I can't remember when I first heard Linda Ronstadt sing. Probably on the radio back in the early 70's on WIFC or WSPT. I think I was aware of her from Rolling Stone Magazine. A beautiful hippie singer with a huge voice belting out covers of classic songs backed by the cream of LA musicians. She could go loud or tear your heart out with tunes like Long, Long Time & It Doesnt Matter Anymore. She could sing country, rock, folk, and later showed that even new-wave, Spanish songs, show tunes and the Great American Songbook were no match for the powerhouse from the Arizona desert. I eventually collected all of her LPs and they still get regular spins on the turntable. One of the great nights of my life was seeing and hearing her in concert on November 13th 1976 at the New Victoria Theater in London which was somehow recorded and is available on You Tube. I have included it below….maybe you can hear the 19 year old me cheering from the balcony. She was at the height of her powers, touring in support of the “Hasten Down The Wind LP”. Just another example of her ability to pick great songs from great songwriters. Warren Zevon, Karla Bonoff and so many others. As you probably know, Linda Ronstadt as Parkinsons disease and will never sing again. She received a Kennedy Center Honor this past weekend. One of the highest honors an entertainer can get in this country. The Kennedy Center Honor nights are always special events where the honorees are feted by others in the industry singing their songs, and paying tribute to careers that had meaning and depth. Some had once dismissed Ronstadt as just a “covers” singer. As if interpretation of a great lyric or melody is not a singular skill of its own. I have included a couple of interviews with Linda here discussing her situation along with her friend Emmy Lou Harris's introduction on Sunday night. The performances can be seen now on CBS All Access if you have it. It's really sad that we will never hear that voice blast into our consciousness again. But I will always have November 13th 1976…and all of the wonderful albums that never get old.
Read her biography if you get the chance. It's called Simple Dreams and is an excellent look at the 70's music scene in LA.
Congrats to former Wausau East football standout Sam Romanski who was named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award which goes to the top defensive player in D-3 football. He just finished his career at Uw-Eau Claire.
The Brewers are putting the pieces together signing OF Avrisail Garcia on Monday. I would assume the thinking is Ryan Braun will play some first base and Lorenzo Cain will get regular days off so having five outfielders is not a luxury. I like what David Stearns has done with the starting pitching as well. He adds value with guys like Brett Anderson and Josh Lindblom to go along with Eric Lauer in the trade with the Padres. Those 3 along with with budding star Brandon Woodruff, Adrian Houser, Brent Suter, Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes. They still need a 3rd baseman and a platoon first baseman before spring training starts in a couple of months.
It had to end sometime. Despite 48 points from Giannis the Bucks saw their 18 game winning streak come to an end against Dallas on Monday night. Here are the highlights.
I'll have Wausau East girls basketball tonight as the Lumberjacks host Witt/Birn. Its the second half of our doubleheader on Foxsports Radio AM1390 & FM 93.9.
Whats wrong with this picture?
The American Diabetes Association says the average price of insulin tripled between 2002 and 2013 in the US.
Losing Kentucky Governor Matt Blevin, on his way out the door, has managed to show you what the Republican Party is today in a nutshell. Read about it
here
Covers Of The Day (so many great Linda covers to choose from)
Quotes Of The Day
“There’s a growing view that unless McConnell agrees to hold a fair trial, the House should vote to impeach but not send the articles to the Senate. If the Senate won’t do its job honestly, they shouldn’t be allowed to do it dishonestly.”-Ian Bassin
“Stunning. The WSJ editorial board, yes, the WSJ editorial board says Trump's USMCA is worse than the original Nafta. Trump breaks things, then half-fixes them, and claims victory.”-Richard Stengel
#Incompetent.
https://wsj.com/articles/north-american-damage-co…
via @WSJ
“Memo to the media: Stop giving equal time to congressional Republicans, who are making stuff up. Treating them as equivalent to Dems who are dealing with the facts rebounds to the advantage of Republicans, for whom nonsense being taken seriously is itself a victory.”-Robert Reich
“The difference between now and the Watergate era isn't the severity of misconduct—Trump's abuse of power poses a greater threat to our national security than anything Nixon did. The difference today is the apparent willingness of many Republicans to put party over country.”-Adam Schiff
“I [have] clearly made up my mind, so I don’t need any witnesses.”
— @LindseyGrahamSC, who will say this lie under oath: “I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God.”
https://pic.twitter.com/GWVkIMgbtB
“A potential juror who says “I have already made my decision” is dismissed in voir dire. @senatemajldr, @LindseyGrahamSC and other @realDonaldTrump@GOP sycophants will violate the Constitution when they take the oath swearing to be impartial when they’ve already said they won’t. “-Col. Morris Davis
https://twitter.com/newday/status/1206560769279705…
Show this thread
“Dear @tedcruz: when Biden pushed to fire Ukraine's corrupt prosecutor, Shokin, he was backed not just by the IMF, EU, and key allies, but also by *Republicans.* Senate Republicans signed a letter supporting it. Your GOP caucus supported what you’re now attacking him for doing.”-Brian Klaas
https://twitter.com/saletan/status/12062860257037…
“Every Republican elected official who's endorsed Trump, every GOP donor who's supporting him, and every conservative writer who's making the case for reelecting him, is fine with four more years of this–or in fact with four more years in which the behavior will get even worse. “-Bill Kristol
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1206335…
“The idea that it will quickly be forgotten that R’s are supporting a man who spent decades mocking women for their appearance, mocked women while running for president and mocks them as president seems fanciful. This isn’t about who Trump is, it’s about who Republicans are”-Stuart Stevens
