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26th AMENDMENT SIGNING | MEMORIES

You Want to Know How Old I Am?

Clicking on the underlined links below will provide additional information.

I performed in several concerts conducted by
Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

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I attended a rehearsal conducted by
Bruno Walter

Bruno Walter (1876-1962)

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I attended a concert sung by
Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson (1897-1993)

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I performed in the first concert for the opening of Lincoln Center
(September 23, 1962)
In attendance - First Lady Jackie Kennedy,
composers Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber,
Henry Cowell, Virgil Thomson

Opening Week Program

Lincoln Center

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Victor Borge borrowed a special mechanical pencil from me at Lincoln Center
(and never gave it back!!)

Victor Borge (1909-2000)

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I performed at the Vatican for Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)

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I studied voice/coaching with
Luigi Ricci in Rome Italy

Luigi Ricci (1893-1981)

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I performed in a concert at Lincoln Center conducted by
Paul Hindemith

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

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I attended 4 concerts conducted by
Igor Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

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As a child I attended a concert by Arthur Rubinstein
in my rural small home town of 7000 people

Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982)

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I conducted a performance (1971) at the White House for the certification of
the 26th Amendment (18-20 year old vote)

Certification of the 26th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution

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My Dad (1913-1981) was 10 years old before women
were allowed to vote in the United States

Mary Ella, William H. Jr., James, William H. Sr., Lloyd Ramsey

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Jack Paar (1918-2004)

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We attended The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at Herald Square in 1959
It was so cold the film in my camera froze!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, 1959

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I rode and played in my Great-Aunt's Model-T Ford

Model-T Ford

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We attended The Sound Of Music on Broadway
Original cast - Mary Martin, Theodore Bikel, etc.

Mary Martin (1913-1990)

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We became acquainted with New Foods
I never heard of until
Pizza (1953), Tacos (1958)

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I was the first person to Water ski on Lake Cumberland, 1952?

Lake Cumberland

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I attended the performance at the Metropolitan Opera (1961) with the
first African American tenor (my good friend, George Shirley)

George Shirley (b. 1934)

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I had dinner (1962) at the home of Alice Tully
(donor of the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center)

Alice Tully (1902-1993)

Alice Tully Hall

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I saw the beginning and end of World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, etc.

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I have been privileged to know four Nobel Laureates:
Arthur Schawlow, Theadore Hänsch
Kenneth Arrow, Charles Townes

Our twin boys were delivered (1961) by the physician who developed
the cure for Rh-factor blood disorder (Vincent Freda)

Vincent Freda (1927-2003)

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Phyllis shopped with Col. Sanders (1965)
(creator of Kentucky Fried Chicken)

Col. Harlan Sanders (1890-1980)

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While teaching at Harvard University,
we encountered Julia Child in Boston's Star Market (1984)

Julia Child (1912-2004)

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I attended a speech given by Harry S. Truman (1950)

President Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)

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The following 15 people were Presidents of the USA (thus far) since I have been alive. That is one-third of all the US Presidents!

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
• Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
• Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)
• John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
• Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973)
• Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994)
• Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006)
• Jimmy Carter (b. 1924)
• Ronald Regan (1911-2004)
• George Bush (1924-2018)
• Bill Clinton (b. 1946)
• George W. Bush (b. 1946)
• Barak Obama (b. 1961)
• Donald Trump (b.1946)
• Joseph R. Biden (b.1942)

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The following items were invented after I was born:

• Ballpoint pen (1938)
• Instant coffee (1938)
• Helicopter (1939)
• Color TV (1940)
• Turboprop engine (1942)
• Kidney dialysis machine (1944)
  
• Microwave oven (1945)
• Clock Radio (1945)
• Tupperware (1945)
• Disposable diapers (1946)
• Long playing record (1947)
• Credit card (1950)
• Alkaline batteries (1950)
• Power stearing (1951)
• Lego (1955)
• Behind the ear hearing aid (1956)
• Velcro (1956)
• Pacemaker (1958)
• Video tape (1958)
• Black and Decker cordless drill (1959)
• Stereo/hi-fi (1960)
• Contact lenses became used (1961)
• LED (1962)
• Ring pull can (1963)
• Smoke detector (1968)
• The Internet (1969)
• Digital watch (1971)
• Email (1971)
• Pocket calculator (1971)
• Personal computer (1971)
• Digital camera (1975)
• Lithium batteries (1976)
• Post-it notes (1979)
• Mobile phone (1979)
• Walkman (personal tape music player) (1979)
• World's first laptop (1981)
• Compact disk (1981)
• Camcorder (1982)
• World wide web (1989)
• GPS (1994)
• Play station 1 (1995)
• Memory stick (1998)
• Viagra approved for use (1998)
• iPod (digital music player) (2000)
• Self cleaning glass (2001)
• iPhone (2007)
• iPad (2010)
  

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I also published multiple editions and arrangements including

 

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I've probably forgotten or overlooked a bunch of stuff BUT I'm old, really old.

You want to know how old I am?
NO YOU DON’T!

Clicking on the links above will provide additional information.

Listen to George Carlin discuss how we talk about old people.

UPDATED 3/5/2024