0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
1929, Born on this day, R&B singer Johnny Ace, Billboards 'most played artist of 1955'. He died playing Russian roulette backstage at a gig on December 25th 1954.
It was widely reported that Ace killed himself playing Russian roulette.[4][5][6] However, Big Mama Thornton's bass player, Curtis Tillman, 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 out of the dressing room yelling ‘Johnny Ace just killed himself!'"[7]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Ace
Full article: http://www.kokomotribune.com/news/cole-porter-in-peru-city-celebrates-hometown-celebrity-during-downtown/article_2265ab94-4ae6-11e7-8273-6f35346ef2c3.html Cole Porter in Peru: City celebrates hometown celebrity during downtown festival Carson Gerber Jun 6, 2017 PERU – Cole Porter was one of America’s most famous composers known for his hit Broadway songs and big-city suavity.But the man who became famous for his cosmopolitan lifestyle and catchy tunes such as “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” was born and raised in the small town of Peru.In fact, he did some of his first composing there as a child in the early 1900s at his house at 19 S. Huntington St., which has since been turned into the Cole Porter Inn.Now, Peru is set to celebrate its hometown superstar during the annual Cole Porter Festival, which kicks off Thursday and runs through Sunday.Festival Chairman Ellen Mock said the four-day affair is packed with a smorgasbord of events that highlight Porter’s history, music and high-class lifestyle, including wine tastings, a cocktail buffet, bus tours to historic sites in Peru and loads of live music.The festival will be bigger than ever this year thanks to the city’s Second Saturday event, which will also take on a Cole-Porter theme for its downtown activities from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday. The monthly event launched in May as part of an effort to revitalize the city’s core.“We think Second Saturday will provide another family-friendly activity to get people downtown during the festival,” Mock said.The festival kicks off Thursday with a wine tasting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cole Porter Inn. Smitty McMusselman’s is producing the event in cooperation with Two E’s Winery, which will include 12 wines to taste. Reservations are required and the cost is $25 per person.
One birthday boy playing another . . . (Les Paul playing Cole Porter)
Happy birthday, Les Paul!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59H0XzwcEpohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NfUzRvSN38http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS-RsZin3RQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66i1O5VErto. . . and, yours truly, playing a Les Paul guitar, however feebly . . . https://soundcloud.com/easyace/take-five
Thanks for providing us with some of your tunes, very nice.
The original:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC_-v3fG-0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQFvw1i2Z_Yhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGrIw8e6nd8Their leader/songwriter/guitarist Lowman Pauling was Steve Cropper's idol; Cropper eventually dida great tribute album to Pauling and the 5 Royales . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg6cc8ReAv8