HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIE NELSON

Happy Birthday Willie Nelson! Ninety years old!

His birthday yesterday April 29.

One of the best, if not the best, country singers of all time. Favorites like On The Road Again, Always On My Mind, Okie From Muskogee, and A Song For You. 

My particular favorite is On The Road again. The opening stanza: “On the road again / Just can’t wait to get on the road again / The life I love is making music with my friends.

Nelson still working. Currently on a cross country tour and has 30 upcoming concerts. The thought occurs he could have had Biden on the tour and 30 concerts. Then again, Biden may be too young.

A two day 90th birthday bash began at the Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl last night. Notable singers galore taking to the stage to perform in his honor.

Yes, one of the best!

The White House Correspondents Dinner last night. Two stars. President Biden and Roy Wood Jr.

Biden missed the boat. He could have been a comedian. He was par excellant!

Came across some purported words of wisdom: “Adam was the first lucky man, he had no mother-in-law.”

Brings to mind my mother-in-law. A lovely lady. However, don’t think she ever liked me.

Her daughter/my wife was pregnant five times. Each in close proximity to the next. The first four delivered fine. The final and fifth aborted on its own early in the pregnancy.

Each time my wife and I hurried to tell her parents the happy news regarding a pregnancy, my mother-in-law looked at me and said the same thing: “Bastard!”

I have been working organizing my Jack Baron collection. Works by other artists are being rearranged also. I have several Renoir lithographs/etchings. One is my sentimental favorite. It is a lithograph Renoir did of Louis Valtat in 1904. Valtat was a fellow artist and Renoir’s personal friend. They frequently worked together and shared techniques.

 

Renoir engraving

 

The work is part of an edition of 950. Signed in the stone in the bottom right hand corner. I purchased it in the mid 1970’s from a dealer in New York who I purchased a significant number of pieces of art from. He told me at the time there were only 5 of the lithos remaining.

Twenty five to thirty years later, I was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art wandering through the impressionist wing. A new section had been added. A small corridor with lithographs and etchings. There before my eyes as I walked along was my Renoir! I was excited! Thrilled!

A woman with the Museum was seated at a desk in the corridor. I hurried to her and asked about the Renoir of Louis Valtat. I did not mention I had one. She went on to tell me of their friendship, etc. Then added there were only five left in existence. I blurted out…..I have one!

Is the story of only five true. I don’t know. What is important is the affection I have for the piece.

Bess Levin described the world’s reaction to Tucker Carlson’s departure: “The world celebrated like it was V-E Day!”

On this day in 1947, New York City for the first time decided to honor Babe Ruth. The Sultan of Swat, the Bambino. One of the game’s best hitters.

New York City named the day Babe Ruth Day.

The year 1898. The Spanish-American War was ongoing. Key West was suffering from an increase in prices because of the war. Soda was 15 cents, lemonade 20 cents and beer 25 cents. Drinking water was expensive also. Not because of the war, however. There was a drought. It had not rained in ages.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

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