COVID CHRONICLES Day 10
Happy Birthday Eric Clapton! And others…
Monday, March 30
Today is the anniversary of the birth of a “who’s who” of creative minds and talents. A highly subjective Top 11, in reverse chronological order (with honorable mention to Celine Dion, Paul Reiser, M.C. Hammer and others).
11. Norah Jones (1979), American Singer/Pianist — First time I heard her I imagined a late-twenties, early thirties black woman.
10. Secretariat (1970), American thoroughbred racehorse — So it’s a horse. Fight me.
9. Tracy Chapman (1964), American singer/songwriter — Her first album is part of the soundtrack of my life during that period.
8. Robbie Coltrane (1950), Scottish actor and comedian — Who doesn’t love Hagrid?
7. Eric Clapton (1945) **, English singer/songwriter and guitarist — I was turned on to “G0d on a guitar” by a cook on the organic farm where I spent the summer between 8th and 9th grade (a story for another time) when he introduced me to Layla and Other Love Songs.
6. Warren Beatty (1937), American actor/director — Attended Northwestern, my alma mater.
5. John Lee a.k.a. Sonny Boy Williamson (1914), American blues musician— A legend.
4. John Astin (1930), American actor — Gomez Addams alone gives him the nod over some others.
3. Vincent Van Gogh (1853), Dutch painter — I know, right?
2. Francisco Jose de Goya (1746), Spanish painter/etcher — Transitional figure between the Old Masters and moderns.
1. Maimonedes (1135), Spanish philosopher — Only arguably the greatest Torah scholar ever.
On an ENTIRELY different level, but to make it an even dozen, I humbly and proudly submit as 8a: Edwin Frank Hausser III, a.k.a. Wynn Hausser, born Easter Monday, 1959 at 3:30am. Legacy still being written.
**NOTE: Since this was written I’ve been forced to drop my affection for Clapton after learning of his anti-vax and racist statements.
