Can Music Save Your Mortal Soul?

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You can plainly see why I shared Mr. Fountain with you. I felt like he needed to be in all of your lives. I did not know there was such a thing as a “nationally known clarinetist” (do we have any now?), but he was big enough to play TWO concerts at Arlington High School back in 1963.

Such were the aspirations of these teens with their instruments in the 50s.

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Below is a junior high band in 1923, before electric guitars existed.

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In the back row, you can see Leonardo DiCaprio during his Growing Pains years.

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During the turbulent 60s, girls learned to move to the beat of a different drum. “It’s just like holding chopsticks, Melinda. Don’t try too hard.”

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And these nicely-clad songbirds look confident gathered around the piano.

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Hey, you wanna see what Mr. Fountain looks like these days? He threw beads out to the crowd in New Orleans last year:

http://www.nola.com/fqfest/index.ssf/2013/04/mr_new_orleans_pete_fountain_s.html
http://www.nola.com/fqfest/index.ssf/2013/04/mr_new_orleans_pete_fountain_s.html

I bet there’s a good chance he was at Mardi Gras this week.

P.S. Music is great, but it can’t save your mortal soul.

15 thoughts on “Can Music Save Your Mortal Soul?”

    1. Hey! You learn something new every day. Misheard Don McLean lyrics. I should be in a cast, not that I don’t care. Maybe I don’t care that I’m in a cast? I wouldn’t think so. They’re quite confining.

      I’m off to listen to some AC/DC. “Thirty Thieves and a Thunder Chief” is a great song!

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  1. Pete Fountain is a legend and outstanding clarinetist. For years I thought he had died, but then not too long ago I heard he is still ticking. Mr. New Orleans!

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  2. Funniest thing: I just turned on Internet radio and heard Tony Bennett sing “Sing, You Sinners.” The last part says:
    “You’re wicked and you’re depraved
    And you’ve all misbehaved
    If you wanna be saved
    If you wanna be saved
    Well, sing, you sinners”

    Not!

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