Music History Monday17 Jul 2023

Music History Monday: Elaine Stritch: An Appreciation

Elaine Stritch (1925-2014) circa 2012: a self-professed “tough old dame”

We mark the death on July 17, 2014 – 9 years ago today – of the Broadway and television actress Elaine Stritch, in Birmingham, Michigan, at the age of 89.

I personally have a soft spot in my heart for Ms. Stritch the size of Manitoba. She was your quintessential brassy, tart-tongued (a euphemism for foul mouthed), cigarette smoking, alcohol-soaked blonde who took nothing from no one and could sell a song like nobody’s business. (Please note that I didn’t say “sing a song” but rather, “sell a song.” Her ability to do so will be discussed in tomorrow’s Dr. Bob Prescribes post.)

Elaine Stritch “singing” (selling!) a song during her final engagement at the Cafe Carlyle in New York City, 2013

It is my great hope that by the time you finish this Music History Monday and tomorrow’s Dr. Bob Prescribes posts, you will have come to love her almost as much as I do.

My decision to profile Elaine Stritch is, in my estimation, a great sign of respect, given the other musical events of the day. Both the tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and the singer Billie Holiday died on this date, in 1967 and 1959, respectively. (Be assured that both of these luminaries – Coltrane and Holiday – will receive their due on these pages sooner or later.)

On this date in 1972, James Brown released the seminal funk song, Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, which went on to sell over 2 million copies and received a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording.

On this date – again, in 1972 – a bomb exploded under an equipment van in Montreal belonging to The Rolling Stones. Believed to be the work of French separatists, we’d observe that the bombing might have simply been intended as a critical statement.…

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