RHYMIN' IN HEAVEN AND LIVIN' TO CLARINET AGAIN

A couple of bits of news, part good, and part bad.

Was saddened to hear that comedian Nipsey Russell passed away Sunday in New York City after suffering from cancer. He was 80 years young.

I always enjoyed the four line comedic poetry Nipsey delivered as a guest on numererous variety and game shows during the past four decades, from "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" to "The Match Game". He also earned respect for his ability to sing and dance, appearing in a number of popular Broadway musicals, as well as a memorable role as the Tin Man in "The Wiz", the all-black rendition of "The Wizard of Oz" produced in 1978.

On a more upbeat note, NBC Nightly News closed it's broadcast this evening with the news on famed New Orleans clarinetist Pete Fountain, who went unheard from for awhile after Hurricane Katrina. He lost his home and all his memorabilia, including his five gold records, but he's well and was quoted by Brian Williams as saying he's got another act left in him. He was a regular playing several of the casinos along the Mississippi Gulf Coast that were damaged or destroyed in the storm.

He'll be back playin' "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" before you know it.