More music dies…

Change is inevitable.

Will things change for the better?

—

Doug Dillard, Bluegrass Banjo Virtuoso, Dies at 75

Doug Dillard, left, with Gene Clark, one of the founders of the Byrds. The men formed their own duo, Dillard and Clark. (A&M Records)

By PETER KEEPNEWS
Published: May 27, 2012

Doug Dillard, a banjo virtuoso who began the 1960s by helping to introduce a generation of listeners to bluegrass and ended the decade as an early advocate of country-rock, died on May 16 in Nashville. He was 75.

The cause was a lung infection, said Lynne Robin Green, the president of LWBH Music Publishers, which publishes his music.

Mr. Dillard rose to fame with the Dillards, a bluegrass band that also included his younger brother, Rodney, on guitar; Dean Webb on mandolin; and Mitch Jayne on bass. The Dillards’ instrumentation was traditional (except for the absence of a fiddle player) and so was much of their repertory, but they occasionally played electrified instruments and sometimes used a drummer. This approach alienated some purists, but it also helped interest young listeners in a style that the country-music establishment had come to consider passé.

Mr. Dillard’s skillful banjo work, which has been cited as

So long, Goober… and, thanks for the memories.

The story of an Alabama man who made good, and gave back significantly to his home state.

This line of his will get you started: “We were so poor that we’d eat beans for breakfast, drink water for lunch and swell up for supper.”

—

George “Goober” Lindsey dead at 83

Posted: May 06, 2012 10:37 AM CDT
Updated: May 06, 2012 12:33 PM CDT
Posted by Micca Terrell

Alabama-born & raised George Lindsey (1928-2012), famous for his role as “Goober” in the 1960’s sit-com The Andy Griffith Show

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -Actor and comedian George “Goober” Lindsey died early Sunday morning after a brief illness, according to his publicist. He was 83 years old.

Lindsey was born on December 17, 1928 in Fairfield, Alabama, and grew up in the small town of Jasper.  Sources tell Channel 4 that The Andy Griffith Show and Hee Haw star will be buried there.

Funeral arrangements are being handled Marshall Donnelly Combs Funeral Home of Nashville.

As a young boy, Lindsey’s best buddies were his dog One Spot and his pal Sappo, a lifelong friend and a popular foil for Lindsey’s stand-up comedy act. He became interested in acting after seeing a production of Oklahoma! when he was just 14.

Lindsey liked to hang around his Aunt Ethel’s gas station, where the mechanics wore felt caps to keep the grease and oil from dripping into their hair. Those caps would inspire Lindsey’s trademark “beanie” worn by Goober.

Gas station notwithstanding, the Lindsey family of George’s youth felt the full weight of the Great Depression. Those hard times were later a rich source of material for his comedy act, with jokes guaranteed to get a laugh, such as: “We were so poor that we’d eat beans for breakfast, drink water for lunch and swell up for supper.”

As a student in Jasper, Lindsey was a good athlete. At Walker County High School, he excelled in football and basketball. One of

Are Bosses really like Dirty Diapers?

Black and White Looney Tunes opening title

Who hasn’t heard the joke that “Bosses are like dirty diapers: Always on your ass, and full of shit.”?

It’s a proverbial oldie, but goodie.

And, like all humor, it must contain an element of truth.

While the purpose of this post is