Alan Robert Copeland (October 6, 1926 – December 28, 2022)

(Hollywood Reporter) – Alan Copeland, the songwriter, Grammy-
winning arranger and ultra-smooth vocalist known for his many
years with The Modernaires and performances on Your Hit Parade
and The Red Skelton Hour, died December 28 in an assisted living
facility in Sonora, California. He was 96.

As recently as this fall, Copeland was still singing and playing
keyboards in a quartet called Now You Hazz Jazz.

Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018)

(FOX NEWS) – Aretha Franklin, whose booming vocals and
powerful personal presence made her one of the great
entertainers in global history, became the first woman
inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on this day in
history, Jan. 3, 1987.

"Aretha Franklin was an artist of passion, sophistication
and command, whose recordings remain anthems that
defined soul music," the Rock Hall writes in its biography
of the performer.

She "was only 25 when she clinched the title of Lady Soul
with her unforgettably proud, sexy, candid and confident
1967 version of Otis Redding’s ‘Respect.’"

On December 20, 1957, while spending the Christmas holidays
at Graceland, his newly purchased Tennessee mansion, rock-
and-roll star Elvis Presley received his draft notice for the United
States Army.

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977)

Robert Emmett McGrath (June 13, 1932 – December 4, 2022)

Bob McGrath, Sesame Street actor, singer, musician and
children’s author, died Sunday. He was 90 years old.

His family confirmed the news on Facebook writing, “Hello
Facebook friends. The McGrath family has some sad news
to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today. He
died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.”

Johnny Rivers (John Henry Ramistella) is a musician, singer,
songwriter, and record producer,  best known for a string of
hit singles between 1964 and 1968, among them "Memphis"
(a Chuck Berry cover), "The Seventh Son", "Secret Agent Man",
"Poor Side of Town" (a US No. 1), and "Baby I Need Your Lovin’"
(a 1967 cover of the Four Tops single from 1964).