SevenPonds Looks Back

The New Year, of course, offers perhaps the most ideal time to reflect on our changes, accomplishments, and lessons learned over the past year. Many of us may feel compelled to compare the person we are today to the person of the past. And little causes more change, trauma and self-reflection than death. The deaths of those personally significant or culturally prominent may leave some of us with memories of poignancy or lasting lessons. Here is a short list of some of the deaths in 2011 that touched us here at SevenPonds:

Phoebe Snow — Named by the New Rolling Stone Record Guide as “one of the most gifted voices of her generation,” Phoebe Snow’s passing in April of this year, following a cerebral hemorrhage in January of 2010, brought with it the sense of an artist who had never truly lived up to her potential. Nevertheless, her soulful voice and heartfelt sound sustained the songstress’ appeal throughout the years, and even after long periods of creative rest, her albums were well-received. Her number one hit, “Poetry Man”, in particular, off of her self-titled 1975 album, will be fondly remembered.

Jack Kevorkian — Pejoratively nicknamed “Dr. Death” for his controversial work with assisted suicide in the ‘90s, some of which earned him scathing criticism as a media stuntman and for which he was eventually convicted of second-degree murder, Jack Kevorkian will always be a significant name here at SevenPonds. Both his life and his death, which we covered in early June only four months after the launch of our blog, continue to resonate through the ongoing aid-in-dying controversies today, which he can perhaps be credited for helping to ignite.

Amy Winehouse — The latest entry in the so-called “27 Club,” Winehouse’s death was a tragic, yet somehow expected event: her self-destructiveness was not only genuine, but also intrinsic in much of her biting and complex music. A sad yet beautiful case of a muse that drove the artist to extremes, Amy was the real thing, if nothing else, and perhaps we didn’t truly appreciate her as such until her final passing came. To this writer’s interpretation, there was an element of regret in the media coverage following her passing, sometimes by the very same bloggers and tabloids that had hounded her so ruthlessly right up until the very end. Maybe they’ll learn from their mistakes, but perhaps we shouldn’t count on it.

Peter Falk — A gifted and well-known television, film, and stage actor, Peter Falk’s career was a long and fruitful one. He will perhaps be best remembered for his starring role in the long-running 1960s Columbo crime show, as, writes TV historian David Fantle, “everyone’s favorite rumpled television detective.” A long-time Hollywood insider, he was close friends with John Cassavetes, and received many favorable reviews from critic Roger Ebert, such as for his roles in The In-Laws, and Wim Wenders’ famed 1987 film Wings of Desire. Here is, perhaps, an example of a man who lived up to his potential, and left behind a body of work to be appreciated, emulated, and respected.

Steve Jobs — While there are perhaps many alternate candidates, to be sure, no list of notable 2011 deaths would be complete without that of the tech and marketing genius Steve Jobs. A man who became the figurehead for one of the world’s most powerful corporations, bringing a failing company back from the brink, and going on to fundamentally change the way we listen to music and interact with personal computer technology, Jobs spearheaded (or at least took effective credit and control of) the development of some of the most cutting-edge consumer technology yet to be released in the 21^st Century. As Apple remains one of those rare success stories in this tough economic climate, his passing has inevitably led many to wonder if the company will continue on in its blaze of glory. The timely publication of an expansive and informative authorized biography will probably only serve to enhance his legend further.

What are other notable deaths in 2011? Why were they notable? We encourage our readers to post their thoughts on any of those who passed in 2011 who touched you, who changed the world, or who you feel, in good conscience, simply should not be left out of a list such as this: