An English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame with The Beatles and later married Yoko Ono. Lennon was murdered in New York City in 1980. I have depicted him in his Abbey Road suit from 1969 (which recently sold for $46,000). This is character #3 of my eight-day Music Week. Yes, I work on this 8-bit character project eight days a week.
P.S. Happy Summer Solstice!
The King is a cultural icon and one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. Elvis brought the sound of African-American music to a wider audience by interpreting black rhythm and blues. He died an overweight caricature of himself at age 42 and is buried at Graceland. Also, we’re caught in a trap.
Today I am starting Music Week. In addition to Elvis, the next seven 8-bit characters will be based on famous musicians. Happy Father’s Day!
A Chicago-based American film critic and screenwriter. Self-described on Twitter as a “film critic since time immemorial,” Ebert is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. He helped inspire and reinforce my love of cinema. Equally inspiring is how Ebert has publicly handled his post-cancer surgery appearance. Two thumbs up for this guy.
I will be in Chicago for the HOW Design Conference 2011 next week.
A pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s. He died on this day in 2004. “Georgia on My Mind” is one of his best.
Norma Jeane was born on this day in 1926. She became a cultural icon and American sex symbol. Yankees star Joe DiMaggio was one of her three husbands. She allegedly had affairs with both John and Robert Kennedy. She died of a barbiturate overdose in 1962, but conspiracy theories about the nature of her death abound.
A glamorously elfin British actress and UNICEF humanitarian. She was a film and fashion icon of the 20th century and possibly the loveliest actress to ever grace the silver screen.
I almost had to draw a bearded Conan, but Will Ferrell helped him out with his facial hair three weeks ago. In May of last year, Conan performed on The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour after his settlement with NBC. I am a fan of Team Coco.
I am attending WebVisions 2011 in Portland, Oregon this week.
Bettie Page was an American model from Tennessee who became famous in the 1950s for her fetish modeling and pin-up photos. After her sexual revolution days, she converted to born-again Christianity and spent time in a state psychiatric hospital.
A resident of Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood painted Page’s image on the side of a house just off of Exit 170 on I-5. It’s pretty cool.
This French professional wrestler and actor has a posse. Billed at 7′ 4″ and 520 pounds, he was born on this day in 1946 and died in 1993. Artist Shepard Fairey raised the Obey Giant image of André to iconic status.
Ol’ Blue Eyes died on this day in 1998. The American singer was also a founding member of a group of actors known as the Rat Pack.
Buddy Holly – No. 116
Charles Hardin Holley was an American singer-songwriter and influential pioneer of rock ‘n’ roll. He died in an airplane crash in Iowa at age 22, along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. February 3, 1959 is known as The Day the Music Died. Among his songs, “Everyday” might be my favorite. This is character #2 of my eight-day Music Week.
I am back in Iowa right now, not far from that 1959 plane crash site near Clear Lake. Also, the new Rave On Buddy Holly tribute album features some impressive cover artists.