Driving to work this morning, I listened to a compilation CD I had made, featuring among others, guitarists Roy Buchanan (1939 - 1988) and Canada's own Jeff Healey who died last month at age forty-one. Buchanan is someone mostly known to guitar freaks like me. He was greatly under appreciated, lived a troubled and tormented life, and hung himself in a jail cell after being arrested for 'public intoxication.' Healey died of cancer. Neither lived long enough.
I have been thinking over past days of how we spend a lifetime trying to accomplish something significant, to leave a legacy or some indication that we have been here, and then suddenly life is over. For everyone else life goes on. We push up daisies. Buchanan and Healey at least live on through their music.
Sweet Dreams, Jeff and Roy. We miss you.
Preach on, brother, the choir is listening.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks that great actors like Charlton Heston cash in their chips and ne'er-do-wells like Sean Penn are lauded as pillarous examples. Not nearly as much though, as the fact better writers, artists and performers never see the light of day for the most part due to "the Old Boy Network". Self-publishing equipment, software and the internet have leveled the playing field a bit, but there's lots of headway to be made.
One of my faves is an obscure little dude named Paul Williams who was really an item in the late 1960s and early 70s, but you can't even find a website for him, much less Tom "Many Ways" Burke.
Precious few leave footprints on the sands of time, and most of those who do pay dearly for the privilege.
Yeah, I remember Williams. Wrote some good songs, even acted in a couple of films. We live, we die, life goes on -- for everyone else, at least until it is their turn.
ReplyDeleteSuch a loss- Jeff Healey was so remarkably talented and so very young. He will be missed, but I'm glad he left us some beautiful music to remember him by.
ReplyDeleteThis brings to light another thing the fanatics always talk about..."the sanctity of life". More about this from George Carlin.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of "sweet dreams", here's hoping your posting hasn't been interrupted by a "dirt nap".
ReplyDeleteHang in there, man...The best is yet to come.
Thanks, Ted. You made my day and gave me a good chuckle. I am very much alive, just very busy. I will be posting again soon.
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