Posted by The G on February 16, 2012 under Celebrities | 
Photo and autograph courtesy of the G Archives.
Gary Carter
I am so sad! Baseball Hall of Famer Gary Carter died today following complications from a brain tumor. I’ve met Gary Carter so many times and he was always a nice guy in my experiences. Because he was in a position to help others, he decided during his playing career that he would only autograph baseball cards post-1985 (it could have been post 1984) for a $25 donation to leukemia research. Though that decision cost me hundreds of dollars in the 1990s, I gladly paid it. RIP Gary!
Posted by The G on February 12, 2012 under Celebrities |
Photo and autograph courtesy of the G Archives.
Whitney Houston
It’s so sad to hear about the death of singer Whitney Houston. She had so much talent and unfortunately got hooked on drugs which lead to her slow and steady demise. What a tragic waste. I met Whitney in the 1990s when The Bodyguard was at the top of the charts. She was performing at a benefit in Los Angeles and I was lucky enough to see her rehearsing “I Will Always Love You.” She sang several takes and each version sounded more flawless than the one before it. It’s really sad to hear that she died at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, as that is a place that holds so many great memories for me. I’ve had so many wild celebrity encounters at the Hilton – I am just in shock. I’ve also had many good times dancing to Whitney’s music including the club version of “It’s Not Right, But It’s OK,” “If I Told You That” her duet with George Michael and of course the classic ”I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” It’s really sad that in the last few years of her life, the public chose to focus on her mess of a life instead of the tremendous talent she possessed. Now in death, the public will remember her as a goddess of music whose voice was silenced way too soon. RIP, Whitney!
Posted by The G on February 4, 2012 under Celebrities |
Photo and autograph courtesy of the G Archives.
Ben Gazzara
RIP to actor Ben Gazzara who died at age 81. The Emmy Award winning actor appeared in films such as Anatomy Of A Murder, Capone, Saint Jack, Road House, The Big Lebowski, Buffalo 66 and Summer Of Sam. I met Ben Gazzara many times and he was extremely nice. RIP, Ben! Thanks for being so cool!
Posted by The G on January 26, 2012 under Celebrities |
Photos by G.
Fruit at the Bottom by Wendy and Lisa (Wendy's on the right)
Happy birthday to two of the most talented sisters in music – Wendy and Susannah Melvoin!
Wendy Melvoin got her start as a member of Prince’s band The Revolution and has gone on to work with Lisa Coleman as the duo Wendy and Lisa. In addition to making great pop music, they have scored a number of films and TV shows and have won lots of awards and critical acclaim for their work.
Susannah Melvoin
Susannah has also worked with Prince and was the inspiration for many of his greatest songs. She’s also written songs for Madonna and is a member of The Family which is currently known as fDeluxe.
The music of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin has made my life a much better place and I wish them both the happiest of birthdays today!
Posted by The G on January 19, 2012 under Celebrities |
Photo by G.
Eric Leeds
Happy birthday to one of the best saxophone players of all time – Eric Leeds. Eric Leeds has played off and on with Prince and Prince’s many protegés since the 1980s and every time he appears on one of the tracks, his solos and accents are often the highlight of the song. He’s also been in Prince’s jazz fusion group Madhouse and if you ever get a chance to track down their albums, your ears will thank you for it. Eric is also a solo artist, having released 3 great records as well and he is currently on tour in fDeluxe (formerly known as The Family) so if you need some funk in our life, check out the music of Eric Leeds. I can’t even count how many hours of my life have been spent listening to Eric’s music both with and without Prince, but I can say – it’s a lot! I thank Eric for always putting my ears in a good mood and I hope you have a very happy birthday!
