So Long 2008

The rest of the list

EARTHA KITT...maybe the best Catwoman, earthy, sultry.
FREDDIE HUBBARD...maybe the best trumpeter ever, although Maynard Ferguson played at my high school.
CHARLTON HESTON...for only two quotes..."Get your filthy paws off of me, you damned dirty ape!" and "Soylent Green is people!" No one could have done Moses better
RICHARD WRIGHT...Pink Floyd keyboardist and song writer...thanks for the good times under the headphones
JIM MCKAY...the theme from "Wide World of Sports" is as a part of my youth as anything.
ISAAC HAYES...Under-rated musician and singer...He also made a couple great "Rockford Files" episodes, where he kept calling the famous James Garner character, "Rockfish..* thanks Sid, his 22 minute version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" notwithstanding
TIM RUSSERT...Gladys was in England when I told her. She cried. So much a part of Sunday morning
TONY SNOW...former Bush White House press secretary, Fox News anchor, political columnist, I didn't agree with him much, but his courage and grace under pressure was inspiring
BERNIE MAC...one funny dude, his TV show was hilarious.
GEORGE CARLIN...maybe THE reason I got into radio, he made the five oclock news sound so much fun. I miss him.
SUZANNE PLESHETTE...I was so in love with her in high school, what a great part she played on Newhart, pretty, funny and a REAL hottie
JEFF HEALEY...Blind blues musician. My band "The Traffic Jam" opened for Jeff Healey at Mississippi Nights at a free concert. We were very well received and while I was leaving the stage, Jeff said "they love you, go back out" to which I replied "opening bands don't get encores". "Mine do", he said. What an incredible guy. How sweet.
BO DIDDLEY...Reknowned blues guitar afficionado, but better known for his Nike/Bo Jackson commercials in the late 80's...interviewed him twice, he was a prick both times, couldn't stop eating either time
DICK MARTIN...The other half of Rowan and Martin, one of a few guys who could make me laugh so hard I peed my pants
HARVEY KORMAN...here's another one. Carol Burnett, "Blazing Saddles", you name it..he killed me
PAUL NEWMAN...Still hard to believe he ever got old, I can't list enough things that inspired me. See earlier post about how he was in the very first movie I remember
LEVI STUBBS...Four Tops frontman, trained as an alto, sang as a soprano, that's how he got that "ache" in his voice
JERRY REED...I quote him everyday when I talk to my sales crew..."we got a long way to go and a short time to get there". Thanks for "Amos Moses", I loved that song
DON LAFONTAINE...in a world far away, man, what a voice.