Kenny Rankin Dead At 69

OBITUARIES.....

I never thought about them really.
I have been listening to Kenny Rankin all of my life. 
Seriously. 
All of my life, starting at 16 years old.
If you haven't heard his music, or even heard of him as an artist I have included just 3 of my favorite songs of his.
It never crossed my mind that he would die someday. 
I have seen him in small concerts, and you really end up staring at your friends, 
(who love him as well) 
and cocking your heads saying; "is that really his voice ?" 
"it can't be that perfect and beautiful" 
" can it ?"
I was surfing around trying to find a music widget for my blog.
I wanted to load Kenny Rankin. 
So I googled him and this is what I found. I had no idea that he had died.
I was shocked.
Shocked enough to blog about it, and share him with you. 
Oh how I loved his voice first, and the man later.
When he was young, he was pretty cute. 
Do you agree ?


*This is taken from The La Times
Kenny Rankin dies at 69; 
singer-songwriter's long career almost defied categorization


"A well-regarded guitarist, he wrote the hit song 'Peaceful' for Helen Reddy and played in Bob Dylan's backup band on the influential 1965 album 'Bringing It All Back Home.'
June 09, 2009|Jon Thurber


His career, which spanned more than five decades, almost defied categorization. A well-regarded guitarist, he played in Bob Dylan's backup band on the influential 1965 album "Bringing It All Back Home." He also spent several years on the road opening for comedian George Carlin.


Rankin appeared on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson more than 25 times. Carson was such a fan that he wrote the liner notes for Rankin's 1967 debut LP, "Mind Dusters."


As a singer with a velveteen tenor voice, he had highly successful covers of the Beatles' "Blackbird" and "Penny Lane" in the mid-1970s and in 1976 recorded an LP of standards, "The Kenny Rankin Album," with a large orchestra conducted by Don Costa." (Don Costa used to work with Sinatra)


"In a review of a 2000 Rankin performance at a San Fernando Valley jazz club, critic Don Heckman wrote in The Times: "Rankin has been -- for a decade or more -- a singer whose unusual improvisational skills and innate capacity to deliver a melody with a strong sense of swing stamp him as a consistently appealing jazz artist."


In addition to Reddy's version of "Peaceful," jazz singers Carmen McRae and Mel Torme recorded versions of Rankin's and Ruth Batchelor's "Haven't We Met."


Rankin was born Feb. 10, 1940, and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City. He was signed to Decca Records as a teenager and released a few singles. He later signed with Columbia Records.


One of his major influences was Laura Nyro, the late songwriter who wrote "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Stoned Soul Picnic," whom he met in Greenwich Village in 1960.


"She profoundly changed my musical life and affected it to this day, more than anyone or anything else," Rankin told the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto in 2007. "She was deep, dark and light, the spectrum of passion."


His peak recording years were in the 1970s, when he released the LPs "Silver Morning," "Inside" and "The Kenny Rankin Album."


Paul McCartney was so pleased with Rankin's covers of the Beatles hits, he asked him to sing a medley of them when McCartney was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987.
Rankin is survived by his son, Chris; daughters Gena and Chanda; and a granddaughter.
A memorial service is being planned in Los Angeles."
jon.thurber@latimes.com
download his songs here
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=141142

I have loved this song forever.

This is the absolute most fabulous song ever. I love love love love it.

You really need to own this one album.
Do You Like His Music ?
Do You Like His Voice ?
You can tell me. Really.


Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
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One Smart Designer

"In 2007, Grant K. Gibson, an interior designer, offered his future landlord a deal: in exchange for two months' free rent ($3,000), he would renovate the San Francisco apartment. Above, Mr. Gibson sits before 18-century architectural drawings of Rome from an old book that he mounted in $20 frames."

So, he  sanded the floors and stained them walnut.

"Mr. Gibson installed mirrors at the back of this cabinet, which is built into the wall, to create an illusion of depth."

Brilliant.

I think I may do the same thing.

"To make the room more dramatic, Mr. Gibson placed sculptural fig tree branches on a table in the bay window"

"Mr. Gibson bought an iron canopy bed at Pottery Barn Teen on sale for $500, but he attached a headboard his seamstress made by padding and wrapping a sheet of wood in caramel-colored mohair that cost $20 a yard. "If I buy something at a retail store, I try to think how I can make it even more comfortable, more functional, more beautiful," he said. "

I love the classic detailing on the leading edge of the drapery panel.

My post on the Greek Key pattern

"Mr. Gibson spent several weekend afternoons retiling the bathroom with 99-cent, black-and-white linoleum tiles. An aversion to toilet paper holders prompted the purchase of this $50 silver-plated trophy from eBay, which hides the roll."

This article was taken from The New York Times

I was cruzing my normal blogs and found this blog that looked interesting on the sidebar at one of my regular haunts.

The blog was called Grant Gibson "The Blog"

I hit it and am looking around .... then I decide, this guy looks familiar, the black and white floor looks familiar, and suddenly a dim light bulb goes off in my head.

I run over to my files of a post I am working on and what do you know.....?

It's the same guy.

'Gibson' is Gibson !!! The blogging world is a small one.

#1. Don't you think that his idea 

to trade 'rent' for fixing up the apartment was genius ?

(The reason why I think he is brilliant is because he would have fixed it up anyway, but his business head was in full gear)

#2. How small do you think the blogging community is?

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A.,Grant K. Gibson

Who Needs Arms Anyway?

The Chloey Sofa from Drexel.

Did you know that when you lose the arms on a sofa

you often gain between 14 and  24 inches in a room?

And that is huge!

This is 84W x 40D x 39H named Chloey Sofa from Drexel Heritage

This is just 'okay' in my opinion.

This is 'Juliet' from Lexington.

This is really sharp.

The back contours around on the sides, I like that.

This also the Juliet from Lexington. about 83" Long and it is high in back...about 38."

This is a Liz Clayborne Sofa from Lexington.

This is my pick, and it is from Century. I love love love a 'bench seat'.

A bench seat is one single cushion rather than 2 ( or sometimes 3).

Did you know why they ( the furniture industry ) came up the brilliant idea of 3 cushions on a sofa where there would normally would be 1 ( a bench seat cushion ) or 2?

The smaller the cushions, the smaller the fabric you need.

Now they can utilize all the fabric that would normally be scrap.

I explain that to people all they time... and do you know what people say in the defense of the 3 cushion sofa?

" If I don't get a 3 cushion sofa I will have less seating, and besides how will people know where to sit?"

" And no one wants to sit on the crack "

HUH??? How will they KNOW  WHERE TO SIT ?

I say to them with a straight face;

" Well, you sit on a crack everyday and it doesn't seem you bother you, 

does it ?"

hahahahahahahahahha:)

I do really.......I say that ( to some ).

They are caught off guard and 'crack' up.

Then I try again to emphasize how much more attractive and costly sofas look with only 1 or 2 cushions.

If they insist on a 3 cushion sofa.....I write it off to the fact that most furniture stores mainly buy and sell 3 cushion sofas. The masses tastes have been tainted by the propaganda put out and into furniture markets.

This is called the Apartment sofa. It is only 36" deep, and this piece is part of a sectional.

But the sectional has NO ARMS. It has a corner piece, but that is it.

Very do-able if you are working with a small space,

and you want to add seating.

This is actually part of a sectional, from Century *Elegance Collection

* I just don't get why people (average peeps) insist on arms.

You can get all the same effect by using the right kind of pillows

next to you and under your arms/elbows.

I promise. This is true.

Armless sofas come in all styles.

You just have to look and dig.

Most furniture sales people are unaware of the armless

pieces in collection. So, you have to ask them to research it.

I would love this sofa.

I think it is exquisitely upholstered.

* The armless Leigh Made to Measure is available in lengths 

from 28 to 120 inches. 

The Leigh Ottoman is available from 18 to 60 inches in length

You can always find an armless sofa in a sectional.

Well, not always, but it is more common than not.

(8 out 10 sectionals will have an armless love seat or sofa)

You can order just the armless love seat

or the armless sofa once you have it.

You sometimes can specify how many cushions you want if it is a better upholstery house.

*the price of the sofa will be based on the fabric grade

This is what the armless sofa will look like on the diagram

( most likely it will have different dimensions )

of the pieces that you can order to make a sectional.

Ask your salesman, they can show you.

It is there in all the catalogs that offer sectional sofas..

That is how THEY order it.

You will be presented with something like this below.

(less the silly green dots)

Here is the critical part,

make sure that you order it as

 a ' FREE STANDING ' piece.

This means that the sides will not have

the metal male and female parts on the sides of the armless sofa

that are used to attach the pieces of the sectional together

so that they do not come apart.

You definitely do not want that.

And get it in writing on your order.

*It also means that where extra fabric is needed on the sides,

(which are now the ends of your armless sofa)

the factory will take extra care in the finishing process.

*Well, this is the 3rd attempt at this post

it absolutely evaporated twice while loading and typing the original.

I am sorry if this is not a FABULOUS post.

It was hard to 'get into it' again.

Do you know what I mean?

Would you, 

could you ...

use an armless sofa ?

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....

Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A,.armless sofas and armless love seats

20 Secrets To Happiness

For A Happy & Successful

New Year 

Return everything you borrow.

"I do, actually I do not borrow at all."

Stop blaming other people.

"I try to take responsibility for all my actions, 

and let's face it....

even if it is someone else's fault, 

I should have known better."

Live within your means and within your seams.

"This is a  life long struggle for me. 

There are so many beautiful 'things', 

and such excellent fudge cake out there "

Be humble.

"Oh, I am humble alright.....who wouldn't be in this economy"

Listen more; talk less.

"I work on this constantly....

I have learned to be quiet and HEAR the other person.

You know, if you really listen, 

a person will really tell you WHO THEY ARE."

Every day, do something nice and try not to get caught.

"This is a hard one, 

and if you don't know why.....

try it"

Strive for excellence, not perfection.

"Uh Oh.....let's just say. 

I am working on this one too."

Be on time.

"I am always on time. 

It drives me crazy to sit and wait for someone.

We all know chronically late people.....

it is all about their 'CONTROL' issues you know.

Maybe this should say, 

' Be tolorant of the chronically late' people '. "

Don't criticize anyone for 24 hours.

"OMG, a hideous flaw of mine. 

I am always criticizing others and myself.

(even if it is only in my head most of the time)

I mean can you imagine me not?

I mean if no one is making me laugh, 

I have to humor myself."

Be kind to other people.

" I am. 

But would someone please pass this on 

to the rude and mean people. 

Please."

Be even kinder to unkind people.

"Boy oh boy, I try....

I take the high road. 

But I can never run fast enough 

down that road to get away."

Take time to be alone.

"This I do WAY TOO MUCH."

Admit it when you make a mistake.

"This I am good at. 

It ends the conversation. Right?"

Understand and accept that life isn't always fair.

" DUH !!!!"

Let someone cut ahead of you in line.

"It feels good, especially if they are old"

Don't argue.

"This girl HATES confrontation. 

But it is not a great idea to back me into a corner." 

Know when to say something.

"Again, This is the easy one."

Know when to keep your mouth shut.

"This is the hard one."

Don't make excuses.

" Again.....

it's probably my fault.

I should have known better."

Don't sweat the small stuff.

"I learned this little chant from a yogi (LOL) , 

I say to myself 

'How important is it really?'

It has been pointed out to me that

the world will ' keep keepin' on ' 

no matter what the outcome.

And I have to believe ( to remain sane )

That if things don't turn out the way I want them to...

maybe, just maybe G-d is protecting me from something.

This sounds great in theory....

is this do-able for you?

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, 
TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A., 20 secrets to happiness, 20 secrets to happiness, renee finberg interiors