307LikesShe played a great Wicked Witch.
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I remember Delaney & Bonnie & Friends quite well. Delaney was one of the most influential and under-appreciated artists of the last 40 years. Many of you will remember his partner Bonnie Bramlett from her role as Roseanne's friend on the Roseanne show.
Songwriter Delaney Bramlett dies | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean
Songwriter Delaney Bramlett dies
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends leader worked with Clapton, Leon Russell
By Peter Cooper • The Tennessean • And Associated Press • December 28, 2008
Singer-songwriter-producer Delaney Bramlett, who penned such classic rock songs as “Let it Rain” and worked with musicians George Harrison and Eric Clapton, has died. He was 69.
Mr. Bramlett died Saturday in Los Angeles as a result of complications from gallbladder surgery, his wife Susan Lanier-Bramlett said.
Born in Mississippi, Mr. Bramlett enjoyed a career in the music business that spanned 50 years. With then-wife Bonnie Bramlett, he created the Southern blues-rock band Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. The group opened for Blind Faith, which featured British guitarist Clapton, in 1969.
The Bramletts divorced in 1973, and Bonnie now lives in Nashville. The couple did not work together again until the new century, when they joined daughter Bekka Bramlett for a performance at Nashville club 3rd & Lindsley.
By then, Mr. Bramlett was firmly established as an inspiration, collaborator and friend to numerous Nashville-area musicians.
His songs have been recorded by Tennesseans including The Everly Brothers, Crystal Gayle, the duo of Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn, Lester Flatt, Ray Stevens, Dickey Lee and LynnMarie.
And he wrote songs with Music City luminaries Leon Russell, Gary Nicholson, Steve Cropper, Billy Burnette and Dennis Morgan.
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In Nashville, Bonnie Bramlett is a vital force as a solo performer and harmony singer. Daughter Bekka spent four years touring as part of Fleetwood Mac and has become one of Nashville’s in-demand vocalists and songwriters.
She is a favorite vocalist of Alison Krauss, Vince Gill and others, and she has written songs for recording artists including Faith Hill, Wynonna, Gretchen Wilson and Tracy Nelson.
Upon bringing her parents together to perform with her in 2002, Bekka Bramlett told The Tennessean, “They haven’t sung together since I was like 12. I’m flipping out, I’m so happy.”
Mr. Bramlett is perhaps best known for standards such as “Superstar,” co-written with Leon Russell. It was recorded by Usher, Luther Vandross, Bette Midler, The Carpenters and most recently, Sonic Youth, in a version featured on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack of the movie Juno.
He co-wrote “Let it Rain” with Clapton, who also recorded it, and “Never Ending Song of Love,” which was recorded by more than 100 artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Patty Loveless and Dwight Yoakam.
During his career, Mr. Bramlett performed, co-wrote or recorded with stars such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Dave Mason, Billy Preston and Mac Davis. He also produced artists including Etta James and Elvin Bishop.
He recently released an album, A New Kind of Blues, on independent label Magnolia Gold Records.
John Travolta's 16-Year-Old Son Dies
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John Travolta and Jett in 2005
Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of actor John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston, died Friday while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas.
Jett had suffered a seizure at his family's vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, said Michael Ossi, a lawyer for the family, in a statement through Travolta's rep.
The teen hit his head in a bathtub Friday morning and was declared dead at Rand Memorial Hospital, police spokeswoman Loretta Mackey told the Associated Press.
According to police, a caretaker had found Jett unconscious in the bathroom around 10 a.m. An autopsy is being pursued to determine the exact cause of death.
Jett, who is the only son of Travolta, 54, and Preston, 46, had a history of seizures, according to Ossi. The couple also have a daughter, Ella Bleu, 8.
The death was first reported by TMZ.
In 2003 Preston told Montel Williams that when Jett was 2 he became "very, very ill, but it seemed like flu symptoms" before being diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. The condition, which usually affects children from ages 2 to 5, can cause inflammation of the arteries. Usually treatable, it can lead to lasting heart damage in rare cases.
Preston, who also said Jett suffered from asthma, blamed household cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides for sparking the condition and lobbied for more detailed labeling on chemical products. She credited a detoxification program based on the writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard with helping to improve Jett's health.
In November Jett joined his dad in Paris, where Travolta has been shooting From Paris with Love. In 1994 the actor told PEOPLE how much he loved fatherhood. "I can't imagine what life would be like without Jett," he said. "After he was born and cleaned up, I held him for hours while Kelly slept. When they came to take him away for various tests, I said, 'No, you can't see him today. You'll have to do it another day.' I went a little nutsy."
John Travolta's 16-Year-Old Son Dies - Jett Travolta, John Travolta, Kelly Preston : People.com
How tragic for the family. May he rest in peace.
I have a feeling that we have only heard the beginnings of this story. Jett suffered from seizures and if John and Kelly were not allowing treatment and/or medication for his condition, they could be facing charges. It is widely known that they are devout Scientologists and have claimed in the past that a treatment of L. Ron Hubbard helped to improve Jett's symptoms of "Kawasaki Syndrome" when he was a young child. I hope and pray that no matter what they claimed publicly - that they sought all treatment available to him.
I posted my sympathies in the media thread about Jett Travolta. I wanted to ask about John's involvement with Scientology, but for some reason thought that maybe that was in his past.
Although I can COMPLETELY understand why anyone would be leery of Western Medicine (especially in the US), and why anyone would prefer spiritual healing and alternative medicine, I am suspicious of this case.
The saddest thing is that all that money that John has won't bring his son back, so my heart goes out to John, Kelly, and Ella, and MOST ESPECIALLY, Jett.
My heart goes out to them, too. I just did a search about it on google and apparently Jett was actually autistic, but Scientology considers that a "degraded" character flaw, not a disease. I followed a link to a reporter who went undercover through the beginning orientation into Scientology and Whoa! Scary cult, that. I knew it was some kooky thing John and Tom Cruise were involved in, but I never really looked into it. Really, really scary and sad that they couldn't/wouldn't acknowlege Jett's condition and get him some help. Kawasaki disease is not a long-term disease, nor does it cause seizures, but autism in teens does.
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