Patience…it IS a virtue.
Ben Harper. An angel.
Monthly Archives: September 2011
“Let ‘er goooo, boys”…
The King of Blue Grass, Bill Monroe, would be 100 years old today. Probably no other artist in the 20th century impacted Country and Blue Grass than mandolinist supreme, William Smith Monroe. His love of music was evident in his performances and in his impact on other artists. Consider “Blue Moon of Kentucky“, likely his most recognizable hit.
And, renditions by some folks you may be more familiar with:
The King of Rock & Roll
The Queen of Country Music
A Few Lads
While they all went up tempo, I still prefer Bill’s original version. Bluegrass is such a guttural genre. It is hurtful, introspective and joyous, all at the same time. Bill Monroe almost single-handedly brought Bluegrass out of the mountain hamlets to the masses. Other “disciples”, like Barbara Mandrell, would continue the message through the years but perhaps the best known is a young boy who first got to play with Monroe on stage at age six:
While this performance is with Flatt & Scruggs (part of Monroe’s original “Bluegrass Boys”), Ricky talks about his first experience of playing with “the man” hisself here:
Likely my favorite, Bill Monroe tune in Uncle Pen, a song, that ironically, became a #1 hit for Ricky Skaggs many years later:
Bill Monroe. A true American icon, lover of music and consemate mentor. Happy Birthday, old boy.
A Moment of Silence
9/11.
Synonymous with tragedy, evil, sacrifice, loss, love and hope.
10 years ago, I was working at a large bank in Memphis and driving into the parking lot when I first “heard”. Never thought that we’d have that Pearl Harbor “moment” in my lifetime, but here it was and of course, I remember.
I actually spent my Sunday on the water in the boat with my husband and it was a glorious day. I just couldn’t watch the whole funeral again. However, this morning I saw this…
For me, THIS was the PERFECT tribute. Funny how a song written nearly 50 years ago in the wake of a different tragedy could so amply provide comfort all these years later and be so relevant. That’s what music is, no? A talisman that provides clarity of the emotion that allows people from all walks of life to experience the intention of the writer at the moment of hearing it.
Extrememly fitting that New Yorker Paul Simon delivered the most inspiring moment of “The Rememberance.” Carrie Fisher must be proud.
Otis at 70!
The great “Love Man”, Otis Redding would have been 70 yesterday. Killed in a plane crash in December of 1967 at the age of 26, Otis left a relatively small but extremely powerful portfolio of work. His mercuric, yet oh so abbreviated three year run shaped music for the next 40 years. Just recently, Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborated on Otis:
As for me, I’ll stick with the REAL Otis…
Just goes to show that extreme talent and passion endures…
Quack! Quack!
Aw, yeah.
LSU 40, Oregon 27
It’s going to be a GOOD year! At least defensively, LSU is looking like Championship form.
After surviving the “Lee” chinese water torture of the first week of College Football season, I had six wins on the annual deClouet Football pool. Just pacing myself…I’ll take 60% at the end of the season.
Oh, and for the record…LSU was voted the LOUDEST College Football stadium in America by The Sporting News. But, we knew that, right?
To quote the LATE, great Bear Bryant, “Tiger Stadium was the worst place in the world to be a visiting team. It’s like being inside a drum.”
Death Valley welcomes Northwestern State on Saturday.
Music Maven 
