Laura...

performed by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett is among my favorite songs. I had a difficult time learning to play this song, but loved it so much that I named my daughter Laura. She has been a god-sent to use, especially lately as both Carol and I have undergone so many health problems which have been extremely painful. I am so very proud of her and her abilities to overcome the handicaps she suffers from a motorcycle accident that nearly took her life and left her with a paralyzed left arm. She's a wonderful daughter and mother to our grandson.

It has rained here for 5 straight days and nights, there's not much to watch on TV, so I spent that time at the PSR-S950 creating some backing tracks. I'm not very good at this, but after a lot of tweaking and tuning, I manage to make them sound OK at best, but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.

Here's a recording that I did of Laura using the PSR-S950's onboard recorder, and backing tracks that took me a couple long days and nights to fine tune that were created on the S-950 using the Cool Swing style, slowed down quite a bit, my own nylon guitar voice for the fills and the silver trumpet for the instrumental segment with some strings thrown in for good measure. The chords I used are the Tony Bennett rendition, with very few passing chords because I'm just too lazy to play them. It probably would have sounded better with a bunch of passing chords, though the ladies still loved it when I sang and recorded it on the job a couple years ago.

Click here to play Laura

Gary

Hey Gary, I liked it, the style and overall song, was made for your voice type. I never had the patience to make backing tracks, but I can hear how it sounds, and may give it a go.

Hope you and your wife have better luck with your health problems. It's not easy being old, but you sound like you're still making the most of life.

Thanks for sharing your talent.

Thanks Larry, glad you enjoyed it. As for the health problems, mine will only worsen, while Carol's seem to be improving with ever passing day. Her pain has subsided significantly and she rarely takes the pain medication.

My lung problem has worsened considerably, and I will go for more pulmonary function tests on Friday. Additionally, one of the medications that I was taking cost $950 a month and is not covered by the VA. The pulmonary doctor kept me supplied with free samples for about 7 months, but he ran out of the samples and no more are available. Consequently, that medication is no longer an option, though I don't believe it was doing me much good.

Now, my herniated discs in my lower back and neck are causing horrendous pain, more than anyone can imagine, and the hydromorphone is no longer effective, even when I wash it down with a glass of honey bourbon. It takes the edge off, but the pain is always there and has now effected my ability to walk safely. I had to resort to using a cane.

Finally, the eye doc tells me that I have Dry, Age-related, Macular Degeneration, and I will eventually go blind. He wanted to see me again in six months, and I told him that I will not be returning unless someone develops a cure for Dry AMD, which isn't likely. No reason to see a doctor that can't do anything for you.

Larry, I am so very happy that you managed to get through the surgery OK, and glad to see you posting again. I know the financial burden must be horrendous, but unfortunately, it's something that many of us old codgers have experienced in the not too distant past. I have confidence you will make it through this and continue to play music for many years to come.

All the best,

Gary

Try CNN and MSNBC.....naw, I don't want your head to explode . Just pullin' your chain, Gary. Nice job on the tune.

chas

Thanks Chas. I was thinking about giving you a call today, but got tied up recording this, then taking care of Carol. I'll try to reach you tomorrow when I get back from the VA Hospital. Just going there for some bloodwork - ouch!

Gary

Gary, we named our daughter Laura for the same reason ...

We loved Frank Sinatra's version of Laura so much we named our daughter Frank.

Jerry

gary
even with your failing health and body,this is probably the best stuff that i heard you do. i've been following you for years and your work in the psrtutorial and here are legendary. sometimes the pain that we have is shared in our music. i hear it as a beautiful
outlet of that. this is as good as anything out there (IMO) if not better because of the pain i know of. . again nice work

Gary very enjoyable..
magical things can happen when you multi-track a song
vs using a style..

Thanx

You still got it Gary...thanks for sharing!
Mitch

Great work! Especially liked the trumpet!

Nice improvisation on the Trumpet solo.

Jerryghr

All I can say is "inspirational". Thank you Gary for all the wonderful things you do.

Nice song,very relaxing with nice clear vocals,all the best for
your recovery process.

Thanks for the compliments, guys. Spent much of today getting some blood work done at the VA, then went to the boat to fire up the engine, which has not been started for a couple months. The VA changed my appointment date, but failed to let me know, so I have to go back in July and have the blood work repeated, then see the doc. Think I might just go sailing for a week or two before the next scheduled appointments in July. Might just change the date and not tell them - just to get even.

All the best,

Gary

One of my favorite "old standards"... and you gave us a rendition to remember. Thanks for stirring old memories.

Be careful out there sailing. ----Dave

Thanks Dave. To be sure, this song is timeless for a lot of folks, old and young. I was amazed when many of the college girls on spring break in the Florida Keys asked for Sinatra and Tony Bennett songs. These were 20 something gals.

Gary

Hi Gary, my mum was diagnosed with macular degeneration about a year ago. At first she was told she had the type that wouldn’t send her blind, then they switched diagnosis and said she had the type that would. Unfortunately she lives close to a 1000 miles away, so don’t really get to see her often, and am not involved with her health problems. So not sure what type she has, she was told she would go blind.

But, her optometrist sent her to one of the best specialists in the state, and told her if anything could be done, this guy would know what to do.
He recommended getting injections in her eye. Definitely not a cure, but her eyesight has not gotten worse. It has stabilised it for the last year or so. No better no worse. I think she gets this shot once a month, or maybe every second , not sure, and apparently doesn’t hurt at all.

Thanks for sharing Gary, love the tune. It was a great old movie too.

Riki, I have dry AMD, and while I will eventually go blind from it, it will take longer than I have to live. Your mom has Wet AMD, which can be treated with injections that will temporarily halt the progression of the disease.

Glad you enjoyed my rendition of the song, and with luck I'll be able to submit more in the near future while I still have enough lung power to sing.

All the best,

Gary

Hi Gary, so yours is still a long, long, way off. Good to hear.