Escape Artist, Magician, Inventor, Honest Cheat: How Following His Passion Unlocked Terry Roses' Career

One of the perks of being a journalist, blogger or freelance writer is getting the opportunity to interview and get to know interesting people They're all around us, actually, but since most of our day-to-day interactions tend to be superficial we never really discover the depths that we could discover if we'd make time to listen.

I met Terry Roses through my association with the late John Bushey, multi-faceted host of the KUMD radio program Highway 61 Revisited. In addition to being a teacher and Dylanophile, John was a master magician and a collector of Houdini memorabilia. His fascination with the escape artist also contributed to his becoming not only a collector of handcuffs and shackles, but of becoming an escape artist himself.

What I didn't know, until I'd known him several years, was that John's mentor in the escape and magic arts was Terry Roses.

They say do what you love, and the rest will take care of itself. That's Terry Roses' career got its start.

Like many a youth (myself included), when Roses was in high school he became fascinated with Harry Houdini. Unlike many, he pursued his passion to the same degree as his idol/hero. He learned everything he could about escaping from handcuffs, ropes and other devices, and followed up with audacious demonstrations of his developing skills.

On one occasion, while in high school, he had himself locked up along with a dynamite bomb that would go off and kill him if he failed to escape in time. (You can be sure no school would allow students to perform that trick today.)

Roses and his friend Bruce Liptak challenged the L.A. police to attempt to bind them "with enough irons that they could not escape." The police accepted the challenge, and the young men succeeded in escaping as promised.

By means of his magic and escape escapades, Terry Roses raised most of the money for his high school prom, which chose as its theme that year Lollipops and Roses, a tribute to Terry. According to Roses, he paid his way through college by breaking out of jails all over the West coast.

The audacious Harry Houdini, in straighjacket and shackles.

Like Houdini, he was much more than an escape artist. Magic, illusions and inventing new tricks opened doors for Terry Roses around the world.

Terry Roses, a Cloquet native, moved to Orange County, California when he was 15, where he lived until returning here to Duluth in 1975. Something he became fond of was entertaining high school students during all-nighters that various schools held. When his young protege John Bushey go bit by the magic arts bug, Bushey would follow this same path, entertaining young people with his own bag of tricks. Together they travelled the world performing magic and rubbing shoulders with the today's greatest living magicians.

Wherever Terry goes he's a good story.

Besides escape tricks, another facet of Houdini's career was disproving mediums and revealing frauds. In this, Terry Roses has also emulated the great master magician. Terry's contemporary application of this was to become The Honest Cheat. Roses became an expert in identifying the ways gamblers cheat, and the variety of ways they mark cards, "load" dice, etc.

It was against this background that Roses began working with many of the largest casinos to eliminate fraud and catch cheats. By means of endless experimentation and research in his "laboratory of magic" Roses developed a low cost device for identifying marked cards called the Inspecta Card Scanner. 
 
A recent visit to Roses studio gave opportunity to hear many new stories about this unassuming man whose pursuit of a passion led to a career that opened many unexpected doors.

It's been a privilege getting to know this clever, talented man.

Related Links
The Handcuff Kings
How to Detect Marked Cards

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Sue Rauschenfels @ The Lakeside Gallery

Sue Rauschenfels is the featured artist at Lakeside Gallery this month.

Related Links

Sue Rauschenfels' 2017 Open House

A 2014 Interview with the artist

 Meantime art goes on all around you. Get into it.

Tech Tuesday: Surveillance Capitalism and the Erosion of Privacy: What Will Tomorrow Bring?

A Digital Design by Kathy McTavish

In the summer of 2016 I wrote a Tech Tuesday article titled, "Has Moore's Law Run Its Course." One of the things that is rewarding about blogging is how the material you share seems to have a near eternal shelf life.

This past week the article drew a response from a company called TechWarn, in the cybersecurity niche of the tech sector. Founded in March 2014, TechWarn is a digital safety advocate warning tech users of the dangers in the digital world and empowering users to take control of their digital lives.

Lexie is the tech expert from ExpressVPN, a vocal advocate for internet freedom and privacy. He writes for ExpressVPN's blog and gets excited about empowerment through technology, space travel, and pancakes with blueberries. Links to more of Lexie's blog posts can be found at the end of this interview.

EN: What is “surveillance capitalism”?

Lexie: Surveillance capitalism the unstoppable trend driving a growing appetite for data collection, mining, and selling. The market’s transparency makes it easy for surveillance capitalists to feed on user data, but to the producers of such data, on the other hand, the market is invisible. Most do not realize what they are giving up and how it could harm them; most are unable to make that connection.

EN: When did people become aware that this was a problem?

Lexie: Some people realized this was a problem very early on -- the fear of an all-knowing state or corporate apparatus is as old as modern technology itself -- while the rest still don't see it. Recent years have seen an increasing pushback on data collection and surveillance thanks to whistleblowers like Snowden, and companies like Apple have demonstrated that respecting consumer’s privacy is not only feasible but a superior business model.

The biggest headache is China. The Communist Party has established a massive surveillance apparatus and is aggressively enhancing it with "AI" that is equipped with facial recognition and social credit scoring technology. The country seems also to be on a road to abolishing cash. Nobody can escape it; there is barely even an option to get a secure phone on the market. The government and corporations are working tight together to control their populace, and nobody will be able to break out. Most of the advice we give to our international readers is useless in China.

EN: You stated that the Internet doesn’t work correctly unless we sacrifice some of our privacy. What do you mean?

Lexie: If you are keen on ensuring privacy, you would have to give up a lot. Speed is a major compromise on the Tor Browser. Site access is another issue with Adblocks. If you opt to pay for online content, not only will you have to share your legal name, address, credit card number, you will also be tracked subsequently. Without a credit card, Paypal, Gmail or Facebook account, you cannot function seamlessly in the online world. The list is endless. Sure, you could run your own Jabber server and only accept incoming chats that use the OTR protocol for end-to-end encryption with perfect forward secrecy, but you'd be alone.

EN: Social Media has done its share of eliminating a lot of our privacy, and the public has been complicit. In what ways will the Internet of Things contribute to the continued erosion of privacy in the future?

Lexie: The main reason for our privacy erosion is that we are not in control of what information we give up. When we buy an internet-enabled fitness armband or a home thermostat, we have no idea what kind of information they are collecting and who’s reading it on the other end. A lot can be inferred from somebody’s air purifier readings at home, for example, such as how many people are in the room or whether someone is cooking.

All this information is made available to third parties. In harmless cases, they simply want to make money from it. But there were times when it enabled uncontrollable epidemics of serial killers and unfettered domestic abuse where victims can only escape if they removed themselves from the internet completely. This might lead us down a path of isolation that comes with an abundance of accompanying mental health issues, and women might get the shorter end of the stick.

EN: What are people doing to push back against this loss of privacy?

Lexie: The battle for privacy can sometimes feel like a Goliath fight. As I said earlier, today it is impossible to fully reclaim your privacy and become invisible online, but there are easy ways to make great strides with just a few steps. For instance, using Facebook in your incognito window makes it harder for the platform to track you outside of their site. You can also use EFF’s Privacy Badger to allow cookies and block third-party resources and scripts, and UBlock Origin to get rid of ads that track you in a manner that is way out of proportion.

Use Bitcoin when it's available and start paying for a well-run email provider instead of revealing yourself to Google. You can opt for encrypted messaging platforms and use a VPN. Ditching your smart fridge is a good idea as well.

Plenty of times, we should just be less vain. Collecting air miles is only worth it if somebody else is paying for your flight, and we don’t need to check into every restaurant we visit, do we?

Related Links
What will happen to internet privacy in the future?
Five Famous Whistleblowers Who Risked Everything
How to Detect Devices Spying On You In 2019

Communications Pro Joel Schwartzberg Gets to the Point on Public Speaking

Joel Schwartzberg

Over the past seven months I've been impressed by the caliber of writers I've encountered on Medium, the blogging platform developed by Ev Williams who originally co-founded Blogger and Twitter. Near the end of January I discovered Joel Schwartzberg, an executive communications professional, public speaking coach, author, and former national champion public speaker.

When I was young, public speaking was one of those things that pretty much terrified me, so I reached out and asked if Joel might share some of his insights here.

This interview is packed with useful information that can help you grow in confidence and effectiveness as a public speaker.

EN: What is it that makes people so deathly afraid of public speaking?

Joel Schwartzberg: I believe public speaking fear is more related to a fear of general embarrassment and public shame than to the mechanics of public speaking. People might be similarly fearful of singing or doing magic tricks. So, overcoming that fear requires feeling confident that you can effectively convey your point and that it will be successfully received (or that you will sing on key or won’t saw someone in half.)

In my workshops, I counsel speakers to focus on three primary tactics to overcome public speaking anxiety (sometimes called Glossophobia):

• Practice out loud (not just mumbled or in your head)

• Think "I'm excited" instead of "I'm nervous." Studies show the two are related feelings and substituting "I'm excited" for "I'm nervous" – in your head as well as out loud – redirects that ball of nervous energy to boost your confidence and motivation to succeed.

• Know your job is to present your point, not yourself. When speakers realize their top job is to convey a point – which is external to them – the task seems less intimidating because it has little to do with who they are and how they appear. Though they may not realize it, most public speakers aren’t selling themselves (high risk of shame), they’re selling their points (lower risk of shame). This is why I describe public speaking as a “presentation,” never a “performance.”

EN: When did you take up an interest in public speaking as a career? What was the path from schoolboy to professional trainer?

JS: After I completed my competitive speaking career, both as a competitor and as a collegiate coach, I thought the “public speaking” part of my life had ended. But then I realized I was leveraging those skills in many settings, including interviewing for jobs, speaking up at meetings, communicating with bosses and direct reports, brainstorming, pitching to potential clients, giving performance reviews, and presenting at conferences.

In 2016, wanting to share my expertise and do more public speaking myself, I approached Mediabistro.com (which offered in-person NYC professional development classes) and successfully pitched them on a public speaking course. They agreed, and that course evolved into the workshop I run today, which focuses on the most fundamental aspect of successful public speaking: identifying, sharpening, and championing your point.

My private clients now include American Express, Comedy Central, Blue Apron, the Brennan Center for Justice, and The American Jewish Committee. In 2013, I connected my outside-of-work passion with my day job when I joined the ASPCA as Senior Director of Strategic and Executive Communications. In that role, I help craft and hone vital communications as well as coach executives and our full staff to elevate their presentation and point-making skills.

When I’m not eating, sleeping or taking care of my cats, I’m often writing about, speaking about, posting about, coaching, and practicing effective communications. Good thing I never learned how to golf.

EN: They say practice makes perfect. What are some ways that people can improve their public speaking? Are there places where we can create opportunities to practice?

JS: First and foremost, people need to know what their point is, which can be challenging because most leaders and communicators confuse true points with topics, themes, ideas, and titles. When they practice in front of people, the question they should ask is not “How did I do?” but “What point do you think I was trying to make?” If your audience successfully receives your point, that’s the ballgame. Nothing else matters quite so much, which is not something you’ll hear from most professional public speaking coaches.

I’ve been a member of several Toastmaster International clubs over the years and have found those experiences to be enjoyable and somewhat helpful, especially for people who are highly fearful. People who want to elevate their public speaking skills should also volunteer to run meetings, speak at corporate Town Halls and other internal events, and apply to speak or be part of panels at relevant conferences.

They can also do open poetry, stand-up comedy, public storytelling – anything that involves both preparation and public communication. All of this is good practice because good practice is about getting your mind and your mouth to work together to produce clear points.

EN: You were a National Champion Speaker. Can you elaborate on who gives that award and what you did to prepare for this competition?

JS: At the middle school, high school, and collegiate level, competitive public speaking is called forensics, with national associations governing the activity and hosting national tournaments. The two largest collegiate forensic national tournaments are the American Forensic Association (AFA) National Individual Events Tournament and the National Forensic Association (NFA) National Tournament.

Many people are familiar with this in terms of formal debate, but there are also individual events involving performances of prose, poetry, and drama; memorized speeches; and limited preparation speeches. That’s what I did, starting in 6th grade and continuing all the way through my senior year at Emerson College.

Thirteen years doing one activity is a long time, so I was thrilled and proud to be the NFA National Champion in “After Dinner Speaking” (ADS) in 1990. In ADS competition, a speaker delivers a 10-minute humorous speech with a serious point. That year, I also won 10th place in the overall pentathlon, which combines scores in several events.

Throughout my forensics career, I learned as much from watching my competitors as I did from my coaches’ critiques, taking note of what worked and what didn’t, and tweaking my presentations down to individual words, inflections, and gestures.

Public speaking improvement is a never-ending journey – even for the best of us – and communicators and communication professionals should keep their minds and eyes open for new ideas and approaches. That’s one of the reasons I’m so eager to share my expertise and what I know, whether through my workshop, my book, or on Twitter and LinkedIn.

EN: Speechwriting is, to some extent, an art that precedes speech making. Any tips for writers on how to write effective speeches that others will be giving?

JS: As a writer, it breaks my heart to say this, but great speeches do not typically rely on the words. Audiences won’t remember what you said, but they will remember what you meant. They won’t remember your words, but they will remember your point. So great speechwriting is about boiling down a strong point to its most basic essence, then using stories, evidence, and reasoning to support and convey it powerfully. If a speechwriter or speaker can’t express his or her point in a single sentence that begins “I believe that…” then the point is not fully-formed. I call this the “I Believe That” test.

For the most part, I counsel speakers to NOT write out their speeches. Public speaking audiences don’t want to be read to, and it’s very challenging to read with conviction. Reading a word-for-word speech can also decimate your credibility, your authenticity, and your connection, so I only recommend writing full speeches for select conference keynotes or political speeches, where word precision is often expected.

Most speakers should create sparse notes that serve as a roadmap or cheat sheet. Think of it like a shopping list or a band’s setlist – reminding you of your major points in the order they should be covered, and anything else you might otherwise forget, like a name, a date, or a statistic.

EN: I like the title of your book, “Get to the Point.” What prompted you to write this book and who is it directed toward?

JS: I wrote “Get to the Point!” to share more widely the importance of knowing, sharpening, and selling a point, which I don’t see referenced well in other books or through Google searches. I also felt that my PowerPoint made a poor follow-up resource for audiences and students participating in my workshop, whereas the book covers everything I teach, often with a light-hearted touch.

“Get to the Point!” is not just a book for “public speakers.” It’s for anyone whose success hinges on effectively conveying a point, and that’s all of us – students, parents, entrepreneurs, salespeople, politicians, podcast hosts, authors, doctors, bloggers, civil servants, and social media addicts. We all, at many times, have a vested interest in impacting another person through expression. The only question is: Are you going to make a point or render yourself pointless?

* * * * 

To learn more 
Visit www.joelschwartzberg.net
or Follow @TheJoelTruth

In Memoriam: Buddy Holly Stood On These Floor Boards--60th Anniversary

60 years ago. Photo by Sharon Johnson courtesy Historic Duluth Armory

Dion & the Belmonts. Photo Sharon Johnson, courtesy Duluth Armory. 

The real Ritchie Valens. Photo Sharon Johnson, courtesy Duluth Armory.

The world is filled with Collectors of all kinds. Some collect cars, others collect stamps, or baseball cards. Some collect rare manuscripts, some collect Bob Dylan memorabilia. And some, like Joe Mann, collect autographs and memorabilia of people who in one way or another have been affiliated with Buddy Holly.

Tommy Alllsop

This past month I was able to see a portion of Joe's rare and unique collection. I first became aware of the signatures he'd collected on floorboards after a Hibbing Dylan Days in which many of the attendees from overseas had the opportunity to go inside the Armory and stand where young Bobby Zimmerman stood. I met some people from Britain, Germany and France that day, and listened to music by Jamie Fox, two-time winner of the Hibbing Dylan Days singer/songwriter contest.

It was my first time actually meeting some of the local Dylan fans who had been involved with the creation of Bob Dylan Way and the Duluth Dylan Fest,

Carl Bunch -- "The Frostbitten Cricket"

See "Small Board Signatures" Below *

Click indivudual photos to enlarge.

J. P. Richardson, aka The Big Bopped (Sharon Johnson)

Look at the energy projected from those eyes.

After the February 2, 1959, performance in Clear Lake, Iowa (which ended around midnight), Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson, and Ritchie Valens flew out of the Mason City airport in a small plane that Holly had chartered. Valens was on the plane because he won a coin toss with Holly's backup guitarist Tommy Allsop. Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up his seat on the plane to J.P. Richardson, who was ill with the flu. Just after 1:00 am on February 3, 1959, the three-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza departed for Fargo, North Dakota, and crashed a few minutes after takeoff for reasons still unknown. The crash killed all three passengers and pilot Roger Peterson instantly upon impact.

Special thanks to Joe Mann for sharing portions of his 

private collection of photos and memorabilia.

Autographs collected by Joe Mann when The Crickets performed at Iron World.

Current condition of Armory floor boards where Buddy Holly performed
The renovation is now in stage five for the Armory itself.

Joe Mann is a collector of mementos and memorabilia related to the Winter Dance Party tour that came through Duluth on January 31, 1959. 

Special thanks to Mark Poirier of the Duluth Armory for permission to share these original photos from that historic event.

* Small Board Signatures
Ray Anthony -- Performed with John Mueller as Ritchie Valens impersonator
Big Bopper -- J P Richardson’s son
John Mueller -- Authorized Buddy Holly impersonator
Buddy’s wife. Maria Alaina Santiago Holly

A few of the signatures present here on these floor boards.
Tommy Allsup
Carl Bunch. “Frostbitten Crickets” 2002
Peggy Sue Garon Jerry Allison’s wife
Scarlet Rivera
Ramona was the only female cricket.

Joe Mann holding Signed Photo of The Crickets
when they were performing at Iron World.
Jerry Allison, cap
Joe B Mouldin
Sonny Curtis
Glenn Hardin

“My dad loved their music.” --Joe Mann

Related Links
More Buddy Holly Memories
The Day the Music Died
The Day the Music Almost Died
DNT's Christa Lawler Gives A Nod to the 1959 Winter Dance Party

Local Art Scene: February Happenings and "Whew! We Survived a Cold One"

Savannah After Dark. Photo by the author.

If' you're reading these words, that means you survived the nasty cold weather we had this week. Most of my time here in Minnesota the weather folk called it an "Alberta Clipper" so I find he new lingo amusing. "Polar Vortex." I'm not sure if this sounds scarier than Albert Clipper because they both feel frosty. It is fun to try to guess how cold it is outside based on the various squeaking noises when we walk up the frozen driveway to the garage.

We received numerous phone calls and emails inquiring if we were OK. It's nice to know people care.

On these occasions when we experience extreme cold it frequently brings to mind Jack London's story "To Build A Fire," a classic man vs. nature epic. This week, however, the story that came to mind was about a cargo transporter in Alaska who was tasked with the assignment of delivering a frozen body of a dead man from some remote area to another because the ground was too frozen to busy him. I don't recall the details except that, if I recall correctly, he gets killed himself along the way and some other kind soul goes on to make the delivery, not knowing that he's transporting a dead body. London handles it with a lighter touch. It's not as gruesome as it sounds.

Anyways, the worst (of the cold weather) is behind us, so 

let's talk about art.

FIRST, BIG THANKS AGAIN to Esther Piszczek for assembling as much as she is aware of on her Twin Ports Art blog. Here is The Link. You will find art happenings, classes and more.

My blog posted here will only cover a part of the February list because I want to make sure you know about Two Events today. First Lakeside Gallery is hosting a opening reception for Sue Rauschenfels, the gallery's featured artist for February. This even is from 1-3 p.m. and you can READ ABOUT IT HERE.

Second, also from 1-3 p.m. this afternoon The Tweed Museum of Art is hosting a Family Day related to the Intersections exhibit featuring many of Minnesota's Native American artists. Alison Aune and Wendy Savage will be your hosts. "The Tweed Museum of Art invites families to meet and make art with Alison Aune and Wendy Savage, both seasoned art educators. This is the first Family Day developed in conjunction with Intersections, an exhibition of contemporary Native art by Minnesota-based artists. Families will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of art activities throughout the museum, which are all based on works by artists on display in the exhibition. For example, participants may be interested in creating recycled toy sculptures, practice quill straw weaving, create a watercolor and more. Light refreshments will be served after the event. The next Family Day is scheduled for July 13."

LAST NIGHT was the opening reception for Wild Paintings by Alexa Carson and photography by Riah Beth. If you missed it, the work will be on display all month at the Duluth Folk School, 1917 W. Superior Street. This collaborative exhibit shows two perspectives on the raw perfection of nature. 

Mondays, February 4, 11, 18, 25, 5:30 p.m.
Tangling Mondays, Mount Royal Library, 105 Mount Royal Shopping Circle
This group meets in the the old Yarn Harbor space, which was taken over by the library awhile back (on the left when you walk in.) It is open to anyone, but primarily focused on pattern drawing. Bring your supplies and something you want to finish or start. No instruction, no fee, no organization. It's wonderful to tangle together, if schedules align, and lovely to tangle alone. If you find yourself alone, no worries, another Monday is right around the corner. Enjoy!

Tuesdays, February 5, 12, 19, 26, 12:30-3 p.m.

Kris Nelson piece in the Great Hall of the Depot
Be sure to stop and see the Member Show,
Biennial and Vern Northrup's photography.

Open Studio at the Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
The Duluth Art Institute offers a regular Tuesday open art-studio session at the Depot. People of all abilities practicing all artistic mediums are invited to bring their own supplies and join the weekly group. Cost: $5 plus a DAI membership (first session is free).

Tuesday, February 5, 6:30-8 p.m.
Tweevening: Out of the Shadows: Annie Traquair Lang & Helen M. Turner, Court Gallery, Tweed Museum of Art, 1201 Ordean Court
Dr. Jennifer Webb's Tweevening art talk will provide insights into a portion of the current exhibit upstairs titled Quiet Simplicity. Two women artists, Helen M. Turner and Annie Traquair Lang, will be the focus of Dr. Webb's remarks. These women were highly praised in their lifetimes but have since received little scholarly attention. Their contributions to American painting are overshadowed by their connection with their teacher, mentor, and travel companion, William Merritt Chase, a leader in American Impressionism. Free and open to the public."

Wednesday, February 6, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Zentangle (R) & Wine with Esther Piszczek, CZT, Master Framing Gallery, 1431 London Road
Come experience the fun and relaxation of drawing simple, repetitive line patterns with pen and ink and pencil shading. No previous drawing experience necessary. Class Cost: $35; Supplies: $10 (or use supplies provided without additional cost). RSVP to episzczek@gmail.com. Seats are limited.

Wednesday, February 6, 7-9 p.m.
Adam Swanson Opening Reception, Pizza Luce, 11 E. Superior Street
Popular and prolific, acrylic painter Adam Swanson presents 35 paintings, comprised of mostly new work.

Wednesday, February 6, 7:30-9 p.m.
Life House Youth Variety Show, Teatro Zuccone, 222 E. Superior Street
"An evening of entertainment celebrating the talents of young local artists, musicians, dancers, poets and much more. Free admission; donations accepted."

Thursday, February 7, 21, 4-7 p.m.
Winter Farmer's Market, Duluth Folk School, 1917 W. Superior Street
"Community Action Duluth’s Seeds of Success program is partnering with the Duluth Folk School to host the Lincoln Park Winter Farmer’s Market. Come down on the first and third Thursday of the month, from November through March!"

Saturday, February 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nice Girls of the North 2nd Saturday Marketplace, Lakeside Lester Park Community Center (the former Lakeside Library), 106 N. 54th Ave. East
"Free coffee, cookies, and a friendly atmosphere await while you browse a collection of handcrafted clothing and bags, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, personal care products, baby items and much more. One central checkout, most major credit cards accepted."

Saturday, February 9, 2-4 p.m.
Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids, Green Room, Main Library, Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior Street "Get ready for Valentine's Day! Drop in anytime between 2 - 4 pm to create your own valentines! Make a valentine for a veteran or for a friend. For children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult."

Saturday, February 9, 5-9 p.m.
Selling Artwork Online Workshop, Zeitgeist Cafe, Private Board Dining Room, 222 E. Superior Street
A primer for anyone wanting to sell artwork online. ​In this workshop you will learn what it takes to start or improve your selling online. See link for a list of topics covered. Zeitgeist will validate 3 hours of your parking in the Sheraton Lot. Bring a sample your artwork, under 24". Cost: $200. Contact Tony Ferguson ASAP if you would like to attend. FB Page Sunday,

Sarah Brokke will open at
Duluth Pottery on the 10th

February 10, 4-6 p.m.
Sarah Brokke: Sacred Selves Exhibition Opening, Duluth Pottery, 1924 W. Superior Street "Painter Sarah M. Brokke shows her new work. On view: February 10-March 31."

Sunday, February 10, 7-9 p.m.
Gag Me With A Spoon - A Community Storyshare, Teatro Zuccone, 222 East Superior Street Adeline Wright hosts this evening of storytelling and open mic journal sharing in the style of the Moth and Mortified podcasts. There will be featured storytellers and a musical guest. Member of the audience are also welcome to sign-up on the night for an 8 minute open mic journal-sharing segment. Suggested Donation: $5 at the door.

* * * *

STAY IN THE LOOP. 

Bookmark TWIN PORTS ART: https://twinportsart.blogspot.com/

Elliott Landy's Woodstock Photo Shoot, Nashville Skyline and a Few Extras

Landy's famous shot.  The music was great, too.

Many of us are unfamiliar with the name Elliottt Landy, but most of us recognize a few of the photos he took. One set of photos from the Landy portfolio is the iconic cover shot of Dylan's Nashville Skyline. Two weeks ago a friend sent this story about that famous Woodstock photo shoot. The article prompted me to plunge into one of my containers of Dylan memorabilia to find the Saturday Evening Post in which another photo shoot of Dylan at Woodstock took place. Were these Landy's as well? It's not the same guitar. Nor the same outfit. And the article by Alfred G. Aronowitz offers no clues, cites no identity for the various photos of pop legends.

The first three featured stars in the article, titled Pop: The Royal Family, are Jimi, the Doors and Janis. Morrison, Hendrix and Joplin all dead within a couple years.

Dylan in hibernation mode at Woodstock.

It was an unusual time, when the recording industry took risks. Not everyone who got a swing at the plate would have Dylan's longevity. Some of the artists in this Post overview included The Fugs, Ravi Shankar, Tiny Tim and Charles Lloyd, who were all in the spotlight for a time. The Beatles' unending allure had already been cemented, but within a year or so the Fab Four would splinter, releasing the individual members to produce work that corresponded with their own internal rhythms. Simon & Garfunkel likewise parted to follow their own paths.

Interestingly enough, when the Post article came to Dylan he was clearly separated from the herd. His portion of the the Post's coverage of the pop music scene was titled, Enter the King: Bob Dylan. He was the very definition of hip. (Click link for a list of others who were featured in the article.)

All this to say it was fun to read the article about Landy at the BestClassicBands.com. And while looking for that old 1968 Saturday Evening Post I came across a few other images that seemed worth sharing, some quite local in scope. Enjoy!

The times were a-changing. This was a generation in motion.