Legendary loss: Artists and entertainers who died in 2016

Each year, there are times when thefocus falls squarely onindividuals who pushed boundaries andleftindeliblemarks in their fields of work.

Case in point: theOscars' In Memoriamtribute, which honourslegends who have passed away. Despite its swift pace, the music-swelling montageseems to be getting longer (sparking outcry when people like Joan Riversdon't make the list).It's also a stark reminder that the baby boomer generation was indeed a boomand we are increasingly faced with the natural passing of greater numbers of celebrities.

With that in mind, here are several keyartists and entertainers from variousdisciplines whopassed away in2016. Some are more recognizable than others, but all of them raised the barand gave us much to enjoy and celebrate.

Music masters

It's difficult to sum upthe impactof music legends Prince, David Bowie, George Michaeland Leonard Cohen. Each artist was a genius in his own right, leaving us all better off for their unique contributions.

Beyond the originality of their music, both Prince and David Bowie bent society's rigid notions of gender in the '70s and '80swith their visualdeluge of purple rain and lightning bolts. Michael's impact went beyond catchy pop tunes by pushingsexual boundaries in his music videos and becoming a gay icon.

It's quite a contrast to the whispered growls of Canadian legend Leonard Cohen, whostarted out as a poet and novelist. When he ventured into music in his 30s, hisbold lyricscracked open conversations about sexuality, depravity and the lonelinessof existence.

Check out CBC Musicfor a deeper look at those who left a powerful mark in the world of music, includingCline Dion'spowerhouse producer husband Ren Anglil,Dap-Kings singer phenom Sharon Jonesand A Tribe Called Quest rapper Phife Dawg.

Nostalgic days onTV and film

Garry Marshall was the man who launchedwhat we now call the dramedygenre heartfelt stories infused with comedy. That's mostly thanks to the blockbuster movie Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts. He went on to create, produce and/or direct films such as Runaway Bride, Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve,The Princess Diariesand Mother's Day.

Marshall's early work helped form thebackbone of American television comedy and included standard-bearers Happy Days, The Odd Couple, Laverne & Shirley, Joanie Loves Chachi and Mork & Mindy. All of these shows reflected a gentle, feel-good vibe that comforted America in the mid-70s to mid-80s.

Marshall died in July at the age of 81. His creations serve as a reminder of how importantlove and friendships are in life.

Other screen stars we lost in 2016include CanadianAlanThicke, who played the father on TV'sGrowing Pains;FlorenceHenderson from TheBrady Bunch; AlanRickmanofHarry Potter fame; and Zsa ZsaGabor, the Hungarian-American actress and socialite who died recently at the age of 99.

Then, four days before the end of the year came the news that actor and bestsellingwriter Carrie Fisher died. Fisher was perhaps best known worldwide for her role as the fearless Princess Leia in the original trilogy of Star Warsmovies and a 2015 sequel,but she was also an accomplished novelist and sought-after Hollywood script editor.

The very next day, Fisher's mother Debbie Reynolds a Hollywood actress who starred inSingin' in the RainandThe Unsinkable Molly Brown was rushed to hospital and died.

Rare bird of literature

Book loversaround the world facedan interesting dilemma this year. Should they welcomethe surprise release of Harper Lee's second novel, Go Set a Watchman,or refuse it out of respect for lingering questions surrounding the infirm author's genuine intentions.

In 1960, the reclusiveAmerican writerfamously penned To Kill A Mockingbird, which was subsequently turned into a film starring Gregory Peck. The narrative about an African-American man falsely accused of sexual assaultignited widespread discussions about race relations in America that continueto this day.

Harper Lee died in anAlabama nursing homein February at age 89, just months after the release of Go Set a Watchman.

Check out CBC Booksfor more on other inspiring writers who passed away in 2016, including The Name of The Rose author Umberto Eco.

Drawing attention to visual art

AnniePootoogook, an artist from CapeDorset,Nunavut, was primarily known for her ink and crayon drawings of day-to-day Inuit life.Tragically, shewas found dead in Ottawa'sRideauRiver in September. She was 47 years old and herdeath is being treated as suspicious.

Like so many artists throughout history, Pootoogook'slife was filled with extreme challenges and strife. Her striking drawings sometimesseemto belie that pain, featuringbrightly colouredscenes ofcommunity and familial gatherings.But in the last decade of her life, she increasingly created depictions with darker themes, including spousal abuse, depression and isolation.

Pootoogook's honest expressions on paper serve as a unique exploration of all facets of contemporary Inuit life.

A fresh face for fashion

Tributes continue to pour in after the recent passing of China Machado, the first non-white modelto appear in the pages of a mainstream American fashion magazine. She debutedon the runwayin the 1950s andcontinued to model up until her death at the age of 86.

Her roots were a mixofPortuguese, Chinese and Indian, but her lookdidn't conform to the standard notions of beauty held bymagazine editors in the late '50s.

According to Machado, Harper's Bazaar didn't want to publish pictures of her, but the magazine's star photographer,Richard Avedon, who considered Machado a muse, threatened to not renew his contract unless the magazine changed its mind.

Machado's imagewould break open doors for other non-white models in an industry that still has immense strides to make in terms of diverse representation.