LOS ANGELES - Funk singer Rick James, best known for the 1981 hit "Super Freak," died Friday, apparently of natural causes, police said.
James, 56, died at 9:45 a.m. at a residence near Universal City, said Officer Esther Reyes, a Police Department spokeswoman.
"He died apparently of natural causes. We learned of his death after responding to a radio call," Reyes said.
After his big hit, James' fame began to fade as he became embroiled in legal problems and health troubles.
James was convicted in 1993 of assaulting two women. The first attack occurred in 1991 when he restrained and burned a young woman with a hot pipe during a cocaine binge at his house in West Hollywood. He was free on bail when the second assault occurred in 1992 in James' hotel room.
James was sentenced to more than two years in state prison.
D'autres précisions sur son décès et les projets qui étaient en cours de Rick james avant son décès!!
Source >> www.rickjames.com
August 7, 2004
Updates on Memorial Service and Public Viewing
Public Memorial Service: A public memorial service and viewing will be held from 5-8 PM on Wednesday, August 11, 2004, at Forest Lawn Mortuary, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068. Fans and friends are invited to pay their final respects to Rick James. Please note that no cameras/cell phone cameras/video cameras/or any type of recording device will be allowed at this ceremony. Out of respect to the family, please leave these items at home.
Funeral Service: The funeral for Rick James will be private and is not open to the public.
Photos Needed: The family of Rick James has asked that fans send in any Rick James photos they have to a special email account that has been set up. These photos will be used in a video montage at the memorial service. If you have any photos please scan them in at high resolution and send them to: rickjames@echo88.us (Please note this is not a monitored email address and is only being used for the submission of photos - emails sent to this address will not be seen - please only send photos as requested.)
Flowers/Cards: In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Rick James to the American Cancer Society.
Cards can be mailed to:
Rick James Sympathy Cards
c/o Kramer Accountancy Corporation
12300 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 310
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Cards sent to this address and addressed in the above manner will be delivered to the family.
Other Updates: As many of you know, Rick had been touring and performing various concert dates and public appearances up until the time of his death. He appeared to be in great health and his untimely passing has been a great shock to his family, friends and fans.
Rick James died in his sleep sometime during the morning of Friday, August 6, 2004. He was found in bed at roughly at 9 AM by his personal assistant and was pronounced dead at 9:20 when paramedics arrived. His cause of death has been determined to be pulmonary/cardiac failure with his various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, and pacemaker being listed as attributing factors.
Rick recently completed his memoir "Confessions of a Super Freak," and the book and television movie will still continue as planned. No firm release dates have been set for the book or the movie.
Rick had also recently completed a new album. Efforts are underway to have this CD released by the end of the year.
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R.I.P Rick