R.I.P. Robert Hegeyes

Robert Hegyes (May 7, 1951 – January 26, 2012) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of high school student Juan Epstein on the 1970s American sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.

My Grandson Is 6 Years Old Today!

Happy Birthday! We Love You!

R.I.P. Etta James

Etta James, born Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), was an American singer. Her style spanned a variety of music genres including blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel, and jazz. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "Roll With Me, Henry", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, including drug addiction, before making a musical resurgence in the late 1980s with the album The Seven Year Itch. James is regarded as having bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and is the winner of six Grammys and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008. Rolling Stone ranked James number 22 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and number 62 on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists.

A MUST-SEE MOVIE: "RED TAILS"

Make it your business to send Hollywood a message loud and clear this weekend. Please take the time to go and see "RED TAILS", if at all possible. Let's spread the word as the countdown begins to the first showing @ a th...eater near you tomorrow. Be counted among those who give their support opening weekend, when it matters the most. Let's pack the house so we can be proud of those box office receipts come Monday morning. Nothing but #1 will do this time! See you @ the movies!

Update 01/21/12--I went to see this movie last night w/ my hubby and daughter. We thought the film was excellent! As of this writing, the box office receipts are in for Friday and "Red Tails" is currently #2 ($6 million) behind "Underworld 4" ($9.4 million). People, we still have the rest of today and tomorrow to support this film so it will take the #1 spot. Let's do this, y'all... it's important!

R.I.P. Jimmy Castor

James Walter Castor (June 23, 1940 – January 16, 2012) was an American pop and funk musician. He is best known as a fun disco/funk saxophonist and leader of the musical group, The Jimmy Castor Bunch. The group enjoyed the success of several hit singles during the 1970s.

Happy Heavenly Birthday Dr. King!

I was 9 years old when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was taken from us, but I was also old enough to remember and know that it was a day I would never forget. We cannot thank you enough for your personal sacrifice, which allowed all of us to have a better tomorrow. For that reason, you are a permanent part of this blog on my left sidebar every single day! There is still much work that needs to be done, but right now we pause to honor your birthday and pay tribute to your memory and the legacy you left behind.

A Weekend Visit w/ Grammy & Pop-Pop 2!

Turn your speakers on!

NEW SHOW ON TV ONE: "FIND OUR MISSING"

S. Epatha Merkerson

On Wednesday, January 18, 2012, Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order) will host "Find Our Missing" a 10-episode, docu-drama created by TV One to bring attention to the large number of Black Americans who have gone missing and are ignored by mainstream media.

"Find Our Missing" is designed to put names and faces to people of color who have disappeared without a trace. Each episode will tell the story of the missing person or persons, beginning with the day they vanished and the frantic searches by loved ones and investigators to find them. The show provides insight into these victims’ lives, their hopes and dreams, what makes them tick, and how they have touched those around them, from the people who know them best.

The episodes will chronicle the investigations into their disappearances and why the search for them so far has only turned up dead ends. Each episode delves into the mystery surrounding one or two disappearances, and will call viewers to action, providing them with contact information for the specific police and local FBI offices handling the cases, if they have any information about the missing.

The premiere episode features stories of two people who vanished in 2009. Spread to word to family and friends that you know, and especially those who may be experiencing the nightmare of not knowing the whereabouts of a missing loved one. Time is of the essence when someone goes missing and we want our love ones found too!

Update 01/18/12--I just finished watching the premiere and pray that the persons featured in both cases are found. I actually remember the case of 5 year old Hassani Campbell from 2009. I did a blog post about it and followed the news on the internet for about a year. I was excited to learn that his case would be featured tonight and hoped there would be some update. I think it's very interesting that his aunt and her former fiance had nothing to contribute to tonight's episode. I, too, never believed the fiance's account of what happened the day Hassani disappeared. Ironically, the only person close to the boy who was willing to appear in the episode was his maternal grandmother. SMH...


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And, while you're waiting for the premiere of "Find Our Missing", check out this website already in existence for more information regarding missing Black Americans. You can also like Black & Missing But Not Forgotten on Facebook, follow on Twitter, and visit on Tumblr. Please spread the word about this resource too!

Happy New Year!

Now, we're counting down the days to 2013!