George Jones, Tammy Wynette and Daughter Georgette

George Jones singing The Grand Tour, one of the best country music songs ever written.

Norro Wilson wrote some great songs in Picture Me Without You and Most Beautiful Girl in the World, but to me his best song was The Grand Tour which was recorded by George Jones and Aaron Neville. The song was released two years before the divorce of George Jones and Tammy Wynette. However, the words to the song  fit well when they were divorced.

Anyone who has been divorced and had to leave a baby with their spouse, can’t help but be touched by this song. This is country music at its best. Divorced couples can relate to this song, since it tells of the hurt that is felt by the one that has to leave the home, they lived in for so long.

Only George Jones can sing this song the way it was meant to be sung. He sings with such emotion, that you feel like he has lived the words of this song.

George Jones and Tammy Wynette singing Golden Ring two years after their divorce.

George Jones and his daughter Georgette singing Daddy Come Home after he had divorced Tammy Wynette.

It is touching to see George and Georgette Jones singing a duet, after his divorce from Tammy Wynette with Tammy in the audience.  It has now been 36 years since the divorce. He is now married to Nancy Sepulvado, whom he married in 1983 and they are still married 28 years later. Coincidentally, 1983 was also the year he released his last No.1 hit in I Always Get Lucky With You.

Gasoline Price Wars: Now Ancient History

With the price at 24 cents, a driver could purchase 10 gallons of gas for a total of $2.40, which is about a dollar less than it costs today for one gallon. 15 gallons at 24 cents a gallon cost $3.60, which is close to the price of gas today for one gallon in some locations.

Using  $3.50 a gallon as a benchmark price today, 10 gallons would cost $35 today  instead of the $2.40 during that gasoline price war in 1969. 15 gallons would cost $52.50 today compared to the $3.60 price during the 1969 price war.

Drivers today are paying about $49 more per 15 gallons than the $3.60 price of 1969.

The American people are being held hostage by high gasoline prices. Drivers who drive 25-30 miles to work one way today are seeing a lot of their income eaten up, by high gasoline prices. For instance a driver who drives 60 miles a day to and from work, who uses 20 gallons a week, would spend close to $65 a week for gasoline, while driving 300 miles.

That is a total of  $260 a month spent on gasoline. The politicians in Washington don’t seem to care about gasoline prices, since senators and congressmen earn $174,000 a year in 2011.

So while our lawmakers more or less ignore the high gasoline prices, the middle class is paying more at the pump each year as gasoline prices continue to rise, with no relief in sight.

American Idol Update – June 24, 2011

 

Jennifer Lopez hasn’t made a decision yet on whether to return for Season 11 of American Idol.

Jennifer Lopez is in negotiation for two film roles. It remains to be seen how she can be an American Idol judge, travel across South America to find talent for the new reality show Q’Viva (The Chosen) and star in films.

 

American Idol ties her down during the audition process in several major cities, plus once the live shows start next year, she will be keeping an extremely hectic schedule.

 

 

$12 Million Salary

 

It won’t be easy for her to walk away from $12 million salary she earns as an American Idol judge, but she could make even more from the new reality show and her recording  and film career.

 

It is just my opinion but I think she would like to return, but I look for her to decide to leave the show after considering how little time she would have with her family, since making the movies could use up months of her time.

 

I didn’t always agree with Jennifer’s comments as a judge, but respect her concise remarks, with no stammering around like we had from Ellen DeGeneres in Season 9. I could tell she truly cared about the contestants and how much it hurt her to tell Chris Medina he wouldn’t be one of the final 24.

 

 

American Idol Rejuvenated With New Judges

 

The American Idol franchise was rejuvenated with her and Steven Tyler as new judges. The main thing I liked about all three judges including original judge Randy Jackson was that they never seemed to be at a loss for words. The loss of Simon Cowell turned out to be a non-event. Ellen DeGeneres wasn’t missed but I thought Kara DioGuardi did an excellent job as a judge.

 

American Idol might have problem keeping judges, that are trying to restart their career like Jennifer Lopez.  While she has not made her decision yet on whether to continue as a judge for Season 11, I look for her to leave due to her busy schedule.

 

American Idol Notebook

Randy Jackson is pitching his own talk show to the networks. So far, there has been no official response. I can’t see a Randy Jackson talk show being successful, but with television you never know….There are rumors that Ryan Seacrest will replace Regis Philbin on Regis and Kelly, which would probably be re-named Ryan and Kelly if that actually happens. Since Seacrest has most of his work based in California, the show may have to move to California for it to work for Seacrest. With his multitude of jobs already it may be too much for him to do Ryan and Kelly, American Idol, his radio show, his E News program, his producing of Keeping Up With the Kardashians and other reality shows he produces. I can see how he could do the Ryan and Kelly show if he drops his radio show, since it would be telecast in the morning, while American Idol would be shown at night.

Pia Toscano has finally signed a record deal with Interscope. There were reports that she had signed a recording contract shortly after leaving American Idol, but those reports proved to be false. Even though she finished ninth in the voting, I look for her to be one of the most successful singers from Season 10….Auditions for Season 11 begin in St. Louis on June 28 about a month after Scotty McCreery became the American Idol for Season 10. It is unknown if the three judges will be there for the auditions but that should be known, once the auditions start.

Barry Manilow said last night on Piers Morgan Tonight that he thinks singers on shows like American Idol are making it too fast, without paying their dues, like most singers have to do….The American Idol summer tour starts in West Valley City, Utah on July 6 and ends on September 10 in Rochester, New York.

For more information on the tour:

http://www.americanidol.com/news/view/pid/4886

 

 

 

American Idol: Another Reinhart on the Horizon: Angela Reinhart

Angela Reinhart and Haley Reinhart seen when Haley returned to Wheeling, Illinois for Haley's homecoming.

 

 

Haley Reinhart’s run at becoming the Season 10 American Idol is over, after finishing third, but her sister Angela has the talent to compete in Season 11 or Season 12 if she decides to enter the hit reality show.

Haley’s little sister was reportedly in the sophomore class at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Illinois earlier this year, so by should be a junior this fall.

She not only sings well, but also accompanies herself on the guitar. I have never seen Haley play a musical instrument, but she doesn’t really need one with her voice, which took her to the next last week of American Idol this season.

Their father, Harry Reinhart mentions in the video with this article that Angela has been very supportive of her older sister Haley during her quest to be the American Idol.

After Angela finishes her first song, someone in the audience shouts “American Idol No.2″, so it is possible that she could follow in the footsteps of her sister.

Angela and Haley write songs together and perform with Midnight, the name of the family band with their father Harry and mother Patty.

Their parents met 30 years ago through their interest in music.

 

Angela Reinhart, sister of Haley Reinhart singing two songs with Midnight in April of 2011.

Just my opinion, but it seems like the music was overpowering Angela’s vocals. From what I could hear, she seems to be able to make a name for herself on American Idol if she wishes to pursue a musical career like her sister Haley.

One huge advantage with Haley as her sister, would be that Haley can help her know what to expect from the first audition to the last weeks of the competition for American Idol.

Angela Reinhart may not be a household name yet, but don’t be surprised if you see her on American Idol in the next year or two. To my knowledge, no sisters or brothers of a previous contestant have made it to the live shows.

Gene Simmons – Shannon Tweed Relationship On The Rocks?

The Gene Simmons family with Nick Simmons, Sophie Simmons, Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed.

The first episode of Season Six of the Family Jewels reality show about Gene Simmons and his family showed Shannon Tweed walking out on Gene.

 

It is questionable if this really happened but was only a ploy to draw more viewers to the series.

 

 

Shannon Reaches Breaking Point

 

Everyone has their breaking point and apparently Shannon had hers in the first episode that aired on June 14.

 

Gene repeatedly told anyone who would listen including Shannon and his therapist, that he does not like being told what to do.

 

Shannon saw a photo of Gene posing with some girls he had brought along to a business meeting, while she and their children Nick and Sophie were waiting for Gene to show up for a family dinner.

 

 

Shannon Waiting For Sophie To Leave For College

 

It seems like that Shannon was waiting for Sophie to leave for college, to finally voice her opinions of Gene’s behavior. He says he is going to a therapist, but instead Shannon finds out he went to a movie.

 

Then he does go to the therapist to pacify Shannon, but he shows little remorse for his behavior while being questioned by the therapist. The therapist suggest that Gene bring Shannon to the next therapy session.

 

 

Shannon Walks Out of Therapy Session

 

Shannon agrees to go with Gene, but once inside the therapist’s office, Gene doesn’t seem to be serious about working out a resolution to their relationship problems and Shannon leaves in the middle of the session.

 

Gene returns home and finds Shannon has left. It will be interesting to see if Gene finally does something to heal the relationship or if he continues to look out of for No.1, with no regard for the other members of the family.

 

 

Real or Just More Hype?

 

At the end of the show, viewers can’t help but wonder if their relationship problems are real or only a way to hype the new series of Family Jewels.

 

My opinion is that it is real, because Shannon has the same tight-lipped expression she had on the show, when she has appeared on network TV shows hyping the new season.

 

Season 5 had 26 episodes. Wikipedia lists eight shows so far this season which brings the total episodes count to 123, but apparently there will be more added to the list as they are completed.

 

August 7 will be the fifth anniversary of the show.

 

 

 

The Voice: Why Are Established Singers On The Show?

Vicci Martinez hopes to advance to semi-finals on The Voice next week for Team Cee Lo.

The Voice telecast their first elimination show last night as Lily Elise, Raquel Castro, Patrick Thomas and Jared Blake went home. It was a total surprise that Beverly McClellan was saved by America. Christina Aguilera chose not to choose a younger singer between Lily Elise and Raquel Castro but instead went for an established Broadway star in Frenchie Davis.

That raises the question of why Frenchie Davis was allowed to be on the show with her having appeared on Broadway for many years. She appeared in the musical Rent on Broadway, which to me should have disqualified her from being on The Voice. How can 16-year-old Raquel Castro have a chance of competing against a singer like Davis who has appeared on Broadway?

Aguilera Chooses More Experienced Singer

When it came right down to making her choice, Christina Aguilera decided on the older, more experienced singer in Davis, eliminating younger singers Castro and Lily Elise. Sure, Castro and Elise got a lot of exposure from being on the show, but they had no chance against the professional singers like Davis and McClellan.

The producers of the show need to consider altering the selection process so that every contestant has an equal chance of being chosen The Voice.

Shelton Makes Surprise Selection

America saved Dia Frampton so Blake Shelton had to choose who to save between Xenia, Jared Blake and Patrick Thomas. I was expecting Shelton to save Patrick Thomas since he was the only country singer left on his team.

However, he chose Xenia to advance to the semi-finals. She joins Frampton which gives Shelton’s team the two youngest singers in the competition.

Team Cee Lo Performances

Nobody will ever sing Jolene as well as Dolly Parton but Vicci Martinez sang it well and is my favorite to advance to the semi-final round for Cee Lo Green’s team. Torri and Taylor Thompson livened up the stage with their rendition of  the World War II classic by the Andrew Sisters, Boogie Woogie Boy of Company B.

Nakia sang Sex on Fire a song I had never heard of, but did well enough to have a chance of being saved by America. Curtis Grimes sang Addicted to Love a Robert Palmer song. I don’t think it was a wise song choice for the country singer and it may be that Cee Lo Green choosing that song for him may cause Grimes to be eliminated next week.

Team Adam Performances

Jeff Jenkins did an excellent version of the Carrie Underwood song Jesus Take The Wheel. It was an emotionally charged performance for Jenkins since his biggest supporter, his mom had died from cancer prior to him being on the show. Javier Colon sang Angel and knocked it out of the park. Colon is another singer who has a previous background in music, since he had a recording contract with Capitol records, but it wasn’t renewed.

Devon Barley sang another song I had never heard of in Stop and Stare. He seemed to establish a rapport with the audience and he is singing better each week. Casey Weston sang Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, another song I had never heard of. It is difficult to review a song when you have never heard it before, since there is no way of knowing what it is supposed to sound like.

Who Will Be Saved Next Week?

Team Cee Lo will probably lose Curtis Grimes for sure since he was singing out of his genre. The country music voters may have voted for him if he had sung a country song, but now it is debatable whether they will support him. It is a tossup of who America will save if Grimes isn’t saved with Tori and Taylor, Vicci Martinez and Nakia all showing they are worthy of advancing to the semi-finals. Personally, I think Vicci Martinez and Nakia will be saved by either America or by their coach Cee Lo Green.

Team Adam has two of the strongest singers, who both performed well last night, in Jeff Jenkins and Javier Colon. Casey Weston and Devon Barley both sang well, but they are not in the same league as Jenkins and Colon. My choice to be saved next week by America and Adam Levine is Jeff Jenkins and Javier Colon.

Miranda Rights 45 Years Old

The Miranda rights or warning was enacted after the Supreme Court ruled that the 5th and 6th amendment rights of Ernesto Arturo Miranda had been violated when he was arrested for rape and kidnapping.

When making an arrest a police officer doesn’t have to cite the Miranda warning in a certain order, but needs to convey to the arrested person their rights, in a way they can understand.

The Miranda law was enacted after the Supreme Court ruling in the Arizona vs. Miranda decision in 1966. There have been numerous court rulings in different aspects of the law since then, but the basic Miranda rights still apply today.

Ernest Arturo Miranda whose arrest culminated in the reading of the Miranda rights to suspects when being arrested.

The state of Virginia has a line that allows a suspect being questioned to terminate the interview at any point and exercise their Miranda rights.

There are some circumstances when a suspect may be read their rights, but may not be capable of understanding what they mean because of a developmental disability. It is not clear to me what would be done in this situation, but someone reading this may be able to clarify the situation.

Sometimes a police officer has to take the safety of the public into account when arresting someone, so the Miranda warning is not read until after the suspect has been handcuffed.

The following paragraph from Wikipedia outlines the six factors needed for Miranda to apply:

The Miranda rule applies to the use of testimonial evidence in criminal proceedings that is the product of custodial police interrogation.^[10] Therefore, for Miranda to apply six factors must be present:

1. evidence must have been gathered
2. the evidence must be testimonial^[11]
3. the evidence must have been obtained while the suspect was in custody^[12]
4. the evidence must have been the product of interrogation^[13]
5. the interrogation must have been conducted by state-agents^[14] and
6. the evidence must be offered by the state during a criminal prosecution.^[15]

Undercover law enforcement officials do not have to read the rights to a suspect, since the undercover official may jeopardize his own safety by revealing he is a police officer.

ERNESTO ARTURO MIRANDA

The first time Ernesto Arturo Miranda was arrested for kidnapping and rape the Supreme Court ruled that suspects should be read their Miranda rights in the Miranda vs. Ariz. case. Miranda was retried and convicted, even with his admission of guilt being thrown out.

He was sentenced to 20 to 30 years, but was out on parole in 1972 so didn’t spend much time behind bars. Miranda saw a way to make money off his name, by selling autographed Miranda rights cards for $1.50.

Miranda was later arrested for gun possession but the charges were dropped. He was still sent back to prison for a year for violating his parole, but it is confusing as to why he would be sent to prison if the charges were dropped.

Miranda’s life would come to an end when he was stabbed during a card game in a Phoenix bar. Ironically he had several Miranda cards in his possession at his death. Even more ironically the suspect used the Miranda rights to remain silent and was released. The murderer was never apprehended.

His life ended 10 years after the Miranda rights law had gone into effect.

Readers are welcome to comment and give additional information about the Miranda rights.

Tanya Tucker: From Las Vegas At 11, To Nashville At 13

Tanya Tucker shown early in her career.

Tanya  Tucker was born on October 10, 1958 in Seminole, Texas.

13 years later she would sing Delta Dawn, but she had already been singing in Las Vegas at the age of 11.

She sent a demo tape to Billy Sherrill a producer for CBS Records and he was so impressed he signed her to a recording contract with Columbia Records.

Tucker was offered Happiest Girl in the USA, but turned it down passing it to Donna Fargo which launched Fargo’s career.

Instead she chose Delta Dawn which she had heard Bette Midler sing on the Tonight show.

The song would rise to No.6 on the country music chart, but Helen Reddy recorded it and it went to No. 1 on the pop chart.

By the age of 18 Tucker would have six No.1 hits, but it would be ten years later in 1986 before she had another No.1 hit. She recorded her last No.1 hit Strong Enough to Bend in 1988. She had nine songs which peaked at No.2 including Love Me Like You Used To.

Even though she was on top of the country music world, her personal life became unraveling as a teenager when she would sing in front of thousands, then go back to an empty hotel room as she describes it. Since she was bored and not allowed to drink in bars, she started drinking.

Tanya Tucker singing later in her career.

When she moved to Los Angeles in 1978, her world really began to unravel as she encountered the nightlife and began dating Hollywood celebrities like Don Johnson, singer Andy Gibb and country singers like the much older Merle Haggard. She is most famous for dating Glen Campbell which turned out to be a turbulent relationship, which is well documented in this People magazine article:

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20079182,00.html

She returned to Nashville in 1982, but was till drinking and using cocaine. Her family intervened and helped her get the help she needed.

Tanya Tucker singing Delta Dawn.

An older Tanya Tucker singing Delta Dawn.

Tanya Tucker video of her singing Strong Enough To Bend her last No.1 hit in 1988.

Even though Tanya Tucker has been through a lot of ups and downs since Delta Dawn made her a star, she has been a survivor and still very active in country music.

Tucker has several tour dates coming up with concerts in several U.S. cities and stops in Canada, Norway and France starting June 24 and ending September 23.

October 10 will mark her 53rd birthday which also will be the 40th anniversary of her recording Delta Dawn.

This Is Vintage Now: Album Review

David Gasten has compiled a collection of vintage music for his This Is Vintage Now album which features many genres from jump blues, to easy listening, to exotica to his own band David Gasten and the City Kids.

Any listener that likes to hear a variety of music on one album will be thrilled to listen to this album.

THIS IS VINTAGE NOW – Compiled by David Gasten

BEVERLY KENNEY – Tea For Two – The album starts off with a classic jazz vocal rendition of Beverly Kenney singing Tea for Two. This song is perfect for listening on a cold  winter night, as you listen to Beverly Kenney singing in a perfectly understated voice, that lets the listener enjoy the warmth of her voice, giving the impression she is singing to the listener. The musical accompaniment plays softly, in the background, leaving the listener to hear each word of the lyrics clearly. This track is my personal favorite on the album since I grew up in the era when this kind of music was at the zenith of its popularity.

BIG JAY MCNEELY – Get On Up And Boogie (Parts 1, 2 and 3) – The second track is the direct opposite of the first track, as Big Jay McNeely rocks out on Get On Up And Boogie, a fast tempo roadhouse style blues song, that jumps from start to finish. This is the kind of song where nobody will be slow dancing to, because it is meant to be danced to fast and furiously. Only skilled musicians can play this fast,without missing some notes, since this song’s frenetic pace leaves no margin for error, but Big Jay McNeely and his band are up to the task. You will notice some excellent horn work on this track. Don’t be surprised if after listening to this track, that you will want to play it again.

CARO EMERALD – Just One Dance – This young lady, Caro Emerald is a 30 year old Dutch singer, who sings Just One Dance on the album. Her voice is mesmerizing on this track, as this track reminds me of music from the 80′s. Caro switches from being louder in some parts to being much softer sounding in other parts. After listening to this track, you will want to search You Tube for more of her music. There is no question of if she will make it big, but when. Her current schedule shows no trips to the United States through the first week of September. Her career will really take off when she tours the United States. Remember the name Caro Emerald, because you will be hearing more of her music in the future.

ILANA CHARNELLE – Piece - Music fans who like slower music will enjoy this haunting song named Piece sung by Ilana Charnelle. The sparse background music highlights the distinct tone of Ilana’s voice. You will want to hear more of her music, after listening to this track. The well-written lyrics, mesh very well with her voice. Ilana can be found on Facebook and Twitter and she responds to the posts of others on her page, unlike some other artists who post very infrequently. The sky is the limit for Ilana, as more and more music fans find her music. We have not heard the last from Ilana Charnelle and hope the Australian vocalist will be touring in the United States sooner, rather than later.

THE PHAROHS – Tears On My Pillow – Little Anthony and the Imperials took Tears on My Pillow to No.1 in 1958 and has been covered many times. This version by the Pharohs is closer to the original than covers sung by many other artists. It also reminds me of the time when rock and roll was only four or five years old, when this song was popular. So it is good that the Pharohs have recorded this song, even though it is now 53 years old. If you want to go back in time for three minutes and some change, this song will take you back again to the 50′s.

THE WAITIKI 7 – Similau - Exotica music is one of the rarest genres of music found today, so it is exciting to know that Waitiki 7 is bringing back the music, of Martin Denny and other exotica artists recorded over forty years ago. The jungle sounds on the track bring back great memories of when we could imagine being in a faraway jungle, enjoying the sounds of birds and other sounds of the jungle. It is good to know, that The Waitiki 7 are keeping the exotica genre alive and you will enjoy hearing this exotica music as much as you enjoyed hearing Martin Denny music many years ago.

DAVID GASTEN AND THE CITY KIDS – The Deacon Don’t Like It - The voice of David Gasten is what makes this song great. He has a unique voice that doesn’t sound like any other singer today. David has a great band backing up his vocals. You will want to hear more David Gasten music after hearing The Deacon Don’t Like It. I look for David and his band to be better known, once they can get some of their music on You Tube. The background singers add a lot to the vocals by singing their parts well. David Gasten and the City Kids have a bright future. It is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, to be heard by the right people and to have some internet exposure.

CAROLE CREVELING – Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea - This may be a short track lasting barely over two minutes but Carole Creveling makes the most of the short time singing Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea as well, if not better, than other singer who has recorded it. It was first recorded by Cab Calloway in 1931 making it 80 years old this year. Carole wasn’t intimidated by the history of the song and performs it well on this track in an up tempo style.

BLAKE JONES AND THE TRIKE SHOP – If Hawthorne Were Foggy - The instrumental If Hawthorne Were Foggy is an easy listening track that features excellent orchestration. Sounds like an xylophone is being used during parts of the song, which gives the instrumental a very soft sound. The Fresno, California group is planning a return trip to England soon.

THE NECRO-TONZ – Fare Thee Well And Go To Hell - The Necro-Tonz sound is a distinct sound as Fare Thee Well And Go To Hell starts off with a 34 second musical introduction before the vocal starts. The song is about a girl who is not happy with her lover and wants him gone and minces no words in saying it in the song. The horns kick in at the last part of the song. This group is focused on bringing back jazz and cocktail music, but not in the traditional sense. Their idea of jazz and cocktail music is more along the lines of reviving the sounds of extinct bands.

The album has not been released yet but clips can be found of the songs at:

http://www.reverbnation.com/thisisvintagenow

American Idol: Scotty and Lauren Alaina Make Grand Ole Opry Debut

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina making their Grand Ole Opry debuts on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the age of 17 and 16 in Nashville, Tennessee.

American Idol winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina made their Grand Ole Opry debuts on Friday, June 10.

Both singers seem to be destined to be country music singers.

Not many singers make their Opry debuts at such a young age with Scotty being 17 and Lauren being 16.

Apparently, the show was not filmed or was filmed for later showing so there is no video of the their singing debuts, but there is audio of their songs, which was broadcast over the WSM radio station in Nashville.

Kellie Pickler will sing on the Grand Ole Opry tonight and Crystal Bowersox will be singing on June 17.

Carrie Underwood is the only American Idol winner that has already been named a member of the Grand Ole Opry, but the way Scotty and Lauren Alaina may be members sooner than later. Kellie Pickler and Crystal Bowersox have a chance of being admitted in the future.

The following audio only videos let readers listen to Scotty and Lauren singing last night on the Grand Ole Opry stage:

Scotty McCreery singing in an audio version at the Grand Ole Opry.

American Idol runner-up singing in her Grand Ole Opry debut.

Johnny Lee: Looking For Love – Plus Story Behind the Song

Johnny Lee singing his signature song Looking For Love and talking to Ralph Emery.

It doesn’t seem possible that it has been about 31 years since Johnny Lee recorded Looking For Love.  It went to No.8 on the country music charts in the U.S and was also featured in the movie Urban Cowboy.

Lee was about 34 at the time he recorded Looking For Love. Now he is old enough to retire at 65. Lee wasn’t a one hit wonder as he would record 20 albums and five of his songs would reach No.1 on the country music chart.

Johnny Lee’s No. 1 songs

Looking For Love

One In A Million

Bet Your Heart on Me

The Yellow Rose Of Texas (With Lane Brody)

You Could’ve Heard A Heart Break

The Yellow Rose of Texas video with Johnny Lee and Lane Brody.

Johnny Lee and Lane Brody singing Yellow Rose of Texas again over 30 years later at a country music reunion.

An audio only version of Johnny Lee singing You Could’ve Heard A Heart Break

 

Johnny Lee may not have had a Top 100 hit since 1989 or recorded an album since 2006, but from 1980-1984 he had 12 songs in the Top 10 country music chart.

Since appearing in Urban Cowboy Lee has been seen in many television series and sang Looking For Love in the 2002 movie The New Guy.

Looking For Love had been rejected by 20 artists according to allmusic.com before Lee made it a gigantic hit, mainly because it was sung in  Urban Cowboy.

Lee married actress Charlene Hilton from the Dallas television series in 1982 but their marriage had collapsed by 1987.

Like many celebrities he found out his management had been taking much of the money he had earned during the time when he was earning the most money.

He may never be voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but for five years he was one of the hottest country music stars in the business.

54 Years of Watching Major League Baseball Games

Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

June 9 is a special day since the last two major league games I have seen have been at Minute Maid Park in Houston on June 9, 2009 and again last night on the same date two years later.

The first time we were in the nosebleed seats down the left field line when the Cubs played the Astros. The seats were only $7 but were so far from field, it was almost like not being there.

The players looked like little stickmen that night and it was difficult to tell one player from another.

 

19th Row of Right Field Bleachers

However, last night was totally different as we sat in the 19th row of seats in the right field bleachers in the first deck.

The only negative thing about the seats was that we were on the wrong side of the giant scoreboard so we couldn’t see it at all.

 

Saved At Least $13

The seats cost $21 each, which included a free hot dog, chips and 16 ounce soft drink. The seats were regularly $27 each so it is safe to say that we saved at least $7 on the free food and $6 on the seats for a savings of at least $13 and maybe even more depending on the price of the food and drinks.

Sitting in the right field seats, we could see the rightfielders Hunter Pence for the Astros and John Jay and Skip Schumaker who both played right field during the game for the Cardinals.

 

Pence Extended Hitting Streak To 20 Games

It was exciting to see Hunter Pence extend his hitting streak to 20 games on an infield hit in the first inning. Then later that inning Brett Wallace singled to left field scoring Pence, but Carlos Lee was tagged out when caught between second and third, ending the inning.

No reason to go into detail on all the scoring, since it was a one-sided game for the Cardinals. Ryan Theriot and Lance Berkman hit solo homers in the eighth and ninth innings to finish the 9-2 rout by the Cardinals.

One of the highlights of the game, was when reliever Wilkin Lopez sprinted full speed, from the center field bullpen to the pitcher’s mound, when relieving the starter J.A. Happ.

 

Grandson Enjoyed Cardinals Win

My grandson Matthew, enjoyed the win by the Cardinals, since he is a huge Albert Pujols fan. He wanted to see Pujols wear a Cardinals uniform one last time, since he is likely to test the free agency waters this fall and likely to sign with the highest bidder.

Matthew hopes to play in the major leagues someday and I hope he realizes that dream someday. A lot of things have to fall in place for that to happen, but seeing the game last night didn’t do anything to make him give up on his dream.

 

Saw My First Game in Philadelphia in 1957

It has been 54 years since I saw my first major league game when the Philadelphia Phillies hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates in Connie Mack Stadium. It was a kid’s dream come true to see the players in person that I had seen on television.

Roberto Clemente played in the game for the Pirates and Richie Ashburn played for the Phillies. Both would be admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame with Clemente being voted in posthumously after dying in a plane crash to deliver food and supplies to earthquake victims.

 

Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris in Kansas City

One of my biggest thrills ever was seeing Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris hit home runs in a doubleheader between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in Kansas City in 1962. It had been a year earlier when Maris had set a new season home run record in 1961.

Whitey Ford a Hall of Fame pitcher for the Yankees pitched in one of the games, pitching a nine inning complete game while pitching a 16 hitter. Those days are gone forever as no starter stays in a game today if he allows 16 hits.

 

Back to Last Night

Meanwhile back to last night, it reminded me once more of how much I love the slow pace of baseball games, which is the reason some people don’t like it.

I can see where fans could tire of the length of the games. Last night’s game was over three hours and played in front of 24,000 fans. Most of the fans left after the Astros failed to score in the seventh inning, as the fans poured out of the stands.

The temperature was 73 degrees since the roof was closed during the game on a muggy day in Houston.

 

Night to Remember

Last night was a night to remember. The game had plenty of scoring by the Cardinals while the Astros were 1-8 with runners in scoring position which was disappointing to Astros fans.

There is something about a well manicured baseball field that makes watching a baseball game special. The result of the game may not have pleased the Astros fans, but I expect a lot of the same fans to be there tonight when the Atlanta Braves take the field in Minute Maid Park tonight.

The more baseball changes, the more it stays the same. From being a 12-year-old kid watching my first game in Philadelphia 54 years ago to watching the game last night at the age of 66, I am still a kid at heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Idol News: June 7 Edition

Lauren Alaina runner-up on American Idol Season 10.

Lauren Alaina To Start Work On Album, Appear on Grand Ole Opry

Lauren Alaina the runner-up for Season 10 of American Idol will be in Nashville this week to start work on her debut album for Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings, Interscope.

Friday will be a special day for Lauren Alaina when she will make her debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

Lauren Alaina because of her young age of 16 can only work a limited schedule so it may be a long time before the album is actually released.

She may be one of the most successful runner-ups ever on American Idol, but it is way too soon to know for sure since she is just getting started on her post-American Idol.

One thing for sure, Lauren Alaina may be the nicest  and most liked contestant  to ever appear on American Idol.

Paul McDonald, Nikki Reed Engaged After Two Month Courtship

Paul McDonald of American Idol fame and actress Nikki Reed have announced their engagement.

It is usually not a good thing for an American Idol contestant to finish eighth for the season, but in the case of Paul McDonald it was a blessing in disguise.

It gave him a head start on his romance with “Twilight” actress Nikki Reed and has culminated in them announcing their engagement on the 2011 MTV Movie Awards Show.

He may have entered the American Idol competition to advance his singing career, but more importantly he has met the love of his life. If not for the show Nikki Reed probably never would have met him.

McDonald was eliminated from American Idol the week after the shocking elimination of Pia Toscano.

I am sure when he tried out for American Idol he had no idea he would be engaged to an actress about a week after the show ended.

It was his goal to win American Idol, but doubt if his next goal was to find an actress who liked him enough after a whirlwind courtship to agree to marry him.

We want to wish both of them a long and happy marriage.

http://www.pinkisthenewblog.com/2011/06/twilights-nikki-reed-american-idols-paul-mcdonald-are-gettin-hitched/

Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina Appear on Today

The American Idol Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina recently appeared on the Today show on the NBC television network. Scotty was interviewed by Meredith Viera before singing his debut single I Love You This Big.

Scotty McCreery being interviewed and singing his debut single on Today show last week.

Lauren Alaina singing Like My Mother Does on Today show with her mother watching her sing.

Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery singing I Told You So.

Those who were lucky enough to see Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina sing in their mini-concert, outside the NBC studios in New York City not only got to hear some great singing, but also were able to see how humble both of them are.

Both of them should never be affected by their fame, because they are too down to earth to let fame and fortune change them.

They have something some of the recent American Idols don’t have. This is nothing against Lee DeWyze but he has almost been an anonymous American Idol. Few people could even tell you who won Season 9 of American Idol.

I look for Scotty and Lauren to far exceed Lee in record sales and concert receipts. Scotty’s bass voice and Lauren Alaina’s tone should be selling records for years to come. Whether they will ever approach the sales of Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson remains to be seen, but right now it looks like they both have bright futures.

FBI, Media Turned 1996 Olympic Bombing Hero Richard Jewell Into Suspect

Richard Jewell went from being a hero for discovering a pipe bomb at the 1996 Summer Olympics and apparently saving lives of many by evacuating them, but was later looked on as a suspect by the FBI and the media.

 

Richard Jewell was a 33-year-old security guard for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

 

Next month will be the 15th anniversary of that day when a terrorist put his terrorist agenda ahead of the safety of innocent bystanders there to enjoy the 1996 Olympics.

 

However, Jewell was in the right place at the right time, or the death toll may have been much higher when the bomb left by the terrorist exploded shortly after midnight on July 27.

 

 

Life Changed Forever

 

Jewell’s life would be changed forever on July 27, 1996 when he discovered a backpack underneath a bench in Centennial Park. The backpack contained a pipe bomb.

 

He immediately alerted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation about his discovery and helped evacuate the area, even before Eric Robert Rudolph, who later admitted being the bomber had made his 911 call to warn about the impending bomb explosion.

 

One of the mysteries that day was how Alice Hawthorne was killed by the explosion and over a hundred were injured since the bomb didn’t explode till 13 minutes later. A cameraman also died while running to cover the situation.

 

 

Mystery Why So Many Bystanders Were Injured, One Killed

 

It may have been a case of spectators wanting to see what was going on with their curiosity getting the best of them, rather than getting as far away from the scene as possible. It seems like law enforcement officials and security guards could have made sure that the area was empty as possible, since they had 13 minutes to evacuate the bystanders.

 

Richard Jewell at first was regarded as a hero, but then the FBI and the media combined to make him the prime suspect in the bombing. Their theory was that he planted the bomb then alerted authorities so he would become a hero.

 

 Never Formally Charged By FBI

Jewell was never formally charged by the FBI with the bombing. He even reportedly passed a lie detector test, which should have cleared him of any wrongdoing. His case was that of FBI profiling gone wrong. The FBI was so intent on proving that Jewell fit the profile of a lone bomber that they were focusing on the wrong man.

 

Piedmont College President Raymond Cleere and college spokesman Scott Rawles were sued by Jewell for giving false information to the FBI with Cleere describing Jewell as a “badge wearing zealot” when he called the FBI about Jewell.

 

 

Eric Rudolph admitted to bombing at the 1996 Olympics in a plea bargain which gave him life imprisonment in exchange for the Justice Department dropping their request for the death penalty which exonerated Richard Jewell.

 

It was 1998 before the FBI even made Eric Rudolph their main suspect in the bombing at Centennial Park. It would be five more years before he would be arrested in 2003 after hiding in the woods of North Carolina.

 

Rudolph agreed to a plea bargain in 2005 admitting his guilt for the bombing at Centennial Park in exchange for the Justice Department dropping their request for the death penalty.

 

 

Filed String Of Lawsuits

 

Once Jewell had been cleared of being the Centennial Park bomber, he filed a string of lawsuits against the media who had taken a FBI leak blaming Jewell for the bombing. That lawsuit ended with him receiving an undisclosed settlement.

 

His lawsuit against NBC and Tom Brokaw resulted in him receiving a $500,000 settlement. CNN also settled with Jewell, for an undisclosed amount.

 

 

Purchased Home For Mom With N.Y. Post Settlement

 

He also received a settlement from the New York Post. It was enough to pay his legal expenses, plus he bought a new home for his mother with  the settlement.

 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was able to avoid paying Jewell a settlement in 2007 when Judge John R. Mather dismissed the case in December of that year. By then however, Jewell had died four months earlier.

 

 

Died Due to Natural Causes

 

His death on August 29, 2007 was due to natural causes. He died in Woodbury, Georgia at the age of 44.

 

It is bad enough when someone charged with a crime is tried in the media. But in Jewell’s case, he was never charged but still vilified by the media.

 

The last 11 years of Jewell’s life were a nightmare, since he was portrayed as a criminal by most of the media, without being charged.

 

Hopefully, the media learned their lesson from the Richard Jewell saga, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Couple Forecloses on Bank

Five years ago Charlie and Maria Cardoso paid cash for a house in Spring Hill, Florida. All was going well for them until Bank of America foreclosed on the Cardoso residence. However, it turned out they had foreclosed on the wrong house instead of a house down the street.

Worst of all even after being told it was the wrong house, Bank America proceeded with the foreclosure. The following article details the nightmare the Cardosos experienced due to the negligence of Bank of America. My question is how could they foreclose on a house with no mortgage?

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/realestate/bank-of-america-forecloses-on-house-that-couple-had-paid-cash-for/1072632

However, that isn’t the end of the story. Today’s front page on the Drudge Report says the Bank of America has been foreclosed on and they are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Bank of America ignored a judge’s order to pay the legal fees of the Cardosos, so the bank was padlocked to get their attention.

For the rest of the story:

http://www.digtriad.com/news/watercooler/article/178031/176/Florida-Homeowner-Forecloses-On-Bank-Of-America

Bank Robber Pretty Boy Floyd: Wasn’t Pretty or a Boy, But Cold Blooded Killer

Pretty Boy Floyd 1904-1934

Despite his nickname Pretty Boy Floyd was neither pretty or a boy. He was a hard-boiled criminal who was first arrested at the age of 18 for stealing roll of coins from a post office.

Floyd had been born in Adairsville, Georgia on February 3, 1904 but grew up in Oklahoma.

When he robbed a paymaster the victim told police that one of the robbers was a “pretty boy with apple cheeks” and he was Pretty Boy Floyd the rest of his life though his friends called him “Chock”. Floyd hated the Pretty Boy nickname, not exactly the way he wanted to be portrayed.

Attempted To Find Work

Floyd married 16-year-old Ruby Hargrove in 1921 and when times got tough for the young couple Floyd started his life of crime. He had tried to find work, but became discouraged after not finding work.

With no work in sight, Floyd took a train to St. Louis where he would rob a Kroger store of $16,000. but was arrested when he was seen with new clothes and a new car. Officers found what was left of the money from the robbery.

He served five years in prison. While he was in prison his wife gave birth to a son, Jack Dempsey Floyd and divorced him. There were no reports of her being arrested, since she had to have known the money came from the robbery.

Used Bank Officials To Shield Him

He sometimes made bank officials stand on running boards of his vehicle as he made his getaway to avoid being shot at by law enforcement. He was known as the “Robin Hood of Cookson Hills” a name which he liked and he said that he only robbed moneyed men. He never wore a mask to conceal his identity, sometimes even introducing himself to his victims.

Although he had sworn he would never return to prison, he was sentenced on November 24, 1930  to a 12-15 year sentence for robbing a Ohio bank. However, he escaped and in March of 1931 was a suspect in the murders of two bootlegging brothers, Wally and Boll Ash of Kansas City.

Car used by Pretty Boy Floyd while getting away from FBI.

Killed Three Law Enforcement Officials

Members of his gang or Floyd himself would kill three more law enforcement officials starting with the murder of patrolman R.H. Cashner on April 23, 1931, then went on to kill ATF agent C. Burke in Kansas City on July 22, 1931. Then on April 7, 1932 an attempted ambush on Floyd, resulted in the death of former sheriff Irv Kelley of McIntosh County, Oklahoma.

Targeted By FBI After Kansas City Massacre

It wasn’t clear that Floyd had been involved in the “Kansas City Massacre” of June 17, 1933 but he was suspected as being one of the killers who killed four police officers at the Union Railway Station in Kansas City. The FBI made an even stronger effort to arrest Floyd, although it is questionable if he was involved even though he was in Kansas City at the time.

Bank robber Alvin Karpis claimed that Floyd admitted he was involved in the massacre, but there has been so much conflicting testimony that it is unlikely we will never know what really happened.

Floyd And Accomplice Encounter Police In Ohio

Four days prior to his death, Floyd and Adam Richetti left Buffalo, New York on October 18, 1934. They were driving through heavy fog and ran into a telephone pole. They asked their female companions to get a tow truck, since they didn’t want to be recognized. The tow truck driver would then bring the females and the car back when it was repaired.

However, someone calls the police when they see the two men on the side of the road, thinking they were looking suspicious at dawn on October 19. Wellsville, Ohio Police Chief John H. Fultz and two officers arrive at the scene to investigate. Floyd’s accomplice Richetti runs into the woods with two of the officers running after him.

Floyd fires at Fultz, wounding him in the foot and then runs into the woods. Meanwhile, Richetti is eventually captured, but Floyd is still in the woods hiding from police.

Floyd Gunned Down In Cornfield

Pretty Boy Floyd’s death was as controversial as the Kansas City Massacre. The only thing known for sure is that Floyd  was killed in a cornfield on October 22, 1934 in East Liverpool, Ohio.

FBI agent Melvin Purvis regarded as the man who got John Dillinger, another notorious criminal in the era, was there when Petty Boy Floyd met his death.

To sort out the different accounts of his death, it would be easier to read the accounts at Wikipedia than for me to confuse readers, even further by my interpretation of the events:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Boy_Floyd

This website has an excellent timeline of what transpired starting with the Kansas City Massacre to the death of Pretty Boy Floyd.

http://www.gangstersandoutlaws.com/sitebuilder/images/Floyd_Lit_Digest011-409×482.jpg

Living With a Diabetic

My wife had a total colonectomy on March 1, 2010 having her large intestines and colon removed. Her doctor told us after the surgery that he had discovered she was diabetic.

She had no idea how much diabetes would change her life. She has found out how fast blood sugar numbers can change, either upward or downward.

At first she had more problem with low blood sugar numbers which made her very weak. Now the numbers are running higher into the 300′s and 400′s. She took Metformin at first along with insulin shots but found out it made her nauseous and that she was allergic to the Metformin. Then the doctor started her on a newer and much more expensive drug Onglyza. I was surprised she was taking only a 5MG dose, which doesn’t seem like enough to help.

She was taken off the insulin shots for a while, but later her blood sugar numbers escalated so much, insulin shots were prescribed again and she was giving herself insulin shots several times a day. She is still taking the Onglyza plus the insulin shots.

Originally she was classified as a Type II diabetic, but is now very close to being a Type I diabetic. I will never forget the first time she gave herself a shot. She was terrified and didn’t think she could do it, but was alright with it after the first shot. Not that it is something she looks forward to, but she knows it has to be done to live a somewhat normal life.

The most frustrating thing about diabetes is the way blood sugar numbers go up and down, depending on what foods are eaten, how much exercise is being done and how much stress a person is under at the time.

My wife has a long history of diabetes in her family but didn’t know till she was 43 that she was diagnosed with the disease.

I have a nephew that has had diabetes from an early age and have often thought of how someone so young can cope with the stress of having the disease for the rest of their life.

You would think after all these years, there would be an alternative to insulin shots, but as far as I know there are no oral medicines on the horizon that can lower blood sugar numbers faster than insulin shots.

People without diabetes can go to a restaurant and eat what they want, not even worrying about their food choices, but diabetics have to consider the consequences of eating foods that will raise their blood sugar numbers  precipitously

Diabetics can’t just jump in the car and drive somewhere, without first stopping to bring their diabetes meter,  medicine or some candy to alleviate the situation if their numbers should suddenly fall or rise.

In the last couple of years, one of my brothers was diagnosed with diabetes in his late 60′s. So none of us have any guarantee we will live our entire life without diabetes.

Diabetes is a life changing disease, that requires following the doctor’s orders closely. Diabetics have to be careful about walking around barefoot, as a nurse working with diabetics told us at a diabetes clinic I attended with my wife, that it is important to keep the feet from anything that may infect them and walking barefooted was extremely dangerous.

My wife likes to swim, but I worry about her feet becoming infected while in the swimming pool at the local health center.

So next time you hear a family member or friend has been diagnosed with diabetes, you will know their life will never be the same again.

Some well-known people like Mary Tyler Moore have diabetes. She showed you can live with diabetes and still be successful.

While watching the Indy 500 race recently, there was a driver named Charlie Kimball that has diabetes. They were watching his blood sugar numbers during the race. Since his numbers run on the high side and would get higher during the stress of the race, he had a plan of action if an insulin shot was needed.

When he had to make a pit stop the same pit crew member that changed one of the tires, would give him an insulin shot in the thigh with a diabetic pen and he would continue the race. The worst thing about the situation is that the  pit crew member had only given a shot to an orange before, so he would have been giving a shot in the middle of the race for the very first time.

Thankfully, he didn’t need a shot during the race, but every time he does race, he has to not only contend with the other cars in the race, but also has to contend with a terrible disease.

Diabetes is a terrible disease, but it can be controlled by medicine whether oral medicine or insulin shots. There may be a cure for diabetes someday, but until then, stop and think what the diabetic you know is going through, trying to live a normal life.

Paul Anka Will Celebrate 70th Birthday in July

Paul Anka shown early in his career.

Paul Anka shown in a more recent photo.

Paul Albert Anka was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 1941. He will be 70 on his birthday which is hard to believe. It seems like only yesterday I was listening to him sing Diana, You Are My Destiny, Put Your Head on My Shoulder and Lonely Boy. Lonely Boy would be his last No.1 hit until he hit No.1 again in 1974 with You’re Having My Baby and his last No.1 in 1975 with Times of Your Life.

Paul Anka singing a medley of his hits including the title song for The Longest Day.

Paul Anka singing his classic composition My Way.

His best known song My Way a song he wrote for Frank Sinatra. He wrote English words for the song, which is one of the most sung songs today.

He was married to Anne Zogheb from 1963 to 2000 and one of his daughters from that marriage, Amanda, is married to actor Jason Bateman. He later married Swedish model Anna Yeager who thirty years younger than Anka, but the marriage only lasted from 2008 to 2010.

The Voice : Two Singers End “Battle” With a Kiss

The Voice has been featuring battles between singers the last four weeks, but the “battle” between Emily Valentine and Curtis Grimes ended in a passionate kiss. They were singing Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now and Emily mentioned before they entered the boxing ring that she had a crush on Curtis, so the kiss wasn’t a total surprise.

However,  the coaches were caught by surprise, particularly Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green. Green eventually chose Curtis to be his fourth and final singer on his team.

The following article tells more about the show and contains the video of  Emily and Curtis singing Need You Now and includes their passionate kiss at the end.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2011/06/01/2011-06-01_the_voice_contestants_emily_valentine_and_curtis_grimes_end_their_performance_wi.html

Next week the show will begin an hour earlier as the singers will be singing live from 9-11 ET on NBC next Tuesday

.

Johnny Ace: Singer Kills Himself on Christmas, 1954

Johnny Ace 25, died on Christmas, 1954 when he shot himself during a break between sets in Houston, Texas.

Johnny Ace an up and coming rhythm and blues singer had it all going his way until he shot himself on Christmas of 1954. For some reason Russian roulette is identified ,as the cause of his death. However two eyewitnesses tell a different story.

Big Mama Thornton’s bass player Curtis Tillman,  who was in the room at the time said this in Wikipedia about his death:

It was widely reported that Ace killed himself playing Russian roulette.^[4][5] Big Mama Thornton‘s bass player Curtis Tillman, however, who witnessed the event, said, “I will tell you exactly what happened! Johnny Ace had been drinking and he had this little pistol he was waving around the table and someone said ‘Be careful with that thing…’ and he said ‘It’s okay! Gun’s not loaded…see?’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face and ‘Bang!’ – sad, sad thing. Big Mama ran outta that dressing room yelling ‘Johnny Ace just killed himself!”^[6]

However Big Mama Thornton, who also witnessed the shooting tells a slightly different story:

Thornton said in a written statement (included in the book The Late Great Johnny Ace) that Ace had been playing with the gun, but not playing Russian roulette. According to Thornton, Ace pointed the gun at his girlfriend and another woman who were sitting nearby, but did not fire. He then pointed the gun toward himself. The gun went off, shooting him in the side of the head.

There has been speculation that Ace was murdered, but after reading the two eyewitness accounts of Tillman and Thornton, that seems impossible since neither mentions anyone else having a gun.

What we do know for sure is that Johnny Ace was born June 29, 1929 in Memphis, Tennessee and that he was born John Marshall Alexander, Jr. He later changed his name to Johnny Ace and appeared to be on his way to a successful recording career, when fate intervened and ended his life before his career could take off.

Johnny Ace singing Pledging My Love which became a posthumous No.1 hit.

Ironically, his biggest hit Pledging My Love was released after his death and was at the top of the Billboard R&B charts for ten weeks beginning on February 12, 1955.

56 years later the song is still being recorded and is one of the most recognizable songs among rhythm and blues fans.

Singer David Allan Coe sang Pledging My Love in concerts relating how he heard the news of his death. Elvis Presley recorded it during his last recording session in 1976 on his Moody Blue album.

The memory of Johnny Ace will live on as Pledging My Love will continue to be sung for years to come in concerts and on albums that have yet to be released.

Little Couple Returned to TLC Last Night: Sadness and Happiness

Bill Klein and Jen Arnold returned last night for another season of the Little Couple on the TLC television network.

 

It seems like it had been forever since the last new episode of the Little Couple had aired, before the first episode of Season 4 was shown last night on the TLC network.

Matter of fact, two new episodes were shown last night. One episode dealt with the struggles the couple Bill Klein and Jen Arnold have experienced trying to give birth to a child.

The Houston couple has been trying to give birth to a child through a surrogate mother, but the doctor last night couldn’t retrieve a fertile egg in time, before it was ovulated. One problem they have is that their doctor practices in Los Angeles while they live in Houston.

When the doctor told them the egg had already been ovulated, the sadness in their faces was overwhelming and Jen shed some tears after being told the news. But Bill and Jen don’t give up easily and will try again.

Their resiliency was amazing since while being greatly disappointed, they still were able to regroup and not give up on their hope for a baby. If all else fails, they will adopt a baby, but they haven’t reached that point yet.

The second episode last night was more on a happy note with the couple checking out the progress on their new house under construction. There is still a lot of work left to be done before it will be finished, but it looks much better than it did at the end of Season 3.

Another reason for happiness is that Bill was able to buy a new sports car without busting their budget or as Bill put it  “It will cost only a sandwich a month more than their previous car.”

The most admirable trait of the couple is that they never let their handicap of being little in a big people’s world, deter them from achieving their goals and dreams.

Unlike most reality shows these days, there is not a lot of dissension on this program. They may have some petty disagreements, but their love is bigger than any disagreements, so they work out any problems together as a team.

I am sure that they are being paid well for allowing TLC to film their daily lives, but it doesn’t matter to me since I enjoy the shows immensely, knowing these are two of the nicest people who have overcome their height obstacle to reach all the goals they have set for their lives.

American Idol: Scotty and Lauren Alaina Sign Record Contracts

It is now official: Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina have both signed with the Mercury Nashville record label. The recording company’s ad announcing the signings is included in the link at the end of this article.

With the Lauren Alaina signing, it should signal that she will be recording almost exclusively country music. To me, her voice is better suited for country music. However, time will tell if she will crossover into pop music from time to time.

One thing that can be said for American Idol is that it is great training for new artists, since they have to keep an exhausting schedule during the season.

It is a shame that Scotty and Lauren Alaina can’t hit the road now with their own tour, instead of being tied down to the American Idol tour most of the summer. When they do tour, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them both appearing together in concerts as a package deal.

I want to be one of the first to wish them successful recording careers and that they will be singing country music for many years to come.

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/06/american-idol-scotty-mccreery-and-lauren-alaina-sign-with-mercury-nashville.html

 

 

 

AMERICAN IDOL UPDATES

American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe and Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze continue to conduct their “tweeting” war, over when DeWyze was told he would be presenting the American Idol trophy to the Season 10 winner.

Lythgoe contends it was a week before the finale night, while DeWyze said he wasn’t told till the last few moments of the show. I tend to believe Lythgoe since it is a more believable scenario that DeWyze was told a week before. It is unlike American Idol to have asked DeWyze the last-minute to present the trophy. I am not saying it didn’t happen that way, just not the way the well orchestrated finale would likely to have been handled by the producers. If DeWyze was lying as Lythgoe charged, it will only hurt his career. I realize he was upset at not being asked to sing on the finale, but it still doesn’t excuse his behavior if he had agreed a week before to present the trophy, then back out the last-minute.

James Durbin has tweeted that he is close to signing a record deal….Haley Reinhart has told Digitalspy.com that she was very comfortable singing with Tony Bennett, because of his demeanor and that she felt at home singing with the jazz quartet backing them….Casey James a contestant on Season 9 opened for Sugarland earlier this year and has been signed by Sony Records and is in the process of putting a band together.

Aaron Kelly also from Season 9 is working on an album and will be opening this summer for Rodney Akins and Little Big Town….Another Season 9 contestant Siobhan Magnus will be singing in concerts this summer singing songs from her alternative-grunge debut album.

The following USA Today article gives more updates on all 12 of the Season 9 contestants:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2011-05-31-idol-season-9-catch-up_n.htm