WHEN THIS SICK COMMERCIAL DEBUTED, I COULD NOT TOLERATE IT AT ALL--IT INFURIATED ME. NOW, HOWEVER, SOMEBODY AT ALLSTATE HAS RECONSIDERED AND MADE IT ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED AND ORIGINAL AUTO INSURANCE COMMERCIAL TELEVISED. BELOW IS MY ORIGINAL TEXT:
ALLSTATE MUST HAVE LOST THEIR MIND," stated Earl R. Stonebridge when asked his opinion on the new commercials by Allstate. "Where in the hell is Mayhew, the guy who has made those really cool commercials? If this new campaign is for real, Allstate has made a mammoth error--America has enough "mayhem" already. We sure as hell don't need to be driven further nutty by gross commercials. The government is all the "mayhem" we need and that is way too much. My suggestion: fire the silly guy who is flailing about in the road and acting like a deer and get the original "good hands" man back. I never tired of those commercials."
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
VanGogh-starry_night
WHAT INSPIRED VINCENT VAN GOGH TO PAINT STARRY NIGHT?
A brief essay by Robert L. Huffstutter
Sometimes I wonder what was in Vincent Van Gogh's mind when he began a painting.
Surely, others have pondered this same question, or do others simply look at it and marvel. To be honest, most people are prone to marvel and go on about their business. One reason why there are less who question Vincent's purpose is that the world is not populated by a majority of artists. Oh', yes we are all artist in our own way, we all have something to contribute to art, but as far as oil painters who ponder subject matter, the percentage of the population is nowhere near what it might be for those who are sports fans. We are not all supposed to be artists. But most of us like art.
What was Vincent thinking when he painted Starry Night?
Imagine Vincent standing before his blank canvas. Was he inside or outside? Was he doing this outside and looking up at the universe?
There might be research that has been done about this specific work and his mood; if there is, I am not aware of this material. There is much to find out about Van Gogh that will never be revealed.
Let us assume Vincent stood outside for a great length of time on the night he began Starry Night. As he looked into the universe he must have wondered about his purpose, but only before he began the painting. Vincent's love for painting surpassed all other subjects. He had no self-pity while painting, he was inside the painting as much the same way he was in the world or inside his room.
Nothing else mattered to Vincent Van Gogh as he applied brush strokes of various widths and patterns. His mind whirled about as he painted; one color or another color, nothing definite but what appeared on his canvas. His brush and his mind were connected like nerves are connected to our every inch of flesh and bone. Vincent Van Gogh, lost in the universe he was painting; the stars he saw that night were exactly as he painted them. No news reports from any French publications will confirm this, no, but it does not matter. It did not matter to the world then, those who were seeing stars as they peered into the heavens.
What they saw was different, less glorious, less surrealist, but that is fine. Can you imagine a million French paintings similar to Vincent's, all painted around the same date. We would have certainly looked for records of comets that might have streamed overhead.
Has anyone ever searched to see what the skies were like during this period?
A brief essay by Robert L. Huffstutter
Sometimes I wonder what was in Vincent Van Gogh's mind when he began a painting.
Surely, others have pondered this same question, or do others simply look at it and marvel. To be honest, most people are prone to marvel and go on about their business. One reason why there are less who question Vincent's purpose is that the world is not populated by a majority of artists. Oh', yes we are all artist in our own way, we all have something to contribute to art, but as far as oil painters who ponder subject matter, the percentage of the population is nowhere near what it might be for those who are sports fans. We are not all supposed to be artists. But most of us like art.
What was Vincent thinking when he painted Starry Night?
Imagine Vincent standing before his blank canvas. Was he inside or outside? Was he doing this outside and looking up at the universe?
There might be research that has been done about this specific work and his mood; if there is, I am not aware of this material. There is much to find out about Van Gogh that will never be revealed.
Let us assume Vincent stood outside for a great length of time on the night he began Starry Night. As he looked into the universe he must have wondered about his purpose, but only before he began the painting. Vincent's love for painting surpassed all other subjects. He had no self-pity while painting, he was inside the painting as much the same way he was in the world or inside his room.
Nothing else mattered to Vincent Van Gogh as he applied brush strokes of various widths and patterns. His mind whirled about as he painted; one color or another color, nothing definite but what appeared on his canvas. His brush and his mind were connected like nerves are connected to our every inch of flesh and bone. Vincent Van Gogh, lost in the universe he was painting; the stars he saw that night were exactly as he painted them. No news reports from any French publications will confirm this, no, but it does not matter. It did not matter to the world then, those who were seeing stars as they peered into the heavens.
What they saw was different, less glorious, less surrealist, but that is fine. Can you imagine a million French paintings similar to Vincent's, all painted around the same date. We would have certainly looked for records of comets that might have streamed overhead.
Has anyone ever searched to see what the skies were like during this period?
TWA TRAVEL ALARM CLOCK: the time is now...
HOW DOES THIS ALARM CLOCK DEFINE NOISE POLLUTION AND END UP AS AN ESSAY ABOUT BOYS HOPPING FREIGHT TRAINS?
I grew up three houses away from three railroad tracks. Steam engines ran until the early 50s. There was always noise, but us boys loved to wave at the passengers when we were out on our bikes. The Missouri Pacific, Route of the Eagles maintained two of the tracks; the other track was a freight track for the Kansas City Southern that hauled coal and oil back and forth to the Hawthorne Electrical Plant and the Standard Oil Refinery Plant in Sugar Creek, Missouri. The oil trains were so slow we could hop on them and ride to the Missouri River.
_____________________________________________________
TWA TRAVEL ALARM CLOCK: the time is now...
Powered by single Rolls Royce Engine. I hope this is not environmentally incorrect. My purpose for posting this is in response to a program directed at youth about noise pollution in and around the shipping lanes of America. Now, admittedly, noise does pollute for the few moments it lasts, but is it a reason to halt shipping in order to make the whales and dolphins more environmentally comfy. This is all we need to totally smash the future of this nation is a noise ban on shipping. Perhaps we should go back to the sailing ship, the fast clippers. That would be cool and I will be all for it if, and I say IF we can get China, Japan, Russia and all of the other major shippers to begin using sailing ships only. Oh, and I forgot, the Middle Eastern nations will have to revert to sailing ships too...if that is okay?
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 22 Jan 11, 9.01AM PST.
_____________________________________________________
WAY BACK IN THE 1950S, THERE WAS A BUNCH OF US BOYS WHO LIVED ON A STREET IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE "INNER-CITY" AREA OF KANSAS CITY AND INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI
We were a wild bunch, an unruly bunch, not a gang in the sense of gangs in today's world, but we did have weapons. I won't get into that here, but we were armed, and we had a hide-out, in fact, several.
We were smiling youths on bikes just riding around the neighborhood having fun. There was a dump nearby. Dumps are always additions to boys' fun and games. We found lots of stuff, the better to furnish our hideouts. One of the hideouts was a large cave behind one of the boy's homes that backed into a large wooded area. Oh, there were lots of woods around where we lived.
There were cliffs, hollows, just about every kind of geographical oddity there is, even old storage wells filled with polluted water mixed with oil run off near the railroad tracks. One boy tried swimming, but was frightened by a water-mocasin.
We had a name--we were called the "Cave Dwellers." Read more about our adventures in the next installment, whenever it happens to pop up here. It will most likely be about our search for the James Gangs hidden booty. Or about our hopping frieght.
I grew up three houses away from three railroad tracks. Steam engines ran until the early 50s. There was always noise, but us boys loved to wave at the passengers when we were out on our bikes. The Missouri Pacific, Route of the Eagles maintained two of the tracks; the other track was a freight track for the Kansas City Southern that hauled coal and oil back and forth to the Hawthorne Electrical Plant and the Standard Oil Refinery Plant in Sugar Creek, Missouri. The oil trains were so slow we could hop on them and ride to the Missouri River.
_____________________________________________________
TWA TRAVEL ALARM CLOCK: the time is now...
Powered by single Rolls Royce Engine. I hope this is not environmentally incorrect. My purpose for posting this is in response to a program directed at youth about noise pollution in and around the shipping lanes of America. Now, admittedly, noise does pollute for the few moments it lasts, but is it a reason to halt shipping in order to make the whales and dolphins more environmentally comfy. This is all we need to totally smash the future of this nation is a noise ban on shipping. Perhaps we should go back to the sailing ship, the fast clippers. That would be cool and I will be all for it if, and I say IF we can get China, Japan, Russia and all of the other major shippers to begin using sailing ships only. Oh, and I forgot, the Middle Eastern nations will have to revert to sailing ships too...if that is okay?
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 22 Jan 11, 9.01AM PST.
_____________________________________________________
WAY BACK IN THE 1950S, THERE WAS A BUNCH OF US BOYS WHO LIVED ON A STREET IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE "INNER-CITY" AREA OF KANSAS CITY AND INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI
We were a wild bunch, an unruly bunch, not a gang in the sense of gangs in today's world, but we did have weapons. I won't get into that here, but we were armed, and we had a hide-out, in fact, several.
We were smiling youths on bikes just riding around the neighborhood having fun. There was a dump nearby. Dumps are always additions to boys' fun and games. We found lots of stuff, the better to furnish our hideouts. One of the hideouts was a large cave behind one of the boy's homes that backed into a large wooded area. Oh, there were lots of woods around where we lived.
There were cliffs, hollows, just about every kind of geographical oddity there is, even old storage wells filled with polluted water mixed with oil run off near the railroad tracks. One boy tried swimming, but was frightened by a water-mocasin.
We had a name--we were called the "Cave Dwellers." Read more about our adventures in the next installment, whenever it happens to pop up here. It will most likely be about our search for the James Gangs hidden booty. Or about our hopping frieght.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
nw252-2
THANKS TO GEORGE HAMLIN FOR PERMISSION TO ADD THIS TO MY BLOG_________________________________________
nw252-2
Orders being taken
Uploaded by George Hamlin on 14 Dec 10, 4.33PM PST.
nw252-2
This excellent photo by George Hamlin is a classic reminder of another era. It took me a long time to accept the fact that freight trains I'd been waiting to pass the crossing were minus a caboose. Somehow, a train without a caboose just didn't make sense. It still doesn't make sense, but I have passed the age when us boys always waited to see if the old man sitting up in the cupulow would wave at us as the train passed. I can't remember when they didn't. They are long down the line by now, somewhere in railroad heaven. Such are some of the memories of the 1950s that remain golden in my mind.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Homeless in Beijing subway
Yes, it appears that China has a terrible "homeless" problem. What is this world coming too?
One might compare this image with photos of the homeless in USA subways and other areas. I think the entire issue boils down to "freedom to sleep where one can find a place" and there are most likely laws against sleeping in subways that are enforced in China.
One can look at this issue in several ways; either a society has regulations about where people can congregate and lay around in public places and spaces, or a society has no restrictions, thus letting whomever wants to camp out in public places, litter, urinate and deficate throughout the area, making the area unhealthy, unsafe and a site that shows there are no provisions made for the homeless.
Part of this can simply be defined by "character." To summarize, Beijing officials do not want "characters" hangin' out in the public subways. I get the picture clearly. And I support regulations that are enforced to keep public spaces such as subway stations free of a transient population that becomes a public nuisance.
Parks, in my opinion, should be free space for those who need sleeping and and camping space. The ideal solution, of course, would be for the government to build homes for those who are homeless, thus reducing the homeless problem to zero. Yes, a zero tolerance for homelessness. This, of course, would require more money from the Federal budget. This, then should become another entitlement issue, another partisan issue. In the meantime, one homeless man, or perhaps one "sleepy" man is taking time out in a Beijing subway
__________________________________________________
Homeless in Beijing subway
I saw this young buddy in a subway tunnel in Beijing under the Tiananmen square.
Uploaded by milkanen on 28 Oct 07,
One might compare this image with photos of the homeless in USA subways and other areas. I think the entire issue boils down to "freedom to sleep where one can find a place" and there are most likely laws against sleeping in subways that are enforced in China.
One can look at this issue in several ways; either a society has regulations about where people can congregate and lay around in public places and spaces, or a society has no restrictions, thus letting whomever wants to camp out in public places, litter, urinate and deficate throughout the area, making the area unhealthy, unsafe and a site that shows there are no provisions made for the homeless.
Part of this can simply be defined by "character." To summarize, Beijing officials do not want "characters" hangin' out in the public subways. I get the picture clearly. And I support regulations that are enforced to keep public spaces such as subway stations free of a transient population that becomes a public nuisance.
Parks, in my opinion, should be free space for those who need sleeping and and camping space. The ideal solution, of course, would be for the government to build homes for those who are homeless, thus reducing the homeless problem to zero. Yes, a zero tolerance for homelessness. This, of course, would require more money from the Federal budget. This, then should become another entitlement issue, another partisan issue. In the meantime, one homeless man, or perhaps one "sleepy" man is taking time out in a Beijing subway
__________________________________________________
Homeless in Beijing subway
I saw this young buddy in a subway tunnel in Beijing under the Tiananmen square.
Uploaded by milkanen on 28 Oct 07,
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Dom Cathedral (Kölner Dom) in Cologne, Germany WWII, May 10th, 1945. "Trolley Missions"...Kölner Dom in Köln, Deutschland WWII, 10. Mai 1945. "Trolley-Missionen"
The Dom Cathedral (Kölner Dom) in Cologne, Germany WWII, May 10th, 1945. "Trolley Missions"...Kölner Dom in Köln, Deutschland WWII, 10. Mai 1945. "Trolley-Missionen"
Originally uploaded by David C. Foster
Thinking more about this incredible photo, reading the comments and pondering over the ruins, I find myself becoming more of a pacifist with age. What is it about the nature of man that has caused such ruination? No, it is not every man, for sure. I tell myself that if the world of men before me had my sense of respect for life, the history of the world would be different. No, I am not alone in my pacitivity; most of the men who live in contemporary society surely feel the same. So, what is the excuse for such rubble? It was not, we know, the rubble that was the initial cause for the destruction--it was to put an end to the evil forces who were hiding in the city. Bombs were dropped to stop the production of weapons, for sure, but such utter distruction?
Why did the cathederal remain amid all of the ruin? Was it because some of the warriors had respect for life as taught by the church in their early youth?
____________________________________________________
The Dom Cathedral (Kölner Dom) in Cologne, Germany WWII, May 10th, 1945. "Trolley Missions"...Kölner Dom in Köln, Deutschland WWII, 10. Mai 1945. "Trolley-Missionen"
Uploaded by David C. Foster on 13 Dec 07, 2.45PM PST.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
TRAINS HEADING WEST TO CALIFORNIA
TRAINS HEADING WEST TO CALIFORNIA
We are blessed to have the freedom to travel when and where we choose.
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 11 Jan 11, 12.18PM PST.
We are blessed to have the freedom to travel when and where we choose.
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 11 Jan 11, 12.18PM PST.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wanda_Jackson
NUMBER 1 SINGER IN JAPAN 1959 & 1960...her hit, "Fujiama Mama" hit the charts as number one for many months. I recall many bands of Japanese musicians who were playing the club circuit who changed from tux to country and western threads. They received standing ovations for their rendition of "Fujiyama Mama" and usually followed it with a repeat, an encore.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Jackson
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 6 Jan
______________________________________________________
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Born October 20, 1937 (1937-10-20) (age 73)
Origin Maud, Oklahoma and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Genres rockabilly, country, gospel
Occupations singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals, Guitar
Years active 1954 – present
Labels Decca Records
Capitol Records
CMH Records
Associated acts Hank Thompson, Billy Gray, Rosie Flores
Website Wanda Jackson.com
Wanda Lavonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist.[1] She is known to many as the First Lady (or Queen) of Rockabilly.
Jackson mixed country music with fast-moving rockabilly, often recording them on opposite sides of a record.[2] As rockabilly declined in popularity in the mid-1960s, she moved to a successful career in mainstream country music with a string of hits between 1966 and 1973, including "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine", "A Woman Lives for Love" and "Fancy Satin Pillows".
She has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity among rockabilly revivalists in Europe, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence on April 4, 2009.[3][4]
[edit] Biography[edit] Early lifeWanda Jackson was born in Maud, Oklahoma on October 20, 1937, but has lived much of her life in Oklahoma City. Her father, a musician, moved the family to California during the 1940s in hopes of a better life.[2] Two years later, he bought Jackson a guitar and encouraged her to play. He also took her to see performances by Spade Cooley, Tex Williams and Bob Wills, which left a lasting impression.[1] In 1948, when she was 11, the family moved back to Oklahoma. In 1956, she won a talent contest which led to her own radio program, soon extended by 30 minutes.[5]
Jackson began her professional career while still attending Capitol Hill High School[6] in Oklahoma City after being discovered by Hank Thompson in 1954,[1][1] who heard her singing on local station KLPR-AM[7] and invited her to perform with his band, the Brazos Valley Boys. She recorded a few songs on their label, Capitol Records, including "You Can't Have My Love", a duet with Thompson's bandleader, Billy Gray. The song was released as a single in 1954 and reached No. 8 on the country chart. Jackson asked Capitol to sign her, but was turned down by producer Ken Nelson who told her, "Girls don't sell records." Instead, she signed with Decca Records.[2]
[edit] 1955–1959: Early careerAfter graduating from high school, Jackson began to tour with her father as manager and chaperon.[1] She often shared the bill with Elvis Presley, who encouraged Jackson to sing rockabilly. She was a cast member of ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri from 1955–1960, and in 1956 she signed with Capitol, recording a number of singles mixing country with rock and roll. "I Gotta Know", released in 1956, peaked at No. 15.[5][8][9]
During the 1950s, Jackson's stage outfits were often designed by her mother. Unlike traditional clothing worn by female country music singers of the time, she wore fringe dresses, high heels and long earrings; and has claimed she was the first female to put "glamor into country music."[1]
She continued to record more rockabilly singles through the decade with producer Ken Nelson. Jackson insisted that Nelson make her records sound like those of label mates Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps. Nelson brought in many experienced and popular session players, including rock and roll pianist Merill Moore and the then unknown Buck Owens. With a unique vocal style and upbeat material, Jackson created some of the most influential rock and roll music of the time.[10]
In the late 1950s, Jackson recorded and released a number of rockabilly songs, including "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad," "Mean, Mean Man," "Fujiyama Mama" (which hit No. 1 in Japan) and "Honey Bop." She toured Japan in February and March 1959.
1960–1964: The Queen of RockabillyIn 1959, Jackson had a Top 40 pop hit with "Let's Have A Party", a song Presley had cut a year earlier.[5] She was headlining concerts with her own band, which she dubbed The Party Timers. Prominently featured were pianist Big Al Downing and guitarist Roy Clark, virtually unknown at the time.[10] A year later, she recorded more country-pop material with "Right Or Wrong", a No. 9 hit, and "In The Middle Of A Heartache", which peaked at No. 6 on the country chart.[1]
The unexpected success of her records led Capitol to release a number of albums composed of her 1950s material, including 1960's Rockin' with Wanda and There's a Party Goin' On, which included "Tongue Tied" and "Riot in the Cell Block #9". Her 1961 and 1962 albums, Right or Wrong and Wonderful Wanda, featured her two top ten country hits from 1961. In 1963, Jackson recorded a final album titled Two Sides of Wanda, which included both rock and roll and country music, including a cover of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On".[11]
1965–1979: Country and gospel hits and foreign language recordingIn 1965, Jackson made the move to country music as rockabilly declined in popularity, and had a string of Top 40 hits during the next ten years. In 1966, she released two singles that peaked in the country top 20, "Tears Will Be The Chaser For Your Wine" and "The Box It Came In".[1]
In early 1965, Jackson was invited by Capitol Records's German distribution partner, Electrola, to record in German. Jackson's German language debut single, Santo Domingo (b/w Morgen, ja morgen), recorded at Electrola's studios in Cologne, peaked at # 5 on the official German charts and at # 1 on the charts of Germany's most influential teen magazine, Bravo. In the first months following the chart success of Santo Domingo, Jackson also re-recorded some of her German songs in Dutch and Japanese. The success of Santo Domingo prompted the recording of eight further German language singles until 1968, which were also released on an album, Made in Germany. A last German single was recorded in 1970.
In 1967 she recorded two albums, and released a string of singles during the next few years that often asserted a fiery and violent persona, including 1969's "My Big Iron Skillet", a top 20 hit which threatened death or assault for cheating on a spouse.[10] In 1970 and 1971, she had her final top 20 country hits with "A Woman Lives For Love" and "Fancy Satin Pillows". Jackson was a premier attraction in Las Vegas and was twice nominated for a Grammy award. She had a syndicated television show, Music Village, from 1967-68.[1]
In the early 1970s, at her children's request, Jackson and her husband began to regularly attend church and discovered Christianity.[10] She began recording gospel songs and albums, including 1972's Praise the Lord on Capitol.[2] After Capitol dropped her, she recorded a number of albums for small religious labels and set up Evangelical church tours with her husband across the country. Jackson wanted to record a mix of country and gospel music for her albums; however, religious labels were not interested.[11]
1980–present: New beginningsIn the early 1980s, Jackson was invited to Europe to play and record rockabilly material when revivalists sought her out.[1] She regularly toured Scandinavia, England, and Germany during the decade; and influenced country artists including Pam Tillis, Jann Browne and Rosie Flores.[1] In 1995, she sang two duets with Flores on her 1995 album, Rockabilly Filly, and then embarked on a United States tour with her, her first American tour since the 1970s.[2]
In 2001, she played at the Rockabilly Festival in Jackson, Tennessee with Narvel Felts and Billy Haley and His Comets.[12] Her backup band was The Cadillac Angels (Tony Balbino, Mickey Chihuahua and Anders Stone). Despite her age, Jackson continued touring.[13] She was No. 35 on CMT's 2002 special, The 40 Greatest Women of Country Music.
In 2003, Jackson released her first studio album since the 1980s, Heart Trouble on CMH Records. The 16-track album included guest appearances by Elvis Costello, The Cramps and Rosie Flores.[14] in 2005, singer Amy LaVere portrayed a young Jackson in the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line.[6]
On October 28, 2008, Jackson returned to England for an appearance at the London Rock 'n' Roll Festival with Jerry Lee Lewis and Linda Gail Lewis at the London Forum.[15]
In late 2009, it was announced that Jackson would start work on new recordings with Jack White.[16] The recording has since been completed and includes a cover of the Bob Dylan song, "Thunder on the Mountain".[17]
Jackson performed at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas in 2010 with her new backing band, Oklahoma based alt-country band The Green Corn Revival.[18]
On July 25, 2010 Jackson's song, "Funnel of Love" was featured as the music to the ending credits to the hit HBO show Entourage; season 7 episode 4.
Jackson appeared on BBC's- Jools Hollands Annual Hootenanny on the 31st of December 2010. She performed with Jools and his rhythm and blues orchestra. She covered Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good" as well as performing some of her own songs.
Personal lifeIn 1955, Jackson briefly dated Elvis Presley while on tour with him.[10][19] She married former IBM programmer Wendell Goodman in 1961, who has been, and continues to serve as, her manager. The couple had two children. She currently lives in Oklahoma City.[6]
RecognitionJackson is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Music and Oklahoma Country Music halls of fame, as well as the International Gospel and the German Music halls of fame.
She was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 but was not elected.[20] In September 2008, she was nominated for a second time;[21] and was inducted on April 4, 2009 as an Early Influence.[4] She was the first addition to the category in nine years.
In 2009, Oklahoma City named an alley for her in the Bricktown entertainment district. "Wanda Jackson Way" was officially christened with a live performance by Jackson in her "Way" on September 30, 2009.
On September 9, 2010, she was given the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Jack White presented the award to her.
[
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Jackson
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 6 Jan
______________________________________________________
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Born October 20, 1937 (1937-10-20) (age 73)
Origin Maud, Oklahoma and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Genres rockabilly, country, gospel
Occupations singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals, Guitar
Years active 1954 – present
Labels Decca Records
Capitol Records
CMH Records
Associated acts Hank Thompson, Billy Gray, Rosie Flores
Website Wanda Jackson.com
Wanda Lavonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist.[1] She is known to many as the First Lady (or Queen) of Rockabilly.
Jackson mixed country music with fast-moving rockabilly, often recording them on opposite sides of a record.[2] As rockabilly declined in popularity in the mid-1960s, she moved to a successful career in mainstream country music with a string of hits between 1966 and 1973, including "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine", "A Woman Lives for Love" and "Fancy Satin Pillows".
She has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity among rockabilly revivalists in Europe, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence on April 4, 2009.[3][4]
[edit] Biography[edit] Early lifeWanda Jackson was born in Maud, Oklahoma on October 20, 1937, but has lived much of her life in Oklahoma City. Her father, a musician, moved the family to California during the 1940s in hopes of a better life.[2] Two years later, he bought Jackson a guitar and encouraged her to play. He also took her to see performances by Spade Cooley, Tex Williams and Bob Wills, which left a lasting impression.[1] In 1948, when she was 11, the family moved back to Oklahoma. In 1956, she won a talent contest which led to her own radio program, soon extended by 30 minutes.[5]
Jackson began her professional career while still attending Capitol Hill High School[6] in Oklahoma City after being discovered by Hank Thompson in 1954,[1][1] who heard her singing on local station KLPR-AM[7] and invited her to perform with his band, the Brazos Valley Boys. She recorded a few songs on their label, Capitol Records, including "You Can't Have My Love", a duet with Thompson's bandleader, Billy Gray. The song was released as a single in 1954 and reached No. 8 on the country chart. Jackson asked Capitol to sign her, but was turned down by producer Ken Nelson who told her, "Girls don't sell records." Instead, she signed with Decca Records.[2]
[edit] 1955–1959: Early careerAfter graduating from high school, Jackson began to tour with her father as manager and chaperon.[1] She often shared the bill with Elvis Presley, who encouraged Jackson to sing rockabilly. She was a cast member of ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri from 1955–1960, and in 1956 she signed with Capitol, recording a number of singles mixing country with rock and roll. "I Gotta Know", released in 1956, peaked at No. 15.[5][8][9]
During the 1950s, Jackson's stage outfits were often designed by her mother. Unlike traditional clothing worn by female country music singers of the time, she wore fringe dresses, high heels and long earrings; and has claimed she was the first female to put "glamor into country music."[1]
She continued to record more rockabilly singles through the decade with producer Ken Nelson. Jackson insisted that Nelson make her records sound like those of label mates Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps. Nelson brought in many experienced and popular session players, including rock and roll pianist Merill Moore and the then unknown Buck Owens. With a unique vocal style and upbeat material, Jackson created some of the most influential rock and roll music of the time.[10]
In the late 1950s, Jackson recorded and released a number of rockabilly songs, including "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad," "Mean, Mean Man," "Fujiyama Mama" (which hit No. 1 in Japan) and "Honey Bop." She toured Japan in February and March 1959.
1960–1964: The Queen of RockabillyIn 1959, Jackson had a Top 40 pop hit with "Let's Have A Party", a song Presley had cut a year earlier.[5] She was headlining concerts with her own band, which she dubbed The Party Timers. Prominently featured were pianist Big Al Downing and guitarist Roy Clark, virtually unknown at the time.[10] A year later, she recorded more country-pop material with "Right Or Wrong", a No. 9 hit, and "In The Middle Of A Heartache", which peaked at No. 6 on the country chart.[1]
The unexpected success of her records led Capitol to release a number of albums composed of her 1950s material, including 1960's Rockin' with Wanda and There's a Party Goin' On, which included "Tongue Tied" and "Riot in the Cell Block #9". Her 1961 and 1962 albums, Right or Wrong and Wonderful Wanda, featured her two top ten country hits from 1961. In 1963, Jackson recorded a final album titled Two Sides of Wanda, which included both rock and roll and country music, including a cover of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On".[11]
1965–1979: Country and gospel hits and foreign language recordingIn 1965, Jackson made the move to country music as rockabilly declined in popularity, and had a string of Top 40 hits during the next ten years. In 1966, she released two singles that peaked in the country top 20, "Tears Will Be The Chaser For Your Wine" and "The Box It Came In".[1]
In early 1965, Jackson was invited by Capitol Records's German distribution partner, Electrola, to record in German. Jackson's German language debut single, Santo Domingo (b/w Morgen, ja morgen), recorded at Electrola's studios in Cologne, peaked at # 5 on the official German charts and at # 1 on the charts of Germany's most influential teen magazine, Bravo. In the first months following the chart success of Santo Domingo, Jackson also re-recorded some of her German songs in Dutch and Japanese. The success of Santo Domingo prompted the recording of eight further German language singles until 1968, which were also released on an album, Made in Germany. A last German single was recorded in 1970.
In 1967 she recorded two albums, and released a string of singles during the next few years that often asserted a fiery and violent persona, including 1969's "My Big Iron Skillet", a top 20 hit which threatened death or assault for cheating on a spouse.[10] In 1970 and 1971, she had her final top 20 country hits with "A Woman Lives For Love" and "Fancy Satin Pillows". Jackson was a premier attraction in Las Vegas and was twice nominated for a Grammy award. She had a syndicated television show, Music Village, from 1967-68.[1]
In the early 1970s, at her children's request, Jackson and her husband began to regularly attend church and discovered Christianity.[10] She began recording gospel songs and albums, including 1972's Praise the Lord on Capitol.[2] After Capitol dropped her, she recorded a number of albums for small religious labels and set up Evangelical church tours with her husband across the country. Jackson wanted to record a mix of country and gospel music for her albums; however, religious labels were not interested.[11]
1980–present: New beginningsIn the early 1980s, Jackson was invited to Europe to play and record rockabilly material when revivalists sought her out.[1] She regularly toured Scandinavia, England, and Germany during the decade; and influenced country artists including Pam Tillis, Jann Browne and Rosie Flores.[1] In 1995, she sang two duets with Flores on her 1995 album, Rockabilly Filly, and then embarked on a United States tour with her, her first American tour since the 1970s.[2]
In 2001, she played at the Rockabilly Festival in Jackson, Tennessee with Narvel Felts and Billy Haley and His Comets.[12] Her backup band was The Cadillac Angels (Tony Balbino, Mickey Chihuahua and Anders Stone). Despite her age, Jackson continued touring.[13] She was No. 35 on CMT's 2002 special, The 40 Greatest Women of Country Music.
In 2003, Jackson released her first studio album since the 1980s, Heart Trouble on CMH Records. The 16-track album included guest appearances by Elvis Costello, The Cramps and Rosie Flores.[14] in 2005, singer Amy LaVere portrayed a young Jackson in the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line.[6]
On October 28, 2008, Jackson returned to England for an appearance at the London Rock 'n' Roll Festival with Jerry Lee Lewis and Linda Gail Lewis at the London Forum.[15]
In late 2009, it was announced that Jackson would start work on new recordings with Jack White.[16] The recording has since been completed and includes a cover of the Bob Dylan song, "Thunder on the Mountain".[17]
Jackson performed at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas in 2010 with her new backing band, Oklahoma based alt-country band The Green Corn Revival.[18]
On July 25, 2010 Jackson's song, "Funnel of Love" was featured as the music to the ending credits to the hit HBO show Entourage; season 7 episode 4.
Jackson appeared on BBC's- Jools Hollands Annual Hootenanny on the 31st of December 2010. She performed with Jools and his rhythm and blues orchestra. She covered Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good" as well as performing some of her own songs.
Personal lifeIn 1955, Jackson briefly dated Elvis Presley while on tour with him.[10][19] She married former IBM programmer Wendell Goodman in 1961, who has been, and continues to serve as, her manager. The couple had two children. She currently lives in Oklahoma City.[6]
RecognitionJackson is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Music and Oklahoma Country Music halls of fame, as well as the International Gospel and the German Music halls of fame.
She was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 but was not elected.[20] In September 2008, she was nominated for a second time;[21] and was inducted on April 4, 2009 as an Early Influence.[4] She was the first addition to the category in nine years.
In 2009, Oklahoma City named an alley for her in the Bricktown entertainment district. "Wanda Jackson Way" was officially christened with a live performance by Jackson in her "Way" on September 30, 2009.
On September 9, 2010, she was given the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Jack White presented the award to her.
[
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
tn_IMGP7255
CAT WITH A CANDY STORE MUSTACHE IS UNIQUE IN WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
If this cat is thinking about anything, it's probably about how well the cover matches his color, or perhaps he would like to write a short story if he could get the feel of the keyboard. Whatever, he has someting on his mind.
Note the cat's licorce mustache like the wax ones once sold in the candy stores.
______________________________________________________
The saying goes, Dogs have masters, Cats have Slaves is most apt, here is Zoe (my sisters pampered cat) surveying her domain.
Uploaded by leylandmad on 27 Dec 10, 3.25PM PST.
If this cat is thinking about anything, it's probably about how well the cover matches his color, or perhaps he would like to write a short story if he could get the feel of the keyboard. Whatever, he has someting on his mind.
Note the cat's licorce mustache like the wax ones once sold in the candy stores.
______________________________________________________
The saying goes, Dogs have masters, Cats have Slaves is most apt, here is Zoe (my sisters pampered cat) surveying her domain.
Uploaded by leylandmad on 27 Dec 10, 3.25PM PST.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
ANOTHER NICK LEONARD PHOTO
NICK IS AN UP AND COMING YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER. His photographs are most amazing, most unique. Some are focused on the joys of a city full of fun and luck, Las Vegas, but some of his images focus on the seemy side of life, the images of the downtrodden. Here is my essay on Nick's shot of this supermarket cart.
Yes, that a supermarket basket is the vessel that holds one person's possessions on this voyage through life might seem sad, is sad, but is society to blame or is it simply lack of planning? Is it because of mental impairment, substance abuse, or perhaps someone who is simply "down on their luck?"
And if someone is down on their luck, can they do something to change that luck? America has more entitlement programs than most any other nation on earth. To be quite honest, it is possible that the owner of this vehicle could apply for a grant, food stamps, impoverished housing payments, a federal loan, or even a student loan to learn a skill. What is the problem then?
Is it an individual problem, then, or one that I should solve with my own bank account? Won't my taxes, used properly, take this individual back on a voyage to a more lucrative port?
Do not accuse me, please, of having no compassion; I have plenty of compassion, but I do not have enough money to solve this plight of the ship that hit the rocks. My best to whoever is the pilot or captain of this wayward vessel.
Uploaded by Nick Leonard on 22 May 10,
Yes, that a supermarket basket is the vessel that holds one person's possessions on this voyage through life might seem sad, is sad, but is society to blame or is it simply lack of planning? Is it because of mental impairment, substance abuse, or perhaps someone who is simply "down on their luck?"
And if someone is down on their luck, can they do something to change that luck? America has more entitlement programs than most any other nation on earth. To be quite honest, it is possible that the owner of this vehicle could apply for a grant, food stamps, impoverished housing payments, a federal loan, or even a student loan to learn a skill. What is the problem then?
Is it an individual problem, then, or one that I should solve with my own bank account? Won't my taxes, used properly, take this individual back on a voyage to a more lucrative port?
Do not accuse me, please, of having no compassion; I have plenty of compassion, but I do not have enough money to solve this plight of the ship that hit the rocks. My best to whoever is the pilot or captain of this wayward vessel.
Uploaded by Nick Leonard on 22 May 10,
Odilon Redon - Breton Village at National Art Gallery Washington DC
This is my first glimpse of this work. Immediately, I was enthralled by the levels of color, the levels of the composition using the rooftops and the geometrics of the buildings. It is well put together with colors that are complimentary, colors that speak Breton, and it bespeaks an era that I would have chosen to be a part of, at least for awhile. This is definitely a work I would rather see on my wall rather than in the Smithsonian, at least for a few months out of the year.
Odilon Redon - Breton Village at National Art Gallery Washington DC
Odilon Redon - Breton Village, 1890
East Wing - National Art Gallery Washington DC
Uploaded by mbell1975 on 28 Dec 10, 12.19PM PST.
Odilon Redon - Breton Village at National Art Gallery Washington DC
Odilon Redon - Breton Village, 1890
East Wing - National Art Gallery Washington DC
Uploaded by mbell1975 on 28 Dec 10, 12.19PM PST.
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