|
|
Post by erik on Aug 6, 2016 21:35:53 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Aug 7, 2016 15:00:54 GMT -5
Somewhat shocking because I thought he had passed a long time ago. Guess that's what happens when a celebrity is out of the public eye for a long time. People think they're already dead.
I remember a beer commercial for a local brewery featuring Pete Fountain playing his clarinet. You didn't see the product until the end of the commercial although there was a glass of some kind of liquid sitting on a small table next to Fountain as he played. Might have been apple juice as I don't think the FCC allowed beer commercials to actually feature beer. The jingle played with singers competing to be heard with Fountain's clarinet. A simple and uncomplicated commercial back in the day. Nowadays, one is not likely to see celebrities appearing in locally made commercials for local businesses. They have a different kind of standard or so it would seem. But, I never did hear any negative complaints coming from jazz enthusiasts about Pete Fountain compromising his integrity by doing a commercial, although some probably thought it took away from his authenticity. And probably did have the b.s. mindset that artists were supposed to be starving artists and not make any money in the mistaken belief that made their music better.
But with his passing, Pete's clarinet is silenced and whatever recordings there were of him, are all there is to remind you he was here. RIP.
|
|
|
|
Post by erik on Aug 7, 2016 19:41:29 GMT -5
It really does continue to be a terrible year for the sheer number of the great musicians and singers we have lost. Fountain's passing is a blow for New Orleans especially.
|
|
