Terry Gross

Jazz singer Sylvia Syms passed away yesterday at the age of 74. She had a heart attack just as she finished a performance at the Algonquin Hotel. Syms was known as the quintessential saloon singer, and foremost among her admirers was Frank Sinatra, who produced and conducted a 1982 album of standards called "Syms By Sinatra." Her one hit was "I could Have Danced All Night," from the 1956 musical "My Fair Lady." Her nightclub career spanned 51 years.

Terry talks with film critic Stephen Schiff about the late director Satyajit Ray from India. Ray died yesterday at the age of 70. His work was internationally acclaimed.

Isaac Asimov [a.k.a. Paul French], the prolific science fiction writer, has passed away at the age of 72. Asimov wrote nearly 500 books, and was honored, among other times, in 1966 with a special Hugo Award for the best science fiction series ever for his "Foundation" trilogy. We present highlights from an earlier interview. (Rebroadcast. Originally aired 9/25/87.)

We remember trumpeter Buck Clayton, who died on Sunday at age 80. Clayton played with Count Baise's original band. (Rebroadcast of 10/14/1987)

We remember theater impresario Joe Papp. He was responsible for bringing out such hits as "A Chorus Line" and "Hair," and for staging many memorable performances at the New York Shakespeare Festival. He died yesterday at age 70. We'll listen to a Fresh Air interview with Papp from 1987.

We remember rock impresario Bill Graham, who died this weekend in a helicopter crash. Terry Gross talked with Graham on May 17 of 1989. We'll play back part of that interview.

The Spider-Man and Hulk creator spoke to Fresh Air in 1991 about coming up with Spider-Man, inventing new sound effects for his comics and why superheroes have colorful costumes.

Actress Colleen Dewhurst died last night in New York. We remember her with an excerpt from a November 1987 interview with Terry. (Rebroadcast of 11/06/1987)

Getz recently passed away after a bout with liver cancer. We remember him with a rebroadcast of an interview from last year. Getz talks about dropping out of school and going on the road at 15. He learned while traveling and playing with other musicians.

Shabalala, who died Feb. 11, fronted of the South African a capella group. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1991 about collaborating with Paul Simon on Graceland and growing up on a farm.