REMEMBERING LIAM PAYNE AND THE DEARLY DEPARTED

As the old joke goes, somebody up there must be forming a band to provide music for some heavenly event. So, some of the best were taken to do that forever gig. This month alone saw the loss of heartthrob balladeer Jack Jones; Mitzi Gaynor, lovely star of movie musicals like South Pacific, Les Girls and Golden Girl; and Liam Payne, pop idol and founding member of one of the greatest boy bands of all time, the One Direction.

- BABY A. GIL

The grim reaper had quite a harvest this year. As the old joke goes, somebody up there must be forming a band to provide music for some heavenly event. So, some of the best were taken to do that forever gig.

This month alone saw the loss of several great artists. Heartthrob balladeer Jack Jones of "The Love Boat" theme, Sons and Lovers, Lollipops and Roses at the age of 86 from leukemia; Mitzi Gaynor, lovely star of movie musicals like South Pacific, Les Girls and Golden Girl last Oct. 17 at 93; Liam Payne, pop idol and founding member of one of the greatest boy bands of all time, the One Direction at 31 from a fall from the third story of a hotel while in vacation in Buenos Aires, Argentina last Oct. 16.

And more. Our very own Gilopez Kabayao, renowned violinist from Negros and the very first Filipino to perform at Carnegie Hall in the US, gone at the age of 94; and Cissy Houston, gospel singer of the group Sweet Inspirations and mother of Whitney Houston and aunt of Dionne Warwick, last Oct. 7 from complications of Alzheimer disease.