While you was makin' Motown so big...

...there were more people out there contributing to the United States of America's music.

You might know them, Mister pResident, if you and your wifey had any concept of US history.











And, because neither Obama knows very much about the history of music in Chicago, I leave you with this:



Then, there's my favorite, because when I was a production Artist on "The Blues Brothers" in 1979, someone high up made a mistake and I had to kerosene-clean the character's car.

The character was CURTIS, played by Cab Calloway, who came up to me and asked, "Baby, What you doing to my car?"

I replied, shaking in my shoes, "Erm, Mr. Calloway, sir...someone wanted it aged down, but Mr. Landis wants it perfectly clean."

"Well, baby, can I help you?", Mr. Calloway asked.

"No, sir...that would be against union rules, sir.", I answered.

But he hung out with me anyway, and watched and talked as I gave his 'funeral car' two kerosene washes, a couple of Tide washes, and the final Windexing.

My mother, for some reason, loved this man as a performer. Me? I just loved him for who he was that day. Talk about COOL?



And, lest we forget the man--Ray Charles! If Ray was still alive, I'm certain he could teach Barky O how to dance, don't you think?