Sad news about Harry Belafonte last week. Not quite so sad (to me anyway) about Jerry Springer’s passing. As I was looking up Harry Belafonte, I also saw the Wee Willie Harris also died last week. I had never actually heard of Wee Willie, but he caught my eye because on the list he came up as “Wee Willie Harris, 90, English rock and roll star”. It was quite dismaying to think that a rock and roll star could be 90. That makes me feel SO old.
Wee Willie was born Charles Williams Harris and he was popular on British tv during the 50s. He was known as “Britain’s wild man of rock and roll”.
I found some fun clips. Here is one song I like.
This one is a fun visual of the man himself.
I can see why he got the wild man moniker!
Any other artists/musicians who seem to have been around forever?
Trail Baboon 
Willie Nelson is 90.
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Tommy Steele, need I say more? I was in love with that man when I was fifteen, and I still am. I’ve got a handful of songs to sing you…
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How did I miss him??
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You were born too late and on the wrong continent.
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Gordon Lightfoot died yesterday. A reminder that some of the legends of our era are teetering on the edge of extinction.
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The post above was mine, PJ.
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RIP, Gordon Lightfoot:
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Wow, thanks!
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There are many who have already slipped into extinction but a few I remember from my college days in the late ‘60s who are still, remarkably, performing— Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Simon.
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If you were listening to music in the 1970s, imagine someone who was performing in 1910 still on tour and recording. That’s what it would be like.
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If that idea doesn’t blow your mind, what will?
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groucho marx george burns victor borge
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Wait! Last I checked, all three of them are long dead.
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much jagger and keith richards
what were the odds
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I’m surprised The Rolling Stones are still at it. I mean Keith Richards??
All my teenage music idols have passed or don’t sing like they used too.
Pete Townshend is holding his own. Roger Daltry isn’t the same. Rush lost Neil Peart.
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Tony Bennett–although I doubt he’s doing much singing since his last special with Lady Gaga (which was fantastic, btw!) Dementia got him, so I expect he won’t live much longer. But he’ll always be my second favorite male singer after Sinatra. They don’t make ’em like that anymore.
Chris in Owatonna
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Mel Torme is my guy.
He always looks like he’s got a joke going. Love it.
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Went to see Mel Torme in Chicago back in the ’90s. Terrific show. Had close-up seats. The lighting was such that I remember seeing tiny droplets of spit fly out of his mouth as he sang.
Chris
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saw tony bennett in the 80s
those might have been his best years
saw duke and count and mink and mingus at a series at the guthrie early 70s just before they all left us
i wonder how dylan will come out of the pandemic
after performing steady since mid 80s i heard he wasn’t comfortable at home he liked the road but like when you get up from sitting too long your back hurts … sitting for 2+ years your whole body is rusty
hope he comes back cranked
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tim,
We might have been at the same Count Basie concert at the Guthrie back in the 70s. I thought it was the late 70s, but it’s been almost 50 freakin’ years. Who can keep track of every little thing? 😉
Chris
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You must have enjoyed JimEd’s Mel Lightener on TLGMS!
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Well, Joni Mitchell comes to mind! Doesn’t perform except rarely, but still..
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Here’s one of my favorites, lesser known:
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I was aiming for Morning Morgantown, but really – it’s quite an album!
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I love that album. It’s in the collection of albums now in tim’s possession.
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prized
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At first I thought the top photo was of Joe Cocker, who died in 2014.
Wee Willie is apparently England’s Jerry Lee Lewis! I wonder which of them influenced the other..
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Jerry Lee Lewis also recorded Wild One.
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Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow (RIP, Mary).
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Joan Baez and Cat Stevens are still hanging in there, too.
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Paul McCartney.
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Judy Collins.
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Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler are still hanging in there. A little younger, but still impressive, Bruce Springsteen.
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My teaching colleagues are dying rapidly, but we are at that age.
I am not a tracker of music performers, but Gordon Lightfoot I have followed through the years. Bill’s comment about 1910 to 70 is a stunner. Many of the huuuuuge stars I have lost interest in, but I struggle to find music to listen to. Sandy does not want to listen to music. Nancy Griffith and M C Carpenter are fine for me when I walk. Chants and choral music also are good for walking especially in the woods, if I get to do walk there again.
Clyde
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My daughter will be driving the Carefree Highway next week.
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And where is that, Clyde?
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It looks to be a stretch of Highway 74 in Arizona. Gordon Lightfoot sang about it.
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Yes, as Renee says. It was called that and it triggered the title of the song, one of hid bigger hits.
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look up vegAs and branson mo the see the oldie headliners
how about smokey robinson
i saw that arlo came out of retirement
heard donavan see o under the same but he didn’t have much in his prine
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Donavan reminds me of Yusef/Cat Stevens… (I think I discovered them about the same time).
And then there’s Dylan – is he still touring?
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Speaking of Dylan….
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=james+austin+johnson+bob+dylan
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Tom Waits, Neil Young, and John Sebastian are still around. Emmylou Harris. Linda Ronstadt, although she doesn’t sing anymore. Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Rod Stewart.
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Robert Plant too.
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