Harry Belafonte passed......

Mr. Belafonte’s 1963 recording of “My Old Paint” is one of the greatest sounding vocals I’ve ever heard.  
I can only imagine what it must have been like for Bob Ballard to sit in the control room and hear that vocal as it happened.  
Many years of great music, and, more importantly, of courageous and invaluable service to all mankind.  
A great artist and a great man. 
I will be listening tonight.

I saw him live one evening, I think it was at L.A.'s Greek Theater. Truly outgoing and captivating. In gorgeous voice. I'm 99% sure his opening act was the folk duo Hedge & Donna, whose LP I still play occasionally.

At Carnegie Hall was a perfect confluence of performance excellence and recording skill.

If Harry Pearson was still alive, he'd be wearing black today.

My family lived downstairs from The Belafontes in the same building, 300 West End Avenue. He was a friend of my father’s and I have many fond memories of him and his son, David, who I played with.

The elevator broke, between floors, with David and I in it. We rang the alarm. After an hour, or two, they opened up the doors on the floor above and Harry was lowered to the roof of the elevator, removed the panel and pulled me out first. That was just who he was.

On another occasion, David and I were playing and Harry called us in to meet someone. Harry was an imposing figure so there was never any blow back. He introduced us to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Junior. Surely, one of the high points of my life.

RIP Harry. You were a great American. When they made you they broke the mold.