CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. If you celebrate it, Happy Easter. And to all: a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — works by the veteran Devo musician in an exhibition entitled Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia are at the the Contemporary Museum of Austin, Texas through April 17th.
“Are we not men? We are Devo”HAIL and FAREWELL to the engineer Bob Ebeling— who carried guilt for decades over his trying (in vain) to convince NASA not to launch the ill-fated Challenger mission that exploded … yet two months ago found much-needed peace after NPR told his story — who has died at the age of 89 … and to the Netherlands soccer star Johan Cruyff— one of the game’s most prolific goal scorers, considered perhaps the best European player of all time — who has died at the age of 68.
AFTER NINETY-FIVE YEARS a US Navy tugboat which had left San Francisco in 1921 (with 56 crew members) bound for Pearl Harbor — the USS Conestoga— has finally been located (it sank off the California coast) and the descendants of the crew members are grateful to finally have an answer.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Brigit the Cat— a New Zealand kitteh who has stolen numerous pairs of men’s underwear and socks …. only discovered when her family was prepared to move.
Brigit the Klepto kittehWHILE THERE REMAIN several despots, recent elections in several countries in Africa have seen power transferred over peacefully via the ballot box.
WITH THIS COMING EASTER SUNDAY there are apparently more efforts among the many Christian churches (than ever before) to decide upon a fixed date each year to celebrate Easter — now on different dates, depending upon whether your church uses the Gregorian or Julian calendar — and with both the Archbishop of Canterbury as well as Pope Francis on board, this could greatly alleviate church, school and public holiday calendars world-wide.
AN ATTEMPT TO RECREATE the voyage that Thor Heyerdahl made (nearly seventy years ago) was unsuccessful, as fourteen crew members of the Kon-Tiki 2— on two rafts — had to be rescued by the Chilean navy, as a result of El Niño currents.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named BB8 the Cat— a British Columbia kitteh found abandoned by a trucker, and who has since adopted him (his third rescue).
BB8 — the fortunate kittehBRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary: about two cold weather Amazing Journeys of the 20th Century— including the first verifiable surface trip to the North Pole in 1968.
I LOVE READING about a turning point in someone’s life — such as Garry Shandling in 1968:
Garry studied electrical engineering at the University of Arizona, then switched to marketing, he says, because he couldn't bear the thought of actually being an engineer. The less demanding major left him with more free time, which he filled by writing comedy routines "as a test, to see if I could do it." One day in 1968 he heard that George Carlin—then a superstar—would be performing in Phoenix, a two-hour drive away.
Shandling had never been in a nightclub, but he tracked Carlin down. "He was standing by the bar. I said, 'Hi, Mr. Carlin. My name is Garry Shandling, and I wrote some routines for you.'" Carlin was polite. He wrote all his own stuff, he said, but if Shandling would come back tomorrow, he'd look his jokes over and they could talk. Shandling drove home to Tucson, then turned around the next day and came back.
After that night's show, Shandling recalls, "he takes me into the back room, which is like the clubs where I work now, and there's my material on his little table with marks on it."
Carlin walked him through the twenty or so pages one at a time, and then he said, "You're very green, but there's something funny on each page." Very earnestly Carlin added: "If you're thinking of pursuing this, I would."
OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS? — two entertainers sharing a first name: comedian and actor David Steinberg… as well as David Benoit the jazz pianist.
The Canadian entertainer and American jazz musician...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… one of the most distinctive performers of swamp rock– a blend of rock, country, blues and Cajun – is the singer-songwriter Tony Joe White who has built a more than forty-year career somewhat under radar …. but whose songs have been performed by many others. And unlike others in this genre, he has been quite successful in Europe and Australia as well, bringing (as his own website describes) "part of America’s soundtrack" around the world.
The part-Cherokee guitarist was born in the north-east corner of Louisiana in 1943, who was inspired by the Texas bluesman Lightnin’ Hopkins. He began playing in the clubs of Louisiana and Texas before moving to Nashville in 1967 and signing with Monument Records. In a sign of things to come: he had an early success with Soul Francisco ... in France. But it was not until July, 1969 when he had a US hit (#8) with Poke Salad Annie– which has been recorded over the years by Tom Jones and Elvis Presley. Another song from his first album entitled "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" was included by Dusty Springfield on her landmark Dusty in Memphis album (as well as recorded by Waylon Jennings).
He had some other minor hits (including 1970’s Groupie Girl which had success in England) and he moved to Warner Brothers for his next few albums. He even had some exposure elsewhere: composing and performing in Patrick McGoohan’s film Catch My Soul - an adaptation of "Othello" - and performing on Jerry Lee Lewis’ Southern Roots album. But for much of the 1970’s, it was others who had success with his songs: such as Elvis charting with "For Ol' Times Sake" and "I’ve Got a Thing About You, Baby".
After some minor country hits ("The Lady in My Life" and "We Belong Together") his career stalled; fans were puzzled by some obvious attempts to cash-in on disco - and he was inactive for much of the 1980’s, focusing on songwriting.
This paid off handsomely in 1989, when he produced Tina Turner’s album Foreign Affair– writing not only the title track but also her hit single Steamy Windows– and her manager Roger Davies took the helm of his career, as well. His success continued in Europe, with several hit recordings in France (including a duet with Joe Dassin whose song "Champs Élysées" made him a star in France) until his 1999 album One Hit July– his first US release in seventeen years - received critical acclaim. His 2004 album The Heroines featured duets with several female country stars (including Jessi Colter, Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams).
Since then, he has had several more releases on his own Swamp Records label, including Uncovered, The Shine from 2010 and also Hoodoo from 2013. He performed in France as the opening act for Roger Waters for his Dark Side of the Moon tour from 2006, and has found success in Australia as well.
And now he is set for a new album release: as Rain Crow is due out in May.
Just why he hasn’t found the notoriety here in the US that Creedence, J.J. Cale and others have is a mystery – but when people such as Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Etta James, Clarence Carter and Tennessee Ernie Ford have recorded your songs – you must be doing something right.
The young Tony Joe White .. … and in more recent yearsFor all of the body of work mentioned above: if Tony Joe White had done nothing else except write the song A Rainy Night in Georgia— his place in history would be secure. It has been covered by many artists (Rod Stewart among those doing so in the past few years) but it was the silky smooth version by Brook Benton - who reached #4 on the pop charts with it in 1969 - that became the definitive one in the mind of the public.
And at this link you can hear Brook Benton's version .... but below do have a listen to its composer Tony Joe White's original (and much more raw) version.
Neon signs a-flashing taxi cabs and buses passing through the night A distant moaning of a train seems to play a sad refrain to the night
How many times I wondered It still comes out the same No matter how you look at it or think of it It's life and you just got to play the game
I find a place in a box car so I take my guitar to pass some time Late at night when it's hard to rest I hold your picture to my chest and I feel fine
But it's a rainy night in Georgia, such a rainy night in Georgia Lord, I believe it's raining all over the world I feel like it's raining all over the world
x YouTube Video