newsmakers

newsmakers

Platters founder Herb Reed dies

BOSTON

Herb Reed, the last surviving original member of the 1950s vocal group the Platters, has died. The group’s hits such as “Only You” propelled them to stardom.

His manager says Reed died Monday in a Boston- area hospice after a period of declining health. He was 83.

Reed was a Kansas City, Mo., native who founded the Platters in Los Angeles in 1952. Reed sang bass on the group’s four No. 1 hits, including “The Great Pretender,” “My Prayer,” “Twilight Time” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”

Reed was the only member of the group to appear on all of their nearly 400 recordings. He continued touring, performing up to 200 shows per year, until last year.

The Platters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Sheryl Crow has benign brain tumor

NEW YORK

Sheryl Crow revealed that she has a benign brain tumor, but her rep says it’s nothing to be alarmed about.

The 50-year-old told an audience about her condition at a recent concert, but her representative, Christine Wolff, said it’s very common.

The tumor is a meningioma, and it’s typically benign and develops from the protective linings of the brain and spinal cord.

Wolff said that Crow is doing great and is healthy and happy.

Crow battled breast cancer several years back. She’s currently on a nationwide tour.

James Earl Jones chosen for award

PHILADELPHIA

James Earl Jones has been chosen as the 2012 recipient of the Marian Anderson Award, which honors artists whose leadership benefits humanity.

The critically acclaimed stage and screen actor will accept the award at a Nov. 19 gala at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

Pamela Browner White, chairwoman of the award’s board of directors, says Jones is an actor of intelligence and dignity who inspires others to pursue their dreams.

The Marian Anderson Award is named for the celebrated contralto and Philadelphia native, who in 1955 was the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She died in 1993 at age 96.

Previous winners include Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.

New series awards bunker to survivalist

NEW YORK

A television network is starting a competition this fall to award a fortified bunker to a family who believes the end of the world is near.

Seriously.

The Spike network said Tuesday that it will air a six-episode series called “Last Family on Earth” in which survivalists will compete to show how tough and resourceful they are.

The winner gets an underground bunker in an undisclosed location.

Spike executive Sharon Levy says the series isn’t a comedy. She also says it isn’t necessarily tied to a theory that the ancient Mayan civilization predicted the end of the world to arrive in December 2012.

Vindicator wire services