In 2013 she told Vanity Fair, "those two [last] records I made with almost no vocal ability at all. But I just acted like I was working with a limited palette, like a painter would do -- you know, it's only browns and ivory and black."
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Tammi Terrell reportedly endured abuse from James Brown. Fellow band member Bobby Bennett remembered that "[Brown] beat Tammi Terrell terrible."
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While Merle Haggard had an illustrious career as a country musician, he led a rocky, tumultuous life. This is the tragic real-life story of Merle Haggard.
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Dave Mirra died on February 4, 2016, and as ESPN would later report, he was the first action sports star to be diagnosed with CTE.
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When Wells was 16, she met an assistant to Berry Gordy Jr. of Motown Records, who brought her in to present a song she'd written for Jackie Wilson. Motown signed her and she recorded the song, "Bye Bye Baby," herself. She paired up with Smokey Robinson, and the result was a string of hits.
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Actress and humorist Carrie Fisher had an incredibly unusual life story. As the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher earned an iconic role in the original Star Wars trilogy. But behind Princess Leia was the tragic story of drug addiction, bipolar disorder, and sour marriages.
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Chronic traumatic encephalopathy may have been the primary factor in the suicide of former San Diego Charger Junior Seau, who shot himself to death.
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According to the L.A. Times, Mayfield was performing a concert in Brooklyn when a freak accident occurred -- a lighting rig collapsed, striking Mayfield and fracturing three vertebrae in his neck. Mayfield was left permanently paralyzed from the neck down. He continued to compose and record.
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According to a piece by Hello! magazine, Michael found Christmas to be a particularly difficult time. He'd lost his mom and partner, Anselmo Feleppa around Christmas. They died five years apart.
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Michael Balzaray, also known as "Flea," started life in a tougher-than-tough home situation.
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As the most prominent of the Marx Brothers, Julius Henry Marx –- known to the world as "Groucho" –- became one of the best-known comedians of his age, known both for his dazzling visual comedy and his acerbic, quick-witted one-liners.
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Old Hollywood icon Rock Hudson was best known for his dashing looks and roles in Giant and All That Heaven Allows. Behind Rock Hudson's fame was a tragic childhood, a manipulative Hollywood agent, and a struggle with his gay identity. Hudson was the first major celebrity to die with AIDs in 1985.
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Up-and-coming 22-year-old pop singer Christina Grimmie was on the fast track to stardom in 2016 -- until a crazed fan brought everything to a halt.
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Scott had taken a break for three years before he got back to racing simply because he missed it so much. Scott was driving during the qualifying rounds for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) SuperNationals, moving at about 300 miles an hour when his Funny Car's engine exploded into flames.
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As reported by The New York Times, Hughes lost consciousness during the game. Medics rushed to his aid and tried to revive him, but he never woke up.
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The singer didn't know what it's like to be taken care of as a kid and didn't experience love and affection at home. His parents were too caught up in trying to provide for him and his siblings. "I was never praised, never held," he said. "So it wasn't exactly the Little House On The Prairie."
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Tragically, feuds and shifting careers have led Simon & Garfunkel to reunite and break up many times over.
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According to initial reports by the Orlando Sentinel, he died of the brain injury, but those reports turned out to be incorrect. According to U.S. Motorsport, Dr. Barry Myers, a professor of biomedical engineering at Duke University, reviewed Earnhardt's autopsy images.
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Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis was the first to link hand hygiene to the spread of disease in the 1840s. Semmelweis pioneered the practice of hand-washing.
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Barry White had a successful career and is often remembered for his love ballads, but his life wasn't easy. This is Barry White's tragic real-life story.
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According to Leto, his father went out to get a carton of milk, only to metaphorically end up on a milk carton himself, back in the early 1970s when Leto was only a baby. The story gets a bit darker. Leto's dad remarried, and Leto never heard from the guy again.
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The Vietnamese-born actress Thuy Trang was on her way to a very successful Hollywood career when her life was tragically cut short in 2001.
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Blindness wasn't the only hardship Ray Charles faced. This is his tragic real-life story.
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The Hiawatha Insane Asylum, built to incarcerate Native Americans, has been compared to a gulag. This is the tragic true story of the Hiawatha Insane Asylum.
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Known for his big red fez, the bumbling prop comedian Tommy Cooper elicited belly laughs from countless fans throughout his 37-year career. But while the 6'5" actor brought joy to audiences, the on-screen death of the 69-year-old proved to be more shocking than any of his gags ever would be.
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According to the Formula One website, Senna was aware of his limitations and didn't take his mortality for granted. He viewed racing as a way to learn more about himself. "For me, this research is fascinating," he said. "Every time I push, I find something more, again and again."
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Beich was drawn to the band's potential. He'd already proved his mettle with Mercyful Fate and other bands. As the the sound and style of Guns N' Roses evolved, however, the bassist found himself struggling to be happy. He didn't want to stick to hard rock.
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