HOW SAD I AM ( AS OPPOSED TO HER HIT, "HOW GLAD I AM"
In 1964, Nancy Wilson released her first main stream jazz album that got world-wide attention. I went insane over it. I have always loved great singers, and I particularly like jazz and R&B.
I was a lucky kid, because my father was a successful entertainment lawyer and he had access to everything. Ever since I was a child, he would take me to see any artist I adored. My first concert was Dick Clark's Caravan at the Hollywood Bowl. I was there because I loved Bobby Darin. My father would take me to Shelly's Manne Hole in an alley in Hollywood to see the top jazz people like Shelly, Ray Brown, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Irene Kral, Anita O'Day, and Ruth Price. He took me to the Coconut Grove and Greek Theatre to see Johnny Mathis.
In 1965, my father was going to the black-tie Directors Guild Awards and he found out Nancy Wilson was going to entertain. As a surprise, he arranged to pick me up in the afternoon and we went right to the Beverly Hilton (I think.) He set it up for me to meet Nancy and see her rehearsal. Nancy was so hot at the time, that Hedda Hopper showed up, too.
I met Nancy and we really hit it off. So there I sat--my father, Hedda Hopper and me, and the tech crew. I saw Nancy's whole show at the dress rehearsal. I went insane.
A short time later, he took me to the Coconut Grove where she was performing. I marched into her dressing room and she remembered "the kid."
Nancy was so kind to me, and through the years I continued to march into her dressing rooms. By this time I was driving!
She was beautiful, gracious, highly intelligent; had a fantastic sense of humor, an extraordinary artist, and a real lady.
Thank you, Nancy, for being my friend. I will miss you greatly.
No comments:
Post a Comment