We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
George Shearing died on Valentine's Day 2011. He was blind from birth and died at the age of 91. George started playing piano and accordion at age 5 and his only formal musical education consisted of four years of study at the Linden Lodge School for the Blind. Later, finances would force him to turn down university scholarships to play piano in a neighborhood pub for $5 a week.
Years later he became a prolific songwriter, known for expanding the boundaries of jazz by adding an orchestral sensibility and a mellow aesthetic to the music. In 1947, Mr. Shearing moved to America where he became one of the most popular performing and recording artists. He won earned many prestigious awards, honorary doctorate degrees, Grammy Awards, and three presidents have invited him to play at the White House.
In 2007, this once poor, blind kid from Battersea, the youngest of nine, whose father delivered coal and his mother cleaned trains at night after caring for the children during the day, travelled with his wife, Ellie, to London to be Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace.
After the ceremony he is quoted as saying, "The poor, blind kid from Battersea became Sir George Shearing. Now that's a fairy tale come true." He once introduced his composition "Lullaby of Birdland" by saying: "I have been credited with writing 300 songs. Two-hundred-ninety-nine enjoyed a bumpy ride from relative obscurity to total oblivion. Here is the other one".
