Scene4 Magazine | letters to the editor

I went on over to Cafe Press and looked Ray Charles Istre up and followed the trail. Skipping around in his list of news articles opened my eyes some more. Being one that avoids news like an ostrich with my head in the sand trying to stay in a false sense of peace, that was a trip. I feel this book of his is timely. The facade of beautiful people, perfect lives, etc., etc., needs to be peeled away and the reality revealed. So what if Jesus was not beautiful on the outside, he was where it counted. Just as so many of the cast-aside people of this world are. Bravo to you Ray Charles Istre! I wish you well with your book! Bravo to you Les for once again bringing two very interesting people to us to keep us thinking and learning.
Michele
read Les Marcott's article

You can add Kid Rock's Rock and Roll Jesus, the website Hollywood Jesus, and the film Wrong Eyed Jesus. All the same a very interesting article. If life were fair, Ugly Jesus would be a best seller and Scene4 would be on news stands and magazine racks everywhere.
T.J. McIntosh
read Les Marcott's article

Actually, Ray Istre comes late to the notion of a less-than-photogenic Jesus. The BBC did a piece five years or so ago wherein they reconstructed a possible Jesus from many different visual sources and came up with a short, solid, swarthy man. It raised much uproar about the "proper" way to depict Jesus -- offenses and umbrage were taken. Take a look yourself: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1243339.stm
Michael Bettencourt
read Les Marcott's article

What do you mean no stinking badges? And I was all ready to go get a fake mustache, cause I can make those facial expressions...even tho I'm a GIRL, I figure I could be one of the MOST WAYWARD of Western Sons of Warren Oates..really Les, no girls in your club? You really think you could get away with that in today's world? I bet you are REALLY glad you decided against it now! I could fake tamborine playing in a band if ....if I drank enough.
I enjoyed the article Les, Warren Oates was one sexy dude.
Michele
read Les Marcott's article

I was a filmmaker who made Nashville Sound and who found Herbie Howell and who filmed him. What a beautiful moment in time and what a beautiful guy. I lost touch with him unfortunately and cannot answer your query regarding what ever happened to him. Nashville was a hard place back then and those recording execs were tough guys. We got them to pay attention. We never heard the results.
David Hoffman (www.thehoffmancollection.com www.Sagas.com)

read Les Marcott's article

Nice work Les. I remember this guy and did not notice that he was a bad actor, which might be saying that he was a great character actor. What is it that gets the cover of People Magazine? Maybe its the vengance of the great unknown actors to have the "pretty" and "Studly" get distracted by the media hounds?
Hummm...
Ray Istre
read Les Marcott's article

When I first read your title and saw it was a political article, the thought that popped into my mind was the title of a song of protest singer/songwriter Sebastian Agnello's. The Goofs Are Back In Town. Lyrics that sing of "How'de we ever get into this mess, you voted em in, How do we ever get out of this mess, Vote Em OUT! " Thinking back on the early days of Revolution, calling on Thomas Paine's infamous words about George.."Whether the world will be puzzled to decide whether you are an apostate or an imposter, whether you have abandoned good principles or whether you ever had any" I wondered which George he was really speaking of, Washington or Bush, for the two share the same ineffectiveness in battle which prompted Mr. Paine to make such a strong critical statement. Taking a look at the choices we will have put before us I call on another statement of his, "THESE ARE The Times That Try Men's Souls!" trying to decide on a decent candidate to vote for! I so long for independents worthy of our vote. Les, thank you for another fine article, but I have a hard time relating politics to humor. Too often they make us look like the clowns.

Michele

read Les Marcott's article

Enjoyed the article, Les.
Michele Dowell

read Les Marcott's article

I first met Herbie Howell when I was 15 years old and He was 13 , here in Augusta. We began to learn to play Guitar together then. He was known as Emory Howell then. We also called him "Em".That was in 1957. Now he goes by Herb Howell. I am Glad to say he is still living in Augusta - but alone. He doesn't play anymore. His Mom just passed away about 3 months ago. Mrs Kay Howell. I saw him just today. My wife Bonnie and I went by to see him. Today is March 28, 2008. I have shown him the "Nashville Sound" several times. First on a 16mm print I had. Then transferred it to VHS for him and his children, etc. After that Film in 1969 he continued to play and sing in clubs, special events etc. He is very talented. But he has given up on a career. I have a photo of him and me taken today, if you would want it sent via email let me know. I might mention also he was promised a fee for the film but the film Company skipped Nashville before he got paid. This type of thing happens too often. Thanks for your interest in Herbie.
Ray Hutto
read Les Marcott's article

Thanks for writing that. We just rented the film "The Nashville Sound" and were also wondering about the eventual fate of Herbie. Has feedback from your article yielded any new info? We'd be curious to know.
NH
read Les Marcott's article
read other comments

Hi Ray, Thanks for posting an update on Herbie. I have a friend in Nashville and I sent him a copy of the Nashville Sound DVD. He said he called Shelby Singleton and asked him if he remembers Herbie. He said several people have asked him about Herbie but he doesn't remember him at all. Which makes me sad. Please e-mail me the photo of you and Herbie. Tell Herbie he has fans out there who wish he had gotten the contract back in 1969, we would love to have heard a record by him. Thank you, Susan-San Francisco-macarthurp@yahoo.com

I always wondered what happened to him. You're baaad Les.

Sleepy John

read Les Marcott's article

Thanks for an entertaining twist on this old story. It's funny, sad and true.

TL

read Les Marcott's article

Les, you did Blaze Foley good. I'll not forget you are the one who introduced me to his music. I'm still listening to him everyday. Songs that have become so much apart of my life, he was a genius and I only wonder what he'd have written had he not left so soon.

Michele

read Les Marcott's article

Les, we "cup half fullers" tend to live longer, even if "cup half emptiest" tend to assay the situation more accurately. At least, that is what they found in researching concentration camp survivors. I see ignorance as a problem. We can be happier if we are dumb, but we are less capable of making things better. The old Chinese curse applies to us: "May you be reborn in remarkable times." We live in a time of possibilities. The future will become what we make of it. We might possibly experience a paradigm shift in our lifetimes. When the military is abolished and we are weaned off of petrochemicals.

Lee Love

read Les Marcott's article

Enjoyed the article Les. Need to find this album!

Michele Hartley

read Les Marcott's article

I too have just finished watching "The Nashville Sound" DVD and also wondered whatever happened to Herbie Howell. In my search for info I came across Les Marcott's great article. As Les said, Herbie may have just drifted away...I think those guys in charge of "the C & W Business" seemed pretty hard and controlling, I don't think Herbie would have survived long in that cut throat environment. The movie, The Nashville Sound was fascinating, a time capsule of fashions, cars, hairstyles, manners, advertising and performance techniques and most of all full on, wonderful music.
A fun movie and a great story by Les.

Jim Stapleton

read Les Marcott's article

Please be aware kind readers that Herbie Howell was actually found by one of our readers. It turns out he has been hiding in plain sight in his home town of Augusta, Georgia all these years. And while he long ago gave up on a musical career, from what I understand has lived a rewarding and happy life. This news was posted here last year (click to read) but since there is such a tremendous interest in his story I deem it worthy to post again.

Les Marcott

read Les Marcott's original article

[For other posts on Herbie Howell, search the blog]

That's a hot list you got there Les. And very funny. But you know, those performers aren't very different from other folks. Look at the politicians and the CEOs. They do the same thing. I guess what happens when you get to certain place with power and money you get what you want and go a lttle crazy. Then it shows in your work and with musicians it shows in their music or what's left of it. The U.S. is the land of plenty but maybe not for long.

Jamie Perjtin

read Les Marcott's column

Che was a gangster and so is Castro and so was Mao and so is Cheney and so was Stalin and so is Mugabe and so was Hitler and so on and so on. It's always about one gang grabbing the loot and another gang trying to get their hands on it. It's been that way from the beginning of time to exploring space. In ancient Egypt, the gangsters put their faces on medallions and made money. Today it's t-shirts. If Che were alive today he'd have his own talk show.

Tom Sonczak

read Les Marcott's article

What a hoot and at the same time kind of sad and scary. Thanks. I'll stick to watching.

Rad Bennett

read Les Marcott's column

I love Jerry Lee and all the others you put up as mavericks and rebels and such. Thanks for making this powerhouse story.

Wideye Bill

read Les Marcott's column

Ditto, ditto and ditto, Les. The Great Ball of Fire is my hero. Tiger's got a bad neck because of all his bending down. Jerry stands up straight as his finger. You nailed it, man. Thanks.

Til Unger

read Les Marcott's column

Les Marcott's article on the manipulation of phrases in everyday vernacular hit a nerve. I cringe when I hear or see the words "pre-owned," knowing it is simply a high-falutin way of saying "used" for those refurbished vehicles grinning brightly from car lots. At the cosmetics counter in the larger department stores, there are often white-coated sales associates ("epidermal consultants?") who will wield pamphlets and products with the assurance of a lab assistant. The professional position of "Life Coach" is cropping up (do they use whistles while training clients for more productive lives?) and it is another neat way of encapsulating complex concepts in a compact, promising moniker. We are not too far off from Roseanne Barr's exotic notion of "Domestic Goddess" for "Housewife," but don't tell that to the television executives at ABC.

Mindy Kronenberg

read Les Marcott's column

No difference between her and Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow. Yanks love their tragic platinum-blond goddesses.

Thomas
read Les Marcott's column

Yeah, we love our goddesses and she was a great one. She was "the American Dream" and still is.

Sam D.

read Les Marcott's column

There's going to be a new saying now-"Do A Charlie Sheen". It means "bomb" in any backwater jerk- town like Detroit.

PatT.

read Les Marcott's column

I enjoyed the article, it brought back fond memories of the film, which I've seen several times. As a martial artist, and traveller on the Path, I remember Billy Jack as being inspirational, and true to an enlightened mind.

Ronn Parker

read Les Marcott's column

Balazs Szabo is a great man and a great artist and a great example of how art flourishes when artists are free and people are free to experience their art. Thank you for portraying that and him.

George Draco

read Les Marcott's column

Szabo is an inspiration. Hope his dream of an artistic community in Hillsboro, NC is realized soon.

Skip Holmgren

read Les Marcott's column

Hilarious ain't the word, Les. I couldn't stop laughing, man. It's like right out of a Reality Show. And can I relate to it. Hey, I wish I had this speech a couple of years ago in Spokane. Same deal, same situation, same crazy. You nailed it, brother!

T.J. Michael

read Les Marcott's monologue

Dear Les Marcott, you're a wizard! And I've got just the thing for you to wiz with. It's a speech-jammin smartphone. It's so crazy, it works! We can make a fortune. Contact me, before the black ops guys do.

Anonymous (not the hackers!!)

read Les Marcott's column

Your comments are well taken and hit the mark. Rock and rap and hip-hop is all about the Show, it's never been about the Music.

Timothy Harrou

read Les Marcott's column