Portrait (c) Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. All Rights Reserved.
I first heard Eartha Kitt sing "Monotonous" on the cast album of "New Faces of 1952." Years later, on August 10th, 2005 she visited my studio for a portrait. We had tea in the kitchen and discussed Vietnam, LBJ, her efforts to stop that war and how her career suffered as a result. RIP.
A lovely lady, may she rest in peace - and raise a little ruckus now and again if and when she feels the need. ;)
She will certainly live on through many of us..............
There is so much life, humanity, sensuality, sadness, triumph, resilience and pain in that face,
C'est si bon.
Eartha, more than any other musical artist I've worked with had the ability to rivet every single person in the room. Her show was such a huge hit that we booked her again and again. In 2005, I persuaded George Wein to book her as the opening act at the Newport Jazz Festival and again she knocked everyone out. Standing ovations!
On a personal level, I got to know Ms. Kitt during our excursions to TV tapings and interviews. When she came to Boston to perform once, she and I had lovely big glasses of red wine together and we talked about the difficulties and sadnesses of her life.
Sad and odd that she passed on Christmas, when she was so well known for "Santa Baby!"
Eartha continues to be a show biz legend. She is also know as an outspoken advocate of peace.
W & LBJ are embarrasment to Tejas & to their parties. Don't expect to hear of W at future Republican conventions. Was LBJ even mentioned at the Democrats convention?
Eartha Kitt will continue to be emulated by other other singers.
Does any politician wish to emulate LBJ or W? Each man will have a library. W's library, like LBJ's, is fated to be avoided & ignored by both scholars & common people. Those who run LBJ's library count those who use the rest rooms when the near by stadium's rest rooms are mobbed by fans at a big game, as uses of LBJ's library. Announcers at the stadium direct fans to LBJ's library when the stadiums facilities are over taxed.
What ruse will those who will run W's library use to boost its anemic head count of visitors?
People will smile when they remember Eartha. Notice the response when
How I miss you already and wanted so badly to see you again after seeing you only once.
To the readers of this blog; if you love an older performer, see them now. The younger crop of singers and actors can't compare to many of the older ones. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but everything seems sooo cookie cutter, Disneyesque or boxed in today's entertainment culture. Not Ms. Kitt, however. Unique, her own woman, strong, bucked the system, talented, sure of herself and down to earth. RIP, you were a beauty inside and out.
I miss her already.