The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.

Carrie Underwood accepts the entertainer of the year award in a tie with Thomas Rhett during the 55th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry House on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Underwood and Rhett seemed equally taken aback after host Keith Urban announced the tie at the awards show held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday. “Keith, what is happening right now?” Rhett asked, astounded, before thanking his family. There was a lot of anticipation for the show, which featured Taylor Swift making her first appearance at the ACMs in seven years. In awards announced before the show aired, Rhett also won music video of the year, while Townes won new female artist of the year. Underwood sang a tribute to iconic female Opry members, including Patsy Cline, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Barbara Mandrell, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton.

FILE - This Aug. 22, 2018 file photo shows Joe Diffie performing at the 12th annual ACM Honors in Nashville, Tenn. A publicist for Diffie says the country singer has tested positive for COVID-19. (Photo by Al Wagner/Invision/AP, File)CHICAGO – Conspiracy theorists are twisting facts online about country singer Joe Diffie's death from COVID-19 complications in an effort to promote their claims that health officials are exaggerating the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. In the days following his death, Facebook and Twitter users posing as internet sleuths falsely claimed media reports hid that he had lung cancer. The untrue claims appear to have stemmed from an obituary posted online for Diffie’s father, Joe Diffie Sr., who passed away in November 2018 from cancer. “There have been some untrue statements about my late husband that are false and hurtful," Tara Terpening Diffie said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country music’s biggest stars should have been on the carpet of the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday in Las Vegas, but like most of America, they were homebound because of the coronavirus. Still, the musicians played on, surrounded by spouses, kids and — in one case — a horse. “ACM Presents: Our Country,” a TV special aired on CBS in lieu of the delayed awards show, featured acoustic performances, special duets, clips from previous ACM Awards telecasts and a tribute to the late country icon Kenny Rogers. Brad Paisley’s wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, played the role of camera operator as Paisley and Darius Rucker played together via video conference. “Lean into your guitars and your pianos and your voices and let that heal you.”___Online:ACM Awards: https://www.acmcountry.com/___Follow Kristin M. Hall at http://twitter.com/kmhall

FILE - This Aug. 22, 2018 file photo shows Joe Diffie performing at the 12th annual ACM Honors in Nashville, Tenn. A publicist for Diffie says the country singer has tested positive for COVID-19. (Photo by Al Wagner/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Country singer Joe Diffie, who had a string of hits in the 1990s with chart-topping ballads and honky-tonk singles like “Home” and “Pickup Man,” has died after testing positive for COVID-19. Diffie on Friday announced he had contracted the coronavirus, becoming the first country star to go public with such a diagnosis. Diffie's publicist Scott Adkins said the singer died Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, due to complications from the virus. Diffie's mid-90s albums “Honky Tonk Attitude” and “Third Rock From the Sun” went platinum.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UPDATE (Sunday at 4:21 p.m.)Country music’s Joe Diffie died Sunday from complications of the coronavirus. On Friday, Diffie announced on his Facebook page that he had contracted the virus. GRAMMY®-winning country music legend Joe Diffie passed away today, Sunday, March 29 from complications of coronavirus (COVID-19). Posted by Joe Diffie on Sunday, 29 March 2020A publicist for Joe Diffie says the country singer has tested positive for COVID-19. “My family and I are asking for privacy at this time,” Diffie said in the statement.