Radio Personalities We Lost in 2016

Much has been written about the high number of celebrities who passed away in 2016.  For my last entry of 2016 I would like to pay a brief tribute to three radio personalities who left us this year.

Dan Daniel

I wrote a tribute to him last June, I listened to him on WMCA, WHN, WNBC WYNY and WCBS-FM

Jim Lowe WNEW

Jim worked at WNEW 1130 AM and WNBC 660 AM but was also a recording artist best known for his hit Green Door.  Here is an obituary from the New York Times

Rich Conaty WFUV

His untimely passing at age 62 was announced last night.  He loved the music from the 1920s and 1930s and played it on WFUV Sunday nights.  Please see this tribute from the WFUV staff.

I'd like to thank reader Gary Fishbein for telling me that Dan Daniel and Jim Lowe also worked for WNBC 660 AM.

A Case of the Media Creating the News

I have always tried to keep informed of what is going on in the world by watching TV News and reading newspapers.  The former can be depressing as much of the stories are about crime and accidents.  This morning as I watched the Today Show there was a report that Conor Kennedy, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy was arrested for disorderly conduct after a fight at a bar.

What is the big deal here?  There are likely hundreds of arrests each day for disorderly conduct, but since a Kennedy was involved it becomes big news.  The best thing for me to do is just turn off my TV.

Visited the Paley Center for Media Today

Karen and I visited the Paley Center for Media today to "follow-up" on the movie Jackie which we saw on Saturday and Rolling Stones Exhibitionism that we visited Monday.  First of all I must say that Natalie Portman was excellent in her portrayl of Jackie Kennedy.  The film showed Jackie giving a tour of the White House that was on CBS TV back in the early 1960s.  The Paley Center had in its database the actual show in January 1962 where Jackie escorted Charles Collingsworth through the White House.  We also viewed some footage of NBC News on November 22, 1963 when the shooting of JFK was first reported.  It took about 30 minutes until his death was confirmed.  Back then there were no satellite transmissions, so there was a delay in getting out the news.

I searched the database under the Rolling Stones and found a special about them on MTV in 1990.  We also viewed an episode of Shindig from 1965 featuring the Rolling Stones, Byrds, Everly Brothers, Billy Preston, and others.

The Rolling Stones Exhibitionism in Lower Manhattan

The Rolling Stones Exhibitionism started its run in NYC (775 Washington Street near the Whitney Museum) in November and will continue until March 12.  I highly recommend it to my friends who are oldies enthusiasts.  It included over 500 items including vintage guitars, rare instruments, lyric books, album art, and personal letters.  The best part of the exhibit was a short 3D movie of the Rolling Stones singing Satisfaction.

When we finished the show we went to the gift shop across the street,  I bought the Stone's new CD called Blue and Lonesome where the group returns to its musical R&B roots.  I have several of their albums from the 60s and 70s on vinyl, but only a greatest hits compilation on CD.  We also got a t-shirt for Lee and a refrigerator magnet for Karen.

2016 Was a Terrible Year For Celebrity Deaths

I found this picture the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Facebook site of friend Jay Mandel.  We just found out today of the untimely passing of musician George Michael at age 53.  Too many of the celebrities in the photo left us much too soon.  RIP and may 2017 be a better year. A list may be found at this web site.

I Saw Two Sporting Events in One Day in Newark

Yesterday with a unique day as I saw two sporting events in person within hours in Newark.  Let me explain how this happened.  Yesterday was faculty and staff appreciation day at NJIT so we were invited to the Athletic Center to see the Men’s Basketball Team play Dean College.  The Highlanders won 92-50 as Damon Lynn became the top scorer in the school’s history.  They are now unbeaten at home and are 6-8 on the season.  They will be playing Atlantic Sun Conference schools shortly after the first of the year.

Game Summary

After the game ended I took the light rail to get to the Prudential Center where I met Karen and Lee to see the New Jersey Devils play the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Devils shut out the Flyers 4-0 for their first win in 8 games.  It was Corey Schneider’s first shutout in almost a year.  There were several fights especially in the first period when the teams combined for 17 penalties and 46 penalty minutes.

Game Summary

Bob Dylan Sings Once Upon a Time at the 90th Birthday Celebration for Tony Bennett

Two of Bob Dylan's recent albums, Fallen Angels and Shadows in the Night, are all adult standards with none of his compositions.  Since he appeared in a tribute concert Tony Bennett, I thought that he would chose a song on one of those two albums.  Instead he picked a song titled "Once Upon a Time" which was recorded by Tony Bennett.  Ironically, Like a Rolling Stone starts out saying "Once upon a time."

I think the segment with Dylan was pre-recorded and not done at the Radio City Music Hall with the rest of the show.  Elton John appeared from Las Vegas, but nothing was said about where Dylan's song was recorded.