Cleaning out the Inbox: Passings: Non-Sports Edition

      It's the non-sports edition of tributes from a few notable people who have recently left our world.

Goodbye to Ace Frehley at the age of 74.

The long-time guitarist for KISS, Frehley, was with the band from 1972-1982 before going on his own. 

Frehley returned to the band from 1996-2002, but eventually left on bad terms with band members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

When KISS's four members released solo albums in 1978 under the KISS banner, it was Frehley who had the only hit with "New York Groove," which reached the top twenty.

Goodbye to Sonny Curtis at the age of 88.

Curtis played guitar with Buddy Holly and the Crickets and, after Holly's death, moved into the lead vocals position with the group.

Curtis was more famous as a songwriter, penning such songs as "I Fought The Law", "Walk Right Back", "More Than I Can Say", and the theme song of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Love Is All Around.

" Love Is All Around" was a hit ten years apart for Curtis, with the theme hitting in 1970 (sung by Curtis) and again in 1980 with a slower, country-style ballad by Curtis.

Goodbye to Steve Cropper at the age of 84.

"The Colonel" was the guitarist in the 1979 film classic "The Blues Brothers" for the band, but was also a key part of the "Mar-Keys", who scored a hit with the instrumental "Last Night" in 1961.

"Last Night" is fondly remembered by me from my childhood, thanks to its use in the opening introductions of NBA broadcasts by CBS, with Brent Musberger breathlessly adding his comments.

Cropper was also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame from his membership with "Booker T and the MG's" and was a noted songwriter with credits from co-writing hits such as "Knock On Wood", "In the Midnight Hour", and "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay".

Goodbye to Adam the Woo at the age of 51.

I'm not really the target audience for YouTube influencers, but I did enjoy watching videos made by "The Woo," as he was actively in the travel community.

Woo also traveled to abandoned places and into places behind the scenes, which he often didn't have permission to visit, which caused him to be banned from the Disney parks.

I didn't watch every one of his videos because, after a while, there are only so many amusement park videos that I can watch, but he seemed like a nice guy who found a niche that touched many people.