RIP Whitney Houston

[Spook]

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“The morning of the Grammys, the world should pause and pray for the memory of a gifted songbird,†Rev. Al Sharpton said.

This yo-yo wants a world day of prayer for her. Haven't heard him ask for prayers for any brave service members who fell while keeping his fat a$$ safe and free.

[NRA]

Houston we have a drug problem

[Handsome Rob]

Well, it worked for Elvis's record sales..........

[Oh Shoot]

Give her this, perhaps one of the best National Anthem renditions ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE

Little factoid: she was actually singing, but into a dead mike, while her prerecorded version went over the PA. Was sort of lip syncing and sort of not.

Edited February 13, 2012 by OhShoot

[Guest mustangdave]

Maybe her death will wake up some of the others that are on the same road she has been on.

I kinda DOUBT it...

[G27]

RIP Whitney, she was supremely talented. Sad her demons got the best of her...

[plank white]

[Garufa]

[Rightwinger]

Plus One Garufa

[kieefer]

Really sad of where the country's priorities are isn't it.

Anyway...

[Fivestring63]

I was playing some good old Bluegrass with some old timers when I heard this and I told them what happened.

They asked who is that? They were serious too.

[et45]

another dead crack head,

[MiddTennTaco]

Give her this, perhaps one of the best National Anthem renditions ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE

Little factoid: she was actually singing, but into a dead mike, while her prerecorded version went over the PA. Was sort of lip syncing and sort of not.

And then theres the worst rendition... Helps to remember the words. Still the best Super Bowl ever, though. GO PACK!

Edited February 16, 2012 by w0lfattack

[NRA]

+2

[ls3_kid]

I really lost sleep over this one.

[hipower]

I really lost sleep over this one.

Harsh, brother, Harsh. But seriously, I mourn the lose of a life in such a wasteful fashion. It seems that for material success, fame, and wealth in the entertainment industry, this is a fairly common, almost predictable outcome. We've come to idolize these "celebrities" to the point of insanity. It almost gives them, at least some of them anyway, a false sense of who they are; almost to the point of indestructibility.

I personally was not fond of her singing or acting, but that's my choice, not a criticism.

And finally, as with Garufa and others, I lament the fact that her death will garner world-wide attention for the mere fact that she could sing well, when the loss of our servicemen and women goes almost unnoticed.

[Guest bkelm18]

Harsh, brother, Harsh. But seriously, I mourn the lose of a life in such a wasteful fashion. It seems that for material success, fame, and wealth in the entertainment industry, this is a fairly common, almost predictable outcome. We've come to idolize these "celebrities" to the point of insanity. It almost gives them, at least some of them anyway, a false sense of who they are; almost to the point of indestructibility.

I personally was not fond of her singing or acting, but that's my choice, not a criticism.

And finally, as with Garufa and others, I lament the fact that her death will garner world-wide attention for the mere fact that she could sing well, when the loss of our servicemen and women goes almost unnoticed.

She chose her fate. I won't lose any sleep over it either. She did give a good rendition of the anthem, but that's the only thing I'll give her.

[Raoul]

Doo Doo occurs. We all make our own choices and decide our destinies. The strong survive and the weak OD. Cruel but true.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

It is scant cause for celebration when anyone dies, though everyone must eventually do it. People should be free to make thier own decisions and live (or die) by the consequences. It is not my place to judge ofther folks behavior. People were not put on the world to do what I expect them to do. Whitney is the only person qualified to judge Whitney's decisions and actions..

I recognize her talent though I don't dig that kind of music. There are many talented people who don't rattle my cage. Just because I might not like it, oesn't mean they don't have talent. Whitney certainly had plenty of fans who dug it.

Regarding people who die in fame vs anonymity, maybe people have the human tendency to pay more attention to people they like? Or in some cases pay more attention to deceased they hate?

Apologies drifting, and I don't mean to be disrespectful, but one thing striking was that Koko Taylor died in the same month as Michael Jackson. She was in the ballpark of 82 years old and performing regularly up to shortly before her death. I can also recognize MJ's talent, though I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to his music. In fact, If MJ came on I might go out of my way to change stations.

Of course MJ's death was wall-to-wall news for months on end. Perhaps Koko's demise was reported on Fox or CNN a single time at 3 AM or whatever, but I never saw the briefest mention. There is no accounting for taste and there is no good taste or bad taste. Koko got more years on the earth than average and there is no sense excessively mourning the inevitable, but Koko's passing was more notable to me than MJ, though that implies no disrespect to MJ or his fans. It was just strange that Koko got zero coverage, considering her relative uniqueness, when MJ coverage was wall-to-wall.

Strange thing-- Koko was "simple, only the blues" and maybe even a "one trick pony". On the other hand, over the years I've played piano for literally dozens of decent-enough vocalists. Really good singers, though not common, are certainly not rare.

Whitney Houston was a fine vocalist but I've accompanied at least a dozen female vocalists who may have not been in Whitney's ballpark, but on the other hand they could nail Whitney's hits "close enough for rock'n'roll". They could nail em plenty good enough to get up on stage and do it without embarrasing themselves.

On the other hand I've only worked with a couple of vocalists who POSSIBLY would have had a chance of nailing Koko Taylor without seriously embarrassing themselves. That didn't occur to me til today when I was searching for example clips. There are numerous wannabe young women covering Koko material on youtube, and IMO it is so pitiful it embarrasses me for them that the videos are in public for people to see, much less that they most likely butcher that material nightly on gigs and maybe their boyfriend tells em they are doing it great. The only Koko cover I saw on youtube that even comes close was Mavis Staples, and duh of course Mavis could do it. Aretha Franklin could do it too.

Just sayin, no disrespect to Whitney, but Koko was doing something "simple" for 50 years that hardly anybody else can copy without embarrassing themselves. Whitney is fairly easily copied "good enough". Lord, I hate to think about how many Whitney covers poor local musicians will be forced to play for the next few years. It was bad enough beforehand. If I had a penny for everytime I played Whitney's arrangement of "I Will Always Love You" so some gal could warble along... I hope it isn't as bad as the few years immediately after Elvis' death...

Here is Koko footage 1967--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxCa16-nxtM

Considerably later--

[Guest lostpass]

Doo Doo occurs. We all make our own choices and decide our destinies. The strong survive and the weak OD. Cruel but true.

I think you're a little confused about the definition of destiny. By definition it is something you can't control, cause, your destiny and all.

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

#2

Phil Bruns appeared on two seasons of "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," playing Mary's father on the soap-opera parody. He also spent three years with Jackie Gleason on his comedy-variety show in the mid-1960s.

Dies of natural causes, not an overdose like Whitney.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0116575/

One could say that Don Cornelius of Soul Train fame was #1, IIRC he passed a day or two before Whitney. I personally didnt care for the show but it was one of the longest running ones.

[Guest A10thunderbolt]

I think its not about who is more important, its about who most people know and recognize, to be honest I just listened to the Koko Taylor Music and I agree its unique, but I had no clue she existed, I have never heard of Phil Bruns either, but I knew Exactly who Whitney is. However I agree we should be focusing on the men who die for our freedoms before anything.The Media is about getting more listeners and viewers. (of course my Knowing who they were may be because I wasn't allowed to watch TV or listen to most radio until I was 16 and moved).

[daddyo]

This is a slap in the face of every one of our servicemen who have given the ultimate sacrifice:

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/02/15/mother-of-fallen-marine-offended-by-half-mast-flag-for-houston/

She disgraced herself and her family. Sorry, but Gov. Christie is flat out wrong on this one. How insulting.

[kieefer]

This is a slap in the face of every one of our servicemen who have given the ultimate sacrifice:

http://dfw.cbslocal....ag-for-houston/

She disgraced herself and her family. Sorry, but Gov. Christie is flat out wrong on this one. How insulting.

I believe Christie drops the flag for just about anybody including KIA but does it so much the meaning, as intended, is becoming meaningless, at least in his state.