Dennis Albanese

Actor -- via voy.com.

Tony Di Pardo

Trumpeter, bandleader, and iconic Kansas City Chiefs fan -- via the Kansas City Star.

Thomas R. Hargrove

Agricultural explorer and consultant, writer, editor, songwriter -- via the Chronicle. His many adventures included discovering an underwater city, and being kidnapped by Colombian rebels.

Alex Konadu aka One Man Thousand

Musician -- via Osibisaba. The reigning king of Ghaninan guitar highlife.
 

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Louis Hartman

Comedy writer, radio personality, and Zen monk -- via the San Francisco Chronicle.

Megan McNeil

Singer -- via Surrey Now.

Betty Smith

Saxophonist and singer -- via the Independent.

Shirley Carroll O'Connor

Publicist who got her start with the circus -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

Margaret Price

Soprano -- via Gramophone.

Tony "Ham" Guerrero

Trumpeter and singer -- via the San Antonio Express.

Milton Babbitt

Composer -- via the New York Times. Although he may be dismissed by posterity as a serialist, his atonal work is rewarding for those who can stick it out. He was a bold and committed experimenter, equipped with a playful sense of humor. Blessed with profound mathematical gifts, he was among the first composers to write for electronic, synthesized and manipulated recorded music.

UPDATE: Robert Hilferty's documentary on Babbitt was stopped due to Hilferty's untimely death in 2009. Good news! Composer Laura Karpman was commissioned by Hilferty's companion Fabio Toblini to finish the film, and it's done. It can be seen here, and below --

Diana Norman aka Ariana Franklin

Journalist, freelance writer and novelist -- via the BBC.

John Barry aka John Barry Prendergast

Film composer -- via the BBC. A five-time Oscar winner -- not only one of the most popular film composers, but one of the most significant. He will be forever identified with his multiple James Bond movies scores, but his range was much broader, and his artistry was infinitely more subtle and affecting. 50 years -- 110 titles -- a mighty contribution. Also, a tribute and remembrance from the Guardian --

David Frye aka David Shapiro

Comedy impressionist -- via the New York Times. He specialized in political impressions, especially that of Richard Nixon. This meant that his humor was topical -- his fame, though widespread, was brief, and faded with the reputations of those he imitated. His talent, though, was real.

Charlie Callas

Comedian and actor -- via chortle.co.uk. He was old-school -- a high-energy, rubber-faced, slapsticky, Vegas-y kind of talent who would do anything for a laugh, tasteless or not. He often opened for Frank Sinatra, was noted for his many impressions, and appeared in many Mel Brooks films. His signature bit: odd verbal effects and facial contortions. A look into the world of standup before the modern era: back in the days of crushed-velvet tuxedos, chain smoking, martinis, deep tans, golf in the desert and rampant political incorrectness.

Lucas Mebrouk Dolega

Photojournalist -- via the New York Times. He was killed in the course of covering the recent riots in Tunisia.

Carter B. Smith

San Francisco radio personality -- via the San Francisco Chronicle.

L. Terrell "Terry" Gardner

Toronto humanist, family man, mathematician, peace activist, cyclist, bicycle mechanic -- via http://bicyclemechanic.blogspot.com.

David Kato

Gay activist -- via the New York Times. He was beaten to death.

Gladys Horton

Co-founder and lead singer of the Marvelettes -- via the L.A. Times. Their biggest hit: "Please Mr. Postman," also scored with "BEechwood 4-5789" and "Don't Mess with Bill."

Elmer Lee "Buddy" Charleton

Pedal steel guitar genius -- via the Tennessean.

R.F. Langley

Poet and diarist -- via the Guardian.

Paco Maestre

Actor -- via Typically Spanish. He appeared in such films as Almodovar's "Bad Education" and del Toro's "The Devil's Backbone."

Jacqueline David de Romilly

Philologist, classics scholar and writer -- via the Telegraph.

Henrik Ostergaard

Guitarist/vocalist, and leader of the band Dirty Looks -- via GoErie.com.

Larry Chesky

Polka great -- via the Republican.

Jim Williamson

Nashville sound engineer -- via countrystandardtime.com. He worked with a who's-who of country greats, including Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Lynne Anderson, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, George Jones . . . and Bob Dylan.

Samuel Ruiz

Bishop who worked for the poor, the indigenous, and for peace. He fought corruption and violence. Via the New York Times.

Dora Opoku

Advanced the science, art and status of midwifery -- via the Guardian.

Vincent Cronin

Historical writer -- via the Telegraph.

Stanley Frazen

TV and film editor -- via The Hollywood Reporter.

Barrie Lee Hall Jr.

Trumpeter and bandleader -- via JazzHouston.

Daniel Bell aka Daniel Bolotsky

Sociologist -- via the New York Times.

Maria Mercader

Actress -- via the World Daily News.

Charlie Louvin aka Charles Elzer Loudermilk

Brilliant country/gospel singer/songwriter -- via the Washington Post. He started off as a gospel act with his brother Ira -- they moved into secular music and were a hit act, until Ira's untimely death in a car accident in 1965. Charlie's career moved back into the spotlight with his self-titled 2007 album -- an absolute must-have for music fans.

His artistry was deeply moving, breathtaking. Thank you, sir!

Milton Levine

The man who invented the ant farm -- via the L.A. Times. Also known as Uncle Milton, his invention led to the creation of a popular line of science-related toys --

Russian poll: let's bury Lenin

The body of Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, still resides on display in his mausoleum in Red Square, in the heart of Moscow. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the debate about what to do with his body has slowly built. A news story now states that an informal Internet poll of Russians seems to indicate a consensus of opinion -- remove him from his literal and symbolic place and bury him. For more details on how his body has been preserved and maintained to date, you can click on this story from Depleted Cranium -- beware, however, as it contains graphic photos of the corpse.

Griffith Vaughan Williams

Gay activist -- via the Independent.

Nicholas A. "Tony" Geiss

Writer, composer and lyricist -- via Legacy.com. Most notably, he worked on "Sesame Street" for almost 40 years, and also wrote "Follow That Bird," "An American Tail" and "The Land Before Time."

Bobby Poe

Rockabilly musician, and later a player in the music industry -- via allaccess.com. Bobby Poe and the Poe Kats were Wanda Jackson's first rock 'n' roll back-up band; they can be heard on her famous original recording of "Let's Have a Party."

Ole Kopreitan

Political activist -- via the Aftenposten.

Anna Yablonskaya aka Anna Grigorievna Mashutina

Playwright and poet -- via the Guardian.

Bernd Eichinger

Film producer and director -- via deadline.com. He wrote the screenplay for "Downfall"; he produced such films as "The NeverEnding Story," "The Baader Meinhof Complex" and the first three "Resident Evil" films.

Bruce Gordon

Actor on stage, in film and on TV -- via http://groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries. He will be best remembered in his role as gangster boss and Eliot Ness nemesis Frank Nitti in the early TV series "The Untouchables." Ironically, his iconic and oft-repeated line from that show was, "You're dead!"

Poppa Neutrino aka William David Pearlman

Adventurer/philosopher --via the Burlington Free Press.