Arguably the greatest episode of The Rockford Files, Piece Work {1976} features indelible performances by would-be haberdasher MichaelLerner, the indomitable FrankMaxwell, and, of course, Mr. JamesGarner.
1971 was the year everything changed in the music world, as DonMcLean’s epic composition AmericanPie was to shortly ascend to the summit of the charts. The longest song to achieve #1 Billboard status, it was steeped in symbolism and mysterious goings-on that enlarged the canvas for what was felt to be possible in popular music. Oh, and McLean was a formidable vocalist and performer, to boot.
Others have taken a swing at the iconic piece, most notably Madonna in 2000. This version is surprisingly strong, but lacks the sweep and power of the McLean iterations. The song remains a landmark to this day.
It is fair to say that a major theme in the song is the loss of innocence. It is also fair to say that there would appear to be a lot more going on than just that. And, finally, the tone of the song lends it more of a heroic than tragic quality.
The indomitable RolandKirk was simply an unstoppable force of nature. Being a virtuoso on tenor sax and flute was simply not enough for this man; he was irresistibly compelled in the direction of “more”. He not only invented instruments; he often played several of them simultaneously. Blindness couldn’t stop or slow him, nor could a major stroke. A truly inspirational jazz titan.
The inimitable magic of StephCurry, which for him is a mere bagatelle. Curry is without a doubt one of the greatest long range shooters ever, possesses magical ball handling skills, and is a potent scorer from anywhere on the court. The 2 time league MVP holds a number of NBA records, including highest free throw percentage for a career, most points in an overtime period, most 3 point shots made in a season…the list goes on. The 6’3″ guard has revolutionized the way the game is played, and is a joy to watch.
Bideodromage III 