Prog Digest – An Xperience Column
Written by Staff on October 12, 2024
Prog Digest – An Xperience Column – by Klyde Kadiddlehumper.
Once Upon a Time – in a Galaxy Far, Far Away …
Well, OK – it was Downtown Troy at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and it was 2007.
Klyde does travel down memory lane from time to time, and will wax poetic about artists, or shows, or whatever.
Rarely does this author find himself in a position where the topic strikes so closely to home and to a stage near you. Let’s start at the very beginning and hop into the old Way Back Machine.
The Hall saw many great acts during the 2007-2008 season. Leo Kottke, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the Pat Metheny Trio, and Queen Latifah to name a few.
And then, there was The Voice.
James Earl Jones in “Poetry I Love To Read” – a tour undertaken to support the school where he was encouraged and ultimately learned how to overcome his profound stutter.
This was not to be an award-winning performance. Not “The Great White Hope,” for which he received a Tony award for Lead Actor in a Play in 1969 and an Oscar nomination in 1970. Not “Star Wars.” Not being the first guest star on “Sesame Street.” Not a turn on “The Big Bang Theory.” Just a little poetry reading and question and answer. And a very nice, rather shy, lovely, yet physically intimidating gentleman.
As Constant Companion would say – these were the days of woo. You know, that period where the relationship is new and shiny and all that jazz. I wanted to go. CC wanted to go. Mother wanted to go (writing on wall much?) Well, we get three tickets. Then, as a board member at the time, my director Laura calls: “We need a moderator for the Q and A, as Mr. Jones is quite hard of hearing and needs someone who can enunciate.” So …
We go to the show. I miss the bulk of the reading to sort through audience-submitted questions with his manager (yes – I still have them). No phone book reading – Verizon restriction. No Darth Vader questions. No, he is not going to say “This is CNN.”
So, all is going well. I read questions, always facing Mr. Jones so he can hear what he can and read my lips some. All is going swimmingly.
Then, one of the questions prompts Mr. Jones to tell a story about filming “Coming to America” in Africa. He was joined by his wife. Well, at the time she was not his wife. You know, she was more than just his girlfriend, but they weren’t married … and he looks at me. We both blank.
Ultimately, an audience member yells out the word – fiancée.
Mr. Jones looks at me – I repeat the word. And still looking at me – there is a pause. You know, that little beat where it is expected someone is going to deliver the next line.
And from my mouth comes the following: “A subject about which I know nothing.”
The audience laughs.
Mr. Jones laughs.
CC laughs.
Mother – not so much.
James Earl Jones passed at his home of 50-plus years in Pawling, NY on September 9, 2024.
We all have the times when we remember our brushes with greatness. Or where we were when someone died. Or our first kiss. Or whatever the important things in life are which are indelibly tattooed on our souls.
Among mine is the day I got to share the stage with a man who overcame. A man who was actually larger than life. With a voice so thunderous that one might imagine it was granted him by Odin himself. Whose laugh was not simply infectious, but made your senses tingle.
I will mix my metaphors here.
Godspeed, James Earl Jones. Live long and prosper.
Until next time.
Klyde
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