I welcome Sammy into my life

Through two decades, I’ve been on the giving side of the Sammy. Up to the stage the smiling winners would march. I’d hand over the shiny, black Syracuse Area Music Awards trophy to the rightful recipient of the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, and all was right in my world. Heck, some years…

Inside my mind on a daily walk through our Destiny

The last couple of days, I’ve taken my daily walk inside, to Destiny USA. Before I jump in the car, I have to deal with the look of disappointment mixed with just a tinge of pissed-off from my dear dog Ellie B. OK, maybe it’s just my guilt over the fact that when I decide…

Sammys Hall of Fame class proves to be a hard act to follow

Today we enter the department of ask-and-ye-shall-receive. After reading yesterday’s post about the upcoming Syracuse Area Music Awards event, Chuck commented that he liked the idea and all, but wished there had been more about the Hall of Fame induction Thursday night at Upstairs at the Dinosaur. My intention for the piece was to provide…

Time to celebrate how much good music we have in Syracuse

It’s Sammys week. Friday night at the Palace Theatre in Syracuse, awards will be given to honor great work in the Central New York music scene. The night before that at Upstairs and the Dinosaur, inductions will be made into the hall of fame. A quick primer for those of you who’ve never been to…

A big, long dream for Central New York bowlers

Officials announced this week that the bowlers of the United States will visit Syracuse in 2018. They will build that magnificent stretch of lanes in Oncenter, and for seven months, they will come. A lot of numbers were presented in The Post-Standard/syracuse.com piece by Rick Moriarty, beginning with Onondaga County’s purchase price of $1.8 million…

George sets us Strait, it’s farewell, not goodbye

The good news is, George Strait said farewell at the end of his “Cowboy Rides Away” show in Buffalo on Friday night. The cool guy country star did not say goodbye. This is no time for a complete retirement. Strait showed the not-quite-sold-out crowd in First Niagara Center that his star power still burns brightly.…

Yeah, I’ve got a blog

Please allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m a man of intellectual wealth and impeccable taste. Thank you Mick and Keith, for that lyric to twist and shout. Enough strut for Mick and enough swagger for Keith. Whew-whooooo! When last seen around these parts, I was covering the music and entertainment world for the big daily…