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Tag: Steve Martin

January 16: Deliverance ~ “Dueling Banjos” and David Letterman ~ Steve Martin’s Dueling Banjos

Published by Betsy R. Marks on January 16, 2014

I can’t resist banjo music and this song.  This creepy version, (clip from Deliverance) won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance (according to Wikipedia). The film also received a bunch of Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. Considering this year’s Academy Award nominations hit the street at 8:30am EST today, seems appropriate for Throwback Thursday.

But wait. There’s more. Thanks, Steve Martin! (No, not this one…)

Hey! You know the drill by now. Swallow first.

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January 1 (New Year’s Day): Steve Martin & Gregory Hines ~ Fit As A Fiddle

Published by Betsy R. Marks on January 1, 2014

Starting off the New Year in style with my favorite funny man Steve Martin and one of the best there is or was, Gregory Hines.

I would have featured this video during Steve Martin week, but I found it after I’d already compiled all the clips for the week. Which just goes to show, if you wait long enough, you can find enough material for an entire year. And so here’s to the offbeat and unexpected. And to our first Dancing Wednesday!

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September 7: Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers ~ Jubilation Day [OFFICIAL]

Published by Betsy R. Marks on September 7, 2013

Really.

The strangest music video I’ve seen in a long time. And I will point out I’ve been a fan of the music video genre since Saturday Night Special became Friday Night Videos and MTV still played music.

And so, we leave Steve Martin (at least, for the moment), and move on tomorrow to a totally different kind of performance art.

Happy Saturday, all!

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September 6: Steve Martin ~ Atheist Song – First hymnal for Atheists

Published by Betsy R. Marks on September 6, 2013

Oh, how much I love this.

Okay, so since Steve Martin has given up stand up comedy (for the most part), he’s moved on to music. With banjo. And if there’s any doubt as to his musical skills, check tomorrow’s video for an end to that discussion.

By the way, the Steep Canyon Rangers are playing at the Birchmere later tonight. This is a tip of the hat to them and a note that I have a ticket available for the concert if you want to ping me.  (It’s not free, unfortunately, but it’s reasonably priced.) No, sadly, Steve won’t be there. He’s playing Calgary tonight with Martin Short. Oh, how I wish I could get there from here…

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September 5: Steve Martin Opens The AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute To Tom Hanks

Published by Betsy R. Marks on September 5, 2013

Just watch a master at work.

While he hasn’t won the AFI Life Achievement Award (yet), he has been recognized by the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize  for American Humor (2005) as their eighth recipient of the award. Seriously, though, listen to his speech (on Vimeo – no useful WordPress embedding).

When you have the time, go get a copy of Born Standing Up. I swear – you won’t regret it. And when you’re done, if you haven’t seen these three movies, drop everything, sit down and watch: Roxanne (1987), Parenthood (1989), and my absolute favorite: L.A. Story (1991). You won’t regret these, either.

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September 3: Steve Martin ~ King Tut

Published by Betsy R. Marks on September 3, 2013

In 1978, at the tender age of 14 or so, and just a week after my mom’s death, I watched Steve Martin do this routine on Saturday Night Live. Embedding is disabled in the actual SNL performance, but here’s a live version from 1979.

Shortly after, I had a copy of both the single and the full album (A Wild and Crazy Guy). At the time, I couldn’t afford a lot of vinyl, but I got my hands on anything and everything Steve Martin put out there. I only regret not seeing his stand up work live before he decided to quit the circuit.

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September 2: Steve Martin: The Carol Burnett Show and The Midnight Special

Published by Betsy R. Marks on September 2, 2013

Just in case you wondered how Steve Martin got from the first clip to super stardom, here’s two more tv clips from the 1970s.  The first clip, from the Carol Burnett Show,  aired Monday, March 05, 1978 on CBS, two years after he hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time.

The Jerk, his first feature film as a writer and star, came a year after the Carol Burnett Show appearance. For another take, check out this clip from The Midnight Special.

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September 1: Steve Martin performs magic

Published by Betsy R. Marks on September 1, 2013

We move on to one of my absolute all-time favorite performers. I hesitate to call Steve Martin a comedian because that label is so very limiting.

Back a few months before I started this blog, I read his autobiography, “Born Standing Up” and I was floored. I had just seen Picasso at the Lapin Agile and I was convinced that this was comic genius at work. The book gave me a much better picture of the comic I began watching at the start of Saturday Night Live, whose “Well, excuuuuuuuse MEEE!!!” line became my own personal motto for years through high school and college.

Far from an overnight sensation, Steve Martin began his career as a teen, working at Disneyworld in LA. Writer, stand-up comic, movie star, playwright, banjo player extraordinaire, and more; he defies labels.

This week, you’ll see clips from his early career all the way to present day, starting with the Smothers Brothers…

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February 12 (Mardi Gras): Steve Martin & Earl Scruggs ~ Foggy Mountain Breakdown

Published by Betsy R. Marks on February 12, 2013

A little early this morning, because I keep missing the deadlines and I just know today’s got its own brand of crazy-making for the schedule.

Steve Martin is the unexpected (well, not really) element here.

And I want to see him play. Also Edie Brickell. Seriously. Here’s the tour dates. Who’s in and where? http://stevemartin.com/stevemartin/tour.html

And while we’re talking about religion…

Steve Martin ~ Atheists Don’t Have No Songs (Live on Letterman 03-16-20):

Tom Lehrer ~ The Vatican Rag (or Goodbye Benedict):

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