Hi,
I have just crossed another item off my bucket list. I had the esteemed privilege of singing with Smokey Robinson last week. While it wasn't an intimate duet, it felt like the two of our voices were one... There just happened to be an audience of several hundred people also singing along.
I have always loved Smokey. I grew up in the 60's when his music and lyrics ruled the radio. Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes and The Miracles were all singing his songs and I harmonized right along with them. Motown music was my sound of choice. At 72 years old, Smokey is still making that music come alive, in perfect pitch with a falsetto that never falters. He is truly amazing to listen to. It is as if the last 50 years have just faded away. It's 1962 all over again when he hits the stage.
The Mann Center in Philadelphia is an outdoor amphitheater with fabulous acoustics. Smokey's voice rang out loud and clear with his exceptional back up band and singers filling the night air. What made the concert so special was the audience singing along. It sounded like the most professional of gospel choirs accompanying the performers. Even Smokey seemed impressed with the wave of harmony coming back at him from the crowd. I have heard audiences sing with the musicians before and it is usually tolerable at best. This was a whole new level of sing-a-long. Attendees were mostly Afro-Americans in their late 50-60's, dressed to the nines and looking to party with the Motown Man. They came to sing loud & proud... And I joined in for every song.
Smokey, you are The Man.
xox
M
Day Lily!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Mom
Hi,
mom has died and we are sitting shivah.
My mother fought a long and hard battle, starting almost 30 years ago when she developed MS symptoms that just kept getting worse. In the last few years she was crippled up with the disease, needing a walker and scooter to get around. My mom had to give up tennis, golf, tai chi, walking and many other of her favorite activities. Cooking became a chore, she had to become left handed as her right hand dexterity gave out and even needlepointing eventually became too difficult. That didn't stop her from travelling around on her scooter to do food shopping or get to the library. Mom worked very hard to try and have a 'normal' life and some days it wasn't easy.
Then the accident happened. Three months ago she was hit by a car while trying to cross the road at a crosswalk in Florida. That, in turn, took her life struggle to new levels. Mom fought back from 5 surgeries, was in the hospital for three months and finally was able to come home two weeks ago. She still needed daily help to get even the simplest things accomplished and it was going to take a lot more therapy and effort on her part to get her life back, but she was trying.
Friday night, after what my dad thought was a delicious dinner, mom complained of not feeling well. By 10:00pm she was throwing up and at 11:00 dad called an ambulance to take her back into the hospital. He stayed with her all night, but by 6:00pm Saturday the doctors still weren't able to figure out what the problem was. They sent dad home to get some sleep while they continued to run tests on mom. At 2:00am on Sunday they called dad to say mom's blood pressure had dropped to a critical level and they had moved her into ICU. He rushed down to the hospital but by the time he got there, she was gone, her heart had stopped and we were all left in shock.
The Jewish tradition forbids an autopsy and knowing why mom died was not going to bring her back. We all rallied around and flew into the city within 5 hours of getting a call from dad. The funeral was organized and by Monday mom was laid to rest and we started to sit shivah (a week long period of mourning). Shivah is over Sunday morning and life resumes with out Libby, but only in the physical. We remain to carry on her memory and legacy, hoping to make her proud of what her life created.
xox
m
mom has died and we are sitting shivah.
My mother fought a long and hard battle, starting almost 30 years ago when she developed MS symptoms that just kept getting worse. In the last few years she was crippled up with the disease, needing a walker and scooter to get around. My mom had to give up tennis, golf, tai chi, walking and many other of her favorite activities. Cooking became a chore, she had to become left handed as her right hand dexterity gave out and even needlepointing eventually became too difficult. That didn't stop her from travelling around on her scooter to do food shopping or get to the library. Mom worked very hard to try and have a 'normal' life and some days it wasn't easy.
Then the accident happened. Three months ago she was hit by a car while trying to cross the road at a crosswalk in Florida. That, in turn, took her life struggle to new levels. Mom fought back from 5 surgeries, was in the hospital for three months and finally was able to come home two weeks ago. She still needed daily help to get even the simplest things accomplished and it was going to take a lot more therapy and effort on her part to get her life back, but she was trying.
Friday night, after what my dad thought was a delicious dinner, mom complained of not feeling well. By 10:00pm she was throwing up and at 11:00 dad called an ambulance to take her back into the hospital. He stayed with her all night, but by 6:00pm Saturday the doctors still weren't able to figure out what the problem was. They sent dad home to get some sleep while they continued to run tests on mom. At 2:00am on Sunday they called dad to say mom's blood pressure had dropped to a critical level and they had moved her into ICU. He rushed down to the hospital but by the time he got there, she was gone, her heart had stopped and we were all left in shock.
The Jewish tradition forbids an autopsy and knowing why mom died was not going to bring her back. We all rallied around and flew into the city within 5 hours of getting a call from dad. The funeral was organized and by Monday mom was laid to rest and we started to sit shivah (a week long period of mourning). Shivah is over Sunday morning and life resumes with out Libby, but only in the physical. We remain to carry on her memory and legacy, hoping to make her proud of what her life created.
xox
m
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