We remember Mary Travers (1936-2009)

Mary Travers was born in Kentucky on this day in 1936.  We learned a few years ago that she died died at age 72.

Of course, Mary was the Mary of Peter, Paul & Mary.

They were the greatest folk music group of our generation. And Mary Travers was the beautiful voice in the trio.

Check out some songs by Peter, Paul & Mary, specially the "concert" album recorded years ago.

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We remember Tom Fogerty (1941-90)

We remember Tom Fogerty, born in California on this day in 1941.     He died in 1990.

Along with brother John, they started CCR, one of the super groups of rock.

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We remember Bob Gibson (1935-2020)

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We remember Bob Gibson who was born on this day in Omaha, Nebraska in 1935.    He died in 2020. 

Gibson became one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history:  251 games with a 2.91 career ERA!   He pitched 56 shutouts and 255 complete games.   
In 1968, he won 22 with a 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts!    Almost perfect!

Gibson joined The Hall of Fame in 1981.

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1960: The US election that impacted Cuba

Many years ago today, Senator John F. Kennedy defeated Vice President Richard Nixon to win the 1960 election.  

VP Nixon conceded the next day despite this election being very close. Wonder how many people know how close that JFK-Nixon election was?   The two men were separated by about 113,000 votes, or 49.72% to 49.55%!   

The Kennedy “mystique” is such that many people assume that he was elected by a landslide. On the contrary, it was a very close election and one wonders what would have happened if Nixon had insisted on a recount.    

Down in Cuba, the election was followed with great interest, especially the second debate when they spoke about the situation in the island.       

In less than 6 months, now President Kennedy dropped the ball at the The Bay of Pigs. It changed Cuban history forever.   

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A look at Texas elections with George Rodriguez from South Texas....

 A look at Texas elections with George Rodriguez from South Texas...

CANTO TALK podcasts from last week

Catch our shows from last week:

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The Texas governor’s election is a little suspicious

The Texas governor’s election is a little suspicious:

I’m not one to go for election conspiracy theories, but still...

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As my friends know, I avoid election conspiracies, because it’s better to focus on winning the next one rather than make excuses the last one.  I was there in 1976 when a bunch of us in college thought the GOP was dead after a “southern moderate” named Governor Carter beat President Ford.  How are we ever coming back? we said.

Well, then a bunch of things happened, the GOP had a nice comeback in 1978, and Reagan won in 1980.  Then there was election night 1992, when President Bush went down to our neighbor, Governor Clinton from Arkansas. Two years later, the GOP won the Congress.  Or that election night in 2008, when I couldn’t sleep because a guy named Senator Obama had beaten Senator McCain.  Get my drift?  Things change, especially if you fight back rather than sit around crying.

Let’s come down to Texas.  The biggest shock of 2026 is not “the curse of the midterms.”  It happens.  Just ask President Eisenhower in 1958 or President Reagan in 1986.  My eyes could not believe that a totally, and I mean totally, unknown state representative named Gina Hinojosa was beating the mighty Governor Abbott: 53–46 percent.

The Democrats nominated Hinojosa because none of the others wanted to burn his future challenging Governor Abbott.  Even national Democrats didn’t spend money here because no one thought she had a chance.

And she wins.  Then we hear that all of these counties turned blue one election after they were totally red.

So what happened?  Maybe Texas just fell in love with Gina like that song by Johnny Mathis.  Remember the guy who saw Gina, and off he went?  Love happens, you know: “I can’t believe that I’m such a lucky guy to have Gina, Gina all for my very own.”

Of course, there may be another explanation. I’m hearing a lot of other stories that this love affair with Gina was more like an arranged marriage than love at first sight.  I don’t know, but someone smarter than me has to take a look at these numbers and see if they make any sense.  I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that high gasoline prices and hatred of data centers had that many people fall in love with a woman who wants sanctuary cities and wants data centers to employ union labor.

Something doesn’t make sense.  Maybe the electorate was really that angry, but maybe something creepy happened with all of those first-time voters who voted early.  I’m open to hearing an explanation.

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We remember Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949)

We remember Margaret Mitchell who was born on this day in 1900.  Her classic "Gone with the wind" was published in 1936.   

Mitchell died in 1949.

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November 1964 and "Leader of the pack" was # 1 on the radio

In late 1964, The Shangri-Las hit # 1 in the US charts with "The Leader of the Pack."

The girls were Mary Ann Ganser, Marge Ganser and Mary Weiss.  They had a unique style of singing and speaking in their songs! 

The girls were very young and had a few other hits but nothing came close to the success of "The Leader of the pack".

According to songfacts:

"This is a tale of young love, parental disapproval and death by motorbike."

It is one of my all time favorite "girl group" classics.

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November 1971: "Stairway to heaven" is a year older!

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Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to heaven" is another year older this month. 

Led Zeppelin was one of the greatest British bands ever.  They had a very unique sound and came along just as LP's were replacing 45's. 

It is probably the most interesting song of the 1970's but it suffered from massive saturation on FM or "album rock" radio. 

Yes, I got so tired of this song that I avoided it for years.  I guess that's what happens when you play something so often that it makes you sick.

However, I like it again, specially when I'm working out and need an 8-minute song to help me pass the time.

Overall, it was a great song and a real rock classic, one of the best songs of the rock era.  It came at # 31 in Rolling Stone's Top 500!

Last, but not least, I am still not sure what the lyrics mean!  Perhaps I'll figure them out in the next 40 years!

Click here for the song below:

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  "There's a lady who's sure All that glitters is gold

And shes buying a stairway to heaven.

When she gets there she knows

If the stores are all closed

With a word she can get what she came for.

Ooh, ooh, and shes buying a stairway to heaven.

There's a sign on the wall But she wants to be sure

cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.

In a tree by the brook Theres a songbird who sings,

Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.

Ooh, it makes me wonder, Ooh, it makes me wonder.

Theres a feeling I get When I look to the west,

And my spirit is crying for leaving.

In my thoughts I have seen 

Rings of smoke through the trees,

And the voices of those who standing looking.

Ooh, it makes me wonder, 

Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

And its whispered that soon If we all call the tune

Then the piper will lead us to reason.

And a new day will dawn 

For those who stand long

And the forests will echo with laughter.

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow 

Don't be alarmed now,

Its just a spring clean for the may queen.

Yes, there are two paths you can go by

But in the long run There's still time 

to change the road you're on.

And it makes me wonder.

Your head is humming and it wont go

In case you don't know,

The pipers calling you to join him,

Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,

And did you know

Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.

And as we wind on down the road

Our shadows taller than our soul.

There walks a lady we all know

Who shines white light and wants to show

How everything still turns to gold.

And if you listen very hard

The tune will come to you at last.

When all are one and one is all

To be a rock and not to roll.

And shes buying a stairway to heaven...."