The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is slowly trimming its staff of tenured, veteran writers in an attempt to save money. The problem is, this loss of institutional knowledge can lead to more mistakes in reporting.
For instance, this story in the Startlegram’s weekly entertainment guide begins by asking the question, “Have you heard of Django Reinhardt?”
The writer then answers his own question by saying authoritatively that Reinhardt is an “acclaimed French/Belgian Gypsy guitarist, and he returns to Mount Crested Butte again Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5-6) for DjangoFest Colorado.”
Now that would be worth a trip to Colorado — Reinhardt is not only considered by many guitarists to be the greatest picker of all time, but he’s also been dead since 1953.
I heard Elvis is headlining.
Maybe they meant Django Walker. But that’s what happens when all the fact-checkers have left….
Great stuff! I will be there to enjoy … great music in a great venue. Come join us.
Opening act – The Dead Kennedys.
The closest anyone around here got to Django was when Stephane Grapelli played the Caravan of Dreams back in the late 80’s. Grapelli was Django’s violinist in the original Qunitette du Hot Club de France in the 1930’s. He was every bit Django’s equal. He was in his 80’s when he played Caravan but his fiddling was muscular and sensitive. That had to be one of the best performances ever in Fort Worth. Alas, Stephane died in ’97 and won’t be joining Django in Crested Butte. That is, unless the ST finds a way to resurrect him. If they do, in the words of Dan Hicks, “Hell, I’ll go!”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. I can’t wait to see than correction.
*that*
I would definitely go to Crested Butte if Hot Club of Cowtown were playing! Great violinist, Elana James, hottest stand up bass I’ve seen, Jake Erwin, and the guitarist Whit Smith probably is tired of the comparison, but he definitely has some Django in his soul.