The year 2016 was a terrible year for celebrity deaths, and yesterday the trend continued as singer/songwriter George Michael unexpectedly passed away on Christmas Day. He was only 53 years old. The news of George's passing left fans around the world in shock, and even I feel like somehow this terrible news is not true. Like any other death, it will take time to sink in, and it will, but for now...wow, just wow.
Since those early days of Wham! back in the early to mid-eighties, George Michael has graced us all with his own unique gift of music. From sugary pop tunes like Wake Me Up Before You GoGo and I'm Your Man to his sexual solo awakening to a more contemplative state later on, George enjoyed a prolific career, and luckily for us, we still have his music to enjoy.
Of course, this tragic event calls for a week-long celebration of George's music, and I hope you will enjoy reliving these special tunes with me, as they represent even a small part of the greater soundtrack to our lives. Today's song is very fitting, and sadly it was George's very last #1 tune way back in 1990. Take a listen to the melancholic Praying for Time...
For those of you who haven't heard the news yet, Florence Henderson, once America's favorite T.V. mom, passed away yesterday at the age of 82. For those of you out there who are my age, Florence and her clan of Bradys were an inimitable part of our young lives, and we are sad at the news. Here's a little sunshiney flashback from those Brady kids in honor of their mom...Rest in Peace Florence!
It was a sad day in the music world today as Pete Burns, once the frontman of an awesomely popular new wave band and later in life a popular British icon eccentric, lost his life today to a massive cardiac arrest. He was only 57 years old. Due to the fact that he was so highly renowned in his native Britain, we here in the States never got to really know the Pete Burns of the past, ooh, thirty years or so since Dead or Alive was in its heyday. His stint on Celebrity Big Brother, the many changes to his appearance via cosmetic surgeries, and his overall in-your-face-and-be-who-you-are persona made him immensely popular on the other side of the Pond and there are many out there mourning his loss.
Dead or Alive, and Pete Burns specifically, was a big part of my youth. Their 1985 album Youthquake was a goldmine of hard-driving dance-floor gems and I actually had to purchase a second copy because I wore out the first one. I was lucky enough to get to see them perform once out in Sag Harbor and their high energy set still lingers in my mind like it was yesterday. Yeah, I loved that band, so much so that for the rest of the week I'll be dedicating Song of the Day posts to his memory. Here's a taste from their follow-up album, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know. Check out Brand New Lover...
I missed a terrible anniversary yesterday. You see, four years ago, on May 17th, 2012, Donna Summer lost her life to lung cancer, which she claimed to have gotten from inhaling all of the toxic materials left in the air after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The news was shocking to many, who'd had no idea that the 63 year-old icon had been stricken with the disease. To me, Donna was one of those great voices that transcended more than five decades and touched millions in the process, and her death came with too little attention for the shining star she always was.
Most people think of Donna Summer as the Queen of Disco, and yes, in the late 70's she was, but this marvelous talent had staying power and persevered, creating hits in each decade right up until the current one, and one of my favorite songs of hers was a cover of Andrea Bocelli's beautiful Con Te Partido. Donna's rich voice lent itself perfectly as a dance mix to this operatic song and hit the #1 spot on Billboard's Dance Chart back in 1997. Here she is performing the tune on a television show somewhere, sometime. Hope you're resting in peace somewhere Donna...
In the 80's there was Michael Jackson, there was Madonna, and then there was Prince, an unassuming musical genius who transcended time and space and left an indelible mark on the world of music and in the soundtrack of many a life. It's almost unthinkable to imagine that anyone who lived through the 1980's and beyond hasn't loved at least one or two Prince songs in their time.
It was just a few hours ago that I received almost simultaneous texts from my sister and a friend telling me that the musical icon passed away earlier today at the young age of 57. The sudden and shocking news is even now spreading like wildfire throughout the world and I, like many others, have spent the time since reliving memories of my life that are connected to the singer and his musical genius.
The loss of Prince is huge, and I can already see that this most unassuming of the three 80's icons will now get the accolades he is so deserving of. His catalog is vast and varied and contains many a memorable line for us to remember and repeat as we continue to enjoy his music. There is so much more I wish to say about this artist, and I will in due time, but for now I just wanted to acknowledge the man and the many heavy hearts he has left behind. Rest in Peace!
Today is April 2nd, a day that begins a three-month long reminder of a loss we experienced seven years ago. You see, 75 years ago today, my dad, George Myers, was born. Seven years ago today he celebrated his last birthday, his 68th. One month later, he lost his life after a long, long bout with diabetes, and then of course Father's Day in June marks the third and final day in these three months that we are reminded of his life, his death, and his legacy. Like the old saying goes, you never know what you've got till it's gone and that couldn't be truer than with my father. And I speak for my entire family when I say so.
Looking back on my dad's life, I can't help but think that overall it was a sad one. He immigrated to the United States at a young age, until that point raised by a single mother who ultimately tended to herself more than him. Dropping out of high school in the 10th grade, dad never really had the chance, nor the drive, to be successful. He found himself a father of six children, abandoned by the adoptive father who brought him here and gave him his name, always struggling to keep our heads above water, often resentful for it, and not often happy.
Many of his children, including me, became resentful towards him throughout much of our young lives. He shared a good relationship with no one really, not even mom, and this underscored an unhappy, underlying theme to all of our lives. Later on in life, his real struggles would begin when he was diagnosed with that insidious disease. For more than twenty years, my dad suffered through two rounds of dialysis, numerous surgeries and visits to the emergency room, a kidney transplant, and plenty of mental and physical pain. It was towards this end that many of us really began to realize why he was the way he was. He spent many of his final years in regret, I think, lamenting the isolation he'd created within his own family. After his death, the very depth of his being became clearer of all of us, and in the years since, we have all mourned him and missed him more than any of us ever thought we would.
Every time I look at myself in the mirror, I cannot help but see that I am his son. Our resemblance to one another is unmistakable. Perhaps being the first son and sharing such physical traits with him were the underlying reasons why I was the one who took on the brunt of his wrath during my growing years. Sometimes when I see his face in mine, I can't help but feel a twinge of all those years of conflict and I have to look away. I guess I'll never really rid myself of those younger, more difficult years with him. In a way, though, I think the life I've created for myself has been a positive result of our relationship, for I've always strived to be the antithesis of what he was. Still, I loved him and I do miss him. So for what it's worth, Happy 75th Birthday Dad!
Yet another celebrity has been lost as Maurice White, founder of the hugely successful R&B/disco band Earth, Wind & Fire, has passed from complications of Parkinson's Disease. We celebrate his legacy with this, one of the band's most successful songs, Boogie Wonderland...Enjoy!
In remembrance of the latest passing, here's a song I wouldn't ordinarily post, It came out in May of 1975, when I was just ten years old. I certainly remember it from the radio way back when, but it never really was my style of music. Anyway, I just read on ABC that this was Frey's favorite Eagles song, and thus worthy of a post. Rest in Peace Glenn Frey, and the rest! Here's One of These Nights...
As you may or may not have heard, rock legend David Bowie passed away earlier Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 69. To read the full story, check out NBC News, and in the meantime, check out one of his best...
This was a song I should have posted yesterday, but somehow forgot to do so. As I am sure you have heard by this point, singer Natalie Cole passed away on Thursday at the age of 65. Word is that she had been battling several health issues and she ultimately died from congestive heart failure. I was never a huge fan of Miss Cole, but being a music fan I was always aware of her. In fact, as I write this, her song gospel-tinged disco hit, This Will Be, is playing in my head. For today's post, however, I can't not post this, one of her most memorable and a technical marvel at the time, a duet with her father, beloved crooner Nat King Cole, on one of his biggest hits. Check out Unforgettable...
Today marks the sixth anniversary of the death of my father, George Myers, and I want to share a special song by a special artist to mark the occasion. The song is Beam Me Up, and it was written and performed by P!nk for her album The Truth About Love. I've taught this very special song to my class a couple of years ago, and it si so good that they still mention it every once in awhile.
The song speaks of a parallel universe, where nothing breaks and nothing hurts. It becomes obvious from the onset of the tune that someone very special has passed on recently, and all she wants is to be beamed up, just for a minute, so she could stare and hold the person's face one last time. Oh, if only we could all get to make that wish come true for the many people we've lost in our lifetimes, like me with my dad.
I never really appreciated having my dad around while he was alive, at least not until the last few years he was with us, and so for anyone out there who is estranged from his or her father, please remember that no matter how bad a father he was or whatever he might have done to make your relationship strained, he is your father and he does love you! Peace!
