Happy Halloween

Happy Birthday Jerry Lee Lewis

Happy 75th Birthday to The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis.

9-11-2010

Last Perfect Thing

Congratulation to local band Last Perfect Thing, of Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Last Perfect Thing was one of 4 bands who won a spot on this past weekends annual Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. The contest was part of Clear Channel's I Heart Music campaign.
Last Perfect Thing ,Greg Wilkens, Jeff Teeter, Mike Smith & Kevin Conroy, are a New Jersey based band and got to perform 2 songs on Monday September 6. They performed both Dark Blue and Charles.
Congratulations to them for a great performance.

For more band information check out http://www.myspace.com/lastperfectthing

Mark Knopfler-Count Basie Theatre 5/5/2010

My Wife and I were fortunate to catch Mark Knopfler's appearance at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey. We both have wanted to see him for some time, and he did not let down.
Mr. Knopfler and his tight band, which included Guy Fletcher from the later Dire Straits lineup, played a 2+ hour show which was comprised mostly of solo work, but did include a handful of Dire Straits songs.
As expected, Mr. Knopfler's guitar playing was about as good as one could hope to hear. He sadly was suffering through a pinched nerve in his back which kept him seated through the show, but if you closed your eyes you would never have known it.
Here is the setlist:

Border Reiver
What It Is
Sailing to Philadelphia
Coyote
Prairie Wedding
Hill Farmer's Blues
Romeo & Juliet
Sultans of Swing
Donegan's Gone
Get Lucky
Marbletown
Speedway at Nazareth
Telegraph Road

Brothers in Arms
So Far Away
Piper to the End

In Memoriam - Delores Holmes

Delores Holmes, a local musician here in New Jersey, passed away on April 16 2010.
Born in 1946, Ms. Holmes was a member of the Bruce Springsteen Band in the late 60's through the Early 70's. She and her Daughter, Layonne Holmes, performed together in the group Rain and were both members of The Shirley's.
Ms. Holmes was also a member of Holiday Express, and charity group which performs primarily between Thanksgiving and New Years.
Rest in Peace

In Memoriam - Fess Parker

Actor Fess Parker passed away today of natural causes at the age of 85.
Like many kids growing up in the 1970's, Davy Crockett was one of the many programs we were able to see on the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday Nights. Although I cannot remember details of many of the episodes, I always loved the show and the natural actor playing the part of Davy Crockett. In a rare feat of 1950's acting, you never felt like Mr. Parker was "acting". I'm sure one of the reasons I have a love of the outdoors was due to year of playing Davy Crockett as a child.
Mr. Parker also played the part of Daniel Boone on TV from 1964-1970. He also memorably played the Father in Old Yeller, another Disney classic, which brought some of the adult themes which were in their animated classics to the live action format.
Mr. Parker focused on a career in real estate development in the 1970's and in 1989 started The Fess Parker Winery, which is still very successful.
On my first trip to Walt Disney World in the late 1970's, my parents were more than patient and tolerant when the only souvenir I wanted was Davy Crockett's trademark coonskin hat. They tried to persuade me to get the Peter Pan hat, but I broke them down. Of course what every 8 year old needs on a hot Orlando night is a fur hat. I loved that hat and wore it more than I should have.
Our sympathies go out to Mr. Parker's family and may he rest in peace.