Music

Isaac Hayes defined cool. He was a gifted singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger, composer and actor. He was found dead in his home just outside Memphis, Tennessee early Sunday morning (August 10, 2008).

Isaac Hayes’ story was one of overcoming. He was born into poverty and grew up picking cotton in Covington, Tennessee. He had to drop out of high school, but was encouraged later by his former high school teachers to get his diploma, which he earned at the age of 21.

His much beloved stint as “Chef” on the TV series “South Park” was orignially supposed to be a one-time event. However, audience reaction was so positive, “Chef” became a regular character.

The movie Shaft earned Hayes an Academy Award for Best Original Song (the first Academy Award received by an African-American in a non-acting category) and two Grammy Awards.

In 2002, Hayes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2004, he was honored with Hollywood’s RockWalk (The picture above is from this time). He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 9, 2005.

Is this a gorgeous afghan or what?! The Johnny Cash Afghan is from one of the coolest sites to ever exist, Wolfgang’s Vault. See? Even the name’s cool.

From the Web Site:
This Afghan features a Randy Tuten poster made for a Johnny Cash concert at the Fillmore and measures 48″x67″. Our Afghans are made using only 100% top grade heavy-duty cotton, grown and milled in the U.S.A. A genuine two-and-a-half ply weave produces detailed shading and clear, accurate images for a uniquely rockin’ throw that is machine washable and dryable.

Hot, hot, hot.

Happy Birthday, Dolly!

I’m not really enjoying the trend we have going here - two losses are two losses too many. So, let’s celebrate and enjoy a favorite celebrity that’s still very much with us. The one and only Dolly Parton turned 62 years lovely on the 19th (yesterday).

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Sevierville, Tennessee. Dolly was the fourth of 12 children. She has often said how “dirt poor” her family was - living in a rustic, run-down 1 room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dolly once told an interviewer that her grandfather was a Pentecostal “holy roller” preacher. However Dolly, herself, has never claimed one denomination over another. She acknowledges that all people are God’s children and often sings spiritual songs in her performances.

She met her future husband, Carl Dean, on her first day in Nashville, at the age of 18, in a laundromat! His first words to her were, “You’re gonna get sunburnt out there, little lady.” Falling head over heels in love led them to be married 2 years later and staying head over heels in love has allowed them to stay married to this day. Beautiful!

“I’m a Backwoods Barbie—too much makeup, too much hair, a push-up bra, and heels. It might look artificial, but where it counts I’m real.” - Dolly Parton

To reserve a copy of “Backwoods Barbie” - Dolly’s first Mainstream Country album in 17 years, click the following link: Backwoods Barbie

A single from the cd is already on iTunes (see below)!

Recently, I came across a quote I really liked by Loretta Lynn (”You have to be first, different, or great. If you’re one of them, you may make it.“). It made me think about some of her other quotes and then I remembered that some of my all time favorite quotes are actually by Lady Parton (Dolly’s had some beauts).

Long story, short - I searched out quotes by other Country Music legends and came up with the following. If you have any to add, leave them in the comments!

Do the best you can with yourself and hope for the best. - Loretta Lynn

I don’t like to talk about things where you’re going to get one side or the other unhappy. My music has no politics. - Loretta Lynn

A fan will grab you and hug you and will not let go. When that happens, you wish it could be that way all over the world. - Charley Pride

I don’t care what the religion is called; as far as I’m concerned, one God, the God I adhere to, is in charge of all of them. - Charley Pride

No one had ever told me that whites were supposed to sing one kind of music and blacks another-I sang what I liked in the only voice I had. - Charley Pride

What qualifies me to tell people how to act or what to think? I’m Charley Pride, country singer. Period. - Charley Pride

I still close my eyes and go home - I can always draw from that. - Dolly Parton

I’m old enough and cranky enough now that if someone tried to tell me what to do, I’d tell them where to put it. - Dolly Parton

If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one. - Dolly Parton

Storms make trees take deeper roots. - Dolly Parton

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. - Dolly Parton

When I’m inspired, I get excited because I can’t wait to see what I’ll come up with next. - Dolly Parton

You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try. - Dolly Parton

Just keep taking chances and having fun. - Garth Brooks

You aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy. - Garth Brooks

Be different, stand out, and work your butt off. - Reba McEntire

For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness. - Reba McEntire

Life ain’t always beautiful, but it’s a beautiful ride. - Gary Allan

You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars. - Gary Allan

How well I have learned that there is no fence to sit on between heaven and hell. There is a deep, wide gulf, a chasm, and in that chasm is no place for any man. - Johnny Cash

Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight. - Johnny Cash

You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space. - Johnny Cash

You’ve got to know your limitations. I don’t know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren’t too many limitations, if I did it my way. - Johnny Cash

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results. - Willie Nelson

You learn the most from life’s hardest knocks. - Conway Twitty

I’ve become a captive of my own ambitions. - Patsy Cline

I’m a romantic, and we romantics are more sensitive to the way people feel. We love more, and we hurt more. When we’re hurt, we hurt for a long time. - Freddy Fender

Whenever I run into prejudice. I smile and feel sorry for them, and I say to myself, There’s one more argument for birth control. - Freddy Fender

Children are easily influenced, and I always want to do things I can be proud to show my kids someday. - Faith Hill

I don’t let things go unless I’m ready for them to go. - Faith Hill

I think what makes our marriage work amid all the glare is that my husband is my best friend. He inspires everything in my life and enables me to do the best that I can. I want to hang out with him more than anyone. - Faith Hill

Don’t be afraid to give up the good for the great. - Kenny Rogers

Everybody should have their own thing, and if he don’t want to be a role model, that should be up to him. In the right situations, I can try to help and be a role model, but I’m still gonna speak my mind, and if that affects the role-model deal, then too bad. - Toby Keith

I was a pretty good imitator of Roy Acuff, but then I found out they already had a Roy Acuff, so I started singin’ like myself. - Hank Williams

These Elvis & The Beatles Collectible Salt and Pepper Shakers would make any Elvis and Beatles fan twist, shout, and generally just rock it out. Click the image or the link to take a closer look. I believe the web site also has matching mugs - at least they did at one time! I’m afraid I was distracted this time by these adorable salt and pepper shakers. Like a lot of people, my mom always collected S&P shakers. These would be a deliciously original addition to such a collection!

This is one of my favorite Elvis songs - def in the top 3. I could listen to it 100 times a day and never get tired of it.

There’s a great write up about the King of Rock and Roll on CNN Showbiz, you’ll probably want to read it when you get a chance. It includes one of the greatest quotes about Elvis ever:

“Elvis didn’t die. The body did.” It was said right after Elvis died 30 years ago by Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley’s manager and friend. I wonder if he knew that he’d be remembered so fondly and so well 30 years later. I wonder if he realized that teenagers in 2007 would still know the words to Elvis Presley songs.

Something tells me that he wouldn’t blink an eye.

I pride myself on knowing pretty much all the goodies available for Hollywood’s Golden Age Stars. But this one took me by surprise…as in I had no freakin’ idea this existed at all!

The Very Best of Marilyn Monroe Very Best CD (Marilyn Monroe)
is something no real Marilyn Monroe fan would want to be without. Click the link (or image) to learn more.

Disc: 1
Track: 1 Do It Again - (studio)
Track: 2 Kiss - (studio)
Track: 3 She Acts Like A Woman Should - (studio)
Track: 4 Fine Romance - (studio)
Track: 5 Two Little Girls From Little Rock - (studio)
Track: 6 When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right - (studio)
Track: 7 Bye Bye Baby - (studio)
Track: 8 Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend - (studio)
Track: 9 You’d Be Surprised - (studio)
Track: 10 After You Get What You Want, You Don’t Want It - (studio)
Track: 11 Heat Wave - (studio)
Track: 12 Lazy - (studio)
Track: 13 One Silver Dollar - (studio)
Track: 14 I’m Gonna File My Claim - (studio)
Track: 15 River Of No Return - (studio)
Track: 16 Down In The Meadow - (studio)
Track: 17 Some Like It Hot - (studio)
Track: 18 Runnin’ Wild - (studio)
Track: 19 I Wanna Be Loved By You - (studio)
Track: 20 I’m Thru With Love - (studio)
Track: 21 Anyone Can See I Love You - (studio)
Track: 22 Every Baby Needs A Da-Da-Daddy - (studio)
Track: 23 Kiss - (studio)
Track: 24 Two Little Girls From Little Rock - (studio)
Track: 25 After You Get What You Want, You Don’t Want It - (studio)
Track: 26 Heat Wave - (studio)
Track: 27 Man Chases A Girl, A - (studio)
Track: 28 Lazy - (studio)
Track: 29 I’m Gonna File My Claim - (studio)
Track: 30 River Of No Return - (studio)
Track: 31 Down In The Meadow - (studio)
Track: 32 That Old Black Magic - (studio)
Track: 33 I Found A Dream - (studio)
Track: 34 Let’s Make Love - (studio)
Track: 35 Incurably Romantic - (studio)
Track: 36 Specialization - (studio)
Track: 37 My Heart Belongs To Daddy - (studio)
Track: 38 Bye Bye Baby - (studio)
Track: 39 Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend - (studio)
Track: 40 Happy Birthday / Thanks For Hte Memory - (studio)

OMG! I can’t believe they had this on YouTube. I could listen to these guys all day! I’ll have to check and see what other goldie oldies YouTube has. I love my job.

The Beatles-The Sixties
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

My favorite pics - especially from time’s past - are the candid ones. There’s nothing like them. This one (along with the first one I posted) are my faves.

Joi