WHAT I DID FOR LOVE...

August is a busy month in my restaurant.  I was preparing my steam table... cutting lemons, laying out various things I must have at my finger tips when cooking.

My cell phone rang.  I thought , "let it go... you can call back later..."  then my blood pressure started to sky rocket.  What IF it was an employee is calling about working tonight?  What IF it was my mother or father calling?  I stopped my jobs and reached for my cell phone.  It was a call from my baby sister in New Orleans.  I dialed, she answered.

Teresa said, "I know you are too busy to listen to the news, but, one of your favorite musical icons has died."
"Who?"
"Marvin Hamlisch.  I know how much you admired and loved the music the man created.  He died in
Los Angeles of some kind of lung failure.  I know you will morn this..."

She was spot on.  I actually choked a muffled cry inside my body!  This man's music had an enormous impact on my life.

He was born June 2, 1944.  Two years older than me.  When Teresa was telling all about this event I heard songs playing through my musical mind... THE STING.  He composed the musical score for the movie and of course the top tune:  THE ENTERTAINER by SCOTT JOPLIN... Scott Joplin became a house hold word!

I was  teaching piano to lots of kids during the 70's.   They ALL learned "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin.
They learned that there had been a rag time composer... a black man... married to a white woman!!! Scott Joplin composed many rags...

I have played for dance classes in some of the most famous dance schools in the USA for over 20 years of my life. WHY?

I grew up with a mother that loved dance and could dance.  I could improvise at the piano and play by ear... I could accomadate any change in tempo, drop measures, add more beats... you name it.  (BTW, this is not a good gift if you perform classical music!)

When "A CHORUS LINE" the musical hit Broadway, it represented a major part of my life as well as what I did to pay rent.

I saw it on Broadway.  I saw it in SLC, UT at the Capitol Theater.  I attended the LAST ROAD SHOW OF IT"S PERFORMANCES IN DENVER COLORADO.  I have a key chain I purchased at the Denver Show. It sits on a sacred table I have in NZ of certain rocks, photos, dried flowers...

I loved all the music Marvin composed but two songs belong to me forever.  "WHAT I DID FOR LOVE" and the main theme... "ONE" from A CHORUS LINE.  Marvin gave me a very special gift.  A melody that would haunt me all of my life.  I have forever said:  If you want to give someone a gift they will never forget............ give them a melody.

I went to NYC in 1968.  Liza was a nobody... Bette Midler was not really known... Marvin?  well?  Brent was there but, they Liza, Bette etc. even Barry Manallow  went far beyond my dreams.  (I lied, I went to NYC the first time when I was 17 because I had won a talent contest!)

I knew from then on that, that particular city belonged to me... or I belonged to it in another lifetime.

In 1968 MAME was the rage.  I saw it with Angela Langsbery live at the Schubert Theater.   At the time I was in rehearsal for a musical review called:  "FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE".  That story could fill a book beyond belief.  I have had to learn some big lessons in life!

I met Marvin two times in my and his life.  Once in Las Vegas.  He was performing his Piano Concerto.  Once in SLC, UT.  He was a bit nervous because of his Jewish background and the Mormon power.  I told him:  THE MORMONS NEED THE JEWS, THE JEWS NEED THE MORMONS OMG, what if Hamlish were alive in this dimension and with the up and coming election!  WHAT WOULD HE DO... write a fantastic song.  Damn I miss him.

He is one of 11  people to win all four major U.S. performing awards:  EMMY AWARD, GRAMMY AWARD, OSCAR and TONY AWARDS.  This collection of 4 is referred to as an "EGOT".
Hamlish and RICHARD RODGERS... (Sound of Music, Oklahoma, Show Boat...) are the only two people to win this award.  HE, HAMLISH ALSO WON A PULITZER PRIZE.  The list is endless.


When Understood that he had died.  I lit a candle.  I placed one of my sacred stones beside it and gave him my adoration and thanks for making my musical life amazing.

I cannot imagine our planet living without his music.  I love my classical genius's but We ALL NEED the music of MARVIN.  He is eternal.  I miss him.

One can read more about him on line.