Radio Geo’s Media Blog (“In Flanders Fields” – Bruce Walker of The Jury) 11/11/23

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poppies

As the Great War raged on all across Europe, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrea, a Canadian Physician from Guelph, Ontario, was paying his last respects at the gravesite of his good friend Alex Hemer.

When Colonel McCrea sadly looked around, he noticed that poppies were the only thing growing amongst the crosses.
As he gazed at the final resting place of the fallen soldiers, he was inspired to write his immortal poem, “In Flanders Fields.”

After enduring the butchering of Mr. McCrea’s poem at a Remembrance Day service a few years ago, my old bandmate from The Jury, Bruce Walker, disgustingly headed home, where he plugged in his guitar, turned on the tape recorder and gave the famous poem a melody.

Bruce’s version of “In Flanders Fields,” which he dedicates to the fallen soldiers in all the wars, is now in the Lt. Col. John McCrae museum in Guelph and is being played at more and more legions every year during their Remembrance Day services.

It’s beautiful, Bruce, and know this: the rest of your bandmates from The Jury were there with you in spirit as you recorded it.
(Mr. McCrae is pictured above, Bruce below. Click the link below to hear Bruce’s haunting rendition of “In Flanders Field.”

In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow.
Between the crosses, row on row,
That marks our place and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce was heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt the dawn, saw the sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Radio Geo’s Media Blog is a politically incorrect inside look at Radio, TV, Music, Movies, Books, Social Media, Politics, and Life, primarily written with men in mind.
For a peek at upcoming Blogs or to see some you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting are appreciated.
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Radio Geo’s Media Blog (Camera Anne Johns Summerfield Turns 28 Today.) 11/06/23

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It was 28 years
ago today
when Camera Anne

came out to play.

I got to hold her
when she was
only ten minutes old,
But when she grabbed
my finger
she stole my soul.

I whispered
sweet nothings
into her ear
Trying to assure her,

she had nothing
to fear.

Then I unveiled
how it’s gonna be
a life filled

with adventures
just wait and see.

Since that day
we’ve traveled a lot
to mant places
that were cool
but were also hot.

Christmas was
never a bore
They were filled with
pretty dresses

and toys galore.

We managed to
meet Barney
whom Cami loved
but she was much
too frightened
to give him a hug.

Yep, we took the train
from coast to coast
but I think I was the one

who loved it the most.

Now It’s 28 years later, 
and she’s barely begun
but she works
really hard,
so it’s
time for some fun

Now, she’s back in school
which makes me so proud

I wanna shout out about it
and do it loud

She’s smart, and she’s beautiful,
what more can I say
Except this

on her special day.

Happy Birthday, my wee-one,
and never forget,
Daddy loves you

unconditionally
with no regrets.

Radio Geo’s Media Blog is a politically incorrect inside look at Radio, TV, Music, Movies, Books, Social Media, Politics, and Life, primarily written with men in mind.
For a peek at upcoming Blogs or to see some you may have missed, go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting are appreciated.
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Tim Moore’s Midweek Motivator (Self Sabotage)

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Tim Moore

Managing Partner

Audience Development Group

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Canadian born radio programmer George Johns is someone to be admired. He’s largely under-credited with format-crafting while with the former exemplary Fairbanks Radio Group, owners of legendary stations in Dallas, Boston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and West Palm Beach plus numerous others since. Like some of the talent he helped nurture, George continues to be an epic storyteller and has shared numerous accounts of his success. I admire him as a colleague and craftsman. Worth noting, before coming to the states for Fairbanks, George had tremendous success in his native Canada. Raised near Winnipeg, George points to the spirited ethos of Canadians, including those cast from his “wheatfield soul” radio days in Winnipeg.

A few years ago George shared with me his reunion with good friend Burton Cummings. Burton was doing a one-man show in Boston. While the Boston Globe was interviewing Cummings, Johns was hanging out in Cummings’ dressing room looking forward to their reunion. George relates, “You know Tim, we started talking and all of a sudden Burton turns to me and says, ‘George, you’ll understand this; you’re from Winnipeg and you know how it is. Back when I was about twenty-one we had the number one record in the world, American Woman. Not only that, we were scheduled to play Carnegie Hall in New York! And from that performance, we were going to release a live album, The Guess Who Live from Carnegie Hall. Can you believe that George…someone from Winnipeg playing at Carnegie Hall, captured live forever on an album?’ Then Burton looks down, shakes his head, and says to me, ‘have you ever heard the album’?”

Johns admitted to his friend, “Wow, no! I never even knew it existed!” Cummings shrugged and said, “Well…that’s because it doesn’t. Come on George, we’re from Winnipeg; you know the drill, what the hell were we thinking…Carnegie Hall? No way. We know our place…some of us never really get out of Winnipeg.”

Johns asked the inevitable: my God Burton, “what happened?” Cummings recounted his squandered opportunity. “We were so excited we stayed up and partied all night…then SLEPT right through the appointment! Never made the gig, man! Can you believe that? I never made the *#%@ gig. No matter what happens, I can’t get that precious moment back. But hey, I’m from Winnipeg, maybe it was never meant to be.”

With much reverence for George, Burton Cummings, and The Guess Who, and with apologies to Winnipeg (I’ve always really liked the city!) we benefit from this insightful life lesson: Winnipeg or Hollywood, Cummings’ story goes right to the power of our subconscious and the influence it can hold over us all. When people are conditioned to “deserve” success, more often than not, they find success. Conversely, from an early age those who may be programmed into the “So it goes, that’s just not me” self-image, often view their destiny differently; subconscious self- sabotage that slots them forever in a world of disappointment.

Ballplayers, CEO’s, politicians, musicians, and some of the rest of us often can’t live with repeated episodes of good fortune, subconsciously finding a creative way to trash our trophies.

Burton Cummings deserved to play at Carnegie Hall. The band had talent, work ethic, and the limelight of the moment. The only reason Burton Cummings and the Guess Who never recorded a Live at Carnegie Hall CD, was because in the pantheon of the subconscious, possibly Cummings didn’t really believe he belonged there (even though he did). It takes an intrepid sense-of-self to withstand repeated attacks of success.

Tim Moore

Managing Partner

Audience Development Group

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