Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Write a Little Letter. HERE!

It's cool that they are finally starting to get it right, and in time.  The Pen New England Award for Literary Excellence in Song Writing; the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Master's Award; the Delmar statue; the St. Louis Blues Foundation; the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award.  And it isn't new.  He got a lifetime achievement award from The Grammy's, as I recall; and was honored by the Kennedy Center.  He was the first inductee at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

St. Louis, more than anyplace, should do more.  Something permanent and visible.  There's a great column in The Ville honoring all of the heroes who came from that remarkable and neglected neighborhood.  I like that; I like the statue (even if it looks like Andy Griffith).  But St. Louis should name a street after the man-- a big one that people actually use.  St. Louis should name a concert hall after him.  (St. Louis should realize my vision and create a wall with EVERY SINGLE PERFORMANCE DATE AND CITY-- a list of literally THOUSANDS of performances by a single man-- a place where each of us could say "I was there!" back in 1956, or 1966, or February 13, 1971!)

But so should the country do more.

Write President Obama.  He's feeling his oats.  Tell him to give Chuck the Medal of Freedom while Chuck can still enjoy the honor.

It will only take a few minutes.  Do it HERE.


Saturday, January 19, 2013

Hollywood, 1980

George Rose, Los Angeles Times
A cool little snippet from The Lost Angeles Times Here.