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C.S. Elston

Worshipper, Husband, Author, Screenwriter, Home Cook, Fan

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2018 New Year’s Resolution

January 1, 2018 By C.S. Elston

 

 

I’ve never been much for new year resolutions. In fact, I specifically used to avoid them because I thought they were silly. The only one I ever really made and stuck to for any length of time was to get healthier. But, even that one petered out before the end of summer. Besides, why wait for a specific day on the calendar to make a positive life change?

While I still don’t think it is necessary to wait for a specific day, there is something refreshing about the clean slate that comes on January 1st. So, I’ve decided to make a simple, yet potentially profound, resolution for 2018. Through both good times and bad, I am going to live the truth of King David’s words in the following verse:

David wrote those words in a moment of time when he knew his own son, Absalom, was on his way to kill him and assume his throne. If David can hold on to that kind of faith during such a tragic, lonely, and terrifying period, so can I.

Who’s with me?

Filed Under: About Me, Blog, Faith, Home Tagged With: 2018, Absalom, david, faith, God is good, king david, new year, new years resolution, psalm, psalm 3, trust God

The Reason for the Season

December 7, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

By now, most of us have heard that Jesus was more likely born in early fall than on December 25th and that many of the popular customs associated with Christmas actually pre-date the holiday and were probably adopted from winter solstice celebrations by pagan populations that later converted to Christianity. We also know that we’re supposed to be full of “Christmas cheer” for three or four weeks as winter settles in but, instead, find ourselves yelling at each other in parking lots, spending money on things we can’t afford and tackling strangers in the toy aisle at Walmart. So, what exactly are we celebrating and why are we celebrating it?

When in doubt, take it back to the basics and refuse to get caught up in the minutia. Regardless of when Jesus was born, the miraculous thing is that the Word became flesh. What does that mean and why does it matter? One of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, put it this way:

“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”

~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Let’s look closely at the specifics behind Lewis’ statement. And, to do so, let’s go straight to a modern translation of the original source material. The book of John begins by telling us this:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

~ John 1:1-5, English Standard Version

These five verses are packed with life-transforming information. First, they tell us that the Word was both with God and was God from the very beginning of everything. Second, they tell us that the Word is responsible for all of creation. Third, they tell us that the Word contains the life that is the light of humanity which is not overcome by darkness.

From the Garden of Eden to the moment of Jesus’ birth, humanity had proven over and over again that we could not overcome sin on our own. Left to our own devices, we were headed for death. We were headed for eternal darkness. We needed the life that is the light that would not be overcome. The light that is only in the Word. Later in that first chapter of John, God showed us mercy and gave us that light:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

~ John 1:14, English Standard Version

Lewis stated the importance of this event for us with precision:

“The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.”

~ C.S. Lewis, Miracles

The birth of Jesus Christ is the single most important event in all of human history. God became man. Feel the weight of that statement. The Creator became the Creation. The highest being in existence descended into a world he created perfect because it had since been infected by sin and he knew that the sacrifice he was making was the one and only way to redeem it, to redeem us. We needed . . . and still . . . We need Jesus!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

~ John 3:16-17, English Standard Version

 

Our good friend, Lewis, put it this way:

“In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity . . . But He goes down to come up again and bring the ruined world up with Him . . . “

~ C.S. Lewis, Miracles

Praise his name! Fake tree, real tree, no tree . . . Who cares? All that really matters is that the miracle of Christmas is absolutely worth celebrating. The God of all creation loves us so much that he came down in order to take us back up with him, where he always intended us to be! And, even in a crowded shopping mall parking lot or the toy aisle at Walmart, the miracle and the meaning of Christmas should absolutely fill your heart with joy. It sure does mine.

And, it is with that joyous heart that I wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Home Tagged With: Bible, C.S. Lewis, Christmas, Christmas cheer, Christmas miracle, Christmas present, christmas shopping, Christmas spirit, Christmas tree, Creation, Creator, December 25th, English Standard Version, ESV, faith, gift present, God, holiday, incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Mere Christianity, merry christmas, Miracles, nativity, reason for the season, Salvation, Scripture, season, sin, sins, Son of God, Walmart, Winter, Word, Word of God

When I Knew I wanted To Write Fiction

December 1, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

 

I recently did a Twitter #MounceChat interview and a participant, Racheal Colby, suggested that I turn some of the questions and answers into blog posts. I’m taking her advice and thought, why not start with the very first question which was “When did you decide you wanted to be a fiction author?” So, following her advice, here was my response:

I was a very imaginative child. Whether I was playing with matchbox cars or out in the woods with friends (or, even alone) I was always creating plot. I didn’t know what it was called back then. But, that’s exactly what I was doing. One of those plots, I later thought about turning into a screenplay. Then Pixar made Cars and I decided that I didn’t want to look like a copycat.

As soon as I began to learn how to read, I started writing stories down. I was also an athletic kid so, if the weather permitted, I was outside throwing or kicking a ball. But, growing up in the suburbs of Seattle, a lot of days were rainy. On those days, I was inside writing. I tried to get my friends to write with me. They accommodated me at times but, for the most part, I was the only one truly interested. While I thought of myself as one of the neighborhood jocks, I suppose I was also one of the neighborhood nerds.

All that to say, I think I always wanted to write fiction. Even before I knew what that truly meant. I said I was going to be an author from the time I was a little boy. I took a detour when I fell in love with movies and became a screenwriter. But, then I met Andrea (now my wife) and decided to move back to my hometown and write my first novel. Three books later, that’s now what I’m doing full-time and I’d be happy if I never did anything else.

 

Filed Under: About Me, Blog, Home, Writing Tagged With: author, Cars, child, children, fiction, jocks, kids, Matchbox cars, mounce chat, nerds, Pixar, Racheal Colby, read, reading, twitter, twitter chat, write, writer, writing

The Gift of Rio is Now Available!

November 21, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

 

I’m excited to announce that the second book in the Gift of the Elements series is now available!  Although the events depicted make it chronologically book one – don’t let that confuse you, the books are independent but connected stories and can be read in any order and still make complete sense. Paperbacks and eBooks are now shipping on Amazon and the limited edition, signed and numbered hardcovers are available, exclusively, through the publisher, Electric Quill Press. In fact, they are now offering a bundle that includes both The Gift of Rio and The Gift of Tyler that saves 10% compared to buying the books separately.

Also, in celebration of The Gift of Rio’s release, Amazon is offering The Gift of Tyler eBook, at no charge, for five days only. The promotion started today and ends Saturday so, if you don’t already have it and you prefer your books digital, go to Amazon right now while you can get The Gift of Tyler for free! But, if you’re like me and you prefer to touch the physical pages of your books, head on over to Electric Quill Press and save 10% on that bundle that includes both books.  Then you will have plenty to read as you travel over the holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Filed Under: Blog, Home, My Books Tagged With: Amazon, author, autograph, autographed books, black friday, book, Books, C.S. Elston, Christmas, christmas shopping, digital, discount, discount books, eBook, eBooks, Electric Quill Press, Gift of Rio, Gift of the Elements, Gift of Tyler, gifts, happy thanksgiving, hardcover, holidays, Kindle, limited edition, merry christmas, promotion, publisher, publishers, publishing, read, readers, reading, sale, signed books, Thanksgiving

My Favorite Thanksgiving Side-Dish

November 13, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

 

We all look forward to the turkey. Well, most of us. A lot of people look forward to the desert, too. Of course, you don’t have to pick just one item to look forward to about the greatest American meal of the year. But, if I was forced to, mine would have to be a side dish. No, it’s not the cranberry sauce or even the mashed-potatoes and gravy. The latter is high on the list, however. My favorite would have to be my mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole. So, I got special permission to share the recipe. It’s so good, it just wouldn’t be fair to keep it to ourselves.

 

Ingredients

2 cups of mashed Princella canned Sweet Potatoes — drain the syrup before mashing

4 tablespoons of softened butter or margarine

2 eggs

1 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Dash of salt

2/3 cup of sugar

 

Directions (part one)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine above ingredients. Mix well. Place in greased casserole dish and bake for approximately half of an hour. Remove from oven.

 

Topping Ingredients

6 tablespoons of melted butter or margarine

1/2 cup of chopped nuts

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of flour

 

Directions (part two)

Combine topping ingredients. Mix well. Cover casserole with the topping mixture and place back in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove and serve. This dish should take care of about 8 people. But, if you love it as much as my family does, you may have to drop that number to 6 . . . maybe even lower . . . I actually prefer this to most of the pies. Enjoy and have a happy Thanksgiving!

 

Filed Under: About Me, Blog, Food & Beverage, Home Tagged With: brown sugar, butter, canned, chopped nuts, cinnamon, eggs, extract, flour, margarine, meal, nutmeg, nuts, Princella, salt, side-dish, sugar, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving, vanilla, vanilla extract

Facing the Critic Within

November 3, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

We’ve never seen him (or, her – for me it’s a him) but we’ve all heard his voice. Call him the voice of doubt, the inner critic or, heck, call him the natural thief of confidence and productivity. It all means the same thing. It’s that nagging voice that comes from within. I hear it all the time. After all, I believe that I am my harshest critic.

Self-criticizing can be very detrimental. It can stifle creativity. It can cause you to doubt your abilities and the work you’re doing to the point where it slows you down or even leaves you completely unproductive. It can cause image issues, relationship fears, and often leads to full-blown depression.

All this to say that the critic within needs to be taken seriously and managed appropriately. To avoid the downward spiral that leads to self-destructive behavior, it is my humble opinion that the critic needs to be listened to and responded to because it can’t be all-together avoided. If, instead, we can harness the criticism and re-direct it into self-improvement, we will become happier and more successful people. So, how do we do that?

First, we must accept the fact that no one is perfect. We aren’t, never will be, and expectations of perfection are both ludicrous and harmful. Goals are great but keeping them realistic is critical so that we set ourselves up for success.

Next, we need to identify the motivational source of the voice. Is this coming from a place deep inside where we know we have room for improvement in a certain area? Or, is this coming from a place of pain? A place of deception? For some, the critic within comes from a place where they have been hurt in the past.

For example, a boy that was teased as a child for being overweight can grow up to be a man who feels fat no matter how much time he spends in the gym or how many times he passes on the French fries, opting instead for the kale salad. That’s when you know the voice is a liar and needs to be kicked out of your life. Choosing the gym and the kale salad made the man a better version of himself than accepting his “fate” as a fat man and eating French fries while watching The Biggest Loser in tears would have. But, he already made that improvement so, continuing to listen to that voice would only mean inevitable self-destruction. Time to move on.

As a Christian, I also believe that the voice within me can be the Holy Spirit shining a light on dark spots in my life that need to be exposed so that I can improve. So that I can become the man I was created to be and live the life I was created to live. That’s a voice I want to listen to because it makes me a better person and, ultimately, a happier one.

As a writer, the critic within can make my work better. Again, I just need to learn to harness it and use it for good rather than let it overwhelm me and take me down the path of self-destruction. Like me while I’m on this side of heaven, my work will never be perfect. And, also like me, there’s always room for improvement. We are all works in progress. And, until my books are in print, I’m trying to improve every little detail until I have to let go.

The bottom line is that the critic within can be a good thing. Or, it can be your worst enemy. The choice is up to you. One thing that’s for sure, we all face that voice from time to time. The trick is in how we decide to handle that standoff.

 

Back to “Elston On Mind, Body & Soul”

Filed Under: About Me, Blog, Home, Writing Tagged With: achievement, author, behavior, Biggest Loser, book, Books, choice, choices, Christian, christianity, confidence, creative, creativity, critic, critic within, deception, decision, decisions, depression, destructive behavior, doubt, faith, fate, goals, God, happiness, Holy Spirit, human behavior, image issues, inner critic, life, motivation, own worst enemy, perfection, perfectionist, positive, positivity, productive, productivity, psychology, relationship fears, self-criticism, self-depricating, self-destruction, self-doubt, self-efacing, self-esteem, self-help, self-improvement, strive, striving, success, The Biggest Loser, voice of doubt, weight-loss, writer, writing

Awesome Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

October 26, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

 

In my house, this is known as “Pumpkin-Carving Weekend.” However, I secretly call it “Pumpkin Seeds Weekend” because eating the seeds we roast after the pumpkin carving is over is easily my favorite part. So, I thought I’d share the recipe (modified from one passed on to my mom by her best friend from childhood, the late, great Sheila Williams. She was a delight, these seeds are an annual treat, and hopefully, sharing this recipe, in some small way, honors a wonderful human being who is at home with our Lord and spreads the joy . . .

 

Ingredients for every Cup of Unwashed Seeds

½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon of melted butter

1 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning salt (Johnny’s, Lowry’s, etc.)

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Mix the seeds (I cannot stress enough how vital it is to leave them unwashed) and the other ingredients (again, portioned according to the number of cups of seeds – I usually have at least four cups, which means four tablespoons of butter, four teaspoons of seasoning salt and two teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce) in a bowl.

Grease a baking sheet (I just use a little spray oil – doesn’t take much because of the butter) and dump the seed mixture into it. Spread the seeds out into a single layer (or, at least, relatively close.) Depending on how many cups of seeds you started with, you may need to use more than one baking sheet.

Bake to desired crispness (stirring occasionally and sprinkling a bit of extra seasoning salt if you like them super salty.) I like mine rather crispy so, two hours, is a bare minimum. Again, depending on how many seeds there are, it can be three or four.

Try not to eat them all in one sitting. I find it extremely difficult.

 

Back To “Elston on Food & Beverage“

Filed Under: Blog, Food & Beverage, Home Tagged With: butter, Johnny's, Johnny's seasoning salt, Lowry's, Lowry's seasoning salt, melted butter, pumpkin, pumpkin carving, pumpkin seeds, recipe, seasoning salt, Worcestershire, Worcestershire Sauce

My Favorite Thing About Being A Writer

October 20, 2017 By C.S. Elston

October 20, 2017

By

C.S. Elston

 

 

One of the many questions that I’ve been asked repeatedly is, “What’s your favorite thing about being a writer?” Surprisingly, it’s not an easy one to answer. Perhaps that’s because, on any given day, my answer changes depending on my mood, my latest project or for countless other reasons. However, a handful of answers do seem to come up a lot.

I love that writing gives me a voice. People can express themselves in many ways. That’s one of the numerous things that makes any kind of art so great. For me, it’s through writing. Everyone has something to say and I have the privilege of saying it through writing.

I love that writing lasts. We don’t have videos of events that happened thousands of years ago but, we do have written accounts. Homer and Dante didn’t make movies but they did write The Odyssey and Inferno. The written word is a timeless tradition that I am very proud and honored to join on any level that I can.

I love that writing takes me and others on adventures. As I flesh out a story, I get to go on the adventure with the characters. When I write in “The Four Corners” series, I get to go to a fictional world called Kadosh. “The Gift of the Elements” series has taken me as far away as Japan and will eventually take me to both Chile and Finland. Then, when I finally finish and send the story out into the world, others get to go on those same adventures. I, for one, think that’s awesome!

Perhaps more than anything else and, therefore, the answer I give the most often and would probably pick as the number one reason if forced to narrow it to only one, is that I love that writing means I get to create something new. I love to create. It’s also why I enjoy cooking so much. In both cases, you start with nothing but an idea and wind up with something you hope is wonderful when it’s all over. And, in both cases, you can bet someone will let you know how wonderful (or, conversely, awful) either way.

Granted, the building blocks you use aren’t completely original to just you. With cooking, the ingredients come from somewhere. Even if they come from your own garden, you must thank God for sending the sun and the rain. And, with writing, the same is true. You’re building off your life experiences and the things that have inspired you. After all, as creators, we’re all actually imitators when it comes right down to it. In fiction, we’re imitating real life. In non-fiction, we’re documenting real life. And, the truth is, we’re all just imitating the original creator anyway.

The process can be a minor taste of hell at times but, in the end, we all hope it’s worth it. And, for me, so far, it always has been.

 

(BACK TO LIFE OF ELSTON)

Filed Under: About Me, Blog, Home, My Books, Writing Tagged With: author, book, book series, Books, Chile, dante, Finland, Four Corners, Gift of the Elements, homer, illiad, inferno, Inspiration, Japan, Kadosh, odyssey, readers, reading, screenwriter, stories, story, the four corners, the gift of the elements, the illiad, the odyssey, writer, writing

10 Movies To Watch That Will Get You Fired Up For Basketball Season

October 13, 2017 By C.S. Elston

October 13, 2017

By

C.S. Elston

 

 

With the NBA regular season about to start and the NCAA tipoff less than a month behind it, I thought I would follow up my football movies post from August with one that takes on a basketball theme. Just like the previous post, this is in no way an exhaustive list and it only includes narrative films. Plus, there are some that come highly recommended that I’m embarrassed to admit I haven’t seen yet. So, please don’t get mad that it’s missing some of YOUR favorites like “He Got Game,” “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh,” “Like Mike,” “Thunderstruck,” “Space Jam,” “Juwanna Mann,” “Rebound: The Legend of Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault,” “Cornbread, Earl and Me,” “Above the Rim,” “O,” “Air Bud,” “The Sixth Man,” “Sunset Park,” “The Basketball Diaries,” “Celtic Pride,” “Semi-Pro,” “Heaven is a Playground,” “The Air Up There,” “Eddie,” “Hurricane Season,” “Fast Break,” or the documentaries “On the Shoulders of Giants,” “More than a Game,” and “Hoop Dreams.” I didn’t forget, I had to be choosey and for one reason or another, a lot of movies didn’t make the cut.

Also, like I did in the football post, I decided to eliminate films that were mostly behind-the-scenes. So, a funny movie like “Forget Paris” isn’t on there because the main character is a referee rather than a basketball player. I’ll probably do a list, at some point, about those types of films. So, I’ll hold on to that one and others like it until them.

The football post included 11 films for 11 players on each side of the ball. This time, I’m including all players on the court which brings our total to 10. So, here it is, a list of SOME OF MY favorite basketball movies in no particular order.

  1. Coach Carter (2005 — Rated PG-13 and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Rick Gonzalez, Rob Brown, Robert Ri’chard, Channing Tatum, Ashanti, and Octavia Spencer)

Centered around the 1999 Richmond High School basketball team, Coach Carter tells the story of a man who holds his players accountable and the controversy he creates when he benches all of them for breaking the academic contract he required them to sign to join the team. Ken Carter provides a real-life example of how the strong leadership of a good coach can, not only produce a solid basketball team but, more importantly, teach their young players discipline and, in the process, mold them into better men. It’s a great story and holds an even more special place in my heart now than it did when I first saw it because I have since learned that Ken Carter, a decade and a half before I did, graduated from George Fox University.

  1. The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991 — Rated G and starring Millie Perkins, Nick Benedict, Adam Guier, Murrell Garland, and Tom Lester)

I haven’t seen this movie in a long time but, I found it very inspirational as a kid and the story stuck with me. As a child, surprisingly, I didn’t focus in on Pete Maravich’s militant father. What stood out to me is how hard Pete worked and how that work-ethic helped him overcome the odds of his short stature and turned him into an outstanding basketball player.

  1. Love & Basketball (2000 – Rated PG-13 and starring Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert, and Boris Kodjoe)

This film follows two neighboring Los Angelenos (“Q” and Monica,) from the childhood playgrounds, through their time at USC, and on to the professional hardwoods, as they both pursue their life-long dreams of becoming NBA stars. But, that’s not all they have in common. It’s not called Love & Basketball for nothin’!

  1. Blue Chips (1994 – Rated PG-13 and starring Nick Nolte, Mary McDonnell, J.T. Walsh, Ed O’Neill, Alfre Woodard, Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway)

A near gut-wrenching dose of fictional truth-telling, this movie is about a college basketball coach who has always played by the rules but finds himself in a position where he feels like the landscape of the world he loves has changed. When his team stops winning, boosters pressure him to break the rules for the first time and pay for some good players. He hasn’t been having the success recruiting that other schools have been and he feels it might be because he’s the only one still playing by those old rules. But, if he pays for players and gets caught, it will ruin his career.

  1. Finding Forrester (2000 – Rated PG-13 and starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, F. Murray Abraham, Anna Paquin, Busta Rhymes, Michael Pitt, April Grace and Matt Damon)

Finding Forrester depicts the unlikely relationship between a young black man named Jamal Wallace, who has been given the opportunity to attend one of New York’s top preparatory schools on a full-ride basketball scholarship, and an old, white, reclusive curmudgeon named William Forrester who is also a famous author. As William discovers that Jamal is a brilliant writer, the relationship evolves into that of mentor and prodigy. Basketball isn’t necessarily the focus of the story but, it does play a part and, it’s a wonderful story.

  1. White Men Can’t Jump (1992 – Rated R and starring Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell and Kadeem Hardison)

This is another one I haven’t seen in a long time but remember thinking was hilarious when I was in high school. I’ve seen it again more recently than that but, it’s still been a while. Snipes and Harrelson play a couple of Los Angeles street hustlers trying to get by playing basketball and playing off people’s prejudices toward a white guy in goofy clothes whom they assume couldn’t possibly be a good basketball player. Spoiler alert: the guy can play. Be aware of the profanity. I’m sure that will turn some people off.

  1. One on One (1977 – Rated PG and starring Robby Benson, Annette O’Toole, G.D. Spradlin, Gail Strickland and Melanie Griffith)

One on One centers on the star of a small Colorado town’s high school basketball team who gets a scholarship to play at a big university in Los Angeles. He is quickly overwhelmed by the fact that he never fully learned to read, bullying from players on his new team and a mean-spirited coach. However, a pretty young co-ed assigned to tutor him may just help him turn things around . . .

  1. Hoosiers (1986 – Rated PG and starring Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper, Sheb Wooley, Fern Persons, Chelcie Ross, Robert Swan and Michael Sassone)

You’ve had over thirty years to see this film so, if you haven’t yet, shame on you. Hoosiers is considered by many to be among the greatest sports movies of all time. Since most have seen it, I’ll spare you the plot details. But, if you’re one of the few who haven’t, get a copy and watch it immediately!

  1. Teen Wolf (1985 – Rated PG and starring Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Susan Ursitti, Jerry Levine, Matt Adler, Mark Arnold and Jay Tarses)

Michael J. Fox plays an ordinary high school student who suddenly begins to transform into a werewolf. He soon learns that this is part of his heritage. Of course, that freaks him out at first but, he quickly discovers that it also improves his life in many ways – including his skills on the basketball court. This is another one I’ve loved to laugh at since I was a kid.

  1. Glory Road (2006 – Rated PG and starring Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Austin Nichols, Jon Voight, Evan Jones, Alphonso McAuley, Mechad Brooks, Emily Deschanel, Same Jones III, Red West, Damaine Radcliff, Al Shearer and Kip Weeks)

Like Coach Carter, which came only a year before it, Glory Road is an inspirational true story. This one, however, takes place over thirty years earlier in 1966 and centers on the events leading up to what is now called the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Don Haskins, head coach of Texas Western College, set his line-up according to skill-level rather than skin-color and wound up coaching the first all-black starting line-up in tournament history.

 

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Filed Under: Basketball, Blog, Home, Sports Tagged With: Above the Rim, Adam Guier, Air Bud, Al Shearer, Alfre Woodard, Alphonso McAuley, Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway, Anfernee Hardaway, Anna Paquin, Annette O’Toole, April Grace, Ashanti, Austin Nichols, Barbara Hershey, basketball movies, Blue Chips, Boris Kodjoe, Busta Rhymes, Celtic Pride, Channing Tatum, Chelcie Ross, Coach Carter, Cornbread Earl and Me, Damaine Radcliff, Dennis Haysbert, Dennis Hopper, Derek Luke, documentary, Don Haskins, Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault, Ed O’Neill, Eddie, Emily Deschanel, Evan Jones, F. Murray Abraham, Fast Break, Fern Persons, Finding Forrester, G.D. Spradlin, Gabrielle Union, Gail Strickland, Gene Hackman, Glory Road, He Got Game, heaven is a playground, Hoop Dreams, Hoosiers, Hurricane Season, J.T. Walsh, James Hampton, Jay Tarses, Jerry Levine, Jon Voight, Josh Lucas, Juwanna Mann, Kadeem Hardison, Ken Carter, Kevin Bacon, Kip Weeks, Like Mike, Los Angelenos, Love & Basketball, Mark Arnold, Mary McDonnell, Matt Adler, Matt Damon, Mechad Brooks, Melanie Griffith, Michael J. Fox, Michael Jordan, Michael Pitt, Michael Sassone, Millie Perkins, More than a Game, Murrell Garland, NBA, NCAA, ncaa basketball, NCAA Division I Mens Basketball Tournament, ncaa mens basketball, ncaa women basketball, Nick Benedict, Nick Nolte, O, Octavia Spencer, Omar Epps, On the Shoulders of Giants, One on One, Penny Hardaway, Pete Maravich, PG, PG-13, Pistol Pete Maravich, Rated G, Rated R, Rebound, Red West, Regina Hall, Richmond High School, Rick Gonzalez, Rob Brown, Robby Benson, Robert Ri’chard, Robert Swan, Rosie Perez, Same Jones III, Samuel L. Jackson, Sanaa Lathan, Sean Connery, Semi-Pro, Shaq, Shaquille O’Neal, Sheb Wooley, Space Jam, sports movies, Sunset Park, Susan Ursitti, Teen Wolf, The Air Up There, The Basketball Diaries, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, The Pistol, The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend, The Sixth Man, Thunderstruck, Tom Lester, Tyra Ferrell, USC Los Angeles, Wesley Snipes, White Men Can’t Jump, Woody Harrelson

Some of My Favorite Music From the 1950s

October 6, 2017 By C.S. Elston

 

This is the second installment of the “Some of My Favorite Music” series. This time, I’ll be focusing on the 1950s. It was a great decade for music, dominated by doo-wop, country and western, rockabilly, blues, swing, pop, rhythm and blues, and the adolescence of the emerging rock and roll scene that was born in the late 1940s.

Since the last post in this series ended up being something of a list in paragraph form, and the length is even greater this time around, I’m going to make the body of this one a straight up list with the occasional and (hopefully) interesting anecdote.

Patti Page, songs: “Tennessee Waltz” (1950,) “Would I Love You,” “Mockin’ Bird Hill” and “Mister and Mississippi” (1951,) “I Went to Your Wedding,” “You Belong to Me,” “Come What May” and “Once in a While” (1952,) “How Much is That Doggie in the Window” and “Changing Partners” (1953,) “Cross Over the Bridge” (1954,) “Allegheny Moon” (1956) and “Old Cape Cod” (1957.)

  • Page was the top-charting female vocalist and top-selling female artist of the 1950s.
  • In a six-decade career, she sold over 100 million records.

Hank Williams, songs: “I Just Don’t Like This Kind of Living,” Long Gone Lonesome Blues,” “Why Don’t You Love Me,” “They’ll Never Take Her Love From Me,” and “Moanin’ The Blues,” (1950,) “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Howlin’ at the Moon,” “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You,” “Hey Good Lookin’,” “Crazy Heart” and “Baby, We’re Really in Love” (1951,) “Honky Tonk Blues,” “Half as Much,” Jambalaya (On the Bayou)” “Settin’ the Woods on Fire” and “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive” (1952,) and posthumously, “Kaw-Liga,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” Take These Chains From My Heart” and “I Won’t Be Home No More” (1953.)

  • Williams delivered seven number one hits in a six-year career before his death at the age of 29.

Fats Domino, songs: “The Fat Man” (1950,) “Ain’t That A Shame” & “Blueberry Hill” (1956)

  • “The Fat Man,” technically recorded in late 1949, is largely considered the first rock and roll record to sell a million copies.

Johnny Otis, songs: “Double Crossing Blues,” “Mistrustin’ Blues,” & “Cupid’s Boogie” (1950,) and “Willie and the Hand Jive” (1958)

  • Otis also discovered many other successful artists including “Etta James, Johnny Ace, Little Willie John and Jackie Wilson.

Nat King Cole, songs: “Unforgettable” (1951,) “Pretend” (1953,) “Smile” (1954,) “A Blossom Fell” and “Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup” (1955) and “When I Fall in Love” (1956)

Elmore James, songs: “Dust My Broom” (1951,) “I Believe” (1953,) “Standing at the Crossroads” (1954,) “Dust My Blues” (1955) and “It Hurts Me Too” (1959)

Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm / Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats, song: “Rocket 88” (1951)

  • “Rocket 88” was originally credited to Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats and considered by many to be the first rock and roll record (still hotly debated by rock and roll historians) but, Ike Turner, who plays piano on the track, later disputed the matter, saying that it was he and his band with Jackie Brenston sitting in on vocals, and he won.

Ray Charles, songs: “Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand” (1951,) “Kissa Me Baby” (1952,) “Mess Around” (1953,) “I Got a Woman” (1954,) “Hallelujah I Love Her So” (1955,) “What’d I Say” (1959)

Howlin Wolf, songs: “How Many More Years” and “Monin’ at Midnight” (1951,) “Who Will Be Next” (1955) and “Smokestack Lightning” and “I Asked For Water” (1956)

Jonnie Ray, songs: “Cry” and “The Little White Cloud That Cried” (1951,) “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home” (1952) and “Just Walkin’ in the Rain” (1956)

  • A pioneering figure in the development of rock and roll, Ray’s music was heavily influenced by both jazz and blues and seemed to alternate between R&B and classic pop.

B.B. King, songs: “3 O’Clock Blues” (1952,) “Every Day I Have the Blues” & (1955,) “Sweet Little Angel” & “Rock Me Baby” (1956)

  • King’s career began in 1949 with Bullet Records but his first number one single on the R&B chart was “3 O’Clock Blues.”

Lloyd Price, songs: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” (1952,) “Stagger Lee” (1958,) “Personality” and “I’m Gonna Get Married” (1959)

Big Mama Thornton, song: “Hound Dog” (1952)

  • You’ll eventually notice that this song is on here twice. Elvis had the most popular version of it but, the original is arguably unbeatable.

Clarence “Frogman” Henry, song: “Ain’t Got No Home” (1952)

  • The R&B; song was featured in the movies “Diner,” “The Lost Boys” & “Casino”

Johnny Ace, songs: “My Song” (1952,) and “Pledging My Love” (1955)

  • “Pledging My Love” was a posthumous hit because Johnny had died weeks earlier due to a game of Russian Roulette gone wrong.

Junior Parker, song: “Mystery Train” (1953)

The Drifters, song: “Money Honey” (1953)

Muddy Waters, songs: “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “Just Make Love To Me” and “I’m Ready” (1954,) “Mannish Boy” (1955,) “Trouble No More,” “Forty Days and Forty Nights,” and “Got My Mojo Working” (1956)

The Spaniels, song: “Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite” (1954)

Bill Haley & His Comets, songs: “Rock Around the Clock” and “Shake Rattle and Roll” (1954) and “See You Later, Alligator” (1956)

The Penguins, song: “Earth Angel” (1954)

Frank Sinatra, songs: “Young at Heart” (1954,) “Love and Marriage” (1955,) “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (1956,) “All the Way” and the cover of the Rodgers and Hart show tune from the musical Babes In Arms “The Lady is a Tramp” (1957,) “Come Fly with Me” (1958,) and “Cheek to Cheek” (1959)

Dinah Washington, songs: “Teach Me Tonight” (1954,) “Unforgettable” & perhaps most importantly, her Grammy winning cover of “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” (1959)

Elvis Presley, songs: “That’s All Right” (1954,) “I Forgot to Remember to Forget “ (1955,) “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender” (1956,) “Too Much,” “All Shook Up,” “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” and “Jailhouse Rock” (1957,) “Don’t,” “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” and “Hard Headed Woman” (1958) and “A Fool Such as I” (1959)

  • The King was told he would never make it as a singer and became one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century.

Sonny Boy Williamson, song: “Don’t Start Me Talkin’” (1955)

  • Williamson had blues heavyweights Willie Dixon on bass and Muddy Waters on guitar for this song.

The Platters, songs: “Only You” and “The Great Pretender” (1955)

Chuck Berry, songs: “Maybellene” (1955,) “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956,) “Rock and Roll Music” and “School Days” (1957,) “Johnny B. Goode” and “Sweet Little Sixteen” (1958)

  • Berry is considered another rock and roll pioneer, having refined R&B into the major elements that distinguish rock and roll;
  • His guitar solos and showmanship influenced the future of rock and roll for generations that haven’t even been born yet;
  • “Maybellene” was an adaptation of a traditional country fiddle tune called “Ida Red” that was made famous in 1938 by Bob Willis and his Texas Playboys.

Jimmy Reed, songs: “You Don’t Have to Go” (1955,) “Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby” and “You’ve Got Me Dizzy” (1956,) “Little Rain” & “Honest I Do” (1957,) “I’m Gonna Get My Baby” (1958)

  • Reed influenced many other musical acts including The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, The Animals, Neil Young, The Steve Miller Band and Elvis Presley.

Little Willie John, songs: “All Around the World” (1955) and “Need Your Love So Bad” and “Fever” (1956)

  • “Fever” has been covered by many artists including Peggy Lee, Madonna, Beyonce, George Clinton and The Doors.

Smiley Lewis, song: “I Hear You Knocking” (1955)

Bo Diddley, songs: “I’m a Man,” “Bo Diddley” and “Sixteen Tons” (1955,) “Who Do You Love?” and “Pretty Thing” (1956) and “Say Man” (1959)

  • Diddley was an R&B singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll;
  • He influenced artists such as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Who, Jimi Hendrix and The Clash.

Julie London, song: “Cry Me a River” (1955)

The Cadillacs, songs: “Speedoo” (1955) and “Peek-A-Boo” (1958)

Little Richard, songs: “Tutti Frutti” (1955,) “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up” (1956,) “Lucille,” Jenny, Jenny,” and “Keep A-Knockin’” (1957,) “Good Golly, Miss Molly” (1958,) and “Whole Lotta Shakin’” (1959.)

  • Probably not even necessary to say this but, Little Richard was a rock and roll pioneer in both performance and music style – even performers like Elton John, Cee Lo Green and rockers like Kiss and Alice Cooper owe him some gratitude.

Johnny Cash, songs: “Hey Porter,” “Cry! Cry! Cry!,” “So Doggone Lonesome” and “Folsom Prison Blues” (1955,) “I Walk the Line,” “Get Rhythm” and “There You Go” (1956,) “Next in Line,” “Give My Love to Rose” and “Home of the Blues” (1957,)  “Ballad of a Teenage Queen,” “Big River,” “Guess Things Happen That Way,” “The Ways of a Woman in Love” and “All Over Again” (1958) and “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town,” “Frankie’s Man, Johnny,” “I Got Stripes” and “Little Drummer Boy” (1959)

The Dells, song: “Oh What a Night” (1956)

Carl Perkins, song: “Blue Suede Shoes” (1956)

  • This song, like “Hound Dog” before it, is another original that was also done by Elvis.

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, song: “Who Do Fools Fall in Love” (1956)

James Brown, songs: “Please, Please, Please” (1956) and “Try Me” (1958)

  • For the record, while I’m only listing two songs in the 1950s, the hardest working man in show business was just getting started.

The Five Satins, song: “In the Still of the Night” (1956)

  • The classic song has been covered by the likes of both Boyz II Men and Debbie Gibson;
  • It was also featured in Dirty Dancing and The Buddy Holly Story

Shirley & Lee, song: “Let the Good Times Roll” (1956)

Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps, songs: “Be-Bop-A-Lula” and “Bluejean Bop!” (1956,) “Lotta Lovin’” (1957) and “Dance to the Bop” (1958)

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, song: “I Put a Spell on You” (1956)

Miles Davis, albums: ’Round About Midnight (1957) and Kind of Blue (1959)

  • ’Round About Midnight was greeted with a lukewarm reception upon its release but has since been recognized as a masterpiece of the hard bop genre and one of the greatest jazz albums of all time;
  • Kind of Blue is considered by many to be Davis’ greatest album and features the songs “So What,” “All Blues” and the atypical subtle ballad “Blue in Green”)

Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio, song: “Train Kept A-Rollin’” (1956)

  • This song was originally recorded by jazz and R&B musician Tiny Bradshaw in 1951 but, this cover was a decidedly more guitar riff-driven rendition

Paul Anka, songs: “Diana” (1957,) “It’s Time to Cry” and “(All Of a Sudden) My Heart Sings” (1958)

Buddy Holly, songs: “That’ll Be the Day,” Peggy Sue,” “Everyday,” “Oh, boy!” and “Not Fade Away” (1957,) “Maybe Baby,” “Rave On,” “Think It Over,” “Early in the Morning,” “It’s So Easy,” “Real Wild Child” and “Heartbeat” (1958) and “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” (1959)

Elizabeth Cotten, song: “Freight Train” – 1957

  • 50 years after she wrote it at the age of 12, Cotten finally got her song out there and had her time in the spotlight;
  • it was later covered by country star Chet Atkins and folk legend Joan Baez;
  • Cotten was a self-taught, left-handed guitar player who played a right-handed guitar upside down which gave her a unique, signature alternating bass sound that has since become known as “Cotten Picking”

Sam Cooke, songs: “You Send Me” (1957,) “Win Your Love For Me” (1958) and “Love You Most Of All,” “Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha,” “There, I’ve Said it Again” and “Only Sixteen” (1959)

Eddie Cochran, songs: “Twenty Flight Rock” and “Sittin’ in the Balcony” (1957) and “Summertime Blues” and “C’mon Everybody” (1958)

Huey “Piano” Smith and His Clowns, songs: “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” (1957,) “Don’t You Just Know It (1958) and “Sea Cruise” (1959)

The Teen Kings, song: “Ooby Dooby” (1957)

  • While this record peaked at 59 on the Billboard Hot 100, it sold 200,000 copies and introduced us to the sound of Roy Orbison who would explode onto the scene in the 1960’s.

Patsy Cline, song: “Walkin’ After Midnight” (1957)

  • That’s it for the fifties but she resurged in 1961.

The Coasters, song: “Searchin’” (1957,) “Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown” (1958) and “Along Came Jones” and “Poison Ivy” (1959)

Dale Hawkins, song: “Susie Q” (1957)

Link Wray, song: “Rumble” (1958)

  • Rumble was featured in the movie Pulp Fiction and is one of the earliest recordings to explore distortion and feedback;
  • Link Wray was ranked at number 45 of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine;
  • Wray is the man who invented the power chord so, just about every modern rock guitarist owes him a thank you and, without him, we would never have gotten punk or heavy rock.

The Everly Brothers, songs: “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie” (1957,) “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Bird Dog” and “Problems” (1958)

Jackie Wilson, songs: “Reet Petite” (1957) & “Lonely Teardrops (1958)

The Champs, song: “Tequila” – 1958

  • The Champs are a prime example of the one-hit-wonder but they delivered a Latin-tinged instrumental with serious staying power.

Danny & the Juniors, song: “At the Hop” (1958)

Ritchie Valens, songs: “Come On, Let’s Go,” “Donna” and “La Bamba” (1958)

  • Valens’ recording career only lasted eight months before he tragically died in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper

Jerry Lee Lewis, songs: Covers of “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Jambalaya,” “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Goodnight Irene,” as well as the original “High School Confidential” were all from his first, self-titled album in 1958; Other 1950’s hit singles included “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On” and “Great Balls of Fire” (1957,) and “Breathless” (1958)

The Shirelles, songs: “I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde-Ronde)” (1958) and their cover of “Dedicated to the One I Love” (1959)

Nina Simone, songs: “I Loves you, Porgy” & “My Baby Just Cares For Me” – 1958

  • Not unlike James Brown, the career of Nina Simone was just getting started.

Cliff Richard and The Shadows, song: “Move It” (1958)

  • This song is considered the UK’s first authentic rock and roll record.

The Big Bopper, song: “Chantilly Lace” (1958)

The Dave Brubeck Quartet, album: Time Out (1959)

  • This was the first jazz album to sell more than a million copies. It included the songs “Take Five,” “Blue Rondo a la Turk” and “Three to Get Ready.”

The Isley Brothers, song: “Shout” (1959)

Johnny Preston, song: “Running Bear” (1959)

The Flamingos, song: “I Only Have Eyes For You” (1959)

Dion & The Belmonts, song: “A Teenager in Love” (1959)

  • This pop group preceded their biggest hit with “I Wonder Why,” No One Knows,” & “Don’t Pitty Me;”
  • “A Teenager in Love” was followed up with “Where or When” & “That’s My Desire”

The 1950s came to a tragic end with an event that would later inspire the 1971 smash hit song “American Pie” by Don McLean. The song dubbed the event “the day the music died.” Buddy Holly, who had parted ways with the Crickets toward the end of 1958, had put together a band that consisted of Tommy Allsup, Carl Bunch and Waylon Jennings for his “Winter Dance Party” tour with opening acts Dion & The Belmonts, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. The long, cold bus rides between gigs had left several of the musicians sick and Holly decided to charter a plane.

Dion DiMucci was offered a seat but declined because he said that the $36 cost was too much because that’s what his parents paid for a month of rent in his childhood apartment. The Big Bopper had the flu so, Waylon Jennings gave up his seat for his sick colleague. Valens and Allsup flipped a coin for the final seat and Valens won.

The plane took off from Mason City Iowa at 12:55 am on February 3, 1959 under conditions of light snow, six miles of visibility and 20-30 mile-per-hour winds. Within minutes, radio contact had been lost. Later that morning, the owner of the charter company took off in another plane to retrace the flight path. He spotted the wreckage only six miles northwest of the airport.

Losing The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly was a tragic end to an excellent decade of music and we’ll never know what music we lost with them. However, we do know some of the music we were blessed with because of who did not wind up on that plane. Dion had not recorded “A Teenager in Love” yet and both he and Waylon Jennings were still meant to give us some excellent music in the decade ahead. In fact, for my money, the sixties were even better than the fifties. But, we’ll save that for a future post . . .

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