John Weitz (1923-2002)

John Weitz (1923-2002)

(born May 25, 1923, Berlin, Ger.—died Oct. 3, 2002, Bridgehampton, N.Y.), German-born American fashion designer, novelist, and historian who , enhanced his renown as a menswear designer—and greatly increased his income—when he became one of the first to lend his name to the licensing of products.

---

Quotes·Quotations by John Weitz

Appearance

¶ Even overweight cats instinctively know the cardinal rule: when fat, arrange yourself in slim poses.

James Dickey (1923-1997)

James Dickey (1923-1997)

James Lafayette Dickey (February 2, 1923 – January 19, 1997) was an American poet and novelist. He was appointed the eighteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1966.

---

Quotes·Quotations by James Dickey

Writings

¶ A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by lightning.

---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dickey

Hank Williams (1923-1953)

Hank Williams (1923-1953)

Hank Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953), born Hiram King Williams, was an American singer-songwriter and musician regarded as one of the most important country music artists of all time. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that would place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one.

Born in Mount Olive, Alabama, Williams moved to Georgiana, where he met Rufus Payne, a black street performer who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals. Payne had a major influence on Williams's later musical style. During this time, Williams informally changed his name to Hank, believing it to be a better name for country music. After moving to Montgomery, Williams began his career in 1937 when WSFA radio station producers hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program. He formed as backup the Drifting Cowboys band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of school to devote all of his time to his career.

When several of his band members were conscripted to military service during World War II, Williams had trouble with their replacements and started drinking heavily, causing WSFA to dismiss him. Williams eventually married Audrey Sheppard, who became his manager for nearly a decade. After recording "Never Again" and "Honky Tonkin'" with Sterling Records, he signed a contract with MGM Records. In 1948 he released "Move it on Over," which became a hit, and also joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program. In 1949, he released a cover of "Lovesick Blues," which carried him into the mainstream of music. After an initial rejection, Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry. He had 11 number one songs between 1948 and 1953, though he was unable to read or notate music to any significant degree. Among the hits he wrote were "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."

During his last years Williams's consumption of alcohol, morphine and other painkillers severely compromised his professional and personal life. He divorced his wife and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry due to frequent drunkenness. Williams died suddenly in 1953 at the age of 29. Despite his short life, Williams has had a major influence on country music. The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists, many of whom have also had hits with the tunes, in a range of pop, gospel, blues and rock styles.

---

Quotes

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill? He sounds too blue to fly. The midnight train is whining low, I'm so lonesome I could cry.

---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Williams

François Cavanna (1923- )

François Cavanna (1923- )

François Cavanna (born 2 February 1923 in Nogent-sur-Marne) is a French author and satirical newspaper editor. He contributed to the creation and success of Hara-Kiri (magazine) and Charlie Hebdo. He has written in a variety of genres including reportage, satire, essays, novels, autobiography and humor.

Although raised in France, he grew up surrounded by Italian immigrants due to his father's being from Italy. He treated this life in his book Les Ritals (1978). At the age of 16, he took up various part-time jobs. He delivered letters for the postal service, sold fruits and vegetables, and was a mason's apprentice. His journalistic debut came in 1945 when he began to work for the daily Libération.

In November 1969, Hara-Kiri was banned by the authorities for being pornographic. Cavanna came up with the expedient of renaming the magazine for the next weeks' issue, and thus, Charlie Hebdo was born.

Later, he turned to autobiographical writing. Les Ritals, mentioned above, dealt with his childhood, while Russkofs treated his experience in World War II and was the novel for which he won the Prix Interallié in 1979.

---

Quotes·Quotation by François Cavanna

Art

¶ When Michelangelo finished the painting of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling, he spent the rest of his life trying to remove the paint that had poured into his sleeve.

---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francois_Cavanna