Hope this release finds everyone safe and in good health.  Bill, we're thinking about you!  

Harv

Howdy!!!

Three days left and we push off into August . . . . . My how time flies!  I spoke with Sharon last Friday.  She said Bill had a fall resulting in a mild concussion.  He is OK but it just adds to his other issues. Sharon further indicated that Bill's condition is deteriorating.  Say a prayer.

This week we're looking into Don Gibson.  Honestly, this is the first time I've ever seen him . . . . he has a strange resemblance to Steven Segal?  

Don Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina, into a poor working-class family, and he dropped out of school in the second grade.
His first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording in 1948.
In 1957, he journeyed to Nashville to work with producer Chet Atkins and record "Oh Lonesome Me"[1] and "I Can't Stop Loving You" forRCA Victor. The afternoon session resulted in a double-sided hit on both the country and pop charts.
"Oh Lonesome Me" set the pattern for a long series of other RCA hits. "Blue Blue Day", recorded prior to "Oh, Lonesome Me" was a number 1 hit in 1958. Later singles included "Look Who's Blue" (1958), "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (1959), "Sea of Heartbreak" (1961); 
A talented songwriter, Gibson was nicknamed The Sad Poet because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love. His song "I Can't Stop Loving You", has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles in 1962. He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams", a song that would become a major 1963 crossover hit for Patsy Cline. Roy Orbison was a great fan of Gibson's songwriting, and in 1967, he recorded an album of his songs simply titled Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson. Gibson's wide appeal was also shown in Neil Young's recorded version of "Oh Lonesome Me" on his 1970 album After the Gold Rush, which is one of the few songs Young has recorded that he did not write.
Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973, in 2001 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[2]
Following his death from natural causes on November 17, 2003, he was buried in the Sunset Cemetery in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina. Thx WIKI

Well that about wraps it up for this week. Bill, we are thinking of you!  
Harv

Happy July 22nd!

Looks like sunny and clear in the midwest.  High today in the mid 80's (cooler near the Pacific)  mid 70's in Edmunds and Federal Way.  

This week we are going back to our HS years to take a closer look at a group you all remember "Dion and the Belmonts" not to be confused with "Dion and the Westmont's"  (another popular . . . less well known group back then) . . . . Corrections and comments may be in order here

Dion and the Belmonts were a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. All members were from the Bronx, New York City. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer (born July 18, 1939), joined The Belmonts – Carlo Mastrangelo, bass-baritone (born October 5, 1938), Fred Milano, second tenor (August 22, 1939 – January 1, 2012), and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor (born February 3, 1940), in late 1957.  The name The Belmonts was derived from the fact that two of the four singers lived on Belmont Avenue in the Bronx, and the other two lived near Belmont Avenue.

After an unsuccessful single on Mohawk Records in 1957, the group signed with Laurie Records in early 1958. The breakthrough came when their very first Laurie release, "I Wonder Why" reached No. 22 on the Billboard Top 100 charts, and they appeared for the first time on the nationally televised American Bandstand show, hosted by Dick Clark. 1] Dion and the Belmonts were the sound of the city. Their roots were groups like the Flamingos, the Five Satins, and the Dells; acts who developed their sound in urban settings on street corners, mimicking instruments with their voices, even complex jazz arrangements.[2]
In March 1959, Dion and the Belmonts’ next single, "A Teenager in Love", broke the Top Ten, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 28 on the UK Singles Charts. Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, it's considered one of the greatest songs in Rock and Roll history.

In 1968, as a solo performer, Dion recorded "Abraham, Martin and John" written by Dick Holler. It is a tribute to social change icons, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. 

In 2000, Dion and the Belmonts were inducted in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Well Bill, we all hope things are going well for you.  Going to be hot this week in Thiensville, . . . (cooler near the lake . . . . as they are apt to say in eastern Wisconsin),  so keep smiling and stay cool!

Harv

This last one comes from Bill's "Easy Listening" playlist.  Don't get into that playlist much but it's a great tune and gives the opportunity to reflect.  Not enough of that going on these days.  

Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist.
was born in Seattle, Washington, to Jewish parents (his mother was originally from Saskatchewan, Canada) and grew up in the city's Seward Park neighborhood, which is a center of the city's Jewish community. He came into contact with a saxophone when he heard someone performing with one on The Ed Sullivan Show.[1] He started playing the saxophone in 1966 when he was 10 years old. He learned how to play under the direction of local trumpeter Gerald Pfister and by practicing along with records (mostly of Grover Washington, Jr.), trying to emulate the sounds that he was hearing. His first saxophone was a Buffet Crampon alto.[3 In 1997, Kenny G earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Using circular breathing, Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds at J&R Music World in New York City  As of 2003, Kenny G was named the 25th-highest selling artist in America by the RIAA, with 48 million albums sold in the USA as of July 31, 2006.[25] In 1994, Kenny G won theGrammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for Forever in Love.  thanks WIKI

Hi Everyone!

What a Great Day!!!!   We've been waiting for this week since the beginning of the year.  Several dry days in a row of temps in the 80's to low 90's.  Time to clean the grill and brush off the deck chairs . . .  here we come!               Hey. . . .  I think . . .  I can hear music!!!

Hi!

Ok I'm late!  We were in Green Bay from the 4th (Thursday) until the 9th (Monday).  We visited Bill on Saturday and had a very nice time with John, Sharon and Bill.  I'm attaching a picture that Sharon sent to me.  Note:  Joan is the one without glasses.  

Bill is holding his own but needs much assistance.  His spirits were good . . . got a few smiles out of him while we were there.  

I downloaded a new playlist of songs entitled  "just for Bill"  on his iPod.  Some of the songs are favorites from over 600 songs already on his system. The new playlist was intended to give him "really new" stuff.  These are picks from the 70's and 80's.  We played a couple at his house before we went to lunch  . . . .   who would have thought Bill would like Michael Jackson?????  

These are far different from the songs we are used to "Listening with Bill"  but I'm sure we'll all get over it!  Variety is . . .   after all   . . . . the spice of life!

Bill, . . . . . .  I hope you are enjoying your new playlist.  Keep smiling and stay Cool!

Harv

Happy 4th of July!!!

Tis the season to celebrate, get outside, relax in the sunshine and have a giant "POP" or two . . . . hopefully not too much pop.  

No matter what you do on the 4th . . .  or what you drink . . .  do it safely  . . . .  and above all 

"Don't Worry Be Happy"!!!!

Robert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner. He is well known for his unique vocal techniques and singing styles.McFerrin was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of operatic baritone Robert McFerrin and singer Sara Copper. He attended Cathedral High School (Los Angeles) and the California State University, Sacramento.
McFerrin married Debbie Green in 1975. They have three children, Taylor, Jevon, and Madison.[1][2] Madison sings in the band Cosmodrome.[3]
McFerrin's song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was a No. 1 U.S. pop hit in 1988 and won Song of the Year and Record of the Year honors. McFerrin has also worked in collaboration with instrumental performers, including pianists Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Zawinul, drummer Tony Williams, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.