Richard Harman, a noted artist and popular Out & About Newspaper photographer, columnist (Cosmo Shitay) and graphic artist, died at his Nashville home on Tuesday, June 5.

Visitation will be Friday, June 8, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home (9090 Highway 100, Nashville, Tenn., 37221, 615-646-9292) and on Saturday, June 9,  from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 9, after visitation.

Harman was surrounded by family and friends when he passed away around 11 p.m. Tuesday night.

“He was an exceptional man with his personality, ability and unique way of seeing things,” said Bud East. “He took the world by storm, and the world cuddled him in their arms. We will miss him, but we will remember him.”

Harman recently appeared on a May episode of Out & About Today TV, (see video clip on the O&A Today player) for what would mark his last public appearance as Cosmo Shitay. In the interview he talked with Jeremy Ryan about his life and his battle with cancer.

“Right now my goal is to turn 53,” he said. “My goal is to not just stay alive. I have things to do, and I’m not ready to let go of that.”

Harman said his battle with cancer lead him to “clarify what’s really important in life.”

“It comes down to love,” he said.

Harman is a native Nashvillian, but lived 11 years in New York where he practiced his profession in the performing and visual arts. He was the definition of a self-taught artist and enjoyed more than 30 years of experience in the arts.

He is the son of famed Nashville “A-Team” session drummer Buddy Harman, who was known for his work with Elvis Presley, Ringo Starr and Patsy Cline. During the 1980s, Richard was the front man and lead singer of the rock group “The Wrong Band,” which had regional success for seven years. In the early '90s, Richard had his own cooking show that toured the U.S. for Proctor and Gamble.

A more in-depth story on Richard and his life will appear in the July issue of Out & About Newspaper.