I have to admit that I did not watch the Emmy Awards last night. After all, they aired against both Leverage and Mad Men. From what I read in the news today, however, it seems to me there were a few upsets last night (and not I am not talking about Top Chef, whatever that it is...).
No, what I am talking about is the Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series. For the past three years 30 Rock has deservedly had a lock on the category. To me it seemed a sure thing that 30 Rock would win the Emmy for Best Comedy Award again this year. It turns out, however, that Modern Family won the award instead. Now that is a real upset. As to whether it bothers me that 30 Rock, my favourite comedy currently on the air, lost, it really does not. Okay, I do not believe that Modern Family is as well written or as well acted or as funny as 30 Rock. But then I must confess I do not watch Modern Family. From the clips I have seen, it does seem like it is a very funny, well written, and well acted show. It is not as if 30 Rock had lost to Three and a Half Men instead....
I was also surprised that Alec Baldwin did not win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in 30 Rock again this year. He lost to Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory. I must confess I like Big Bang Theory and Sheldon is easily my favourite character on the show. That having been said, I must question if he should be in this category. After all, in my mind the main character is Leonard, hence the show's lead actor is Johnny Galecki. I suppose that may be nitpicking and I must confess, it is good to see Mr. Parsons get recognised for his work.
Another upset in my mind was The Daily Show with Jon Stewart taking the Outstanding Music, Variety, or Comedy Series category. This might seem odd to some, given it has won the past six years in a row. That having been said, I thought this year The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien was a sure thing. After all, Conan O'Brien did a fantastic job on The Tonight Show, bring the show to a level of quality it had not been in, well, seventeen years. And it seemed to me that Academy of Television Arts and Sciences members would vote for Conan just as a means of sending a message to both NBC and Jay Leno. It turns out I was wrong. Of course, here I must again bring up the fact that The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson was snubbed. Not only should it have been nominated in this category. It should have won.
In my mind, the only set of categories in which there were no real surprises and no real upsets this year were the drama categories. Mad Men won Outstanding Drama Series, as expected. Bryan Cranston won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Breaking Bad, as expected. Erin Levy and Matt Weiner won Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, as expected. To me there were only a few categories in which one could quibble about the winners. Personally, I cannot understand how Archie Panjabi of The Good Wife best Elizabeth Moss, Peggy Olson of Mad Men, in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category. To me, Miss Moss is one of the best actors in a cast full of great actors. There's no other supporting actress quite as impressive in her talent as she is.
In the end I think last night's Emmy Awards was no different than most. In fact, it seems to me that every Emmy Awards is nearly a microcosm of the whole history of the awards. There are a few surprises, where starkly original series win. There are times when the awards are predictable. And there are times when those who do not deserve to win somehow do win. This was true of last night and it has been true of the whole history of the awards.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
TV Writer Jackson Gillis Passes On
Jackson Gillis, a television writer who wrote for shows ranging from The Adventures of Superman to The Man From U.N.C.L.E. to Columbo to Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in a career that spanned four decades, passed on August 19, 2010 at the age of 93.
Jackson Gillis on August 21, 1916 in Kalama, Washington. When he was a teenager, Mr. Gillis's family moved to California. He attended Fresno University and Stanford University, from which he graduated. Following graduation he went into acting. He worked in Britain as well as the Barter Theatre in Virginia. During World War II he served as a U.S. Army Intelligence officer in the Pacific Theatre. After he was demobilised, he and his wife moved to Los Angeles where he took up writing for radio shows. He wrote on such programmes as The Whistler, Let George Do It, Jeff Regan Investigator, and others.
It was in 1952 that he began his long career in television, writing an episode of Racket Squad. He would write several episodes of I'm the Law and The Adventures of Superman. He also wrote several episodes of The Mickey Mouse Club serials "Spin and Marty" and "The Hardy Boys" From 1954 to 1960 he also wrote many episodes of Lassie. During the Fifties Mr. Gillis also wrote episodes of Passport to Danger, The Millionaire, Zorro, Sugarfoot, and Bronco.
In 1959 Jackson Gillis would begin writing for Perry Mason. He served as the show's script consultant from 1959 to 1960 and as a producer from 1961 to 1965. In all Mr. Gillis would write twenty four episodes of the show, making him one of its most significant contributors. In the Sixties he would write for such shows as The Fugitive, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, Tarzan, I Spy, Lost in Space, Mannix, Bonanza, Ironside, and Land of the Giants.
In 1971 Mr. Gillis began writing for Columbo. Beginning in 1972 he served as the show's executive story consultant. In all he would write eleven episodes of the show. He also served as a story consultant on the show Petrocelli, although curiously he wrote no episodes. He was executive consultant on the show The Chisholms in 1980, for which he also wrote no episodes. Throughout the Seventies he wrote for such shows as Hawaii Five-O, Cade's County, O'Hara Treasury, Mission: Impossible. Longstreet, The F. B. I., Barnaby Jones, The Snoop Sisters, Cannon, Wonder Woman, and Paris.
In the Eighties and Nineties Jackson Gillis wrote on such series as Code Red, Knight Rider, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Jackson Gillis's career reads like a history of the first four decades of television. Indeed, one of the first shows he for which he wrote was The Adventures of Superman and the last was Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He was there at the beginning when many action-adventure series and dramas were only a half hour in length. He was there in the early days when juvenile shows such as Lassie and The Adventures of Superman aired in prime time. He worked in the Sixties when spy shows were the craze, and in the Seventies when detectives reigned supreme. He wrote in nearly every dramatic genre that existed in television, from detective shows to spy shows to science fiction shows. Much of the reason Mr. Gillis had such a long career was that he was extremely versatile and adaptable. While his most common plots fit episodic television perfectly--plots which began with danger that only grows as the episodes progressed, resolved in the end when the hero finally took out the villain--he was able to adapt those plots to the times. For the juvenile shows of the Fifties, from Lassie to the serials on The Mickey Mouse Club, he wrote dialogue that was not so different from that he wrote for radio, somewhat cliche but never simplistic. For the spy shows of the Sixties he wrote the sophisticated patter typical of the genre.
Unlike many television writers, Jackson Gillis never created his own show. He was a producer on only one and a story consultant on a few others. This was perhaps natural, as he was not part of the television establishment, but a freelance writer selling his wares. Yet he had an enormous impact in shaping the last few seasons of Perry Mason, as well in shaping the character of Columbo from the earliest days of Columbo. He only won one Emmy and was nominated for only one other, both for episodes of Columbo. Still, there can be no doubt he was a very good writer. He wrote some of the best episodes of Perry Mason, Columbo, The Wild Wild West, and several other shows. Indeed, Jackson Gillis was both prolific and a man who did quality work. That explains how he had a career which lasted much longer than the average television writer.
Jackson Gillis on August 21, 1916 in Kalama, Washington. When he was a teenager, Mr. Gillis's family moved to California. He attended Fresno University and Stanford University, from which he graduated. Following graduation he went into acting. He worked in Britain as well as the Barter Theatre in Virginia. During World War II he served as a U.S. Army Intelligence officer in the Pacific Theatre. After he was demobilised, he and his wife moved to Los Angeles where he took up writing for radio shows. He wrote on such programmes as The Whistler, Let George Do It, Jeff Regan Investigator, and others.
It was in 1952 that he began his long career in television, writing an episode of Racket Squad. He would write several episodes of I'm the Law and The Adventures of Superman. He also wrote several episodes of The Mickey Mouse Club serials "Spin and Marty" and "The Hardy Boys" From 1954 to 1960 he also wrote many episodes of Lassie. During the Fifties Mr. Gillis also wrote episodes of Passport to Danger, The Millionaire, Zorro, Sugarfoot, and Bronco.
In 1959 Jackson Gillis would begin writing for Perry Mason. He served as the show's script consultant from 1959 to 1960 and as a producer from 1961 to 1965. In all Mr. Gillis would write twenty four episodes of the show, making him one of its most significant contributors. In the Sixties he would write for such shows as The Fugitive, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, Tarzan, I Spy, Lost in Space, Mannix, Bonanza, Ironside, and Land of the Giants.
In 1971 Mr. Gillis began writing for Columbo. Beginning in 1972 he served as the show's executive story consultant. In all he would write eleven episodes of the show. He also served as a story consultant on the show Petrocelli, although curiously he wrote no episodes. He was executive consultant on the show The Chisholms in 1980, for which he also wrote no episodes. Throughout the Seventies he wrote for such shows as Hawaii Five-O, Cade's County, O'Hara Treasury, Mission: Impossible. Longstreet, The F. B. I., Barnaby Jones, The Snoop Sisters, Cannon, Wonder Woman, and Paris.
In the Eighties and Nineties Jackson Gillis wrote on such series as Code Red, Knight Rider, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Jackson Gillis's career reads like a history of the first four decades of television. Indeed, one of the first shows he for which he wrote was The Adventures of Superman and the last was Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He was there at the beginning when many action-adventure series and dramas were only a half hour in length. He was there in the early days when juvenile shows such as Lassie and The Adventures of Superman aired in prime time. He worked in the Sixties when spy shows were the craze, and in the Seventies when detectives reigned supreme. He wrote in nearly every dramatic genre that existed in television, from detective shows to spy shows to science fiction shows. Much of the reason Mr. Gillis had such a long career was that he was extremely versatile and adaptable. While his most common plots fit episodic television perfectly--plots which began with danger that only grows as the episodes progressed, resolved in the end when the hero finally took out the villain--he was able to adapt those plots to the times. For the juvenile shows of the Fifties, from Lassie to the serials on The Mickey Mouse Club, he wrote dialogue that was not so different from that he wrote for radio, somewhat cliche but never simplistic. For the spy shows of the Sixties he wrote the sophisticated patter typical of the genre.
Unlike many television writers, Jackson Gillis never created his own show. He was a producer on only one and a story consultant on a few others. This was perhaps natural, as he was not part of the television establishment, but a freelance writer selling his wares. Yet he had an enormous impact in shaping the last few seasons of Perry Mason, as well in shaping the character of Columbo from the earliest days of Columbo. He only won one Emmy and was nominated for only one other, both for episodes of Columbo. Still, there can be no doubt he was a very good writer. He wrote some of the best episodes of Perry Mason, Columbo, The Wild Wild West, and several other shows. Indeed, Jackson Gillis was both prolific and a man who did quality work. That explains how he had a career which lasted much longer than the average television writer.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Actress Gloria Winters Passes On
Gloria Winters, who played Penny King on the series Sky King, passed on August 14. She was in her late seventies. The cause was complications from pneumonia.Gloria Winters was born on November 28 in either 1931 or 1932 (sources do not agree on the year) in Los Angeles, California. She was raised in San Fernando Valley until her family moved to Hollywood. She made her film debut in 1947 in an uncredited role in the movie Driftwood.
Miss Winters would appear in uncredited roles in the movies Luxury Liner (1948) and El Pas (1949) before being cast as Riley's daughter Babs in the first television version of the popular radio show The Life of Riley. Starring Jackie Gleason, this version of The Life of Riley lasted from 1949 to 1950. She made guest appearances on such shows as The Gene Autry Show, The Lone Ranger, The Range Rider, Racket Squad, Death Valley Days, Studio 57, Richard Diamond Private Detective, Frontier Doctor, and The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. She also appeared in the films Hot Rod (1950), Gambling House (1951), Hold That Line (1952), and Geraldine (1953).
In 1952 she was cast in the role of Penny King, the niece of rancher and Schuyler "Sky" King on the series Sky King. Essentially a modern day Western, Sky King often found his skills as a pilot called up on by friend Mitch, the local sheriff. Unlike many female characters on Fifties TV Shows, Penny could handle herself in nearly any situation and handle an aeroplane nearly as well as her uncle Sky, all the while remaining wholesome and sweet. The series ran from 1952 to 1960, and ran in syndication into the Seventies.
Following Sky King Miss Winters retired from show business. In 1963 she wrote a book on etiquette for girls entitled Penny's Guide to Teen-Age Charm and Popularity. It would be parodied in the song "Popular" by Nada Surf in 1996.
When I was a very young child KOMU showed reruns of Sky King. Naturally, Penny King was then among my earliest crushes. She was perky, petite, pretty, and blonde, and she could do nearly anything her uncle Sky could. Gloria Winters made Penny King seem very realistic, acting in a naturalistic style much as fellow star Kirby Grant (who played Sky King) utilised. Between their performances and writing which emphasised realistic, if simplistic storylines, Sky King was then a good deal better than the average children's show of the Fifties. Much of the reason that the show was a success is no doubt due to Gloria Winters, who not only brought charm to the character of Penny, but made her seem real as well.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Facebook Screws Up Again
I have come to the conclusion that Facebook must want to drive every single one of its users away. The past two years they have consistently made changes to the site which are unpopular with many, if not most, of their users. In 2008 they rolled out a new design of Facebook which seemed to be universally hated. Despite many protests, they never gave users back the old design which they preferred. It was only a few months later that they changed the design again, once more causing anger amongst its users.Now it seems that they are at it again. Facebook's current plan is to do away with profile boxes. To say a lot of users are unhappy with Facebook once again is putting it lightly.
For those of you who don't know what a profile box is, a profile box is a small box for an application which one can add to his or her profile. An example of a popular profile box is the one for the Doorbell application, an application which lets people know they've visited your profile by ringing your doorbell (essentially a image map of a doorbell). Profile boxes have been around since Facebook adopted their new design in 2008, and they have proved fairly popular with users. Beyond providing users with fast access to an application, they are also a means of personalising one's profile. They make one's profile unlike anyone else's.
Unfortunately, Facebook now wants to do way with profile boxes entirely. They claim that they want to "...improve the user experience and promote consistency across the site." That having been said, I fail to see how removing profile boxes will improve the users' experience on the site, as in one foul swoop it will make it more difficult to access one's favourite applications, not to mention cause one's once personalised profile to look like everyone else's. I will grant that it will promote consistency across the site, but I fail to see how consistency on a social networking site is even desirable. Much of the whole point of a social networking site is to be able to express oneself, to be able to display one's personality. Because each person is unique, it should not even be desirable for profiles to be consistent.
It then seems to me that either Facebook is horribly out of touch with their users (which seems quite possible with their track record of making unpopular changes to the site) or they have ulterior motives which they are not telling users. At the very least, removing profile boxes seems about as popular as the new design was and the further changes they made a few months later. All of these changes were unwanted by users, all the while Facebook seemingly ignored user's pleas for changing back to the old Facebook or doing away with unpopular changes. In some respects Facebook's attitude to its users reminds me of a stalker who simply will not take, "No," for an answer. No matter how preposterously aggressive or disagreeable his behaviour is, he goes on thinking, "I'll make her love me." Quite simply, Facebook insists on making changes that no one wants or no one needs. Rather than improving the user's experience, they have consistently made it worse.
While so far none of the unpopular changes made by Facebook has driven away its users, I suspect it will only be a matter of time before they will. There are those who attribute the decline of MySpace to the thought that it was simply a "fad." Personally, I do not think that is why MySpace started losing users. I think it is more because MySpace made change after change after change until the site was no longer usable. MySpace's decline should be a warning to Facebook to try to please its users rather than making unpopular changes.
Indeed, I can think of many things they could do away with on Facebook that would improve my experience of the site. Among these would be the ability to edit bookmarks, basically links to applications or Facebook features such as photos or groups. Among these bookmarks are ones for an applications page and one for a games page, neither of which are particularly useful. Unfortunately, they are the two bookmarks one cannot remove. Another improvement Facebook could make that would please me would be to set the news feed so it shows the most recent posts first rather than so called "top news." Of course, since I would actually like those changes, I can guarantee Facebook will never make them.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Facebook ranks in the bottom percent of all indexed companies in the private sector. Only airlines and cable companies rank as low. The reasons for customer dissatisfaction with Facebook? According to Larry Freed, CEO of ForeSee Results, the company which conducts the American Customer Satisfaction Index, it comes down to "frequent changes to the site," "advertising intruding on customer satisfaction," and "privacy concerns." Given that these results were just released last month, Facebook had best take notice of them. They could start with keeping the profile boxes. If not, they might find themselves in the same boat as MySpace next year.
For those of you who don't know what a profile box is, a profile box is a small box for an application which one can add to his or her profile. An example of a popular profile box is the one for the Doorbell application, an application which lets people know they've visited your profile by ringing your doorbell (essentially a image map of a doorbell). Profile boxes have been around since Facebook adopted their new design in 2008, and they have proved fairly popular with users. Beyond providing users with fast access to an application, they are also a means of personalising one's profile. They make one's profile unlike anyone else's.
Unfortunately, Facebook now wants to do way with profile boxes entirely. They claim that they want to "...improve the user experience and promote consistency across the site." That having been said, I fail to see how removing profile boxes will improve the users' experience on the site, as in one foul swoop it will make it more difficult to access one's favourite applications, not to mention cause one's once personalised profile to look like everyone else's. I will grant that it will promote consistency across the site, but I fail to see how consistency on a social networking site is even desirable. Much of the whole point of a social networking site is to be able to express oneself, to be able to display one's personality. Because each person is unique, it should not even be desirable for profiles to be consistent.
It then seems to me that either Facebook is horribly out of touch with their users (which seems quite possible with their track record of making unpopular changes to the site) or they have ulterior motives which they are not telling users. At the very least, removing profile boxes seems about as popular as the new design was and the further changes they made a few months later. All of these changes were unwanted by users, all the while Facebook seemingly ignored user's pleas for changing back to the old Facebook or doing away with unpopular changes. In some respects Facebook's attitude to its users reminds me of a stalker who simply will not take, "No," for an answer. No matter how preposterously aggressive or disagreeable his behaviour is, he goes on thinking, "I'll make her love me." Quite simply, Facebook insists on making changes that no one wants or no one needs. Rather than improving the user's experience, they have consistently made it worse.
While so far none of the unpopular changes made by Facebook has driven away its users, I suspect it will only be a matter of time before they will. There are those who attribute the decline of MySpace to the thought that it was simply a "fad." Personally, I do not think that is why MySpace started losing users. I think it is more because MySpace made change after change after change until the site was no longer usable. MySpace's decline should be a warning to Facebook to try to please its users rather than making unpopular changes.
Indeed, I can think of many things they could do away with on Facebook that would improve my experience of the site. Among these would be the ability to edit bookmarks, basically links to applications or Facebook features such as photos or groups. Among these bookmarks are ones for an applications page and one for a games page, neither of which are particularly useful. Unfortunately, they are the two bookmarks one cannot remove. Another improvement Facebook could make that would please me would be to set the news feed so it shows the most recent posts first rather than so called "top news." Of course, since I would actually like those changes, I can guarantee Facebook will never make them.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Facebook ranks in the bottom percent of all indexed companies in the private sector. Only airlines and cable companies rank as low. The reasons for customer dissatisfaction with Facebook? According to Larry Freed, CEO of ForeSee Results, the company which conducts the American Customer Satisfaction Index, it comes down to "frequent changes to the site," "advertising intruding on customer satisfaction," and "privacy concerns." Given that these results were just released last month, Facebook had best take notice of them. They could start with keeping the profile boxes. If not, they might find themselves in the same boat as MySpace next year.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Songwriter George David Weiss R.I.P.
George David Weiss, who wrote such songs as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "Can't Help Falling in Love with You," passed on August 23 at the age of 89.
George David Weiss was born on April 9, 1921 in New York City. He attended the Julliard School of Music. After graduation he worked as an arranger for such big bands as those of Johnny Richards and Vincent Lopez. He was drafted during World War II, serving as band leader for Fort DuPont in Delaware. Following World War II Mr. Weiss established himself as a songwriter. In 1947 he contributed the song "Fun and Fancy Free" to the film of the same name. In 1948 he contributed the song "Melody Time" to the movie of the same name. He would work frequently on Broadway as a composer, working on the musicals Mr. Wonderful (1957), First Impressions (1959), and Maggie Flynn (1968). He contributed the song "Send Me No Flower" to the play of the same name (1960--not to be confused with the Doris Day-Rock Hudson film of the same name).
Over the years George David Weiss would write several classic songs, including "The Lion Sleeps Tonight (based on a Zulu song from the 1930's)," "What a Wonderful World," "Can't Help Falling in Love," ''Snoopy and the Red Baron's Christmas," and "Oh, What It Seemed to Be."
George David Weiss was born on April 9, 1921 in New York City. He attended the Julliard School of Music. After graduation he worked as an arranger for such big bands as those of Johnny Richards and Vincent Lopez. He was drafted during World War II, serving as band leader for Fort DuPont in Delaware. Following World War II Mr. Weiss established himself as a songwriter. In 1947 he contributed the song "Fun and Fancy Free" to the film of the same name. In 1948 he contributed the song "Melody Time" to the movie of the same name. He would work frequently on Broadway as a composer, working on the musicals Mr. Wonderful (1957), First Impressions (1959), and Maggie Flynn (1968). He contributed the song "Send Me No Flower" to the play of the same name (1960--not to be confused with the Doris Day-Rock Hudson film of the same name).
Over the years George David Weiss would write several classic songs, including "The Lion Sleeps Tonight (based on a Zulu song from the 1930's)," "What a Wonderful World," "Can't Help Falling in Love," ''Snoopy and the Red Baron's Christmas," and "Oh, What It Seemed to Be."
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Michael Been of The Call Passes On
Michael Been, leader and founding member of The Call, passed on August 19 at the age of 60. The cause was a heart attack.
Michael Been was born on March 17, 1950 in Oklahoma City. He started playing guitar as a child. By age 7 he was performing at county fairs and on a local TV show called Big Red Shindig. His family eventually moved to Chicago. While still in Chicago he was a member of the band Aorta. Betwen 1969 and 1971 he was a member of Lovecraft, the final incarnation of psychedelic band H. P. Lovecraft. In1980 he formed The Call with Scott Musick (also originally from Oklahoma), and Tom Ferrier. Signed to a recording contract, The Call released their first album in 1982. Between 1982 and 2000 they released seven studio albums, one greatest hits album, and one live album. Meeting with little success initially, The Call had a hit with the album Let the Day Begin in 1989 and the song of the same title.
In the late Eighties Mr. Been toured with actor Harry Dean Stanton, whom he had met on the set of The Last Temptation of Christ. In 1992 he composed music for Paul Schrader's film Light Sleeper. In 1994 he released a solo album, On the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough. Michael Been also appeared in the film The Last Temptation of Christ as the apostle John.
Michael Been was certainly a talented singer and songwriter. Indeed, even though The Call was formed in California, to me their songs sounded more like the Old West. They had more to do with the mountains of Colorado and the plains of Oklahoma than beaches and sun drenched highways. Quite simply, as a singer and songwriter, Michael Been was the musical equivalent of John Ford, right down to a nearly spiritual, metaphysical element to all of his work. Michael Been and The Call were then unique. There was no other singer or songwriter like him.
Michael Been was born on March 17, 1950 in Oklahoma City. He started playing guitar as a child. By age 7 he was performing at county fairs and on a local TV show called Big Red Shindig. His family eventually moved to Chicago. While still in Chicago he was a member of the band Aorta. Betwen 1969 and 1971 he was a member of Lovecraft, the final incarnation of psychedelic band H. P. Lovecraft. In1980 he formed The Call with Scott Musick (also originally from Oklahoma), and Tom Ferrier. Signed to a recording contract, The Call released their first album in 1982. Between 1982 and 2000 they released seven studio albums, one greatest hits album, and one live album. Meeting with little success initially, The Call had a hit with the album Let the Day Begin in 1989 and the song of the same title.
In the late Eighties Mr. Been toured with actor Harry Dean Stanton, whom he had met on the set of The Last Temptation of Christ. In 1992 he composed music for Paul Schrader's film Light Sleeper. In 1994 he released a solo album, On the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough. Michael Been also appeared in the film The Last Temptation of Christ as the apostle John.
Michael Been was certainly a talented singer and songwriter. Indeed, even though The Call was formed in California, to me their songs sounded more like the Old West. They had more to do with the mountains of Colorado and the plains of Oklahoma than beaches and sun drenched highways. Quite simply, as a singer and songwriter, Michael Been was the musical equivalent of John Ford, right down to a nearly spiritual, metaphysical element to all of his work. Michael Been and The Call were then unique. There was no other singer or songwriter like him.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Musician Kenny Edwards R.I.P.
Kenny Edwards, a founding member of The Stone Poneys, passed on August 18, 2010 at age 64. The causes were cancer and a blood disorder.
Kenny Edwards was born on February 10, 1946 in Santa Monica, California. He grew up in Mar Vista and attended Venice High School. He took to guitar early, having all night guitar sessions with his father. In 1965 he and Bobby Kimmel formed The Stone Poneys. It was Mr. Kimmel, a native of Tuscon, who told Mr. Edwards of singer Linda Rondstadt, who became lead vocalist for the group. The Stone Poneys soon became big on the Los Angeles club circuit. They were signed to Capitol Records in 1966. In 1967 they had a hit with "Different Drum," a song written by Mike Nesmith before he became one of The Monkees and recorded by The Greenbriar Boys. Mike Nesmith performed a comedy version of the song in the Monkees episode "Too Many Girls," which aired about nine months before The Stone Poneys version. The Stone Poneys' version went to #13 on the Billboard charts.
Unfortunately, having a hit record would create additional stress for the band, and The Stone Poneys went through various incarnations before breaking up in 1969. Kenny Edwards would then form the band Bryndle. Unfortunately Bryndle would see little success. Signed to A&M Records in 1970, the band released the single "Woke Up in the Morning, " but were never able to complete their debut album. The band eventually broke up.
Kenny Edwards would then go onto perform and write for several musicians. He worked frequently with Stone Poneys band mate Linda Rondstadt, appearing on eight of her albums. He also worked frequently with Bryndle band mate Karla Bonoff, appearing on four of her albums. Over the years he would work with Warren Zevon, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, and Ringo Starr. Bryndle reunited in 1995 and toured the United States. They issued their debut album that year and released a second album in 2001. In 2000 Mr. Edwards launched a solo career. He released his self titled solo debut in 2002 and a follow up, Resurrection Road in 2009.
Kenny Edwards was born on February 10, 1946 in Santa Monica, California. He grew up in Mar Vista and attended Venice High School. He took to guitar early, having all night guitar sessions with his father. In 1965 he and Bobby Kimmel formed The Stone Poneys. It was Mr. Kimmel, a native of Tuscon, who told Mr. Edwards of singer Linda Rondstadt, who became lead vocalist for the group. The Stone Poneys soon became big on the Los Angeles club circuit. They were signed to Capitol Records in 1966. In 1967 they had a hit with "Different Drum," a song written by Mike Nesmith before he became one of The Monkees and recorded by The Greenbriar Boys. Mike Nesmith performed a comedy version of the song in the Monkees episode "Too Many Girls," which aired about nine months before The Stone Poneys version. The Stone Poneys' version went to #13 on the Billboard charts.
Unfortunately, having a hit record would create additional stress for the band, and The Stone Poneys went through various incarnations before breaking up in 1969. Kenny Edwards would then form the band Bryndle. Unfortunately Bryndle would see little success. Signed to A&M Records in 1970, the band released the single "Woke Up in the Morning, " but were never able to complete their debut album. The band eventually broke up.
Kenny Edwards would then go onto perform and write for several musicians. He worked frequently with Stone Poneys band mate Linda Rondstadt, appearing on eight of her albums. He also worked frequently with Bryndle band mate Karla Bonoff, appearing on four of her albums. Over the years he would work with Warren Zevon, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, and Ringo Starr. Bryndle reunited in 1995 and toured the United States. They issued their debut album that year and released a second album in 2001. In 2000 Mr. Edwards launched a solo career. He released his self titled solo debut in 2002 and a follow up, Resurrection Road in 2009.
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