I have a real affection and affinity for older things: older music, older magazines and books, older Top 40 radio. I'm not sure why. I think it's because I was exposed to a lot of those things growing up. I was very close with my grandparents who were 55 years my senior. They grew up with Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the like. While I have previously written about my love for music from the 1970's, the truth is I love music from all time periods. The art of expression doesn't change from decade to decade: when it comes to music it's still one person telling another person through notes, pitch and tone how they feel about something and that type of expression is wonderful.

 This morning, for no reason in particular, I started humming the song "Whenever You're Away From Me". it's a song from a movie you might have heard of called Xanadu. It came out in 1980 and harkened back to the classic types of movie musicals from yesterday. The song is sung by Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton John and it is just a wonderful piece of music. When I got home, out of curiousity, I looked it up on YouTube. I was amazed. Not only is the song there but the snippet of the movie featuring the song is there. In this snippet, Gene Kelly is dancing and singing and the amazing thing (at least to me) is IT'S HIM doing it all. He was 68 years old at the time! He did it like it was effortless. It was beautiful and a testament to enduring class and style. Something that is missing from the world these days. "American Idol" and "Dancing With The Stars" both showcase talented people singing and dancing but it's a contest and it almost makes a mockery of the art because you get lost with the window dressings: the drama of the contest. Watch this video for "Whenever You're Away From Me" and you don't get any of that. It's just good, solid stuff. I wish there was more of it. I search for Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble and enjoy their music immensely. Then I pop in Frank Sinatra sining "Just The Way You Look Tonight" and I realize most everyone is just an imitator. Just like there will NEVER be another Johnny Carson, the masters pass with time but their work remains. Thankfully.

 Quote Of The Day: "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson

 This Day In History: The first televised Major League Baseball game was televised: a double header between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds, on this date August 26th, 1939.

 Something You Shoud Check Out: I am a big fan of the music group "Chicago" and thought it was a crime when Peter Cetera left the group. No. An actual crime. Like someone should have gone out and hauled him back to the group. Whenever I think of Peter Cetera's time with Chicago, I always think of the song "Along Comes A Woman".  I have always loved this song. Enjoy!

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