FOR DECADES NOW I’VE BEEN FORTUNATE WHEN IT COMES TO SEEING AND HEARING SOME OF THE GREATS PLAY LIVE AND TO BE THERE TO WITNESS IT. I WAS IN THE AUDIENCE AT THE NEW JERSEY MEADOWLANDS WHEN STEVE LAWRENCE AND EYDIE GORME HAD TO HOLD ONTO AND HELP SINATRA ONSTAGE FOR HIS 75TH BIRTHDAY. I WAS SO GRATEFUL JUST TO BE IN THE AUDIENCE AND HEAR HIM AT THAT STAGE OF HIS LIFE AND WATCH ALL HIS FANS, FANS FOR WHOM HE WAS THEIR ELVIS OR BEATLES. I SAW AND MET NELSON MANDELA TOO (OKAY, NOT A MUSICIAN BUT IN HIS OWN CATEGORY!) WHO CAME TO A TRIBUTE CONCERT IN HIS HONOR AT WEMBLEY STADIUM IN LONDON AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON ON ROBBEN ISLAND AFTER 27 YEARS. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE CROWD, I SOBBED AND COULDN’T BELIEVE MY EYES WATCHING HIM SURROUNDED BY ROCK STARS ALL TREMBLING IN HIS PRESENCE.
I’VE BEEN MOVED TO TEARS IN CONCERTS MORE TIMES THAN I RECALL AS AN AUDIENCE MEMBER JUST STARING UP AT BONO, CLAPTON, MARVIN GAYE OR HENDRIX FOR THAT MATTER, REALLY.
BUT THIS ENTIRE STORY I’M ABOUT TO SHARE, THE UNLIKELY IF NOT PREPOSTEROUS TALE OF SIXTO RODRIGUEZ AND HIS Continue reading
RONA ELLIOT 