It seems that on this Saturday morning everything has a bit of a green tinge to it. Everything except for my coffee that is; all I see there is brown perfection. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all, I do know that it’s a “no pub” day for me – hate the thought of green beer. Sláinte!

Now on with the ‘craic’.

The Prize – Earlier this week I was watching the wonderful McCrary Sisters singing gospel on TV. I have a Mike Farrell album where they sing backup and they’re great.

About that time Marcia walked into the kitchen and started to sashay about making ‘bouncy’ motions with her hands cupped in front of her (the McCrary Sisters seem to demand one do that). At my tender age I took note and my mind immediately went to something I’d spotted in The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.

What is The Bulwer-Lytton Contest you ask?

The contest is an annual tongue-in-cheek (the prize is a ‘pittance’ by rule) contest to ‘honor’ the opening sentence of the worst of all possible novels. This after the 1830 book Paul Clifford written by British novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton which opens with the following known to almost everyone; “It was a dark and stormy night…….”

Years ago I had a car that was both my best and worst. An old model British MG-B (pre catalytic converter) done out in that horrid British pale yellow. Electric stunk and the body was riddled with rust. But that little engine was marvelous and the two Stromberg carburetors were a joy. So, naturally, I reflected on what the winner of the 2005 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest prize, a Mr. McKay, wrote:

”As he stared at her ample bosom, he dreamed of the dual Stromberg carburetors on his vintage Triumph Spitfire, highly functional yet pleasingly formed, perched prominently on top of the intake manifold, aching for experienced hands, the small knurled knobs of the oil dampers begging to be inspected and adjusted as described in chapter seven of the shop manual.” ~ Dan McKay, Fargo, ND, 2005

Jim LaBarbara – Many, many years ago in earlier days there was a time of no internet, no social media, no MTV, and no YouTube. All music could be enjoyed only by listening, on vinyl, or on sheet music.

It was also a time of discovery, especially in music and in dance. And, we found new heroes who introduced us to all this new wondrous stuff; the radio DJ.

It was one such Disc Jockey who explained that to dance to this new music one would first rock and then roll to the beat; and so Rock ‘n’ Roll was born.

Music felt an explosion of sounds, ideas, and by the hundreds, solo and group acts. Fanciful names and common names of various acts became standards in everyday language; down to one which was known simply as The Band. The crazy new rumblings of Rock ‘n’ Roll started way back and continue to this day.

The medium has changed and as it did our earlier DJ heroes disappeared.

Last Sunday I drove to the Madeira Public Library and spent an hour and a half listening to adventures from that earlier time by the one person who I then listened to with regularity, Jim LaBarbara. He was the key personality at our 50,000 KW powerhouse radio station, WLW-700, using the moniker; the Music Professor, and today is an elite member of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. He was also an early participant to integrate the then segregated black artists into what was considered white only radio.

LaBarbara met with, interviewed, hung with, and traveled with virtually every Rock ‘n’ Roll artist of the late ‘50s, 1960s, and into the ‘70s. His knowledge of the music, the interactions, and the personalities of those times are amazing.

A Baby Boomer, or just interested in that era? Then buy or borrow his book: Jim LaBarbara The Music Professor – A Life Amplified Through Radio & Rock ‘n’ Roll. You’ll enjoy over 300 pages of happenings from that time. Even finding out how he became Best Man at Johnny Bench’s wedding. And no, you can’t have my annotated and autographed copy (well, maybe borrowing it would be OK).

Finis – Monday I got a pat on the back from my Doctor who declared me good-to-go for another year.

Kirstin fulfilled one of Vince’s wishes, that the kids should see New York City on a family trip. Seeing all that they did on a three day spring break visit extends a ‘Hat Off’ to Kirstin, you provided Derek and Kellen memories for a lifetime. The photos she placed on her Facebook page are truly extraordinary and worth a second look.

Last evening we discovered that both the Ongoleas and Pastoors have embarked on creating distinct piles of ‘stuff’. Ours is an early getting ready for a new season at Northern Comfort. Theirs is getting ready for their family visit to Tonga.

Make it a great week.

Cheers.

Dirk