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A special section of obituaries for musicians, authors, and other prominent figures in popular culture who died in 2007 is presented, including Hilly Kristal, Denny Doherty, Brad Delp, Lee Hazelwood, "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, Tony Wilson, Max Roach, Norman Mailer, and Kurt Vonnegut.

The article pays tribute to soul singer Wilson Pickett.

This article is an obituary of musician Ray Charles. He sang in a gravelly, life-weary voice that could, when he wanted, be as clear as moonlight in the Georgia pines. Ray Charles, who died at 73 of acute liver disease at his California home, was one of those rare talents whose own biography is the American story writ large. Born in grinding poverty in Albany, Ga., blind by 7, probably from glaucoma, and orphaned at 15, Charles somehow took off on a musical odyssey that seemed to career effortlessly through all the main genres--jazz, pop, R & B, country and gospel. He struggled with heroin for nearly 20 years and his womanizing was legendary. And, of course, a bunch of old sweet songs to forever keep him on our minds.

Grammy award-winning composer Michael Kamen died of an apparent heart attack on November 18, 2003 in London. He was 55 years old. He was best known for his scores to motion pictures such as "Die Hard" and "Lethal Weapon," which fused classical and hardrock styles. Kamen worked with a number of rock artists in his career including Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd and Cranberries. Country singer-songwriter Don Gibson died of natural causes on November 17, 2003 in Nashville. Soul singer Arthur Conley died from intestinal cancer on November 17, 2003 in the Netherlands.

This section reports obituaries and other news briefs. By hitting four home runs in four straight at-bats Sept. 25, Toronto first-baseman Carlos Delgado, 31, tied a Major League Baseball record for most homers in a single game. MTV has pulled the plug on the The New Tom Green Show -- starring the Pembroke, Ontario-born comedian, 32 -- after three months. The first five musicians named to the new Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame are Brantford, Ontario's Alfred Bryan, Nova Scotian country singer Hank Snow, Quebec's Felix Leclerc, Madame Bolduc -- and Gordon Lightfoot, 64, the only living inductee. Columbia University professor Edward Said, a leading advocate of the Palestinian cause died of leukemia in New York City at the age of 67. Sharply dressed British rocker Robert Palmer who was best known for the '80s hits "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible" died of a heart attack while in Paris. Long-time NHL statistician Ron Andrews who devised the now-invaluable plus-minus rating of players' performances died in Toronto of complications from a stroke at the age of 67. Torontonian Mers Kutt, 70, has been recognized as the father of the personal computer, by U.S.-based journal IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, for his 1973 invention of the MCM-70 Microcomputer. George Plimpton, 76, best-selling author of Paper Lion (1966), died in his sleep at home in Manhattan.

Pays tribute to several musicians, who died in July 2003.

When I first met Zalman Yanovsky, I was a bit starstruck. As co-founder of the Lovin' Spoonful, he'd been Canada's very own Beatle, our man on 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Zal didn't like to live in the past. With Rose, his second wife, he carved out a fresh career in Kingston, Ont. Living on a nearby farm, they raised chickens and lambs. In the heart of town, they restored a limestone stable to create Chez Piggy, a vibrant restaurant that became the hub of a revitalized main street. Later they restored another historic building to house the Pan Chancho bakery. Zal died suddenly on Dec. 13, six days before his 58th birthday. I still can't believe he's gone. He was so alive. Zal had the fastest mind, the sharpest wit and the biggest heart of anyone I've known. One of his favourite phrases was "ooga booga!" and he was an ooga-booga guy. Hanging out with him, to quote that Spoonful song, made "you feel happy like an old-time movie."

Editorial. Focuses on the late musical entertainer Frank Sinatra. Details on the happenings in the days following Sinatra's death; Views on Sinatra as a music performer; Background on Sinatra.

Comments on the death of harpsichord player Fernando Valenti. Career background; Achievements of Valenti as a musician; Passion for the music of Scarlatti; Background on the life of Valenti; Attitudes toward life and health.

Editorial. Reflects on the author's acquaintance with the great musician Vladimir Horowitz. Horowitz's musical genius; Personal reminiscences.

Opinion. Pays tribute to the singer and songwriter, Frank Sinatra. Information on Sinatra's songs; Discussion on Sinatra's singing ability. INSET: Let's Be Frank.

The article presents the obituaries of several notable people, including Witold Kieltyka, a drummer, Paul Wasserman, an entertainment publicist, and Casey Calvert, a guitarist.

This article presents information about events and milestones involving people connected with the music industry. Brad Turcotte, founder and president of Compadre Records, and his wife became the parents of a baby boy on November 1, 2006. Gerald Cook, pianist, composer, and musical director died on October 22, 2006. Gap Band producer and songwriter Rudy Taylor died on October 28, 2006 and musician Patricia Stolarchuk, also known as Larissa Strickland, died of a drug overdose on October 9, 2006.