In the last week, many notable Americans have passed away. This article will cover a few of these amazing people from various walks of life that helped to shape American culture and life in some way.
Entertainers
Joseph Fire Crow (1959-2017) was a Northern Cheyenne flutist, who released 8 solo albums over his career, starting in 1992. He was a 7-time Native American Music Award Winner (NAMA) and also received the NAMA lifetime achievement award. In 2001 he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Native American Music Album for 'Cheyenne Nation.' In 2010 he won a Grammy in the New Age Category as a guest artist on David Darling's album 'Prayer for Compassion.' He was considered one of the best Native American flute players in the world and was also a highly skilled flute maker.
Fire Crow died on on July 11 at age 58 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Fresh Kid Ice, (1964-2017), whose actual named was Christopher Wong Won, was a rapper and founding member of hip-hop group '2 Live Crew' in 1982. The group rose to prominence in the late 1980s, becoming both popular and controversial over the next decade. Fresh Kid Ice also had his own solo career, starting with his 1992 album 'The Chinaman' and would eventually launch his own label, Chinaman Records.
In 1998, the group split up after recording their eighth and final album 'The Real One.' In 2008 and 2010 he suffered from strokes and had to relearn how to move and speak. In 2016, he published his memoir 'My Rise 2 Fame.' Fresh Kid Ice died on July 13 at age 53.
Sports
Jim Bush (1926-2017) was a legendary track and field coach. In 1959, he coached Fullerton College, his first college coaching job, before moving up to coach Occidental College in 1962. He then became UCLA's coach from 1965 to 1984, winning 7 conference titles, 5 national championships and coaching 30 Olympians. He also helped UCLA defeated rival USC 13 times, whereas they had never previously done so.
Following his retirement from UCLA, he worked as a speed and strength consultant for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers, and Raiders. He was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1991, he came out of retirement to coach USC until 1994. Bush died on July 10 at age 90 from cancer.
Bill Baird (1929-2017) was the one of the best American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Enduro Riders from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s.
During this time he won seven straight national enduro championships. In 1999, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. He also served on the AMA Board of Trustees for 21 years and was a key figure in founding the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. Baird died on July 12 at age 88.
Babe Parilli (1930-2017) was a quarterback who played in the NFL and AFL for 15 seasons, while also playing 3 seasons in the CFL. In the NFL Parilli played with the Green Bay Packers (1952-53, 1957-58) and the Cleveland Browns (1956). In the CFL he played with the Ottawa Roughriders (1954-55, 1959). He then joined the AFL playing for the Oakland Raiders (1960), Boston Patriots (1961-67) and the New York Jets (1968-69).
Parilli was a three-time AFL All-Star, made one AFL All-Pro team, won AFL Comeback Player of the Year and the AFL-All Star Game MVP in his time with the Patriots. As the Jets backup, he would win an AFL championship and a Super Bowl ring. In 1982, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Parilli died on July 15 at age 87 from multiple myeloma.
