I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — works by the noted (and Kansas native) photographer in an exhibition entitled Gordon Parks: Back to Fort Scott— to begin Black History Month — are at the Wichita Art Museum through May 6th.
… works by Gordon ParksHAIL and FAREWELL to the comedian Bob Elliott— ½ of the famed comedy duo Bob & Ray (outliving his partner Ray Goulding by 25 years), who appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in the 70’s … then saw his son Chris Elliott become an SNL cast member … then when Chris’s daughter Abby followed suit it meant 3 generations were associated with the show … who has died at the age of 92 ….. and to Maurice White— the founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, was a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the songwriters Hall of Fame and a producer to many performers (ranging from Barbra Streisand to the jazz-rock band Weather Report) … who has died at the age of 74.
QUOTE for today: from the blogger now at New York Magazine, Ed Kilgore — about how Mike Huckabee (in the run-up to the Iowa caucuses) used to be a big draw here … but when you are in seventh place, there is no trouble finding a parking space at your rallies and “even the coffee line was short” because …..
Donald Trump showed up and ate half his lunch … while Ted Cruz ate the other half.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Hemi the Cat — separated from his family four years ago (when a former Marine Corps was deployed 2,000 miles away) but has now been reunited due to his microchip.
Hemi the CatTHEATER NOTES — now halfway through a nationwide tour of the play Love Letters— which actors enjoy performing, as it requires no memorization — are Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neal— nearly 45 years after the release of their classic romance flick “Love Story”.
AS IF THERE WERE NOT enough problems in Haiti: postponed elections have left no successor to replace outgoing president Michel Martelly— who wants to hand over power only to an elected successor …. which is causing no end of problems.
THIS SUMMER is the 50th anniversary of the debut of The Monkees— and Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz will release a new album (their first recording of new material in nearly twenty years) as well as announce an extensive tour to celebrate it.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Minnos the Cat— whom a Turkish woman credits with saving her from a rape …… by jumping on her assailant.
Minnos the CatSIGN of the APOCALYPSE — for Punxsutawney Phil’s week: a theater in Liverpool, England offered people on February 2nd the chance to pay one fee to watch the Bill Murray/Andie MacDowell film Groundhog Day ……. yes, over-and-over again.
WHILE YOU MIGHT THINK of the music from the band NRBQ as a mix of blues, rockabilly, pop and even whimsy — such as their novelty tribute to professional wrestling manager Captain Lou Albano — the band’s keyboardist Terry Adams now has a tribute album to jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.
BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
SEPARATED at BIRTH — Vice President Joe Biden and the retired “Price is Right” game show host Bob Barker.
Vice President Joe Biden Veteran TV host Bob Barker...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… though it was not learned until last weekend (and thus it only merited a passing note from me at the time) there was not only one founding member of the Jefferson Airplane who died on January 28th. In addition to rhythm guitarist Paul Kantner, there was also the band’s original female vocalist, Signe Toly Anderson — and I am hard-pressed to think of a famous band with two members who died of natural causes (i.e., not in a plane or car crash) … on the same day, and at the same age?
Yet Paul Kantner remained with the various offshoots of the original Airplane to his dying days, and his death was widely reported. Signe, though, did not pursue stardom after leaving the band …... and so her passing deserves some notice.
Born Signe Toly in Seattle in 1941, and came-of-age in Portland, Oregon: she relocated to San Francisco in the early 1960’s during the folk music boom. And it was at the club Drinking Gourd that history was made.
This is where Airplane singer Marty Balin saw Paul Kantner with a 12-string guitar and thought, “I know he’s good” and began a conversation. This was the same club where Signe Toly was performing at, and Marty heard her once and asked her to join the band he and Paul were beginning to assemble in the summer of 1965.
Signe and Marty Balin in 1966Her contralto voice was different from the woman who would replace her a year later — music writer Paul De Barros likened her to Maria Muldaur (of the Jim Kweskin band) in style. She appeared on the band’s debut album Jefferson Airplane Takes Off — released in the summer of 1966. Compared to their later recordings, this was more in a folk-rock mode, with some classic renditions of songs like “Tobacco Road”, and of the Dino Valenti song Get Together— which The Youngbloods would later have a hit single with.
Meanwhile, Signe Toly married Jerry Anderson, a member of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters— and who also oversaw light shows at the city’s venues. Fatefully, Signe Anderson became pregnant just when the band’s fortunes were rising exponentially, and she felt life on the road with a newborn was unfeasible:
"I had to wait in the San Francisco airport in July of 1966 for 36 hours before we got on the airplane and flew to Chicago. All the diapers were gone."
"I don't regret having left," she added.
She departed after a show at the Fillmore on October 15, 1966 - after being given a standing ovation after Balin announced from the stage that she was leaving, Anderson told the audience, “I want you all to wear smiles and daisies and box balloons. I love you all. Thank you and goodbye."
As most of you know: her replacement was the singer for the cross-town band The Great Society, Grace Slick — whom I have already written about as my boyhood crush — and it is almost certain that the Jefferson Airplane would not have reached the heights it did without her. For one thing, she brought with her the two major hit songs the band would have (“Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit”). Still, it would be interesting to know what direction the band would have gone in had Signe been able to continue.
As noted, Signe Anderson never pursued the limelight again: in part due to a history of maladies (having survived cancer in her 30’s) and after divorcing Jerry Anderson she relocated back to Portland. She did sing for the local band Carl Smith & the Natural Gas Company for a number of years.
Yet her old band mates never forgot her:
"Signe was one of the strongest people I have ever met," guitarist Jorma Kaukonen wrote on his Cracks in the Finish blog. "She was our den mother in the early days of the Airplane… a voice of reason on more occasions than one… an important member of our dysfunctional little family. I always looked forward to seeing her when we played the Aladdin in Portland. She never complained and was always a joy. Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest sister. You will always live in my heart…"
Bassist Jack Casady added on Facebook, "I was just informed of the passing of Signe Anderson, the same day as we lost Paul. Signe was our, Jefferson Airplane's, first female singer. I had been in touch with Signe this past week as she had moved from her home to hospice care. She was a real sweetheart with a terrific contralto voice coming from a solid folk background”.
And Marty Balin often performed with her in small gigs in Portland. One of these was a 2008 reunion concert with the original rhythm section of Jefferson Airplane (bassist Bob Harvey and drummer Jerry Peloquin — neither of whom lasted long with the band, leaving after their first few shows).
Marty & Signe at a 2008 showSigne Toly Anderson was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2014 yet suffered from declining health: suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that had forced her into the hospice care noted above.
Especially sad: as this month sees more recognition for the band she and Paul Kantner once fronted. Marty Balin just turned age 74 himself, and has a new album scheduled for release February 12th. And the Jefferson Airplane will be given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented on February 15th — goodness …. how bittersweet that will be for the surviving members?!?
As noted, Signe Anderson died on January 28th … the same day as Paul Kantner … and at the age of 74, also. Let Marty Balin offer a final thought:
“Signe, what can I say...one sweet lady has passed on. I imagine that she and Paul woke up in heaven and said 'Hey what are you doing here? Let's start a band.'”
Signe Anderson: mid-1960’s And over forty years laterThe only recorded Jefferson Airplane song where Signe Anderson sings the full lead on is Chauffeur Blues— believed to be written by the star 1920’s-50’s blues guitarist and singer Memphis Minnie (although the song is credited to record producer Lester Melrose, an unfortunately common practice of the time) and it was the greatest selling record for Memphis Minnie in her career.
Signe Anderson said she heard a version by the folksinger Miriam Makeba, leading to the Airplane recording it (for their debut album) and she sang it at her final concert (October 15, 1966) before leaving the band. And below you can hear the original recording from the Jefferson Airplane’s debut album.
I wanna see my chauffeur I want him to drive me downtown Because he drives so easy, I can't turn my chauffeur down
But I don't want my chauffeur to be driving these girls all around I'm gonna steal me a pistol, and shoot my chauffeur down
Going to let my chauffeur drive me around the world Then he will be my lover boy, and I will be his girl
x YouTube Video