R.I.P. Phil Everly

I discovered the Everly Brothers when Johnny Cash got them their own variety show in 1970. Over time, I began to discover their older hits and their newer songs and they were always great.

Timely Comics Ad

The Music Mart

I'm not sure how long it had been there but I discovered Cincinnati's MUSIC MART sometime in the early seventies. It was a thin but long shop crowded with tables and tables full of alphabetized 45 RPM records, all in their trademark yellow personal sleeves. In fact, just about any song ever released on 45 it seemed! Some were originals, some remaindered with the little holes in them but most seemed to be re-issues. Every time I went across the river or even anytime either of my parents went across the river, I'd send them with a list of songs I'd heard on the radio. You didn't want to get the new stuff there because you could usually find new singles for less than 60 cents anywhere else. But all the stuff from a year or two or ten before, this was THE place to find it.

At some point, they moved from Vine Street to 6th Street, as per the revised sleeve below, and even changed their name. Obviously I went there as I have a number of records with this sleeve as well but I have no memories of the new place at all. Something tells me they weren't successful there, though.

Goodbye Shades of Gray

https://www.facebook.com/groups/343446871710/

As of today my SHADES OF GRAY blog is no more. There are several reasons for this, the main one being that the blog--dormant since May anyway--has been supplanted by its accompanying Facebook group (see address above). The blog itself was down to an average of 12 people per day whereas the FB group has been growing slowly but steadily for some time now. There's also another blog entitled SHADES OF GRAY that isn't even about Morrow and that seemed to cause some confusion from time to time.

Bottom line, if you do Facebook and you're a Gray Morrow fan, join us in 2014 at the link for lots of art and memories.

Hoping Your New Year is a Lulu!

R.I. P. Keith Harrell---2010

As we reflect on those who have left us in the soon to depart year, I was surprised to find that my all-time favorite motivational writer and speaker, Keith Harrell, passed in October of 2010--three years ago. 

At some point in the early 2000's, Waldenbooks/Borders hired him to speak at one of their regional meetings. Not mine. He was, however, SO well-received that even though they couldn't afford him for all the meetings, they recorded him and showed the video to all of their OTHER regional meetings. 

To say I was impressed was putting it mildly. He was funny, effortlessly charming, and ultimately, uplifting in a way I had never felt before no matter how many Anthony Robbins tapes I used to listen to in the eighties.

Along with several others, I requested a cassette of this talk and I was given one by the powers that be. I've probably listened to it 50 times in the years since in my car.

But not recently.

Having been gone from the daily commute for 5 full years this week, I no longer had cause to play long cassettes. In fact, the cassette player in my car no longer works and I have only two left inside. 

So I hadn't listened lately.

I didn't know.

Rest in peace.

And thanks.

                                           http://www.keithharrell.com/tribute/index.html

UK Superman Ad

Here's a little-known UK ad with SUPERMAN from the 80s.