Rant #1,485: Passings

Over the last week or so, three people left us who were somewhat noteworthy.

They weren't household names in 2015, but back in their heydays, just about everyone knew them.

One of them was Lynn Anderson.

Anderson was the blond country singer who broke through on the national stage in1970 with the tune "Rose Garden," which rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song remains today one of the largest country to pop crossover hits in history, and paved the way for a slew of female country singers to straddle both charts, including the likes of Jeannie C. Riley, Reba McEntire, and later, Kelly Clarkson.

She had many other pop and country hits, including "You're My Man," and "How Can I Unlove You," but she never topped "Rose Garden."

Anderson also had something of a wild personal life, being picked up by police on several charges over the years, including drunken driving, so I guess life was no "Rose Garden" for her.

The second celebrity death during the past few days was that of Roddy Piper, the wrestler whose nickname was "Rowdy" and the guy who helped make professional wrestling the worldwide, global phenomena it is today.

Piper, a Canadian wrestler of Scottish heritage who proudly wore his kilt in the ring, was one of the most popular wrestlers in the 1980s and 1990s. Along with Hulk Hogan, he helped wrestling become mainstream, through the Rock and Wrestling Connection and through his sunny personality and work ethic.

He was so popular that he appeared in several mainstream movies, and his "Piper's Pit" interview segments on WWE shows are legendary, including the one where he conked another big wrestler of the time, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, over the head with a coconut.

No, the PC Police were non-existent for that one, and Piper and his legacy will live on forever, if not with the general public, then at least with pro wrestling fans.

The last passing that I am going to talk about here is that of British entertainer Cilla Black.

Black was relatively unknown in the United States, but she did have one hit record here, "You're My World," which reached #26 during the British Invasion year of 1964.

She placed a couple of other songs on the U.S. charts, including "It's For You" and "Alfie," but her lasting fame was not to be in America, but in her native England.

Parlaying her long-time friendship with the Beatles into a show business career, Black had numerous hit records in England and Europe, but most audiences there probably look at her as one of its most popular TV personalities.

Over here we call them hosts, but over there, they are known as presenters, and she was probably the most prolific presenter on those shores, hosting numerous entertainment shows, including game shows.

She had a bright, entertaining look and personality, and it came through on those shows.

So there you have it.

None of these people were really household names, but each had an interesting time in the spotlight and had interesting careers that really cannot be overlooked.

I bid them farewell, but they will always be alive through places like YouTube, which features a wealth of performances by these personalities.

Check it out.