from an undisclosed illness that had all but robbed him of his silky smooth voice.
In a statement, his family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.”
Frankie Beverly was 77.
9/11
In our final tribute of Passages 2024, we remember and salute the victims of the World Trade Center bombing from 2001.
May their families continue to find comfort in their memories, and may all who perished continue to rest in peace.
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Remembering lives lost in this edition of Passages 2024.
Re: James Earl Jones and Frankie Beverly
Two outstanding Black Men, Artists, Legends. Each man gifted, endowed with his own incredible talents.
I am so blessed to have been born during a time when I was able to witness their talents in real time!
May they both Rest in Peace.
Re: The 9/11 Victims of The World Trade Center bombings
I will never forget them. I will never forget All of the victims.
As DJ so beautifully expressed……..
“May their families continue to find comfort in their memories, and may all who perished continue to rest in peace.”