This year has seen the biggest untimely demise, the passing away of Michael Jackson, the legend.
And while I, along with the whole world, still mourn for his demise, we are stunned by at least two other deaths - that of Stephen Gately, who passed away at the age of 33, in October,
and of Brittany Murphy, who died just the day before yesterday (Sunday, December 20), at the age of 32.
Both have had a body of work that endeared them to me, and millions like me.
Yet, both had a lot more to give.
One wishes that each of them had lived a full & creatively content life.
Here's saying a silent goodbye to them, as with a heavy heart I recall their work that I had been familiar to.
Brittany Murphy
[November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009]
I have been very fond of Brittany Murphy's portrayals
in films like 'Clueless', 'Girl, Interrupted', '8 Mile',
and 'Uptown Girls'.
I also remember seeing her in films like 'Don't Say a Word', 'Just Married', 'Little Black Book', 'Riding in Cars with Boys' and 'Just Married'.
She has been known for her singing too, apart from her wonderful roles in films.
I had last heard her as the voice of the sweet as well as fetching penguin, Gloria, in one of my most favorite animation films of all time, 'Happy Feet'.
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Stephen Gately
[17 March 1976 – 10 October 2009]
Stephen Gately, the Irish singer, shot to fame after becoming part of the pop-group Boyzone. He was one of the lead singers of the boy-band, the other being Ronan Keating. As Boyzone became a rage across the globe in the Nineties, Stephen's fan following just soared unbelievably. He released a successful solo album in 2000, after the group's initial breakup, which charted in the UK top ten and yielded three UK hit singles, including the top three hit "New Beginning". Gately went on to appear variously in successful stage productions and on television programmes as well as contributing further tracks to various projects. In 2008, he rejoined his colleagues as Boyzone reformed for a series of concerts and recordings.
Gately made his sexuality known in 1999 and later had the same-sex marriage with Andrew Cowles. Upon Boyzone's reformation, Gately featured as part of the first gay couple in a boyband's music video in what was to be his last music video with the band, for the song "Better".
My favorite song of Stephen's is "I believe" that featured in the soundtrack of the film 'Billy Elliott'. His vocals in the Boyzone numbers like "Key to my life", "A different beat" and "No matter what" will keep ringing in my ears, and I am sure millions of music-lovers would agree, forever.
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[Intentionally, I have omitted the details regarding the circumstances and actual reported facts regarding the aforementioned deaths. First, because this is just a personal tribute post, and also because the reports keep changing with investigation and/or fresh findings.]
