Famous People

If you ever get the chance to see him, do. Bluesman, storyteller, itinerant musician. And a nice guy. If you don't get a chance to see him, at least get his new album, "The Good Book."

This is from a Lou Reed - Rob Wasserman concert and party in 1992, in support of Wasserman's new album, "Duets." (I was writing press releases for Wasserman at the time.) The party, downstairs at New York's Radio City following the concert upstairs in the music hall, was fairly enjoyable -- think of the publicity parties in "This is Spinal Tap" -- and what I remember most of it was a long and pleasant discussion of computer operating systems with the magician Penn Jillette. When I got home, I stuck the pass to the side of a filing cabinet in my office. The filing cabinet is now in the basement storage room. Yesterday came word that Lou Reed, who was pleasant and happy that night, has died. This morning, on the way out the back door, I noticed the pass. It's not a lot the worse for more than 20 years stuck to the cabinet. R.I.P.

Jorma Kaukonen in performance March 22, 2014, in Darwin, Ohio.

Arguably the world's greatest bassist -- and certainly inventor of modern bass technique -- in performance in Darwin, Ohio, March 22, 2014.

The songwriter, singer, and guitarist in performance.

I like the picture I put up the other day, but there are those who think this one is better. And it does better illustrate Jack the guy, who is funny, and interesting, and interested. So here it is.