RIP

Jim Tom Hedrick of "Moonshiners" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family member of JT's tells us he passed away Wednesday morning in Robbinsville, NC -- although the exact circumstances are unclear. What we do know, per the relative, is that JT had kidney cancer and was receiving dialysis for a long time.

We're told Jim was in a nursing home for the last year, and photos of him in a hospital bed had been posted in recent months.

A statement from Sugarlands Distilling Co reads, "Jim Tom dedicated much of his life to the art of moonshining, becoming a legend in Appalachia along the way. Jim Tom’s well-earned reputation as one of the most skilled moonshiners in the South earned him a role on the hit television program Moonshiners, where his colorful personality endeared Jim Tom to the hearts of millions."

SDC goes on to say Jim Tom was one of the veteran moonshiners in the area who embraced them when they opened their doors ... and his stamp of approval went a long way.

Jim Tom appeared on several seasons of the long-running Discovery reality series -- which chronicles moonshiners running their illegal booze biz all throughout the Appalachian mountains. He joined during Season 2 in 2012 and stuck around through 2017.

He was known for his unique personality and manners of speaking -- not to mention his storytelling and, of course, his pristine skill at making homemade alcohol out in nature.

He was 82.

Former NFL receiver Mike Williams -- the Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2010 -- has died following a recent accident at a construction site.

According to a GoFundMe page set up by Williams' family, the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout suffered a "massive head injury" a few days ago when a steel beam fell on him ... causing "complete paralysis in his right arm as well as his lower body from the waist down."

Sadly, Williams' family says his condition worsened in the ensuing days ... and Spectrum News 1's Jon Scott reported Monday he passed away.

He was just 36 years old.

News of his death Monday evening rocked the football world ... with his former teammate, Gerald McCoy, tweeting he was devastated to learn of the passing.

"Dang man hurts my heart seeing the news of my former teammate and Buccaneers 2010 draft class brother Mike Williams," McCoy said. "Always great energy, brought joy and laughter to the locker room and a heck of a player!! Prayers and blessings to his family!! 🙏🏾😔"

The Bucs picked Williams with a selection in the fourth round of the '10 NFL Draft ... and he went on to have an outstanding rookie season, finishing only behind Sam Bradford for OROY honors.

He would go on to play for three more seasons in Tampa, before he was traded to the Bills in 2014. He was never able to replicate the production he had as a rookie, however, and he bounced from the league after just one year in Buffalo.

The former Syracuse standout finished his career with 3,089 receiving yards and 26 receiving touchdowns in 63 total games.

RIP.

Expect to see Bronny James and Paige Bueckers in a fresh pair of Kobe Bryant kicks this season ... 'cause six bigtime NCAA hoops powerhouses were selected as "Mamba Programs" and will be wearing the NBA legend's Nike sneakers on the court this year!

Vanessa Bryant made the announcement via social media on Tuesday ... listing the universities that were picked as the first group to represent her husband's Nike brand.

"So excited to see their players wearing Kobe and Gigi’s NIKE shoes this upcoming season," Vanessa wrote in the caption.

No mid-majors here.

The selected schools were USC -- where LeBron James' son Bronny is playing -- as well as Kentucky, Oregon, Duke, LSU, and UCONN, the team Gigi supported.

"We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities (in no particular order) towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation - to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi!" Bryant added.

Vanessa didn't disclose which Kobe's the teams will rock, but the Swoosh recently relaunched Bryant's line with the release of the Protro 8 "Halos" ... which hit the market on what would've been KB's 45th birthday (August 23).

The son of ex-NFL star Hugh Douglas was tragically killed in a car crash on Monday ... the younger Douglas' college announced this week.

He was just 20 years old.

According to police documents, obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer, the accident occurred at around 5 PM in the Atlanta area. Police say Douglas' son, Hugh, and his Morehouse College roommate, Christion Files Jr., had been driving at a high rate of speed when their car careened off the road, hit two utility poles and flipped over.

Both men were pronounced deceased at the scene.

In its announcement of the tragedy, Morehouse College said the loss of the two "is deeply felt by all of us in the Morehouse family."

"Hugh Douglas was an exceptional student who displayed immense dedication and promise in pursuing a business administration degree with a concentration in finance," the school said, adding, "Christion Files Jr. was a remarkable young man who made his mark academically and in extracurricular activities."

The elder Douglas -- who made three Pro Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles in the early 2000s -- has been posting tributes to his son throughout the past few days on X ... writing in one of them on Wednesday, "Your father is the only man that is truly happy you are better than them. You made me so proud."

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni expressed his condolences to the Douglas family on Tuesday -- saying in a press conference that he had always been told Douglas' son was "an unbelievable kid."

A$AP Rocky is the lucky recipient of the Virgil Abloh Award ...  a full circle moment considering the late fashion designer was one of the first to respect the rapper's style.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained footage of Rocky's acceptance speech during the HFR 16th Annual Fashion Show & Style Awards Tuesday night inside the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. Rocky immediately turned the spotlight back on Virgil Abloh.

Rocky says several years back, he and his A$AP Mob crew were too young to get inside a club but Virgil still knew who they were, which instantly validated his swag.

Fast forward a year later, Rocky says his raps had taken off and he soon recruited Virgil to be the creative director behind his 2013 debut album "LONG.LIVE.A$AP" and the inner workings of the tour that followed.

Rocky told the crowd Virgil's fearlessness pioneered his own trendsetting into the fashion world and spouted off a few inspirational bars for the city of Harlem ... a noble gesture, seeing the night's theme was "Remix!!!"

The "Praise The Lord" rapper didn't spend too much time hogging the podium ... his bladder was full and duty called, so you know how the equation goes.

Smash Mouth members were not allowed to say their final goodbyes to Steve Harwell in person ... because he didn't want visitors while he was in hospice care.

The rock band's manager, Robert Hayes, tells TMZ ... Steve asked for privacy in his final days and he did not want a large gathering at his home in Boise, Idaho.

We're told the only folks allowed to see Steve while he was on his deathbed were his family, his fiancée, her family and his manager.

While Steve's bandmates missed the cut, their manager says they were all on good terms with Steve. They sent their prayers and well wishes before he died ... mainly over the phone.

TMZ broke the story ... Steve died Monday as a result of liver failure. He had been in hospice and over the weekend he was only given days to live, receiving end-of-life care at home.

Despite Steve's death, it's still business as usual for Smash Mouth ... we're told the band will continue to tour with new singer Zach Goode. The band's not planning to cancel any gigs unless Steve's memorial takes place during a previously scheduled event.

03 Greedo is scratching his head at online reports of his death, but as you can clearly see in this video ... it's all a viral hoax, as the L.A. rapper is alive and well!!!

We caught up with Greedo Tuesday at LAX, and he told us he has no clue about the source of the rumor he'd been murdered in his hometown.

Greedo says he was minding his business just over a week ago, when his phone started buzzing more than a beehive with alerts announcing his demise.

His team scrambled to do damage control until he was able to hop online, and assure fans the news was bogus.

Greedo says it's been nonstop craziness since he was released from prison in January after serving a 5-year bid -- he's survived both clone and snitch rumors and now he's "resurrected" from the dead like a "Thriller" zombie!!!

Luckily, having your name trend for several days has its upsides.

Greedo says he's using the momentum to swing heavily into NYFW later this week ... and he's combing through thousands of songs he's recorded, so he can pull together a Christmastime drop.🎄

Bob Barker's cause of death has been revealed as a result of Alzheimer's disease, TMZ has learned.

According to his death certificate, obtained by TMZ, the 99-year-old 'Price Is Right' icon suffered from Alzheimer's, something he's never addressed publicly before. It's unclear exactly how long Bob battled the disease, but the docs say his death came "years" after his Alzheimer's began.

You'll recall, Bob also suffered multiple falls over the years -- he had minor battles with skin cancer, and took 2 trips to the hospital for issues with his back in 2018.

For those unaware, Bob -- who has been a vegetarian for over 4 decades -- teamed up with PETA back in 2013 to highlight the benefits of the diet, saying giving up meat can help prevent the onset of the brain disorder.

TMZ broke the story, Bob's rep told us he died peacefully at his Los Angeles home on August 26 ... and his passing has been met with an outpour of love across the globe.

CBS thanked Bob for "making countless people's dreams come true" for decades on "The Price Is Right" ... and PETA said his longtime involvement with the org cemented him as "a national animal rights treasure."

Tupac Shakur's family members are coming together to cast doubt on the ongoing police investigation in Las Vegas surrounding the rapper's murder involving Keefe D.

Pac's siblings, Sekyiwa and Mopreme Shakur tell us they're watching from the sidelines after a search warrant was executed by Vegas PD last month in connection to their brother's murder.

Mopreme tells us he's extremely skeptical of the cops' motives, having been contacted only after they saw him reacting to the probe on national TV.

Sekyiwa says she's hopeful her brother receives justice but can't imagine there's much evidence to be found after 30 years.

These days, Sekyiwa and Mopreme say they're focused on the things they can control, which is upholding the family's legacy and exterminating culture vultures.

They're amidst a nationwide tour of mourning for their father Mutulu, who died in June, seven months after he was released from prison after serving over 35 years.

Mutulu helped pioneer acupuncture treatments for drug addicts in the 1970s ... a mission his family is looking to continue in the present day, given the slew of epidemics in the U.S.

A Massachusetts teen is dead after eating an incredibly spicy chip that's the subject of a viral challenge -- and his family is directly blaming the snack.

14-year-old Harris Wolobah passed away Friday in Worcester -- and, according to his mother, it's the result of complications he suffered after eating a Paqui chip at school earlier in the day.

His official cause of death is still pending, but Harris was attempting the "One Chip Challenge," which has been around for a few years now. Paqui advertises its chip with a skull on a coffin-shaped box ... which contains the one tortilla chip.

There are warning labels all over the packaging ... including one that says children should not eat it, nor should people who have certain allergens or who are sensitive to spicy foods.

Harris' mother says she was contacted by his school Friday, because he was complaining of a stomach ache after eating the chip. By the time he came home, she says he felt better -- and was even on his way to a basketball tryout -- before things went south and he collapsed.

He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Now, his mom is ripping the response, telling NBC Boston Harris should've been taken straight to the hospital by school officials ... rather than being sent to the nurse's office.

The school hasn't responded to that criticism, but the district superintendent says they're mourning his death.

Paqui's One Chip Challenge has been scrutinized before, and the company's defended itself ... saying it goes out of the way to warn consumers about who should and shouldn't partake.

Gary Wright has died after a long battle with his health ... TMZ has learned.

Justin Wright, Gary's son, tells us his father passed away Monday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, CA -- which is in the South Bay. We're told he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's about 5 or 6 years ago, as well as Lewy body dementia shortly thereafter.

Gary's Parkinson's progressed rapidly over the past year, and Justin says his dad eventually lost the ability to move around and speak. Over the past few days, we're told, nurses who were working at Gary's home told the family he was entering his final chapter.

His family and loved ones were by his side at the time of his death -- word of which has already started to spread in the music world, including to singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop.

Bishop posted 2 shots of him and Gary, adding ... "The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley. Gary's vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable. His legacy will live on for many years to come."

He adds, "I will always cherish the warmth and kindness shown to me by Gary and his wife Rose, and I will forever hold dear the stories he shared with me about days gone by. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans during this difficult time."

Gary will, perhaps, best be remembered for two massive songs he churned out in the mid-1970s -- "Dream Weaver" and "Love is Alive" -- but his catalog goes well beyond just that.

He ended up producing 12 different albums dating back to 1970 ... not to mention a ton of compilations and collaborations he did with other musicians. One of the famous partnerships he was a part of for a while was with none other than former Beatle George Harrison.

Gary served as the keyboardist on George's album "All Things Must Pass" and is credited with helping out on other solo songs of George's too. George returned the favor for one of Gary's albums, having worked on "Footprints."

Gary has done a lot for music in general -- he's also known as one of the first mainstream artists to introduce the synthesizer in pop ... which has become a staple in the biz today.

Smash Mouth's lead singer, Steve Harwell, has died ... TMZ has learned.

The rock band's longtime frontman -- who was one of the original founding members dating back to 1994 -- passed away Monday morning at his home in Boise, Idaho as a result of liver failure -- this according to his manager.

We're told he was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably.

TMZ broke the story ... Steve had been in hospice and was given only days to live this past weekend. As such, he was receiving end-of-life care at home with friends/family. We'd been told he succumbed to his health battles over alcohol abuse, among other ailments.

Remember, SH announced he was retiring from performing a couple years ago following a show in which he was found to have been slurring his words and acting erratic onstage.

His passing marks a tragic day for Smash Mouth fans -- of which there are many. His band skyrocketed to fame in the late '90s and early 2000s, on account of their album "Astro Lounge" ... which featured some of their most famous songs, like "All Star."

Of course, their involvement in the "Shrek" film put them on another level of fame -- as did their cover of The Monkees' hit song "I'm a Believer." Around this time, they were huge. Other notable tracks that Steve contributed to ... "Walkin' On the Sun," "Then the Morning Comes," "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," "Pacific Coast Party" and "Why Can't We Be Friends."

Steve dealt with hardships through much of his life -- his infant son died at only 6 months due to leukemia -- and he himself had been diagnosed with illnesses over the years too.

Despite this, he carried on with a smile and did what he loved in music and performing ... bringing joy to many, many listeners throughout his career. Steve was only 56.

Burning Man has been calamitous this year ... leading to a death.

The Pershing County Sheriff's Office confirms ... they are investigating a death that occurred as rain poured down over the venue. The Sheriff has not gone into detail, but by the description, it might be rain-related.

As we reported, the event -- which was being held in the Nevada desert -- was flooded Saturday, causing cars and campers to become immobilized. It got so bad, concertgoers were told to shelter in place.

Diplo and Chris Rock fled the event on the back of a truck. Diplo said he walked 5 miles to get the hell out.

It's not looking better for Sunday ... they're expecting even bigger storms with heavy rainfall and hail, as well as 40 mph wind gusts.

Unclear if the plug has been totally pulled ... the gates to Black Rock City are locked up tight. No one can drive in the area except emergency vehicles.

Margaritaville is mourning the death of Jimmy Buffett, and one of the ways is the symbolic flag-lowering.

The Margaritaville in Palm Springs, and presumably elsewhere, lowered its flag to half-mast in honor of the legendary singer/songwriter.

Jimmy was known as the Mayor of Margaritaville, so in a way it's an official title that makes flag-lowering appropriate.

As we reported, Jimmy died late Friday night. We're told he was diagnosed with skin cancer 4 years ago and it turned into lymphoma.

He was receiving hospice care since Monday. On Friday night, we're told the house was filled with people, just hours before his death. Jimmy was in an upstairs bedroom, and he passed peacefully.

And, as we reported, Sir Paul McCartney went to the South Hampton home a week ago to sing for Jimmy and his family.

A number of people posted tributes, including Elton John, Kenny Chesney and President Biden.

Jimmy was 76.

Pour out a margarita for Jimmy Buffett, the legendary musician is dead.

The "Margaritaville" singer died Saturday surrounded by his friends, family, music and dogs, according to an announcement posted on his website.

The statement read ... "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."

We're told Jimmy had been sick for a while, and he was recently receiving hospice care.

As we reported ... Jimmy was forced to cancel a May show in South Carolina after being hospitalized at the last minute for an issue requiring "immediate attention."

The idol of all parrot heads everywhere, Jimmy was also forced to cancel a ton of gigs in 2022 because of health issues and a different hospital stay. He played Jazz Fest in New Orleans in May 2022 but had not been on stage a lot since.

In addition to "Margaritaville," Jimmy's been cranking out hits since the 1970s with classic tunes like "Come Monday," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Volcano," "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Fins," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and "Why Don't We Get Drunk" ... just to name a few.

JB also collaborated with Alan Jackson for another huge hit folks love listening to when they pour a drink ... "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."

Jimmy's brand reached way beyond music and his huge concert following ... he was also the face of the hotel and restaurant chain Margaritaville, and he even turned the experience into a cruise line.

Jimmy was 76.

RIP

Mohamed Al-Fayed -- who verbally attacked the Royal Family after his son Dodi was famously killed with Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash -- has died.

The billionaire business magnate passed away Wednesday -- exactly one day before the 26th Anniversary of the fatal accident in London on August 31, 1997. Dodi and Diana were in a Mercedes and being pursued at high speeds by paparazzi when the tragedy occurred. Their bodyguard survived though their driver was also killed.

Al-Fayed's family issued a statement Friday, confirming his death due to old age.

In 2021, Forbes listed his net worth at $1.8 billion, which he amassed from his lucrative businesses, such as Harrods Department Store, Punch Magazine and Kurt Geiger shoes and accessories. He also owned major real estate properties at 75 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan and the Hyde Park Residence apartments in London.

But Al-Fayed was perhaps better known for hurling vitriol at the Royal Family after his son's deadly car wreck. For example, Al-Fayed called the royals a "Dracula family" while attending the 2008 inquest into Diana’s death.

In court, Al-Fayed vowed to find evidence contradicting the official police narrative that Dodi and Diana were killed in a tragic accident, instead of being murdered as some people believed. He also promised to stay the course "until I die," even if it meant losing “everything to find the truth.”

As a result, the British royals dropped Al-Fayed like a bad habit. Their strained relationship was showcased last year in the fifth season of “The Crown."

Al-Fayed was 94.