Thursday, February 03, 2005

2/3/1959

the day the music died

Last night on my way home from practice I caught Fresh Air on the radio. Terry Gross was interviewing The Godfather of Soul. He's 71 and boy does he sound like it. But man can he still sing...the gruffness goes away as soon as he croons a few bars of whatever pops into his head.

I learned several things last night about The Hardest Working Man in Show Business:
1. He was married 3 years ago to one of his back-up singers, and has a toddler son with her.
2. He used to fine his musicians money for not being dressed properly (shoes un-shined, suits not pressed, etc.), playing wrong notes, or in general, just 'not getting it'.
3. He gave both Bootsy Collins and Maceo Parker their starts, back in the late '60s.

How about that?

1 comment:

Ryan said...

Maceo? Pass the peas! make my funk the P-Funk!