The New York Times has a nice obituary for Sugar Minott, a Jamaican music legend who died last weekend at the young age of 54. Thus far, cause of death has not been determined, though it's known that he has had heart troubles over the last year. Surviving Sugar Minott are his wife, his mother, and his fourteen children, as well as some siblings and other relatives.

Minott has been known as a cheerful and humorous voice in the dancehall scene since its inception in the mid-1970s. Eschewing the all-too-common violent and slack lyrics that are frequently associated with the genre, Minott kept poverty as an ongoing theme in his music. His contributions to the canon of Jamaican music were substantial, and his millions of fans are surely mourning his loss, which came much too early.

Happy Together cover (c) Heartbeat Records, 1999

Come all ye amateur critics and festivarians alike.  We've all got our favorite music festival, and for many sorts of reasons.  It could be the comfort of your own bed combined with boisterous daytime fun at your hometown throwdown, like Bumbershoot; (Seattle, WA) or Festival International (Lafayette, LA).  It could be the exotic pull of exotic art and music taking place in a faraway land, like the Rainforest World Music Festival (Malaysia) or Festival au Desert (Mali).  Or it could be anything in between.  Which festival really hits that sweet spot for you?  Click to tell us your favorite world music festival and why you love it.  Inquiring minds are dying to know!

Festival season is in full swing, folks. It's pretty much guaranteed that if you live in the continental United States, there are 3-5 amazing music festivals happening within a day's drive on any given weekend from now until September-ish. I love music festivals, and I could attend them every weekend, if it wasn't for familial obligations. Budget is not a factor. Why? Because I'm a master of saving money at music festivals. Yes, I've got it down to a science, and I can make a festival weekend barely more expensive than your average weekend at home. What are my tricks? Read on, and find out. And hey, share yours while you're at it!

• How To Save Money at a Music Festival
• Share Your Tips for Budget-Friendly Festival-ing!
• About.com's Summer Festival Special - All You Need to Know About This Festival Season