#WhatsHappening

Happy new year, friends. Hope last night's revels didn't leave you suffering this morning! Here's 

Natalie Cole passed away late Thursday evening at Cedars Sinai Hospital in LA as the result of ongoing health issues, according to a statement from her family.

“Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived ... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever,” read the statement from her son Robert Yancy and sisters Timolin and Casey Cole.

Cole had battled drug problems and hepatitis, and underwent a kidney transplant in May 2009

Cole started her career as an R&B singer, but earned her greatest success with the 1991 release of “Unforgettable ... With Love,” which paid tribute to her father with reworked versions of some of his best-known songs, mixing in her voice with her father's. The album sold some 14 million copies and won six Grammys, including album of the year as well record and song of the year for the title track duet.

In her 2000 autobiography, Angel on My Shoulder, she discussed her battle with heroin, crack cocaine and alcohol addiction, and had spent six months in rehab.

“I think that I am a walking testimony to you can have scars,” Cole once told People magazine. “You can go through turbulent times and still have victory in your life.”

I finally made it out to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens yesterday and I was impressed with the job JJ Abrams did- and thank goodness they got some talented scriptwriters.

I mean, George Lucas was quite skilled with action sequences- but the dialogue? Egads.

Anyway- some other observations:

Me, as the movie started.

- Back in 2010, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was rereleased in 3D as a part of a plan to bring all (then) six of the movies to that format. Once Disney bought Lucasfilm later that same year. Disney should ressurect those plans- starting with Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi (and do the others, too, just for consistency)- because I saw it in 3D and, damn, that was fun.

- I understand the need to have a “dire” threat, but I think it's time to retire the Death Star idea. Surely Lawrence Kasdan had something better up his sleeve?

- Though I really needed to pee as Rey was climbing those steps, I would been happy to watch another half hour, easy.

Pictured: Not the theater I was in.

- Any theater that reuses the 3D glasses from audience to audience sucks. Every pair I tried were smudged- and the flimsy plastic film used for the lenses precluded cleaning them. I finally found a pair that had the smudges limited to the edges, but grrr...

- Though I knew it wasn't going to be there (because, hey- it was a different company in charge), but it was still weird not to hear the Fox Fanfare before that unmistakable theme song.

- I cried a little- but not where you might think (no spoilers here). No, I had some leakage at the very beginning, as I recalled seeing the original with my late father- and how much we both enjoyed it- and experiencing a bit of melancholy.

- I'm eagerly awaiting Part VIII.

As Rod Stewart sang, tonight's the night. Join me for the 2016 premiere of Saturday Night Karaoke, live and loud at The Iron Horse Tavern, coming up at 10pm.

Another famous offspring passed away on the last day of last year- Lester “Rusty” G. Paul, son of the legendary Les Paul, died at age 74.

The Les Paul Foundation confirmed the news yesterday and said the younger Paul's death followed a long fight with diabetes.

He was the older of Les Paul's two sons with wife Virginia Webb, and worked alongside his father to spread the family’s contributions to music- performing around the United States with his own Rusty Paul Band and was an experienced sound engineer. He also performed often at New York City’s Iridium Jazz Club, at a regular Monday night gig that his father had held down for decades.

Birthdays today include: Chick Churchill of Ten Years After; Ricky Van Shelton; TiaCarrere; and Doug Robb of Hoobastank. #MusicalBirthdays