Five First Ladies of a Certain Age

At the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

I include this merely to acknowledge these women who serve whether or not they sought the responsibility.  These are tough broads.

And now for a word from 2016...GO HILLARY!

Michelle Obama      Laura Bush         Hillary Clinton         Barbara Bush        Rosalynn Carter

Congratulations Mr. President & First Lady

Inauguration Day 2013 fell on Martin Luther King's birthday and we watched the swearing in of our African American President for a second term.  As the pundits who admire him put it, "...President Obama has received validation.  His first election was not a fluke."  Add to this his stirring speech, rallying the nation to pull together and Liberals to push for their inclusive agendas, it made for a thrilling day.

The President's happiness was palpable.  Mine too.  I feel so good about this second term.  I really believe he will make lemonade out of the lemons he's been juggling the past four years.   

Close up from a California newspaper of the happy couple below.

Since this blog is titled "Women of a Certain Age", it's only fitting we congratulate the beautiful stylish First Lady, Michelle Obama, along with her husband.   She sure rocked the Inaugural Ball!

Michelle O Rocks It

The first night of the DNC was one hit after another. Each speech lifted the listeners with positive message in sharp contrast to the angry speeches of the RNC which I watched every night 7p - conclusion.

Last night's speakers talked about the President: how his work, his legislation, has improved their lives. Instead of the self-aggrandizing focus of RNC speakers, the speeches soared with affirmation. It was POSITIVE and that's what stood out.

Michelle Obama knocked it out of the park. Here's a complete transcript of her speech. http://www.npr.org/2012/09/04/160578836/transcript-michelle-obamas-convention-speech

At Last : Phoebe Snow

When newly elected President Obama and his First Lady danced to their inaugural ball official song, "At Last" there followed a resurgent interest in the song Etta James, Beyonce & her new movie. As I understand it, Ms. James was not asked to perform her signature song. Rather Beyonce, now starring as Etta James in that movie, "Cadillac Records", was the chosen one. Ms. Knowles did a credible job but she could not touch the pathos of Etta James' version. Apparently, Ms. James agreed. She very publicly denounced the whole arrangement and Beyonce with it.

But, where, I wondered, was Phoebe Snow in all this? Phoebe Snow performed a magnificent rendition of this song at the NY Rock & Soul Revue @ the Beacon Theatre in 1991 I could listen to this over and over again. Unfortunately, I never hear her version played and there is now alot of opportunity for that.

"At Last" is suddenly the song of the day. It's in commercials for cars and a new floor care product, I think. It's everywhere! But not Phoebe's version.

Where did she go? What happened to this woman with a most powerful voice and delivery?

Today, CBS Sunday Morning did a feature on Phoebe Snow. She has, for many years, cared for her daughter, brain damaged at birth. According to the report, music industry power-that-be advised her to put her daugher in an institution in order to tour & stay current. This, she refused to do.

Her daughter passed away in 2007 and Phoebe Snow has been encouraged by her close friend, Linda Ronstadt, to return to music. She is now on tour and has maintained her magnificent voice. I am trying to find a url of her singing "At Last". So far, I've only found a very poor youtube video of the Beacon Theatre concert. If anyone can help me with the song itself, I'd love that.

Phoebe's back. At last.