Piano prodigy Ryan Wang hosted a special private concert for a very special admirer, 101-year-old Dorothy Landry, several months after dazzling audiences on “The Ellen Show” and performed at the esteemed Carnegie Hall. Ryan performed a touching recital of “Variations on an Inner Mongolian Folk Song” exclusively for Landry at the age of five, organized by Canadian digital music distributor CBC Music.
Dorothy, who has been a fan of Ryan’s since he was three, was unable to fully enjoy the performance at one of his previous concerts because of hearing issues. CBC Music realized this and arranged a private concert to provide her with a more intimate musical experience.
The small scene showed Dorothy in her wheelchair with Ryan sitting next to her, his feet hanging above the floor and his hands gripping a big teddy bear, both signs of his youth. Both of them were obviously moved by the concert; Ryan expressed how much he enjoyed performing for “Grandma Dorothy” and how it made her happy.
In return, Dorothy called Ryan a “very special little person” and expressed excitement about his upcoming performances.
She expressed her gratitude to Ryan and sincerely asked that he come see her again following his impending trip to China. This special musical relationship emphasizes the value of generational relationships and the universality of music.
He was a real American. Famous country singer found dead this morning at his home in Texas.
Kinky Friedman, known for his satirical and often provocative style, has passed away at 79. A post on his social media announced, “Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends.
Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit.
Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.”
Richard Samet “Kinky” Friedman earned a cult following for his unique take on country and Western music.
He released numerous albums, starting with “Sold American” in 1973, a record that laid the foundation for his career.
Known as the “governor of the heart of Texas,” he even toured with Bob Dylan during the “Rolling Thunder Revue” and made history as the “first full-blooded Jew” to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Apart from his musical endeavors, Friedman was a prolific writer. He wrote detective novels and contributed as a columnist for Texas Monthly.
He also ventured into politics, running for Governor of Texas in 2006 with the campaign slogan “My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy,” securing 12.6 percent of the votes among six candidates.
Born in Chicago and raised in Texas, Friedman studied psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
His passion for music led him to form King Arthur & the Carrots and later Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. He described the latter as a “country band with a social conscience, a demented love child of Lenny Bruce and Bob Wills.”
Reflecting on his life, Friedman once wrote, “Somewhere in heaven, I’m sure there’s a quiet corner with a big easy chair, a bright floor lamp, a big stack of biographical books, and a few old dogs wagging their tails to the faint smell of cigar smoke.”
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