July 9, 2012 by Amy Gold
During the week of July 1, 2012, TV fans mourned the passing of veteran actor Andy Griffith who is best remembered for his roles as the sheriff of Mayberry in "The Andy Griffith Show" and as criminal defense attorney Ben Matlock in "Matlock." Griffith also recorded many gospel albums over the years and had two hits on the Billboard Pop Charts in the early 1950s, "What It Was, Was Football (Parts I & II)" (1954) and "Make Yourself Comfortable" (1955).
Also this week, both Barry Gibb and Bobby Womack announced their return to the stage, and Cissy Houston paid tribute to her late daughter, Whitney, at the 2012 BET Awards ceremonies.
July 1, 2012: Cissy Houston Pays Tribute To Her Daughter Whitney
At the 2012 BET Awards in Los Angeles, Grammy Award-winning singer and mother of the late Whitney Houston gave a performance in tribute to her daughter. Houston performed a moving rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" to a teary audience.
Source: BET Awards: Anticipation, followed by exhilaration - latimes.com
July 2, 2012: Bobby Womack Makes His Return
After some 20 years, famed gospel and soul singer-songwriter Bobby Womack announced that he will be returning to the stage. Womack had a long string of hits from the late 1960s through early 1980s that included "Fly Me To The Moon" (1968) and "Lookin' For A Love" (1974). In 2009, Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The 68-year old singer recently released a new album, "The Bravest Man in the Universe," and plans to start touring again, health permitting.
Source: Bobby Womack Makes His Return With 'Bravest Man'
July 2, 2012: Barry Gibb Plans A Return To The Stage
The last surviving member of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb, announced that he will be returning to the stage as a solo performer and will continue to perform Bee Gees songs in memory of his late brothers. As one friend of the family said, Barry is hurting badly but he knows the boys would expect him to carry on. Next year looks more likely in terms of a return to the stage. He will do his brothers proud.
Source: Bee Gees | Barry Gibb Plans Stage Return | Contactmusic
July 3, 2012: Andy Griffith Passes Away
Veteran actor Andy Griffith died on July 3 at age 86 at his home on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. One of Griffith's first major roles in his long acting career was as a country boy in the US Air Force in "No Time for Sergeants" which first aired in 1955 as a teleplay on "The United States Steel Hour" and was later made into both a movie and a Broadway play. His fame took off in the 1960s with "The Andy Griffith Show" in which he starred as the amiable sheriff of Mayberry, NC. In the 1980s and 1990s, he starred as criminal defense attorney Ben Matlock in the highly popular TV series, "Matlock." He also recorded many gospel albums over the years and had two hits on the Billboard Pop Charts in the early 1950s. In 1997, Griffith was awarded a Grammy for his album, "Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album for I Love to Tell the Story - 25 Timeless Hymns."
Source: Andy Griffith, Actor, Dies at 86 - NYTimes.com
