LOU...

" I WANT to BE, HAPPY and FREE. LIVING and LOVING for ME. I WANT to BE, HAPPY and FREE...LIVING in ummph, ummph (work with me people!), LOVING for ME...Just like a NATURAL WO(MAN!) "...
Lou Rawls, " Natural Man "

WHILE...

Driving Last Weekend,
Listening to V103.
Herb Kent, " The COOL GENT",
Has the BATTLE Of The BEST...
EVERY SUNDAY!

It was LOU RAWLS versus SAM COOKE!

The MOMENT I Heard Him...

PLAY

Mr. LOU RAWLS...

I
CLOSED
MY
EYES...

AND,

REMEMBERED...

My " MOMMA"! "

My MOM...

LOVED
HER
SOME

LOU!

In ALL My CHILDHOOD MEMORIES...

OF
HER...

MUSIC " FRAMED" THEM!

SHE, "SAAAANG"...

While She CLEANED Our Home...
( And. YES She COULD...Sing!)

LISTENING TO...ARETHA,
( No Last NAME Needed!)

Nancy Wilson...Sarah Vaughn...
Just to MENTION A FEW!

ANNIVERSARY PARTIES...

The COMMODORES, " Brick House! "

" BLASTING "...Throughout...EVERY...ROOM!

SO
MUSIC
FOR
ME...

BECAME THIS...

Organic...NATURAL...Experience!

Generational...

Because My DAUGHTER Has " DUSTIES ",

On HER IPOD!

There
Is
NOTHING...

MORE...

" SOUL - STIRRING"
" HEARTWARMING"
" MOUNTAIN...MOVING!
" EARTH SHAKING! "

" HEAVENLY "...

Whew!
( I think you get it!)

TO...ME!

THEN...

HEARING
A
SONG...

That TAKES Me...

BACK

To A CHILDHOOD...

My MOTHER, "fought" HARD...

TO...GIVE...US!

EXPERIENCES...

In The 70's...

That NO Poor BLACK Family Of 5 CHILDREN...

SHOULD
OF
BEEN
GIVEN!

To BORROW A Line...
From, My Sisters POEM ABOUT Our CHILDHOOD,
" NOBODY TOLD US WE WERE...POOR! "
( And, IF They HAD...Would LIFE Have Been ANY Different? ")
( Thanks, Nan!)

Concerts, Sox Games, Chicago Fest, Dining DOWNTOWN...

That MY PARENTS...

MADE POSSIBLE!

SO,

Last SUNDAY...

AS
I
WAS
DRIVING...

When I HEARD...

LOU!

On The RADIO...

I
HAD
TO...

PULL OVER!

I
CLOSED
MY
EYES...

( Just for a MOMENT!)

AND

SMILED!

BECAUSE...

IT
MADE
ME

REMEMBER...

" MOMMA "...

The ORIGINAL Natural WOMAN...

Until Next Time...

" For YOUR VOICE Is SWEET, And YOUR Countenance Is LOVELY "
Song Of Solomon 2: 14