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Good God, why doesn't that man yodel and be done with it? - A woman in the audience commenting on Peetie Wheatstraw's signature "ooh, well well", recounted by Teddy Darby, quoted in Paul Garon's The Devil's Son-In-Law
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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. While I'm sorry to hear about Collings' passing (sorry to hear of anyone so close to me in age dying!) and glad to see that the Times sought fit to honor him with an obituary, I must bring up the fact that despite my and other people's best efforts, The Grey Lady, The Paper of Record, The New York Times, flat out refused to do an obit for Larry Johnson. So if you're a successful Luthier/entrepreneur you make the grade, but if you can actually play the shit out of the guitar like Larry could..OH Brother..get back, get back. get back.
It's hard to figure, Phil. While Bill Collins certainly deserves an obituary in the NYT, Larry deserved one even more, IMHO. Maybe it has to do with mainstream viability and the fact that some well known artists play Collins instruments, but I don't really know. But Larry was a major artist in my book, even though he might not have been as well known as Bill Collins.
It's hard to figure, Phil. While Bill Collins certainly deserves an obituary in the NYT, Larry deserved one even more, IMHO. Maybe it has to do with mainstream viability and the fact that some well known artists play Collins instruments, but I don't really know. But Larry was a major artist in my book, even though he might not have been as well known as Bill Collins. You're so right Stuart. I'm thinking I might take another crack at it. I would try to point out the obvious absurdity of hailing a luthier while disregarding a great player and also point out the unconscious racism at work in their choices. Phil: You could reference Brian Kramer's piece on Larry. And you can ask them why Bill Collins' life was worth and valued more than Larry Johnson's life.
alyoung
I suspect the issue with the NYT might not be racism, flawed judgment or any similar failing, but simply a question of timeliness. Bill Collings died only days before his obit appeared; I believe (and feel free to correct me if wrong) that Larry Johnson had been gone for some time before his death became public knowledge. And newspapers are reluctant to run "old news"; it's seen as making them look out of touch. (I'm not defending or justifying the NYT stance, simply offering an alternative option. But I suppose I should declare that I spent 50 years in the newspaper industry in various editorial positions.)
BTW, when NYT staff "flat out refused" to run the obit, what reason was given? The NYT has run obituaries months after a person has passed, so I don't think timeliness was the reason. Once Phil brought Larry's passing to their attention, I think it was simply a matter that no one at the NYT understood the significance of Larry's life within the context in which he lived--and in the greater context as well.
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