DAILY DIRT: ‘I will never give in to old age until I become old — and I’m not old yet’

Daily Dirt for Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023

Is it possible some of our jukebox heroes are really this old? … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 513 of The Daily Dirt.

1. There are more than 40 major rock stars 72 years and older who are still out touring and recording. 

Today I’m singling out a baker’s dozen, plus one, of my favorites. I’m providing a memory, my favorite song from that artist and a memorable quote. I’m listing them age:

Tina Turner, 83: She’s always had great hair, and remember when she portrayed antagonist Auntie Entity in “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome”?

• Favorite song: “Better Be Good To Me.”
• Favorite quote: “I will never give in to old age until I become old — and I’m not old yet.”

Neil Diamond, 82: If my math is correct, I’ve officially been a fan for 57 years, starting in 1966 when he gave us “Cherry, Cherry.” 

• Favorite song: “Sweet Caroline,” by a nose over “Cherry, Cherry” and “Thank The Lord For The Nighttime.”
• Favorite quote: “My music is in young people’s lives because it’s so much a part of their parents’ lives.”

Mick Jagger, 79: Mick is one of those musicians I feel has been a part of my entire life. I first saw and heard him on the “Ed Sullivan Show” when I was in third or fourth grade, and I’m still listening to and watching him.

• Favorite song: “Mixed Emotions.”
• Favorite quote: “The past is a great place and I don’t want to erase it or to regret it, but I don’t want to be its prisoner either.”

Carly Simon: 79: When I was in high school, I think every boy in my senior class was in love With Carly Simon. And those of us left still are.

• Favorite song: “You’re So Vain.”
• Favorite quote: “You know when you take the paint off an old canvas and you discover that something’s been painted underneath it? That’s what I feel like – that part of the old is coming though the new.”

Rod Stewart, 78: What can I say that I haven’t already shared about Rod the Mod? Next to family, my 50-plus years associated with journalism, the Cleveland Guardians and fantasy sports, his music has been the most important part of my life.

• Favorite song: I’m listing “Maggie May,” simply because it was the one that started it all, at least for me.
• Favorite quote: “There’s still plenty of lead in this pencil, but I only write to one person now.”

Eric Clapton, 77: I first became intrigued by Clapton when he, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were performing as Cream.

• Favorite song: “Rock and Roll Heart.”
• Favorite quote: “I’m an egomaniacs with an inferiority complex.”

John Fogerty, 77: I have always felt he possessed of the most distinctive voices in rock music.

• Favorite song: “Rock and Roll Girls,” just ahead of “Centerfield,” “Up Around The Bend” and “Sweet Hitch-hiker.”
• Favorite quote: “I’ve studied a lot of great people over the years — Pete Seeger, James Brown — and tried to incorporate elements that I’ve admired, though I can’t say I dance like James.”

Debbie Harry, 77: She may have had the best female hair in rock music in the late 1970s and early 1980s. And then Tina Turner took over.

• Favorite song: “The Tide Is High.”
• Favorite quote: “I could be a housewife… I guess I’ve vacuumed a couple of times.”

Linda Ronstadt, 76: Granted, she had a great career, but I never thought she quite attained the heights I thought she would after initially capturing our attention with “Different Drum.”

• Favorite song: “Different Drum.”
• Favorite quote: “There are a lot of aspiring singers who are not paid attention to because they don’t look like a fashion model.”

Barry Gibb, 76: He has always come across as an extremely nice person. I would imagine he would be great to have over on a Saturday afternoon in the fall to watch an Ohio State football game. 

• Favorite song: “To Love Somebody.”
• Favorite quote: “I don’t ever wish I was somebody else.”

Elton John, 75: Elton’s “Honky Chateau” was among the first albums I ever bought. It was on a Friday afternoon at Paine’s Music Shop in downtown Ashland, Ohio.

• Favorite song: “Your Song.”
• Favorite quote: “You should never take more than you give.”

Stevie Nicks, 74: She may have my all-time favorite female singing voice.

• Favorite song: “Gypsy.”
• Favorite quote: “By the time I was five, I was a little diva.”

Bruce Springsteen, 73: Arguably the best showman in the history of rock music.

• Favorite song: “Out In The Street”
• Favorite quote: “When it comes to luck, you make your own.” 

2. Food for thought: How many remember the first Super Bowl was televised by both CBS and NBC?

Yep, both networks broadcast the game at the same time. 

The CBS play-by-play announcers were Ray Scott (first half) and Jack Whitaker (second half). The CBS analyst was Frank Gifford, with Pat Summerall serving as sideline reporter. Over on NBC, Curt Gowdy was the lead announcer and Paul Christman (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Former MIZZOU QB and Heisman Trophy finalist. JRG) his analyst. Charlie Jones was the sideline report. By the way, all of those gentleman are no longer with us. 

Another interesting item about that first Super Bowl was the site of the game, the Los Angeles Coliseum, was about one-third empty. The announced crowd was 61,946. At the time, the legendary stadium seated more than 90,000.

The average ticket for the first Super Bowl cost $12. This year’s cost? The average (repeat, average) cost is $7,542 per ducat. Thanks but I think I’ll watch on television.

3. This might be a good conversation topic leading up to the Super Bowl. (We have two weeks to kill, remember.)

The schools with the most NFL draft picks since 200:

• 1. Ohio State, 157 (34 first-rounders)
• 2. Alabama, 144 (39)
• 3. LSU, 143 (21)
• 4. Georgia, 139 (25)
• 5. Florida, 125 (25)
• 6. Miami, Fla., 124 (32)
• 7. USC, 120 (24)
• 8. Florida State, 114 (25)
• 9. Utah, 113 (16)
• 10. Michigan, 105 (17)

Surprises? For me, one big one — Utah. I never would have dreamed the Utes would have had that many players selected. 

Most of the credit for that success goes to one of the nation’s most overlooked and underrated coaches, Kyle Whittingham, who has been Utah coach since 2005 with a record of 154-74. 

Who preceded Whittingham? None other than Urban Meyer, who was 22-2 in two years at Utah.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — The perfect when-they-were-in-their-prime concert? How about Stevie Nicks as the opening act, followed by John Fogerty, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart?