Re: THE BEST SHOW with TOM SCHARPLING
Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 1:13 am
this week was really water in the desert after three slices of life, hoo boy
table for one wrote:avalance bob died? link?
Very sad to hear that my friend Robert Cribbie aka Avalanche Bob has passed. There was nobody like Bob. Nobody! Originally from Hudson, NY, Bob grew up in the 40’s and was inspired by the singers of his time, notably Bobby Darren, which would lead him to develop his own style of Rockabilly Yodeling. In 1959 he was signed to the New Jersey label Cool Records and cut a 45 single: “Rockabilly Yodel” flip side “Vow of Love”. Flash forward to 2016, I got a call from my long time friend Owen Kline who wanted to make Bob’s first full length record and follow-up to the only other official release to his name some 58 years later. Make no mistake, Bob never stopped writing songs, with well over 1,000 to his credit as well as complete musicals, he never stopped writing. I was delivered a bunch files of Bob’s vocals and had to develop the music around it based on his melodies. It was the hardest project I’ve worked on to date, but also the most rewarding. A few of the tracks were recorded live, including “Rock & Roll Winter Olympics” and “Eternity”, my personal favorite. Bob wrote that on the spot and I can honestly say it’s got some of the most earnest lyrics and the most feeling I’ve heard from any of the great artists of his time. If you met Bob in person or saw him perform, you probably have a big smile on your face right now just thinking about him. He was extremely likable “younger older” (a term he coined about himself and other seniors who kept their youthful mentalities) By chance, I called him a day before he died after not having spoken with him for a long time. I asked himif he’d act in my upcoming music video (he said yes!) he was in good spirits as usual and had seen the new Ken Burns country music doc and loved it. He was a dreamer right up until the end. We shared a love of Aliens, rockabilly, and a good corned beef sandwich (when I still ate meat). I’ve shared the album we made together below for your enjoyment. Rock on soul brother. High Power, Snow Power! Avalanche Bob has left the building
He was extremely likable “younger older” (a term he coined about himself and other seniors who kept their youthful mentalities)
A Beautiful Blissful day at the Beach can become sad in an instant. While there, I received a call that my Beloved Uncle Bob passed away this morning. I was his only relative but he had a wealth of Friends. Always happy. He lived for his Music and wrote over 1000 songs. He helped my Godmother, who was his sister so much...to me he was just Uncle Bob..always Singing, Smiling and spreading Love. He's the last of all the elders in my family. I'm so Sad that I will not be receiving his random calls anymore. He had a Soul of a child..he was so very innocent. In the last several years Bob started visiting the Victoria
Congegational Church he made many friends there and received much Love and Support from them. They were Family to him. One night my Godsister and I took him out to see a band and we met a young guy who really liked Bob and his story. He wound up doing an Indie film of his life, which included following him daily and listening to the many stories of his Life.
They presented this short film at his church.. including food and snacks. Bob felt like a celebrity...he was already in his 80's when this occurred, I'm sure it was one of the highlights of his very humble life. He didnt have much at all. He lived on his Social Security check in a little one bedroom apartment on Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Queens for the last 50 years. He collapsed today while out doing errands.I lived with him and my Godmother for many years when they helped raise me as a child when my Mom was too sick to. He was there at my Baptism. I wished I would of spent more time with him now as an adult. This Thangsgiving and Christmas will not be the same without him belting out tunes for us at the drop of a dime. He was certainly a little Out Of This World..that's for sure...His own kind of SuperStar, Generous with his Positivity and Kindness. He always said "you cant put God in a box".....he wasnt religious at all. Just very childlike, God protected him all his days. With Tears of Sadness and my Heart full of Thankfulness for the many years you were in my life, I say Goodnight to you.
#ILoveYou
#RockOn
he was in good spirits as usual and had seen the new Ken Burns country music doc and loved it.
Feech La Manna wrote:Holy shit Bob’s manager being the younger brother from The Squid and the Whale is just an insane little factoid