While my wife talked to her parents on the phone, I jumped online to check my e-mail and saw that James Brown died early this morning. Celebrity deaths seldom trouble me--I don't think I was even upset when John Lennon was assassinated--but Brown's passing saddens me, even if he had reached the rather ripe old age of 73, considering his Keith Richard-like excesses.
I'm mostly sad for those who will only know him from Saturday Night Live and Mad TV skits and other imitations, from oldies radio stations, and from (grand)parents' record/CD collections, much like Elvis is for me and others from my generation or younger. They'll never truly know the dynamism, soul, and joy he brought to the world during his time on this earth.
I'm very happy, though, I did get to see him perform years ago in Knoxville. Maybe he wasn't up to his early 1960s exuberance, but he put on a hell of a dynamic show for a man in his sixties, or for a man of any age, for that matter. The concert was outside in the rain, but no one seemed to care, we were having so much fun.
So I now listen to my Brown CDs with a bit of poignancy but thankfulness, too. Here's hoping that future generations not only enjoy his artistry but also exhibit the good will and generosity to forgive future James Browns who early (or even late) in life get into a bit of trouble so that they may blossom and offer their gifts to the world.
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2 comments:
Celebrity deaths don't trouble you but you have been known to revel in them......Kurt Cobain, as an example.
Why, why, why!
Don't join that stupid club!
I didn't like Kurt Cobain until he died. Then I liked him a lot.
Celebrities seem to die more frequently all the time. I guess as our population increases, so will our deaths, but I think an increase in celebrity and our ages accounts for the perceived rate.
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