Archive for August, 2024

Jim Seals

Posted in Woodlawn Memorial Park (TN) with tags , , on August 26, 2024 by Cade

October 17, 1942 – June 6, 2022

Jim Seals grew up in the rough and tumble west Texas oil fields. Born into a family of musical talent, “Jimmy” learned to play the fiddle and the saxophone alongside his brother, Dan. He played in some local bands as a youth, meeting drummer, Dash Crofts, and before too long, the two were off to Los Angeles. Seals – still a teenager at this point – found some success in the LA rock scene of the late 1950s. He played with acts like Eddie Cochran and the Champs (along with Crofts) and wrote songs.

Seals and Crofts soon left the Champs along with guitarist, Glen Campbell, to form a new band with Campbell at the lead. After a couple of years, this group broke up and Seals and Crofts went their separate ways. They would not be apart for long.

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Samuel Johnson

Posted in Westminster Abbey with tags , , on August 19, 2024 by Cade

September 18, 1709 – December 13, 1784

Samuel Johnson was – and remains – one of the most influential English writers of all time. With works ranging from poems to a literal dictionary, Johnson’s contributions to British literature ran far, wide and very, very deep. Sometimes referred to as “Dr. Johnson”, he wrote in a number of genres including, drama, essays, biographies, literary criticism and sermons. He is widely regarded as “the most distinguished man of letters in English history.”

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Grandpa Jones

Posted in Luton's United Methodist Church Cemetery with tags , , , on August 5, 2024 by Cade

October 20, 1913 – February 19, 1998

Banjo player and country music icon, Louis Jones, earned the nickname “Grandpa” at the unlikely age of 22 when he was performing on early-morning radio shows in Boston. A guitar player and singer, the young Jones had made his way to Massachusetts by way of his home in Kentucky and a stint in Ohio. His pre-dawn grumpiness led to the nickname…which Jones not only accepted, but made his entire on-stage persona going forward.

Grandpa Jones delighted audiences for nearly 7 decades with his rousing banjo playing, old-timey ballads and affable stage presence. He mastered the banjo and became a popular performer. Early in his career, he bounced from town to town playing live radio shows. He briefly served in the U.S. Army during World War II and, in his mid 30s, he found his way to Nashville. Continue reading →

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