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February 6, 2016

Music in Memoriam, 2015


My annual list of musicians and others whose work has affected me:
A.J. Masters (songwriter)
Allen Toussaint
Andraé Crouch
Art Thieme
B. B. King
Ben E. King
Bill Keith
Bobby Jameson
Buddy Emmons
Cory Wells (Three Dog Night)
Cynthia Robinson (Sly and the Family Stone)
Dave Ball (Procol Harum)
Ervin Drake (songwriter)
Gunter Shuller
Guy Carawan
Jack Ely
James Horner
Jean Ritchie
John Renbourn
John Trudell
Johnny Gimble
Leon Bibb
Little Jimmy Dickens
Luigi Creatore (songwriter)
Lynn Anderson
Mack McCormick (musicologist)
Michael Masser (songwriter)
Ornette Coleman
P. F. Sloan (songwriter)
Peggy Jones (Bo Diddley)
Percy Sledge
Pino Daniele
Popsy Dixon
Ray Charles
Richard Watson
Ronnie Gilbert* (I met this grand lady of song in Mendocino 2008, see photo)
Rose Marie McCoy (songwriter)
Scott Weiland
Stan Freberg
Theodore Bikel
Tim Drummond
Tut Taylor
Ward Swingle
Wayne Carson (songwriter, The Letter)


non-musicians:
Al Rosen
Carol Doda
Christopher Lee
Eddie LeBaron (my father's football playing classmate)
Ernie Banks
Francesco Rosi
Haskell Wexler
Julian Bond
Lon Simmons
Meadowlark Lemon
Oliver Sacks
Omar Sharif
Patrick Macnee
Rod Taylor
Taylor Negron
Yogi Berra


writers:
Alan Cheuse
Ann McGovern
C. K. Williams
Charles Tomlinson
Christopher Middleton
Don Yoder
E.L. Doctorow
Franz Wright
Gill Dennis
Gunter Grass
Ivan Doig
James Salter
James Tate
John A. Williams
John Leggett
Justin Chin
M.H. Abrams
Miller Williams
P.J. Kavanagh
Paul West
Richard Corliss
Robert Stone
Rod McKuen
Sam Simon
Samuel Charters
Stephen Rodefer
William Jay Smith
William Zinsser

Happy trials, Martin


Mutt:  You know, Jeff, I heard that an old printer died, but old printers never die, they're just not the type.
Jeff:  And old cooks never die, they just get deranged.
Mutt:  You said it. Old photographers never die, they just stop developing.
Jeff:  I got one. Old seers never die, they just lose their vision.
Mutt:  Old cleaning people never die, they just kick the bucket.
Jeff:  Old bosses never die, much as you want them to.
Mutt:  Ain't that the truth. Old electricians never die, they just lose contact.
Jeff:  Old limbo dancers never die, they just go under.
Mutt:  We're on a roll. Old sculptors never die, they just lose their marbles.
Jeff:  Old hypochondriacs never die, they just lose their grippe.
Mutt:  Old professors never die, they just lose their class.
Jeff:  Tell the boss that. Old sewage workers never die, they just waste away.
Mutt:  Old investors never die, they just roll over.
Jeff:  Old owls never die, they just don't give a hoot.
Mutt:  Old hippies never die, they just smell that way.
Jeff:  Hey! Old steelmakers never die, they just lose their temper.
Mutt:  Oh, yeah. Old tanners never die, they just go into hiding.
Jeff:  Old policemen never die, they just cop out.
Mutt:  Enough. Old chauffeurs never die, they just lose their drive.
Jeff:  One more. Old sailors never die, they just get a little dingy.
Mutt:  Last one. Old archers never die, they just bow and quiver.
Jeff:  Okay, really the last. Old lawyers never die, they just lose their appeal.
Mutt:  And my last. Old quarterbacks never die, they just pass away.
Jeff:  Hwoo, glad that's over with. Maybe nobody else never dies.
Mutt:  Except that old schools never die, they just lose their principals.
Jeff:  We called last round.
Mutt:  But that wasn't a person, like old doctors never die, they just lose their patience.
Jeff:  I know your problem. It's like the clergy.
Mutt:  What?
Jeff:  Yeah. Old preachers never die, they just ramble on, and on, and on, and on....