Lou Christie dead: Lightnin' Strikes & Rhapsody in the Rain singer has died at 82 after battling short illness
The Lightnin' Strikes & Rhapsody in the Rain singer passed away at his home in Pittsburgh after battling a short illness, his wife said.
1
The artist reached number one of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 with the catchy single Lightin' Strikes.
And he had another top 20 hit that year with 'Rhapsody in the Rain,' considered overly raunchy at the time.
He died on Wednesday aged 82, his wife Francesca told The Hollywood Reporter.
The renowned singer was known for his signature falsetto, and he broke onto the scene with two songs in 1963 with the two tunes The Gypsy Cried and Two Faces Have I.
Both tracks were written in collaboration with the late Twyla Herbert - a long-time work partner.
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
29 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Bridgerton star Simone Ashley: I feel ‘safe and comfortable' filming sex scenes
Bridgerton star Simone Ashley has said she feels 'very safe and comfortable' when filming raunchy scenes in the show. The Sex Education actor, who is about to release her debut album, described hit Netflix show Bridgerton as 'fantasy'. Advertisement She told Harper's Bazaar: 'It's about, 'What if?' and how love conquers all. 'Bridgerton represents nudity with a sense of romance, and I felt very safe and comfortable in what I was choosing to show to the world.' The fourth season of the regency era drama series is due to be released next year, with Simone telling the magazine: ''That show just gets bigger and bigger. 'Everyone has gone off to do incredible things, but we come back and it's like time hasn't moved.' Advertisement She also spoke of moving to Los Angeles by herself when she was just 18, adding: 'I was really scrappy. 'Since I was little, if I wanted something, I would do anything I could to get it. So, I took some modelling jobs to pay the bills and got into acting through that.' Ashley, who appears on the digital cover of the magazine, said her album was made following a recent break-up. She said: 'It's going to be somewhat confessional … and beautiful and messy. Advertisement 'Good songs don't come from times when my life is regimented and predictable. 'They come when I am feeling vitality, and usually you either feel that way when your heart's broken, or you're euphoric. 'This work has been an amazing channel to put all those feelings into.'
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The secret A-list insider working to reunite Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin after their shock split
It was the perfect pairing: a handsome British singer and a glamorous Hollywood star – and for eight years, Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson seemed on course for a happy ending. But three weeks ago, sources close to the former couple confirmed the pair's love story had flamed out – leaving Dakota 'devastated'. Now the Daily Mail can reveal one person still hasn't given up on the couple – the actress's mom Melanie Griffith who thinks the split is a 'huge mistake' and is working behind the scenes to bring them back together. A well-placed source told the Daily Mail: 'Melanie is desperately working behind the scenes to save Dakota's strained relationship with Chris. 'She's convinced that they are meant to be together and isn't giving up on them. She thinks her daughter is making a huge mistake and needs to meet Chris halfway. 'Melanie has always felt a kinship with Chris, he's like a son to her.' Dad-of-two Martin, 48, and acting royalty Dakota, 35, were first spotted together in 2017 and were most recently seen in May. The relationship had weathered multiple break-ups and make-ups according to sources, and the pair reportedly even became engaged in 2020. Dakota – whose dad is movie icon Don Johnson – even became close to Martin's two children, Apple and Moses, who he had with ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow. Last year, she told glossy magazine Bustle: 'I love those kids like my life depends on it. With all my heart.' But that wasn't enough to prevent trouble in paradise with sources telling the Daily Mail that the pair had been having 'the same issues for some time'. While the couple themselves have called time, Griffith, 67, has refused to concede defeat and is now badgering the pair to get relationship therapy, as well as woo-woo 'energy work' in a bid to get them back on track. An insider dished: 'Melanie has been seeking advice from her friends in the healing community, mostly in the Malibu area. 'She's been trying to get Dakota and Chris to work with a non-traditional couple's therapist who incorporates energy work to help detect and detach generational trauma. 'She said all they need is some laser focus guidance to set them straight once and for all.' But while Griffith – who has a checkered relationship history of her own that includes divorcing Johnson twice and a high-profile marriage to actor Antonio Banderas – is dead set on saving Dakota's relationship, she is nervous of appearing 'meddlesome'. The insider added: 'Melanie doesn't want to be the meddlesome mother, but she has years of recovery and practices a solid spiritual program. 'She said she's coming from a place of authentic love for her daughter, rather than control. 'She wants them both to be happy, if they'd just leave their egos at the door and lead with their hearts.' That may be a tall order at the moment with rocker Martin currently touring with his band Coldplay while Dakota has been promoting her ironically named comedy Splitsville. As a result, sources say the pair have been leading increasingly separate lives with Martin playing dates in Las Vegas, Denver, and El Paso in the last three weeks alone. Also on the schedule are stops in Toronto, Nashville, and Miami next month, plus a succession of August dates at London's Wembley Stadium and a two-night stop in the down-at-heel Yorkshire town of Hull. Johnson is also promoting a second movie – romantic comedy Materialists in which she stars opposite Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. The movie was released amid the split drama on June 13 and has grossed $24million in the US and Canada to date and $7million worldwide.
The Review Geek
38 minutes ago
- The Review Geek
Countdown (2025) – Season 1 Episode 4 'Bite ‘Em Down' Recap & Review
Episode 4 Episode 4 of Countdown begins with the task force combing the burnt-down dance hall while Mark rides the ambulance with Officer Damon Drew. He looks worried as Drew's breathing gets shallow. Unfortunately, Drew dies during surgery. While the LAPD goes after Mikhail, Blythe reminds the task force not to waste his sacrifice and to continue with the mission. Mark fills them in that he saw some blueprints, the map of the LA port and the name, Gallagher. With the death of Drew, DA Valwell gets a chance to report the task force which leads to the LAPD asking for Mark and Finau back. Furious, Blythe confronts Valwell and warns him to back off and drop the complaint. Mikhail and Borys meet but we learn that the former is not interested in the terrorist attacks and cares about his family and money. He backs down when Borys threatens him, reminding him of the importance of their mission. Back at the base, Bell checks in on Shepherd who had to tell Cora, Drew's widow, the news of her husband's death. Mark regrets his reckless undercover plan but Oliveras comforts him with some tough love. Shepherd is able to trace Mikhail's identity and they go after him. They find his wife, Tatsiana, who is trying to run. They bring her in and she plays the crying, naive wife but they don't buy it. They threaten to charge her as an accomplice and she breaks. She sets up a meeting with Mikhail in Chinatown. He shows up but on seeing her expression, he knows something is wrong. He spots Bell and then recognises Mark. A chase ensues before they catch him. Meanwhile, Blythe asks Bell about Valwell. Turns out Valwell is one of the good guys. Early in his career, he helped get a conviction on a really risky case that no one wanted to touch and bring justice to the victims. Drew's desk is cleared and Shepherd looks sad as she takes his Little League cap. Onto the interrogation, Mikhail doesn't give them anything and doesn't even blink at the threats to his wife. To find dirt, the task force looks into the driver, Dmitry who drove Timur and Mark to Mikhail's dance hall. Fortunately, Shepherd and Bell are able to track him. They show up at his workplace and another chase ensues but Mark easily catches him. Oliveras plants some heroin on him and makes up false charges. Mark is surprised but goes with her plan. They finally find leverage – Mikhail's illegitimate daughter, Anya. As they head back to base, Mark asks about the heroin but Oliveras shuts him down. Shepherd wants to take the lead as she looks like Anya and the team agrees. Blythe plays the bad cop while Shepherd plays the good cop who cares about Anya's future. Mikhail breaks and tells them about Volchek but he doesn't know much except that he has patriotic motives. He sets up a meeting with Borys at a private airport but the task force ends up arresting a decoy. The real Borys is sitting in the cinema. A flashback shows him spotting the task force while Mikhail sets up their meeting. At present, he looks disgusted as the other cinemagoers laugh during the movie. At the end of Countdown Episode 4, Blythe promises that they will break the case. Cora arrives and begs the task force not to let Drew's sacrifice go to waste. They hold a mini-funeral for him in the office. The Episode Review So, we know two things with Countdown Episode 4. Without a doubt, Jensen Ackles is the best part of this Amazon Original. His dry humour, his sarcastic remarks and jokes are the highlights of the episodes. And when that is dialled down, like in this sombre chapter, it is sorely missed. But even without the snark, he keeps the show running as he is a good actor and it doesn't hurt that he is pretty to look at. Second, Countdown is, after all, an ensemble story but a poorly written one. We hadn't been sure, since the first 3 episodes had majorly focused on Mark and Oliveras, with a little bit of Blythe. But in Episode 4, all the task force members get enough screen time. Yet we barely learn anything about them. It is why Drew's death and the team's reaction to it don't have any impact. We do see the little filler moments such as Finau smiling at Mark's joke during the wife's interrogation and Bell checking on Shepherd. But the focus is constantly on the action, simply furthering the plot without fleshing out the rest of the task force. It doesn't help that the story is actually not that great either. Despite being the best of the best, both Mikhail and Borys spot the task force during the set-ups. Blythe makes an ambiguous threat and Valwell easily drops the report. There are many shows where the plot isn't great but it works because of the likeable characters. A shame that Countdown doesn't invest in character development. Instead, Borys and Valwell contribute more to the plot than Shepherd, Finau and Bell. The structure is all over the place and it seems that next week, Mark and Oliveras will regain the spotlight as they infiltrate a party. It is too early to tell but this show may not be for fans of Violett Beane, Elliot Knight and Uli Latukefu. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
