Better This Way

Here's your hairy bear fix for the day:  singer-songwriter Doug Strahm serves up this sweet story of true manlove from his debut album, Everything Has Changed:



You can download the album or any of its tracks via iTunes or Amazon at Doug's website. From his bio:

Born and raised in Fort Wayne, IN, Doug Strahm grew up in an Italian Catholic household knowing early in his life that he was different from what society expected. He began singing at the age of five to local neighbors for .25 cents a song.

Raised to march with the drum beat of family and social expectations, he married and fathered three children. At the age of 23, he divorced and gained full custody of his children – a 23 year old single father with two of his three toddlers still in diapers.

He spent his early years writing jingles and video commercials for local businesses while he owned and operated a critically acclaimed Italian restaurant. During this time he also was very involved with Nashville songwriting seminars, networking and writing with independent artists and publishers. Many doors would easily open for him when he would show up at A&R & publishing departments with lunch that he would prepare himself using recipes from his restaurant. A shameless bribe but it worked. ;-)

He continued to write, work his restaurant, do studio work, raise his children and fathered another son. Things changed later in life and after his last marriage, with full custody of his four children, he met the true love of his life. In October, he and his significant other will celebrate their 17th anniversary.

He holds his partner, Bruce, and his children very close. A proud father, he considers them his best friends and is a devoted family man.

Sweet.  They didn't make musicians like this in my day and time - or they certainly were never allowed to be out and proud.  This is the kind of artist we should be encouraging, guys. So go check out the other songs on the album and give Doug a chance. 

At least you know you want to see more of his hairy body here.

In Memoriam: Van Cliburn

Van Cliburn received a ticker-tape parade in New York City
after his stunning triumph in the 1958 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow.

My late husband was a highly trained classical musician and a great admirer of fellow Texan Van Cliburn, who died today at his home Fort Worth, aged 78. A tribute from the PBS Newshour:



See the full interview with Cliburn here.

The New York Times for some reason seems a bit reluctant to say so, but Cliburn is survived by a partner, Thomas Smith.

In 2011, President Obama bestowed the National Medal of Arts upon Cliburn
in a ceremony at the White House.

Update: The New York Times has now posted a more extensive obituary of Cliburn, with some further details about his sexuality - about which, like most gay men of his generation, he was always very discreet to the end of his life.

Another Land

A favorite by Ivor Novello - he's family, y'all - as featured in the movie Gosford Park.

Living True: The Tour

Life does go on, even when your church and all your "Christian" friends turn their backs on you and consign you straight to hell.  Your Head Trucker can relate to that statement, and I'm sure many of my readers can too. 

As Joe.My.God. reports, gay ex-evangelical entertainers Ray Boltz and Azariah Southworth are teaming up for a nationwide tour later this spring.  Both were shunned and condemned by the Christian-music world when they (separately) came out in 2008.

Bonus:  I wasn't listening to that kind of music back then, but here's a pic of Ray Boltz at the height of his career back in the early 90's:

Woof.