This is not a comprehensive list of artists we lost in 2020. It is a list that I compiled for my own tributes of musicians and their music that has touched me in my life who left this plane of existence in 2020.
Here is a list of who is featured either as performer or songwriter on the following playlist:
Neil Peart (drummer from RUSH)
Bill Withers
Adam Schlesinger
Little Richard
Kenny Rogers
Sweet Pea Atkinson of Was (Not Was)
Nikki McKibbin
Spencer Davis
David Roback (Mazzy Star)
Derek Jones (Falling in Reverse)
Florian Schneider (Kraftwerk)
Chris Trousdale (Broadway and boy band Dream Street)
Johnny Nash
Eddie Van Halen
Frankie Banali
Ronald Bell, tenor sax in Kool & The Gang
Alan Merrill of ARROWS
Helen Reddy
Andrew Brough (Straitjacket Fits)
Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac
In Memoriam Musical Artists lost in 2020 (A Personal List)
BETTY WHITE’S PET SET The Complete Series coming in 2021~!
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MasterClass Announces Salman Rushdie to Teach Storytelling and Writing
Award–winning author shares the importance of drawing from experience to build and tell stories
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Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass
SAN FRANCISCO, DEC. 15, 2020 — MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that Booker Prize–winning author Salman Rushdie will teach a class on storytelling and writing. Drawing from his celebrated career as a novelist and essayist, Rushdie will help members explore their innate storytelling ability to write and tell the stories they are meant to tell. Rushdie’s class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 100+ instructors with an annual membership.
“Salman’s prose is magical; his storytelling, worldly,” said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. “In his MasterClass, Salman discusses the seminal works that have influenced him, providing all writers—even those just starting to put pen to paper—lessons in how to harness the power of words.”
In his MasterClass, Rushdie will share his storytelling framework, which is equal parts discipline and freedom, from how to build rich and complex story structures to crafting characters, researching and editing, providing a wealth of examples and insights from the global literature that has influenced his work. In addition to offering big-picture advice and his seven useful tips to becoming a better reader and writer, Rushdie will offer valuable insights on the psychological aspects of writing, including navigating writer’s block, negotiating feedback with editors and more. Through intimate stories of the struggle and learnings from Rushdie’s early career, members will get an insider’s look into his journey, leaving the class inspired by his wisdom and eager to write their own unique stories.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the universality of storytelling and how shared human experiences unite us all, no matter where we are in the world,” Rushdie said. “In my MasterClass, I hope I can help members transition to the other side of the page and reach new heights creatively with their writing.”
Rushdie is an award-winning novelist, essayist, fiction and nonfiction writer known for his humorous and often-surrealist style. Rushdie’s work examines themes of movement across cultures, modernity and the influence of world events on individuals’ lives. His second novel, Midnight’s Children, was a commercial and critical success, earning the esteemed Booker Prize in 1981, as well as the “Best of the Booker” prize twice in the years following. In 1983, his third novel, Shame, won the French literary prize Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, cementing Rushdie’s place among the literary elite.
Over the course of his career, Rushdie has published 14 novels that have been translated into more than 40 languages. He has been internationally recognized with many of literature’s highest honors, and in 2007, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to the literary world. Some of his top accolades include the European Union’s Aristeion Prize for Literature, the Premio Grinzane Cavour (Italy), the Writer of the Year Award in Germany, PEN Pinter Prize (U.K.), Golden PEN Award, Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, and Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Humanism.
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Salman Rushdie Teaches Storytelling and Writing | Official Trailer |
ABOUT MASTERCLASS:
Launched in 2015, MasterClass is the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best. With an annual membership, subscribers get unlimited access to 100+ instructors and classes across a wide range of subjects, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Anna Wintour’s office, Ron Finley’s garden and Neil Gaiman’s writing retreat. Get inspired by RuPaul, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn on your own terms—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge. Cinematic visuals and close-up, hands-on demonstrations make you feel like you’re one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable instructor guides help reinforce your learning. Stream thousands of lessons anywhere, anytime, on mobile, tablet, desktop, Apple TV®, Android™ TV, Amazon Fire TV® and Roku® players and devices.
Follow MasterClass:
Twitter @masterclass
Instagram @masterclass
Facebook @masterclassofficial
Follow Salman Rushdie:
Twitter: @salmanrushdie
Facebook: @salmanrushdieauthor
LUCIFER SHOWRUNNER JOE HENDERSON RETEAMS WITH CAPTAIN MARVEL ARTIST LEE GARBETT FOR UPCOMING TEEN HORROR SHADECRAFT
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Grant Morrison, Alex Child & Naomi Franquiz Debut PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD at BOOM! Studios
Discover The Brand New Original Horror Series in March 2021
UCP, a Division of Universal Studio Group, To Adapt Graphic Novel Series for Television
LOS ANGELES, CA (December 14, 2020) – BOOM! Studios today announced PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD #1, kicking off a star-studded new horror limited series from visionary writer Grant Morrison (Klaus), Alex Child (BBC’s Holby City), Naomi Franquiz (Tales from Harrow County) and Tamra Bonvillain (Once & Future) about the mysterious monsters that haunt Proctor Valley Road – and the four misfit teenagers who must stop them. PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD, developed in partnership with NBCUniversal, debuts in comic shops on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. NBCUniversal’s UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, will also adapt the series for television and will shop the adaptation to networks and streaming platforms.
August, Rylee, Cora & Jennie have organized a “Spook Tour” with their classmates on the most haunted, demon-infested stretch of road in America to fund attending the concert of their dreams. But when their visit turns deadly, these four friends race to rescue the missing students…before the town tears them limb from limb. Now they must slay the evils roaming Proctor Valley Road…along with the monsters lurking in the hearts of 1970s America.
Grant Morrison has written best-selling stories for Marvel and DC Comics, creating definitive runs for iconic characters including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Justice League of America, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. Seminal titles in comics include Batman: Arkham Asylum, All-Star Superman, Animal Man, The Invisibles, WE3, Joe the Barbarian, and Doom Patrol.
In television, Morrison developed and co-wrote a number of shows under a development deal for UCP at NBCUniversal. These include the hit show Happy! for SYFY in 2017, based on the comic book, and an adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World for Peacock in 2020. A long-anticipated adaptation of the epic ‘90s series The Invisibles is currently in development. In film, Morrison recently co-wrote The Flash for Warner Bros. with Ezra Miller.
“I fell in love with these characters when I read Alex’s original series proposal and I’ve had an amazing time working with him and with Naomi to bring them to life for a spooky rollercoaster ride that feels like Nancy Drew on ‘shrooms!” said Grant Morrison. “Get your kicks…on Proctor Valley Road!”
Alex Child is a British screenwriter from Oxfordshire known for his work on BBC’s Holby City and Sky One’s Temple. Child’s upcoming debut short film Small World, which he wrote and directed, stars Dr. Who‘s David Troughton and Peter Wight of Hot Fuzz fame.
“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with the mighty Grant Morrison and the insanely talented Naomi Franquiz on my debut comic book, PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD!” said Alex Child. “With the hangover of the 1960s in the rearview, the Vietnam War dragging on, and the Space Race hotting up, we’re in small town supernatural America to tell the story of four best friends, three missing jocks, and a real life stretch of road steeped in legends that will ice your spine and leave the blood thumping in your ears. The girls’ reputations, friendship, and lives are all on the line in this white-knuckle adventure series as they try to unravel the mysteries and survive the nightmarish terrors of Proctor Valley Road, a place that makes Hell look like Honolulu!”
Naomi Franquiz is a Latina freelance illustrator and comic book artist currently based in delightfully dank Florida. She focuses on diverse and inclusive character-driven narratives that explore concepts such as found family, identity, and independence. Previous works include Tales From Harrow County: Death’s Choir (Dark Horse), Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Marvel), and Bountiful, a short story in the ELEMENTS: Earth comics anthology. She is perhaps best known for her expressive character work, and perhaps less known for her inability to ride a standard bicycle.
“PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD is a big slice of Americana laced with uneasy cryptid horror, a side of rebel youth, and a killer soundtrack,” said Naomi Franquiz.
Print copies of PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD #1, for mature readers, will be available on March 3, 2021 exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the one nearest you) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers like comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire. The issue also features main cover art by Franquiz, along with variant covers from superstars Chris Wildgoose (Alienated), Christian Ward (Invisible Kingdom), and Peach Momoko (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
“Grant, Alex, and Naomi have created a kind of horror in PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD that is both beyond imagination and terrifyingly real,” said Eric Harburn, Senior Editor, BOOM! Studios. “Coming of age during the death of ‘peace & love,’ our heroines must not only conquer the evils spawned from this cursed desert highway, but the demons we all see when we look in the mirror and stare up at the ceiling at night.”
For continuing news on the PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.
THE EMPTY MAN WILL FIND YOU
Film Available for Digital Ownership on January 12
Cullen Bunn & Vanesa R. Del Rey’s The Empty Man Comics Return with All-New Movie Edition Softcover Collection from BOOM! Studios
LOS ANGELES, CA (December 3, 2020) – 20th Century Studios and BOOM! Studios announced today that The Empty Man, based off the acclaimed graphic novels, will be available to own digitally and on Movies Anywhere beginning January 12, 2021 along with an all-new softcover collection set to arrive in comic stores, bookstores, and online in January, 2021.
The Empty Man Movie Edition softcover collection comes from the superstar team of writer Cullen Bunn (Magneto, Bone Parish), artist Vanesa R. Del Rey (Redlands, Hit), colorist Michael Garland, and letterer Ed Dukeshire. As the inspiration for the motion picture, The Empty Man Movie Edition will feature the haunting film poster as its new cover. To celebrate the film’s digital release, BOOM! Studios has made the entire debut issue of The Empty Man Movie Edition available to read for free on its website. Please visit https://www.boom-studios.com/
“20th Century Studios’ adaptation of The Empty Man has allowed new audiences to discover this horrifying story and we are thrilled that it’ll be available for consumers to watch at home come January,” said Filip Sablik, President of Publishing & Marketing, BOOM! Studios. “By releasing The Empty Man Movie Edition softcover collection, we hope new fans will discover comics and enjoy all three volumes of the hit series.”
Directed by David Prior, this supernatural horror film centers on shocking events originating in a small Midwestern town. After the mysterious disappearance of a group of teenagers, James Lasombra (James Badge Dale), a troubled retired cop, is thrust into action to investigate. Following leads that may tie a secretive occult-minded group to a terrifying local legend, he soon realizes that his life — and the lives of those close to him — are in terrible danger. The screen story and screenplay is by David Prior.
In the world of The Empty Man comics, it’s been one year since the first reported case of the titular disease, and no drug has been able to slow its progress. The cause is unknown, and the symptoms include fits of rage, hideous hallucinations, and suicidal dementia, followed by death or a near lifeless, “empty” state of catatonia. As cults rise nationwide, the FBI and CDC enter a joint investigation of the Empty Man, racing against the clock to piece together clues to stop the cult and uncover a cure.
Add The Empty Man to your digital collection January 12 and grab a print copy of The Empty Man Movie Edition later that month at your local comic book shop (visit comicshoplocator.com to find the one nearest you), local bookstore or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies of The Empty Man Movie Edition will be available from content providers such as comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire.
Under The Ocean Is Where You’ll Find Me
In 2020 the opportunity to swim under the ocean and scuba was something one couldn’t even conceive doing. Most can’t even conceive of doing super diving though, seeing sharks, whales and fish you’d assume were alien creatures up close and personal. In Beyond Blue by E-Line Media you can do just that though especially after unlocking free swim when you completed the story mode.
That story mode is a wonderful experience though, craftily written and expertly voice acted it lands a narrative that allows for exploration while becoming connected the folks whose job it is to conserve, explore, educate and document the world under the ocean. A world as interesting as the ones in space and one could say we could learn a lot more from than anywhere else.
As wonderful as the story is, the graphics as well as the handling of the gameplay are also fantastic. While it could definitely be considered a walking simulator or in this case a swimming simulator, there’s the feels of trying to capturing all the scans of the fish, making actual story directions, unlocking secrets, so that it stays a game and not just a very powerful visual novel/interactive educational software.
On top of those visuals, story and relaxing, easy but enjoyable play is a spectacular soundtrack. Songs from The Marias, The Edisons , Vanderock, TokiMonsta and even The Flaming Lips, can be listened to at your leisure in the submarine ship while an ambient score accompanies you in the waters. The music seems to also have a narrative nature to them as one track is presented as a demo track of a character’s relative. It actually adds a lot to the attachment and making you care about the story and the people as much as you do the fish.
I really do recommend Beyond Blue as a zen like experience. In these times and even in the cold winters of normal life, the chance to jump into the dark ocean and see the beauty from the safety of your PC or console is something we all need.
LONGTIME SAVAGE DRAGON FANS REJOICE! CLASSIC CARTOON ADAPTATION OF ERIK LARSEN’S ICONIC SERIES AVAILABLE ON PEACOCK TV
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THE MANDALORIAN SEASON 2, VOLUME 1 (CHAPTERS 9-12) DIGITAL SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE TODAY

Göransson (Tenet, Black Panther) and is available HERE. The release will be followed by The Mandalorian Season 2, Volume 2 (Chapters 13-16) digital album available on December 18.
Your First Look at the Series Finale of ANGEL & SPIKE from BOOM! Studios
Discover a Shocking New Mysterious Connection to Another Universe in November 2020
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 13, 2020) – BOOM! Studios, in partnership with 20th Television, revealed a first look ANGEL & SPIKE #16, from acclaimed writer Zac Thompson (Spider-Geddon: Edge of Spider-Geddon), artist Hayden Sherman (Thumbs, The Few), colorist Roman Titov (Angel), and letterer Ed Dukeshire (Angel) along with visionary writer and director Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel’s The Avengers), available in November 2020.
In the series finale, Team Angel – or Team Spike, no one can agree – must work with the werewolf Oz if they’re going to save the day. Meanwhile, Fred discovers her true power and a mysterious new connection to another universe (or universes!) where she and her friends have a scarily close relationship with Wolfram & Hart…
ANGEL & SPIKE #16 features a main cover by Christopher J. Mitten (Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.), as well as variant covers by artist Gleb Melnikov (Angel, Seven Secrets), and illustrator Zarin Baksh.
Created by visionary writer and director Joss Whedon (Marvel’s The Avengers film franchise), Angel premiered on the WB Network on October 5th, 1999 and was a spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series ran for five seasons from 1999–2004, starring David Boreanaz as Angel, the tortured vampire destined to walk the earth with a soul who moved to LA to set up shop as a supernatural private investigator. Despite Angel’s best efforts to deal with the sins of his past all by himself, Angel Investigations soon became home to other lost souls searching for redemption and willing to fight by his side.
ANGEL & SPIKE is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; We Only Find Them When They’re Dead by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo; Seven Secrets by Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora; and Faithless by Brian Azzarello and Maria Llovet. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties including Dune: House Atreides by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Dev Pramanik; Buffy the Vampire Slayer from Jordie Bellaire and David López, Firefly from Greg Pak, Lalit Kumar Sharma & Daniel Bayliss, and the upcoming Mighty Morphin and Power Rangers series from Ryan Parrott, Marco Renna, and Francesco Mortarino.
Print copies of ANGEL & SPIKE #16 will be available for sale on November 25, 2020 exclusively at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one). Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire.
For continuing news on ANGEL & SPIKE comic books, graphic novels and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.