THE YEAR GOES
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Christmas Eve 2001: Photo by Edward McKuen.
©2001 Stanyan Entertainment Group
A Thought for Today
Now comes another year, another chance to
say thank you to old friends for staying close no matter what…
The summing up of any year is
difficult and none more so than the one just past. It’s as if we have all
just come through two years; everything that came before 9/11 is some
distant year ago and what’s come after is part of the unfathomable,
unbelievable, sobering year that is yet to close.
I don’t know anyone who has been able to make sense of the three and a
half months that have just passed and I wonder how much distance and
assimilation it will take for writers, musicians and artists of every kind
to make cognoscente and meaningful statements about these changes of every
kind that affect us now.
What happened in a green Pennsylvania field, Washington D. C. and New York
City on the second Tuesday in September will be sorted out by time but not
very soon by any of us still in witness.
The Final Bow
Some of the voices in the arts
that were stilled in 2001
Aaliyah, 22, singer, actress, Aug. 25
Larry Adler, 87, harmonica virtuoso, Oct. 6
Stuart Adamson, 43, leader of Big Country rock group, Dec. 16
Birgit Akesson, 93, Swedish dancer, choreographer, March 24
Manny Albam, 79, jazz arranger, teacher, Oct. 2
Lorez Alexandria, 71, jazz singer, May 22
Jorge Amado, 88, Brazilian novelist "Dona Flora and Her 2
Husbands", Aug. 6
Maceo Anderson, 90, groundbreaking tap dancer, July 4
David Angell, 54, producer, co-creator of "Frasier," Sept. 11
Samuel Z. Arkoff, 83, prolific low-budget film producer, Sept. 16
Sonia Arova, 73, ballerina, teacher, Feb. 4
Lewis Arquette, 65, character actor, comedian, Feb. 10
Jesse Arreola, 31, Los Palominos drummer, Feb. 4
Takishi Asahina, 93, oldest living musical dir. Osaka Philharmonic,
Pat Ast, 59, model, actress, Oct. 2
Chet Atkins, 77, innovative country guitarist, producer, June 30
Jean-Pierre Aumont, 90, French actor, Jan. 30
Joe Baker, 73, English comedian, character actor, May 16
Sandy Baron, 64, comedian, actor, Jan. 21
Dave Barry, 82, Las Vegas opening-act comedian, Aug. 16
Steve Barton, 47, actor, Raoul in "Phantom of the Opera," July 21
Jean Bazaine, 96, French artist, March 4
Francis Bebey, 72, composer contemporary African music, May 28
Gilbert Becaud, 74, singer-songwriter, Dec. 18
Diana Bellamy, 57, character actress, June 17
Helen Bennett, 89, model, actress, Feb. 25
Sue Bennett, 73, singer on TV shows, May
Berry Berenson, 53, actress, photographer, Sept. 11
Herman Berlinski, 91, composer of Jewish choral works, Sept. 27
James Bernard, 75, composer for Hammer horror films, July 12
Frances Bible, 82, mezzo-soprano, Jan. 29
Julie Bishop, 87, actress, Aug. 30
Bill Bissell, 70, College Band director (co-created ‘The Wave’),
Dec. 22
Hal Blair, 85, songwriter, Feb. 2
Roger Blocksmith, 56, character actor, Dec. 16
Luis Bonfa, 78, Brazilian composer, guitarist, Jan. 12
Ray Boulting, 87, British film producer, Nov. 5
Bob Braun, 71, actor, TV show host, Jan. 15
Foster Brooks, 89, comedian, Dec. 22
Les Brown, 88, longtime bandleader, Jan. 4
Norma Lee Browning, 86, Hollywood columnist, author, June 11
Ralph Burns, 79, Oscar, Tony, Emmy-winning arranger, jazz musician,
Nov. 21
Billy Byrd, 81, guitarist who once played in the Texas Troubadours,
Aug. 7
David Byrd, 68, character actor, Jan. 26
Sandy Bull, 60, world-music pioneer who influenced rockers, April
11
Corinne Calvet, 76, French actress, June 23
Conte Candoli, 74, jazz trumpeter, featured in "Tonight Show" band,
Dec. 14
Frankie Carle, 97, pianist, big-band leader, March 7
James Carr, 58, R&B singer, Jan. 7
Vince Charles, 55, steel drummer for Neil Diamond, June 3
Boozoo Chavis, 70, leading zydeco performer, April 29
Willam Farr Christensen, 99, dancer, choreographer, teacher, Oct.
14
Gina Cigna, 101, French soprano, vocal coach, June 26
Imogene Coca, 92, versatile TV comedian, June 2
Isaac "Ike" Cole, 77, pianist-composer brother of Nat "King" Cole,
April 22
Charlotte Coleman, 33, British actress, Nov. 14
Cal Collins, 68, jazz guitar virtuoso, Goodman band in 1970s, Aug.
26
John Collins, 83, jazz guitarist for Nat "King" Cole, Oct. 4
Perry Como, 88, pop singer, May 12
Susan Jack Cooper, 54, TV writer, children's song lyricist, March
31
Fred de Cordova, 90, "Tonight Show" producer, Sept. 15
Michael Cuccione, 16, actor, Jan. 13
Halina Czerny-Stefanska, 78, Polish pianist, July 1
Dagmar (Virginia Ruth Egnor), 79, TV actress, Oct. 9
Joe Darion, 90, lyricist who wrote "The Impossible Dream," June 16
Bill Davidson, 82, journalist, celebrity biographer, Jan. 15
Harold Davis, 82, high-wire performer known as the Great Alzana,
Feb. 16
Judy Davis, 81, vocal coach for Sinatra, Streisand, Jan. 26
Rosemary DeCamp, 90, TV, radio, film actress, Feb. 20
Dan DeCarlo, 82, cartoonist (Archie), Dec. 18
Mario Delamo, 55, dancer in Martha Graham company, May 13
Elena Del Rubio, in her 70s, member Del Rubio Triplets, March 19
Anthony Dexter, 88, actor, March 27
Ernie K-Doe, 65, R&B singer, July 5
Troy Donahue, 65, movie, TV heartthrob, Sept. 2
Edward Downes, 90, Opera quizmaster, Dec. 26
Morton Downey Jr., 67, '80s talk-show host, March 12
Jane Dudley, 89, dancer, choreographer, teacher, Sept. 19
William “By” Dunham, 91, songwriter, April 2
Ruth McCullough Dyer, 80, big-band singer in the 1940s, June 15
Louis Edmonds, 77, actor, March 3
Jack Elliott, 74, TV, movie arranger, composer, Aug. 18
Steve Ettleson, 56, drummer played with Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé,
June 1
Dale Evans,88, actor “Queen of the West” & widow of Roy Rodgers,
Feb 7
Betty Everett, 61, R&B singer, Aug. 19
Mimi Farina, 56, singer-songwriter (sister of Joan Baez), July, 18
Tommy Flanagan, 71, jazz pianist, accompanist, Nov. 16
Frank Emilio Flynn, 80, pioneering Cuban jazz pianist, Aug. 23
Blackie Forestier, musician, Nov. 19
Gloria Foster, 64, stage actress, Sept. 29
Willie Foster, 79, blues harmonica with Muddy Waters, others, May
20
Arlene Francis, 93, actress, TV personality, May 31
David "Panama" Francis, 82, Jazz & rock drummer, Nov. 13
Kathleen Freeman, 78, comedy character actress, Aug 23
Stan Freeman, 80, pianist-singer, Oscar Levant impersonator, Jan.
20
Arthur Friedman, 81, actor, director, UCLA educator, Jan. 23
Marcelo Fromer, 39, guitarist for Brazilian rock group Titas, June
13
Milton Gabler, 90, record producer & promoter of jazz, rock, July
20
George Gallagher, 72, cartoonist, creator of Heathcliff, Sept. 30
Sivaji Ganesan, 77, actor considered the Brando of south India,
July 21
Kim Gardner, 53, bassist with British groups, owner, Oct. 24
Gunther Gebel-Williams, 66, animal trainer, July 19
Boris Goldovsky, 92, opera teacher, conductor, Met radio
commentator, Feb. 15
Gerald Gordon, 67, actor on "The Doctors" soap opera, Aug. 17
Greco, Jose, 82, Flamenco dancer, Jan, 2
David Graf, 50, character actor, April 7
Art Graham, 78, pianist, Oct. 24
Norman Granz, 83, jazz impresario founded Verve, Pablo record
labels, Nov. 22
Joe Graydon, 82, big-band singer who was former FBI agent, May 19
Jane Greer, 76, film noir actress, Aug. 24
Bryan Gregory, 46, musician, Jan 10
John Guedal, 88, early radio, TV producer, Dec. 15
Rachel Gurney, 81, actress, appeared in TV's "Upstairs,
Downstairs," Nov. 24
Jack Gwillim, 91, British film, stage actor, July 2
Albert Hague, 81, Broadway, TV composer, Nov. 12
Laszlo Halasz, 96, first New York City Opera music director, Oct.
26
Jack Haley, Jr., 67, film & television producer “That’s
Entertainment,” April, 21
Bianca Halstead, 36, leader of hard-rock Betty Blowtourch, Dec. 15
Ian Hamilton, 63, British poet & critic, Dec. 30
William Hammerstein, 82, director, producer, March 9
Anne Haney, 67, character actress, May 26
William Hanna, 90, pioneering animator, March 22
Radie Harris, 96, newspaper columnist, Feb. 22
George Harrison, 58, songwriter & lead guitarist for the Beatles,
Nov. 29
John Hartford, 63, songwriter of "Gentle on My Mind," June 4
Nigel Hawthorne, 72, actor, Dec.26
Eileen Heckart, 82, award winning stage and screen actress, Dec. 31
Gunnar Hellstroem, 72, actor, TV director, Nov. 28
Joe Henderson, 64, jazz tenor saxophonist, June 30
David Heneker, 94, British lyricist, Jan. 30
Nicole Henriot, 75, French pianist, Feb. 2
John Herbert, 75, Canadian playwright, June 22
Christopher Hewett, 80, stage actor, TV's "Mr. Belvedere," Aug. 3
Al Hibbler, 85, singer with Duke Ellington, April 24
Billy Higgins, 64, jazz drummer, teacher, co-founder of World
Stage, May 3
Juan Hinojosa, musician, 23 Nov.
Charles C. Hirt, 89, choral pioneer, Feb. 3
Milan Hlavsa, 49, Czech rocker, Jan. 5
Lloyd Holzgraf, 70, church and concert organist, Nov. 11
John Lee Hooker, 83, blues patriarch, June 21
Frances Horwitch, 94, children's TV pioneer, July 22
Fei-Ping Hsu, 51, Chinese-born American pianist, Nov. 27
Glenn Hughes, 50, disco singer, biker in Village People, March 4
Ken Hughes, 79, screenwriter, director, April 28
Rita Hunter, 67, English soprano, April 29
Robert Hunter, 72, pianist, accompanist, Sept. 10
Eugene Jackson, 84, actor in "Our Gang," films, TV, Oct. 26
John Jarrard, 47, country music songwriter, Feb. 1
Martha Jean-Claude, vocalist, Nov. 14
Jerry Jerome, 89, tenor saxophonist, Nov. 17
J.J. Johnson, 77, innovative jazz trombonist, composer, Feb. 4
Raymond Edward Johnson, 90, radio actor, host of "Inner Sanctum,"
Aug. 15
Willie Neal "Country Boy" Johnson, 65, gospel singer, Jan. 17
Etta Jones, 72, jazz singer, Oct. 16
Judith Jordan, 61, film, TV, stage character actress, Sept. 13
Pauline Kael, 82, provocative, influential film critic, Sept. 3
Jackie Kahane, 79, comedian who opened for Elvis Presley, March 26
Maria Karnilova, 80, Broadway actress, ballerina, April 20
Michael Karoli, musician, Nov. 17
Stelios Kazantzidis, 69, popular Greek singer, Sept. 14
Carol Keis, 44, stage actress noted for Actors Alley work, April 9
Emma Kelly, 82, Savannah, Ga., singer-pianist, Jan. 31
Burt Kennedy, 78, writer, director of westerns, Feb. 15
Jeannette Kerner, 85, character actress, May 25
Russell "Rusty" Kershaw, 63, guitarist w. Young, Atkins, brother
Doug, Oct. 23
Ken Kesey, 66, author of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Nov. 10
Myra Kestenbaum, 69, violist with L.A. Chamber Orchestera,
composer, Nov. 6
Hank Ketcham, 81, "Dennis the Menace" creator, June 1
Hatsuko Kikuhara, 102, master of Japanese folk music, Sept. 12
Lester "Big Daddy" Kinsey, 74, blues singer-guitarist, April 3
Werner Klemperer, 80, actor, Dec. 6
Moe Koffman, 72, jazz musician, March 28
Howard W. Koch, 84, movie producer, director, executive, Feb. 16
Pauline Koner, 88, pioneer modern dancer, choreographer, Feb. 8
Bert Kramer, 66, TV, film, stage actor, June 20
Stanley Kramer, 87, award winning writer-director, Feb. 19
Margaretha Krook, 75, Swedish character actress, May 7
Evelyn Kuenneke, 79, Berlin singer, April 28
Ashok Kumar, 90, star of Indian movies, Dec. 10
Harold Land, 72, tenor saxophonist, influential in L.A. jazz scene,
July 27
Tom Lea, 93, artist, novelist of frontier life, war, Jan. 29
Jack Lemmon, 76, actor, double Oscar and Emmy winner, June 27
Lou Levy, 72, pianist who accompanied jazz and pop greats, Jan. 23
Ralph Levy, 81, TV comedy director, teacher, Oct. 15
John Lewis, 80, pianist, composer and leader of MJQ, March 29
Jay Livingston, 86, Oscar-winning songwriter, partner of Ray Evans,
Oct. 17
Jeanne Loriod, 73, virtuoso of ondes martenot, Aug. 3
Lance Loud, age, actor & writer, Dec 24
Charlie Lourie, 60, jazz musician, record executive, Jan. 7
Joe Lubin, 84, songwriter for movies, TV, Oct. 9
John Lucas, 84, jazz musician, March 17
Robert Ludlum, 73, popular suspense novelist, March 12
Peter Maag, 81, Swiss conductor, April 16
Peter Maas, 72, author of "Serpico," "The Valachi Papers," Aug. 23
Norma Macmillan, 79, voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost, Gumby,
March 16
Charles H. Maguire, 73, movie producer, Jan. 21
Kal Mann, 84, lyricist on '60s songs, Nov. 28
Ted Mann, 84, theater owner including Mann’s Chinese, film
producer, Jan. 16
Sally Mansfield, 77, film and TV actress, Jan. 28
Virginia Mansfield, 96, pioneer radio personality, Feb. 16
Stan Margulies, 80, producer of "Roots," "The Thorn Birds," Feb. 27
Scott Marlowe, 68, actor, Jan. 6
Christian Marquand, 73, actor, Nov. 22
Grady Martin, 72, veteran Nashville studio musician, Dec. 3
Jose Vargas Martinez, 70, Mexico's Bozo, Nino, Oct. 20
Dona Massin, 84, choreographer, worked on "The Wizard of Oz," May
26
Whitman Mayo, 70, actor who played sidekick on "Sanford and Son,"
May 22
Susannah McCorkle, 55, jazz, cabaret singer, May 19
Jack McDuff, 74, musician, bandleader, Jan. 23
Dorothy McGuire, 85, actress, Sept. 13
Makanda McIntyre, 69, musician, figure in free jazz movement, June
13
Gardner McKay, 69, TV actor, playwright, novelist, Nov. 21
Amalia Mendoza, 78, popular mariachi, ranchera singer, June 11
Yaltah Menuhin, 79, concert pianist, sister of violinist Yehudi
Menuhin, June 10
Ted McMichael, 92, member of Merry Macs quartet, Feb. 27
Jay Migliori, 70, key member of Supersax, Sept. 2
Jason Miller, 62, actor, Tony- and Pulitzer-winning playwright, May
13
Billy Mitchell, 74, saxophonist with Basie, Gillespie & Herman,
April 18
John Mitchum, 82, character actor, brother of Robert, Nov. 29
Martha Moedl, 89, German soprano, Dec 21
George Montgomery, 84, actor, Dec. 12
Marvin "Smokey" Montgomery, 88, banjoist, Light Crust Doughboys,
June 6
Anita Moore, 51, singer who performed with Ellington, April 28
Pauline Moore, 87, actress, Dec. 7
Rodolfo Morales, 75, Mexican artist, Jan. 30
Peggy Mount, 85, British actress, Nov. 13
Barton Mumaw, 88, modern dancer, June 18
Juan Munoz, 48, sculptor, Aug. 28
Lorenzo Music, 64, TV writer, voice of Garfield the Cat, Aug. 4
James E. Myers, 81, co-writer of "Rock Around the Clock," May 9
Luis Antonio Garcia Navarro, 60, conductor, Oct. 10
Fred Neil, 65, influential musician, songwriter, July 7
John Nelson, 85, jazz pianist, father of Prince, Aug. 25
Portia Nelson, 80, actress, songwriter, March 6
Sid Newman, 81, character actor, April 10
Alex Nicol, 85, film, TV, stage character actor, July 29
Harold Nicholas, half of famed Nicholas Bros. Dance Team, March 13
Roy Nichols, 68, longtime guitarist for Merle Haggard, July 3
Jens Nygaard, 69, founder, conductor of Jupiter Symphony, Sept. 24
Virginia O'Brien, 81, actress, singer, Jan. 16
Carroll O'Connor, 76, actor best known as Archie Bunker, June 21
Deirdre O'Donoghue, 53, radio host, Jan. 20
Chico O'Farrill, 79, Afro-Cuban jazz composer, June 27
Lani O'Grady, 46, talent agent, actress on TV's "Eight Is Enough,"
Sept. 25
Barbara Olson, 45, television pundit, Sept. 11
Nicholas Orloff, 86, dancer, teacher, Aug. 14
Ragnar Qvale, 86, actor, architect, Sept. 20
Edward Padula, 85, Broadway producer, Nov. 1
Nancy Parsons, 58, character actress, Jan. 5
Frank Pavlik, bandleader, polka hall of fame inductee, Dec. 28
Lester Persky, 76, movie, TV miniseries producer, Dec. 16
Flip Phillips, 86, tenor saxophonist for Herman, JATP, Aug. 17
John Phillips, 65, singer-songwriter, Mamas and the Papas, March 18
Lancelot Victor Pinard, 98, calypso singer, March 12
Nyree Dawn Porter, 61, British TV, theater actress, April 11
Anthony Quinn, 86, Oscar-winning actor, June 3
Paco Rabal, 75, Spanish actor, Aug. 29
Joey Ramone, 49, lead singer of punk band the Ramones, April 15
Sigurd M. Rascher, 93, classical saxophonist, Feb. 25
Walter Reed, 85, character actor, Aug. 20 Seymour Reit, 83, creator of Casper the Friendly Ghost, Nov. 21
Joan Robinson, 72, early television actress, Jan. 5
Spike Robinson, 71, jazz saxophonist, Oct. 29
Louis de Rochemont III, 70, teacher, documentary filmmaker, July 11
Norman Rodway, Shakespearean actor, March 13
Carmencita Romero, 87, dancer, choreographer, teacher, May 6
Herbert Ross, 76, director, choreographer, Oct. 9
Polly Rowles, 87, character actress, Oct. 7
Johnny Russell, 61, country singer, songwriter, July 3
Maude Russell Rutherford, 104, singer, dancer in black theater,
March 8
Byron Sanders, actor, Nov. 21
Palmer Schoppe, 88, L.A. painter of portrayed jazz musicians, March
11
Isaac Scott, 56, Seattle blues guitarist, singer, Nov. 16
Harry Secombe, 79, British comedian, April 11
Dick Schaap, 67, sportscaster & author, Dec. 21
Anthony Shaffer, 75, playwright, screenwriter, "Sleuth," Nov. 6
Karl Ulrich Schnabel, 92, pianist, teacher, son of Artur Schnabel,
Aug. 27
Graziella Sciutti, 68, soprano, opera director, April 9
John David Scott, 47, oboist, conductor, Feb. 21
Pilar Seurat, 62, dancer, TV, film actress, June 2
Janet Shaw, 82, actress, Oct. 15
Stuart Sherman, 55, artist, playwright, Sept. 14
George T. Simon, 88, journalist, author, jazz musician, Feb. 13
Joan Sims, 71, British actress appeared in "Carry On" comedies,
June 28
Giuseppe Sinopoli, 54, Italian conductor, April 20
O.C. Smith, 65, jazz singer, Nov. 23
Sherman Brooks Sneed, 80, singer, producer for Lena Horne, April 19
Anne Snyder, 78, author fiction for young adults, adapted for TV,
Feb. 2
Kristina Soderbaum, 88, Swedish actress in Nazi propaganda movies,
Feb. 12
Lyubov Sokolova, 79, Russian actress, June 6
T.C. Son, 62, Vietnamese singer-songwriter, April 1
Leone Sousa, 91, model, actress, member of Ziegfeld Follies, Jan. 9
Ann Sothern, 92, actress, March 15
Kim Stanley, 76, stage, film, TV actress, Aug. 20
Walter Stanton, 86, inventor of replaceable slide-in phonograph
stylus, April 16
Michael St. Clair, 79, film, TV character actor, Nov. 22
Anthony Steel, 80, British matinee idol, March 21
Van Stephenson, 47, country singer-songwriter, April 8
Isaac Stern, 81, virtuoso violinist, teacher, Sept. 22
Jerry Sterner, 62, playwright, June 11
Richard Stone, 47, Emmy-winning composer of cartoon music, March 9
Beatrice Straight, 86, veteran actress, won Oscar for "Network,"
April 7
Arne Sucksdorff, 84, Swedish filmmaker, May 4
Wendy Sussman, 51, abstract painter, art teacher, March 29
Ralph Sutton, 79, jazz ‘stride’ pianist, Dec. 29
Zoltan Szekely, 97, violinist who played with Béla Bartók, Oct. 5
Ralph Tabakin, 79, character actor, May 13
Buddy Tate, 87, tenor sax player for Count Basie, Feb. 10
Elena Tcherkasskaia, 64, dancer, figure-skating coach, Nov. 12
Hiroshi Teshigahara, 74, Japanese director, April 14
Milton Thomas, 81, violinist, teacher, June 16
Ralph Thomas, 85, British film director, March 17
Rufus Thomas, 84, blues patriarch, recorded Sun Records' first hit,
Dec. 15
Melanie Thornton, 34, singer with La Bouche, Nov. 24
Tina-Marie, mid 80’s, dancer, long time AGVA board member, Dec 16
Harry Townes, 86, film, TV character actor who became a priest, May
23
Ron Townson, 68, founding member of 5th Dimension pop group, Aug. 2
Charles Trenet, 87, French singer, songwriter, Feb. 18
Robert Trout, 91, radio & television anchorman, Nov. 14
James Tuozzolo, late 50’s, musician, Jan. 1
Robert E. Turner, 87, pianist, teacher, Nov. 28
Norris Turney, 79, jazz musician, member of Duke Ellington
Orchestra, Jan. 17
Dorothy Tutin, 70, British stage, film actress, Aug. 6
Ichimura Uzaemon, 84, Kabuki icon, July 8
Ninette de Valois, 102, founder of Britain's Royal Ballet, March 8
Diana Van Der Vlis, 66, stage, TV actress, Oct. 21
Georgy Vitsin, 83, Russian film, theater actor, Oct. 22
Utaemon VI, 84, Kabuki actor, March 31
Joan Vohs, 73, model, youngest Rockette, actress, June 4
Deborah Walley, 57, actress who starred in beach movies, May 10
Ray Walston, 86, stage & film actor, Jan. 1
Paul Waigner, 56, Emmy-winning producer, Jan. 19
Al Waxman, 65, actor on "Cagney & Lacey," Jan. 17
Len Wayland, 80, TV character actor, Feb 5
Eudora Welty, 92, Pulitzer-winning author, July 23
Leon Wilkeson, 49, bass guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd, July 27
Chris Williams, 31, leader of rock group Backbone69, Aug. 5
Michael Williams, 65, Shakespearean actor, husband of Judi Dench,
Jan. 11
Justin Wilson, 87, comedy, Sept. 5
Toby Wing, 85, an original Goldwyn Girl, March 23
Edward Winter, 63, character actor, March
Victor Keung Wong, 74, character actor, artist, Sept. 12
Coney Woodman, 83, Central Avenue jazz musician, June 20
Iannis Xenakis, 78, avant-garde composer, Feb. 4
James T. Yee, 53, TV producer, March 17
Otis Young, 69, first black co-star of TV western, Oct. 12
Charlotte Zelka, 71, concert pianist, Oct. 6
Inna Zubkovskaya, 77, dancer with Kirov Ballet, Feb. 5
Irwin Zucker, 83, composer, jazz pianist, educator, May 7
And we probably shouldn’t forget Cliff Hillegass, 83 (author ‘cliff
notes’) who died on May 5th. I suppose at the very least Richard Leach,
73, who bankrolled the creation of Barney the dinosaur deserves a dubious
distinction award. He joined that great Brontosaurus in the sky on the
29th of May.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, New York
Times, Obituary Central, Celebrity Deathwatch, Dead Celebrity.com, You’re
Outta Here.Com
THE 12 DOWNLOADS OF CHRISTMAS #9
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROSE
ABOUT THE SONG
This track was recorded for
“The Single Man,” my final album for RCA. After completing a five-year
contract I felt it was time to move on. The jury will always be out on
whether or not that was my best career move but five years in one place is
quite a stretch of time for me.
The arrangements for “The Single Man” are by Eddie Karam, one of
Hollywood’s best arrangers and nicest people. Of the 14 songs in the album
three have melodies by the late Gilbert Bécaud “The Girls of the Summer” &
“Where Would I Be” and, of course, “The Importance of the Rose.” The
French lyric was written by the Paris Prefect of Police, Louis Amade.
Neely Plumb was the producer of “The Single Man” sessions for RCA.
The Single Man managed to go gold despite having to compete with six of my
other albums during the 1969-70 season: Including “Sold Out at Carnegie
Hall,” “The Earth,” “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” soundtrack and “The
Sea” which stayed on the charts for several years.
THE WORDS
The Importance of the Rose
I’ve included all six verses
to the song despite the fact that on the recording I only sing three.
1.
Ask the man who’s been around
Through a hundred towns and by-ways
On a thousand hills and highways for he knows
If the Eiffel Tower falls
And the Bank of England closes
He’s still left with the Importance Of The Rose.
L’important c’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
It’s the rose that’s important, c’est la rose.
2.
As you go along life’s way
It’s a good thing to remember
It’s a long way to November, so go slow
Take it easy on the turns
For the highway’s sometimes rocky
But the problems and the pitfalls help you learn
L’important c’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
It’s the rose that’s important, c’est la rose.
3.
If your love has flown away
And your heart is full of empty
And you’re feelin’ like a sparrow in the rain
Even drowning sparrows sing
For true love is like the springtime
If you’re wise enough to wait it comes again
L’importantc’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
It’s the rose that’s important, c’est la rose.
4.
If you’re left out in the cold
With no coat upon your shoulder
And the wind is growin’ colder in the storm
Most of us have had to learn
Every road will have a turning
If the fire of hope is burning you’ll stay warm
L’importantc’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
It’s the rose that’s important, c’est la rose.
5.
In the eye of time we’re just
Heaps of dust along the highway
And as far along the highway as it goes
We must go with what we’ve got
What we’ve got and what we’re given
For a lesson in true livin’, watch the rose.
L’important c’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
It’s the rose that’s important, a pour moi.
6.
As you go along life’s way
With your hands in empty pockets
And the bill collector’s knockin’ at the door
If you still can make a smile
Close the door be sure to lock it
For you can’t be sent to jail for bein’ poor.
L’important c’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
It’s the rose that’s important, c’est la rose.
L’important c’est la rose, l’important c’est la rose,
l’important c’est la rose, a pour moi.
English Lyric: Rod McKuen French Lyric:
Louis Amade Music: Gilbert Bécaud © 1967 by Editions Le Rideau Rouge,
Paris English lyric ©1969 by Rod McKuen & Stanyan Music, USA
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROSE
(For PC users a simple
left-click on the above link should start the download automatically. If
you're having problems, try right-clicking on the link and select "save
target as....". Mac users should click and hold for menu options, then
select the save option. A Mac alternative is to hold down the option
button and click the link to download and save.)
Tomorrow the first short workweek of 2002 is history so join me as we see
it out with our weekly Pass it Along feature and another musical download.
Sleep warm.
RM 01/03/2002 Previously
unpublished.
Rod McKuen live in New York!
Click here for details.
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