Paul Quarrington, Cigar Box Banjo

Today I am including an interesting email from my brother, Dr. Geoffrey Simmins, an architectural historian and associate dean at the University of Calgary, Alberta. Have a listen to the audio files he includes as well.

“…but you would have to have a heart of stone to read Paul Quarrington’s memoir, Cigar Box Banjo, and not be moved by his self-deprecating honesty responding to the news that he has terminal cancer. It’s a great memoir, Marjorie, at least by what I have read of them, and might be a new(ish?) genre–the mortality memoir? I liked it better than his fiction, e.g., King Leary. (Didn’t read anything else by him though, e.g., Whale Music: maybe I should.) Certainly it has a poetic perfection to it all–Roddy Doyle writes the preface, and friends write the epilogue because, well, Paul dies in the writing of it. But not before he writes a damn fine memoir, and also a couple of great songs. Rage, rage against the…etc., or at least pour another glass of whiskey. I am going to try and send you the audio file with the song. “

“Hope you can access this file; if not, try this site–which is the same version: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/01/28/are-you-ready/

And maybe even if so, have a look at the slower version of the co-authors–Dan Hill (yup, that Dan Hill) and Martin Worthy–a bit slow for my taste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6saLRZi13g

And here is Paul singing jazz and talking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJh55O6GuEk

Here’s a tribute to him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP52Pkkji5M

and…if you still have the energy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzNHUFzqG4Y&NR=1

 

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